Fleur East speaks out after shock Strictly dance-off
(Picture: Matt Crossick/PA)Fleur East has said that she is "so grateful" the four judges saved her after her shock dance-off with DJ Richie Anderson on Sunday’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The two stars had landed in the bottom two through a mix of audience votes and panel scores, with Anderson and his pro partner Giovanni Pernice saying goodbye to the BBC show after East and her partner Vito Coppola won the dreaded dance-off.
The singer, 34, took to Instagram and shared a snap of herself hugging Coppola and captioned it: "So grateful to be saved by the judges this week. But so, so sad to say goodbye to my friend [Richie].
"And thank you all for your kind messages."
According to The Mirror, East had reportedly broken down in tears backstage after the unexpected result.
A source told the publication: "There was an audible gasp in the studio when Fleur’s name was called out for the dance-off.
"All the pros and celebs looked so shocked and Fleur was clearly devastated.
"She was keeping it all together like a real pro but after she and Vito were sent through by the judges and the cameras were off, she began to cry.
"Vito comforted her but it was clear she was really upset — as were the other celebs."
The red light of doom shines on Fleur and Vito tonight 🚨 #Strictly pic.twitter.com/F2z3lFb6Cs
— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) October 9, 2022
The judges were also stunned to see East, who finished sixth on the leaderboard, and Anderson, who was eighth, in the bottom two.
After they danced-off, judges Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse voted to save East.
Host Tess Daly asked head judge Shirley Ballas for her decision and she said she would have saved Anderson and Pernice.
Viewers also took to Twitter to voice their anger that the two favourites found themselves in that predicament and called for Ballas’s sacking.
One fan wrote: "Fix or what? There were much worse dancers than those in the dance-off!!"
While another asked: "Have the producers told Shirley that this year she has to say she’d save the other couple if the other three don’t? Two weeks now not unanimous when clearly one of the bottom two out danced the other."
A third commented: "I’m sorry, but can the producers replace Shirley next year?"
Another viewer echoed: "Shirley Ballas should be removed from the panel."
While one wrote: "Shirley would have kicked out Fleur? Whaaaaat?"
Last weekend fans were also left shocked when Ballas said she would have saved Loose Women star Kaye Adams over singer Matt Goss in the first dance-off. Her fellow judges all chose to save Goss.
