Actor Balvinder Sopal has become the latest celebrity to depart from BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The EastEnders actor, 47, found herself in the bottom two during Sunday night’s results show, facing off against former Love Island star Amber Davies and her pro partner Nikita Kuzmin following the public vote.
After a tense dance-off, every member of the judging panel opted to save Davies, 29, and Kuzmin.
Davies now progresses to the grand final, joining internet star George Clarke, and former Lioness and sports broadcaster Karen Carney.
Sopal and her professional partner Julian Caillon were in bottom place on the leaderboard after earning 70 points out of a possible 80 for their Salsa to “Get on Your Feet” by Gloria Estefan and Waltz to “At This Moment” by Michael Bublé on Saturday night.
Following her elimination, Sopal told presenter Tess Daly: “I’ve absolutely adored every single minute.
“All the dance offs, all the challenges, but just more than anything, just being in this building and dancing on this floor with such an amazing human being. It was my Yes Year, and I said yes to Strictly. My family, we’ve had some hard times, but they’ve been here.”
To Caillon, Sopal said: “You’ve been brilliant in every sense of the word, when I wobbled, and when I felt really brilliant about the dance and got the steps right, you’ve just held me in your hands and you’ve gone, ‘Bal, we’ve got this. It’s just me and you, and we’re gonna do this together’.
“ And we have done every single dance together, I’ve never felt alone on this floor, and I just want you to remember me. Don’t replace me too soon!”
In return, Caillon told the EastEnders star that her resilience and continued positive attitude after being placed in the dreaded dance off for a record six times “embodies what this competition is all about”.
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He said: “Her spirit is unbreakable, and [to Bal] you have shown me that I’m actually dreaming too small, and Bal can inspire us that whatever any of us want in life, all you have to have is the desire to go after it. It took six dance offs and a perfect score to take this lady out, so I am so so proud of you!”
Sopal also praised hosts Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who are set to step down from the show at the end of this series.
“I’m grateful that I got to be on the show on your last moment here as well, because you, for me, are what Strictly is about. You’re the era of Len Goodman and Bruce Forsyth, and that’s when I started watching it, and that, for me, is really special,” she said.
“This year, it’s been full of so many serendipitous moments. I’m so lucky, and I’m really, very happy.”
Sunday’s results show also featured a festive performance from Kylie Minogue of her new single “XMAS” accompanied by sixteen Strictly professionals , plus a special performance of the 90s classic “Sit Down” from the band James.
The remaining three couples will perform during next weekend’s grand final, airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 7pm next Saturday.
Sopal and Caillon will be on the Strictly companion show It Takes Two on Monday at 6.30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.