Dan Walker has passionately defended his former Strictly Come Dancing partner Nadiya Bychkova after her exit from the latest series.
The former BBC Breakfast host has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Bychkova and her celebrity partner Tom Dean's elimination, following their dance-off against Neil Jones and Toyah Willcox.
Willcox had finished at the bottom of the leaderboard after her first two dances, while Dean placed in a respectable 10th.
Despite this, the public vote resulted in Dean facing Willcox in the dance-off. After performing again, judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood chose to send Dean home.
The decision led to accusations of a "fix" from frustrated Strictly viewers, prompting Bychkova to post a cryptic message saying she "wasn't ready" to discuss the outcome.
What just happened on Strictly feels a bit messed up.@tomdean00’s departure will go down as one of THE early shocks. Lovely bloke who really could have become a great dancer. He looked like he was loving every second of it and @NadiyaBychkova looked like she loved teaching him.… pic.twitter.com/5XDZde8u4B
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) September 29, 2024
While Bychkova chose to stay quiet, Dan Walker did not hold back, sharing his strong opinion on their elimination.
The news reader slammed the judges' verdict on X and wrote: "What just happened on Strictly feels a bit messed up. @tomdean00’s departure will go down as one of THE early shocks.
“Lovely bloke who really could have become a great dancer. He looked like he was loving every second of it and @NadiyaBychkova looked like she loved teaching him.
“I’m not an expert - and I’m happy for someone to explain - but how he lost that dance off is completely beyond my comprehension. Genuinely thought they could have gone a long way.”
Bychkova has not publicly addressed her former Strictly partner's comments, but the Ukrainian professional admitted to feeling "devastated" about their exit.
The pro wrote alongside a selfie of her and Dean,: "I want to say thank you for all the amazing messages tonight. Tom had so much to give and I had so much I wanted to teach him.
“His improvement in the last 2 weeks has been incredible and I think, actually I know, he could have become a brilliant dancer.
“I’m devastated that you won’t get to see that. My 3-time Olympic Champion was an amazing student and is a wonderful gentleman. He will go on to bigger and better things and I know this year he could have had a brilliant Strictly story.
“I love this show and I want to wish the other couples all the best and I’m sure it’s going to be a great series. Thank you for your kindness.” (sic)
Walker’s comments come as the BBC has apologised to former Strictly contestant Amanda Abbington, saying it had assessed and “upheld some, but not all” of her complaints about Giovanni Pernice's behaviour during her time on the show.
Sherlock actress Abbington, who pulled out of the BBC One show last year citing “personal reasons”, laterclaimed she was subject to a “toxic environment” and “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying”.
Thereview into Abbington's complaints about her Strictly professional dance partner Pernice was launched earlier this year.
Pernice, who was not part of this year’s Strictly professional dancing line-up and has since joined an Italian dance show, previously rejected “any claim of threatening or abusive behaviour”.
The show returned on September 14 for its 20th anniversary with a new cast of celebrities, and some changes including having chaperones present “at all times” during rehearsals.
Abbington was a “vindication of my complaint” and “the other people who have contacted me since... to express concerns about their own experiences on Strictly Come Dancing”.
