Despite his own emotional appearance, Will Mellor jumped in to console Nancy Xu as the pair broke down during their Strictly Come Dancing exit chat. The dance contest's semi-final results aired on Monday night (December 12) after the football forced the penultimate live show and its subsequent result to different time slots.
Sunday's semi-final saw the five remaining celebrities and their professional dance partners take to the ballroom floor twice as the fought for their place in the competition and a chance at getting their hands on the Glitterball trophy. While the judges gave their scores, it was over to the public to vote and save their favourite.
But there were tears during the results show as it was announced that Will Mellor had missed out on a place in the final. The Two Pints of Lager and Coronation Street star battled it out against singer and radio DJ Fleur East in the dreaded dance-off after it was revealed they had come bottom of the leaderboard following their scores and votes from the public.
Both couples peformed their favourite of their two routines again before the judges cast their vote. While Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood opted to save Fleur and Vito, Anton Du Beke shared his decision to save Will and Nancy which he said was "due to an error in a dismount from a lift" from Fleur and Vito.
This, therefore, left the vote in Shirley Ballas' hands and she said: "Based on micro details, I have decided to save Fleur and Vito." When co-host Tess Daly asked Will if he had any final words, the Stockport-born actor fought back his tears as he replied: "I have to thank you all for giving me this chance to put a smile on my mum's face, she deserves it. I’ll take whatever I have learnt from this show forward in whatever I do because it shows you can achieve more than you think.
"I didn’t think I’d be able to get anywhere near this and I am so proud of what we have achieved but also everybody who has voted for me, who has supported me, the messages I’ve had from my local community and children. Thank you all so much, we really, really appreciated every bit."
Will and dance partner Nancy Xu then appeared on It Takes Two for their first interview as the spin-off show on BBC2 was moved and aired live after the results show instead of its usual 6.30pm slot. Talking to Rylan about the semi-final, Will admitted: "It was tough doing two dances. It was really tough.
"My brain struggles with one dance a week - my brain can't take in two things at once, and obviously it was the semi-finals, so it was tough. There was pressure. But, you know, I thought we were ready." He continued: "I am just human. Anybody who meets me, you get to meet me. I don't have another person I can put in. We had worked so hard, we had got so far in the competition, and I beat myself up. I was too harsh on myself.
"What I always said was I wanted this lady next to me to be happy and to be proud. That was what mattered to me." Nancy then said: "I have enjoyed it so much." And Will added: "It was better than I thought it was." It came after the pair gor their lowest score this weekend, in the semi final.
"The Couples Choice was a song where we went nostalgic, we had loads of fun, and we went out and enjoyed it. Every dance can be your last one - when you had two, you have the chance to come back with something strong. So it was great for me. It was a good time."
He added: "I wanted to much to get to the final. I wanted to get this girl there. She has given me everything - everything - so I was gutted to be in the bottom." As they continued to chat, things got more emotional as a look back at his Strictly journey and a surprise message from his wife and children left Will in bits.
But it wasn't long before Will stepped in to console Nancy as she burst into tears live on the show. "I am so grateful, thank you to this man, I couldn't even imagine the journey we had," the dancer was able to tell Rylan. "To see him not believing in himself, then slowly enjoying the dance on a Saturday night performing, then feeling satisfied and the smile on his face. Thank you so much."
And those watching the pair in their interview at home were equally upset and some thought the emotional chat should have been quickly 'wrapped up'. @kendallsellyoak tweeted: "Brutal it takes two!!! Poor Nancy #ItTakesTwo." @bettyredondo shared: "Oh my word poor Nancy was devastated on #ItTakesTwo. Heartbroken for her."
@gsy_andy commented: "Alright jesus wrap this segment up for will & Nancy's sake, crumbs #ItTakesTwo #strictly." @Tbirdflieshigh commented: "Oh my watching #ItTakesTwo and it feels even rawer watching it seconds after watching the #Strictly results. Nancy is just in a heap, goodness." @DavidMackayy added: "Not nice to see Will and Nancy in tears bless them both #ittakestwo."
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