Melanie Walters Exits Strictly as 13 Couples Reach Icons Week
Melanie Walters became the second celebrity eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing after losing the dance-off to Shaun Wright-Phillips. The judges split their…
Melanie Walters’ exit leaves Strictly Come Dancing with 13 couples heading into Icons week. The actress became the second celebrity eliminated after judges chose to save former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips in the dance-off.
Walters and her professional partner Aljaz Skorjanec faced Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr in Sunday night’s results episode. The judges’ decision followed a Charleston and a quickstep performed again for the dance-off.
Walters and Skorjanec had scored 17 for their Charleston to Gina G’s “Ooh Ahh… Just A Little Bit” on Saturday night. Wright-Phillips and Warr had scored 15 for their quickstep to The Monkees’ “I’m A Believer.”
Who left Strictly tonight? Judges split their votes
Motsi Mabuse voted to save Walters. Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood each backed Wright-Phillips and Warr, sending Walters and Skorjanec home.
The result followed a difficult start for Walters, who had finished in the bottom two in each of the competition’s first two weeks. She received a score of 15 for her cha cha cha in the first week, then the same score for a waltz to “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music during Movie Week.
Craig Revel Horwood said he “didn't love” the Charleston, while Mabuse encouraged Walters to “keep going”. The difference in the judges’ votes came after both couples repeated their routines in the dance-off.
Walters, who is from Swansea, said “diolch yn fawr iawn” — Welsh for thank you very much — as she said goodbye to her fellow cast members. She and Skorjanec are due to appear on It Takes Two on Monday.
What Walters’ departure means for the contest
Walters’ elimination narrows the field to 13 couples before next week’s Icons week. For the remaining contestants, the result also shows how a dance-off can overturn the impression created by scores from the main show: Walters and Skorjanec had scored higher than Wright-Phillips and Warr on Saturday, but three judges chose the other pair when both routines were performed again.
Walters is best known for playing Gwen West in the BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey. She appeared in the series from its launch in 2007 and reprised the role for the 2024 Christmas special.
Sunday’s episode also included a ballroom-versus-Latin group performance featuring Ballas and Du Beke, with two teams of professional dancers competing. Musician Jalen Ngonda performed “Burning Temptation” with professional dancers Neil Jones and Lethabo Monametsi.
The remaining 13 couples will dance to songs by successful artists during Icons week next week.
Source: bbc.com
