Strictly Pro Dancer Breaks Silence on Shock Elimination That's Left Everyone Reeling

The first Strictly Come Dancing contestant to be eliminated this year has left his professional partner Nadiya Bychkova reeling, with the pro dancer now speaking out on the shock departure of Olympic champion Tom Dean. The 25-year-old swimmer was a favourite to go far in the competition but ultimately found himself in the bottom two after the first public vote.

Dean and his partner Bychkova performed a Cha Cha to 'Acuyuye Me' by DLG but their score of 24 was not enough to save them from the chop. The pair faced Saturday night's leaderboard winners, drag queen and performer, River Butcher and their partner Jowita Przystał, in the dreaded dance-off.

Tom and Nadiya's dance-off performance failed to sway the judges however, with the couple receiving a score of 23. The panel, consisting of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, all voted to save River, citing an improvement on their first dance for the pair.

Nadiya Bychkova has since taken to social media to share her thoughts on the surprise elimination. 'The first Strictly Come Dancing contestant eliminated this year, Tom Dean, could have had a brilliant story on the series', she admitted. Bychkova went on to express just how much Dean had to offer the competition.

Dean, who won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, brought an undeniable charm to the Strictly ballroom, his dedication and enthusiasm both assets to Nadiya Bychkova. Many fans of the show have taken to social media to express their surprise at Dean's elimination, arguing that had he been given more time to grow and develop as a dancer, the swimmer would have been an exciting contestant to follow throughout the series.

With the competition now down to 14 couples, the remaining contestants will undoubtedly be aware of the pressure that lies ahead. Strictly Come Dancing continues this Saturday with another live show full of music, dance, and drama.