Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton has become the first of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing stars to be eliminated from the competition.
Following Saturday night’s Movie Week-themed live show, Gavin & Stacey’s Melanie Walters found herself at the bottom of the leaderboard when it came to the judges’ scores, followed closely by Chris and his celebrity partner Amy Dowden.
In Sunday’s results show, it was discovered that Melanie and her dancing partner Aljaž Škorjanec had secured enough support from the public to save themselves from the bottom two.
Sadly, the same could be said for Chris, who wound up in the dance-off with actor Jaime Winstone, who had fallen in the middle of the pack in the judging leaderboard.
After both celebrities danced their routines again, the judges unanimously voted to save Jaime, meaning that Chris was the first casualty of the series.
“I think it’s been such a whirlwind of emotion,” Chris said of his time on Strictly. “I’m 43, I got good at doing what I do, which is hair. And to come into something like this, I felt so out of my comfort zone.”
He continued: “I saw myself in a way I’d never seen myself, and it challenged me in ways I never knew I could be challenged. I’m very grateful for everyone who’s been involved – all the celebrities up there, all the cast and crew, it’s been so amazing to be a part of such a special thing that I grew up watching, and I feel very proud to be a part of it.
“But the most important thing I think I’ll take from this show is having a friend in Amy, because I genuinely love [her] and am so grateful that I met someone who has so much heart. I already wish I’d done better for her because she deserves to go further in the competition. But we did put everything into it, so it is what it is.”
Amy then shared that “watching Chris grow in confidence, although it was short-lived, that’s what I’ll take away from [the experience]”
Referring to the fact that this marks the second year in a row that her celebrity partner has been eliminated first, she continued: “Obviously, I’m heartbroken, it seems to be my luck the last few years. But my heart is only breaking because I don’t get to dance with you on Monday.
“But, I get a friend for life, and that’s what’s going to heal my broken heart.”
At the other end of the leaderboard, singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem is the show’s new frontrunner, after landing high scores for both of her routines in the contest so far, ahead of EastEnders actor Lacey Turner and “The Dogfather” himself Graeme Hall.
Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday night at 6.15pm on BBC One.
