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It was another dramatic night on Strictly Come Dancing as football legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink became the fourth star to be eliminated from the BBC competition.
The former Leeds United and Chelsea striker found himself in the bottom two alongside Love Island winner and West End performer Amber Davies, despite both contestants achieving impressive scores from the judges.
Jimmy and his professional partner Lauren Oakley wowed the audience with an elegant American Smooth to Purple Rain by Prince and The Revolution, earning 30 out of 40. But the result wasn’t enough to secure him a place in next week’s show after the public vote left him vulnerable.
Meanwhile, Amber and her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin received 33 points for their lively Cha Cha Cha to Break Free by Ariana Grande. Despite their strong performance, the pair surprisingly landed in the bottom two, a result many viewers have attributed to the backlash surrounding Amber’s previous dance experience.
The 9 to 5: The Musical star has faced criticism from some fans who feel her background as a trained performer gives her an unfair advantage. But when it came down to the dance-off, all four judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke, were unanimous in saving Amber, praising her precision and technique.
The former Leeds United and Chelsea footballer found himself in the bottom two alongside Love Island winner Amber Davies despite both being two of the highest scorers of the week – Credit: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire
Craig said it was “an incredibly close decision,” but ultimately, Amber’s routine was “more polished.” Head judge Shirley Ballas added that both couples had shown great improvement but that Amber “just had the edge in musicality and performance.”
That meant it was the end of the road for Jimmy, who graciously accepted his fate. Speaking to host Tess Daly, the 52-year-old said he had “absolutely loved” every second of his Strictly journey.
“It’s been one of the best experiences of my life,” Jimmy said. “I’ve learned so much, not just about dancing but about myself. Lauren has been an amazing partner and friend, I can’t thank her enough.”
Lauren returned the praise, telling him:
“You’ve worked so hard every single week. You’ve brought so much fun to rehearsals and to the dance floor. You should be really proud of yourself.”
The elimination came as a shock to viewers, with many taking to social media to express their disappointment. One fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“Can’t believe Jimmy’s gone! He’s improved so much, should’ve stayed over some of the others.”
Another added:
“Amber is brilliant but the public clearly don’t like the dance experience debate. Jimmy didn’t deserve to go this week.”
With Jimmy’s exit, eleven celebrities now remain in the competition as the race for the Glitterball Trophy heats up.
Next week’s Strictly Come Dancing will see the stars take on Halloween Week, one of the show’s most anticipated themed episodes, and after this shock result, anything could happen.
