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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Rebecca Cook

Strictly viewers complain at first elimination 'mistake' - as judging panel divided

Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left condemning the judging panel’s decision after Kaye Adams became the first celebrity eliminated from the dance floor in 2022.

The 20th series of Strictly is once again being hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, with Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke returning as judges.

The 15 Strictly couples took to the dancefloor for their second performances in front of the judges – with their fate in the public’s hands.

Loose Women star Kaye was the first contestant to leave Strictly on Sunday evening after she faced Matt Goss in the dreaded dance off.

After the bottom two were revealed, both couples performed their Saturday routines again, with Kaye and her dance partner Kai Widdrington performing their Charleston to Music! Music! Music! by Dorothy Provine.

Kaye faced Matt in the dreaded dance off. (BBC)

Then, Matt and his dance partner Nadiya Bychkova performed their Samba to Night Fever by the Bee Gees in a bid to impress the judges and remain in the competition.

After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts and all but Shirley Ballas chose to save Matt over Kaye.

However, Strictly fans at home couldn’t help but think Shirley had made the right call that Kaye performed a better final dance than Matt.

All but Shirley Ballas chose to save Matt over Kaye (BBC)

Taking to Twitter, one wrote: “Disagree with the judges there. I found Matt Goss really uncomfortable to watch and just plain awkward. Don’t think Kaye should have gone.”

A second chimed: “I felt Kaye still had more to give and I'm not sure Matt does. It feels like it's always the middle aged woman who goes first…”

“As dance-offs go that was pretty horrendous. I feel really sorry for Kaye and Kai as they seemed to want it more,” another penned. “The Charleston is a difficult dance for week 2. Matt Goss seems totally disinterested. Looks like it’s too much like hard work for him.”

"I felt Kaye still had more to give and I'm not sure Matt does." (BBC)

Another penned: “Unanimously my Strictly WhatsApp would have kept Kaye and Kai in. Looks like we’re going to have more dad dancing next week!”

“I would have saved Kaye & Kai because a) Kai is fab & b) Kaye had far more enthusiasm than Matt Goss,” another fan wrote as a follow viewer said: “Totally disagree. Kaye gave a better performance made a couple of mistakes but at least she moved Matt looked like he'd had surgery.”

Strictly Come Dancing returns live at 6:30pm on Saturday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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