JJ Chalmers has become the sixth celebrity to be voted off this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The athlete and TV presenter and his partner Amy Dowden were booted off the BBC ballroom competition during Sunday night’s results show.
The couple had to face Made In Chelsea’s Jamie Laing and his professional dance partner Karen Hauer in this week’s dance-off.
JJ had to reprise his Charleston to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which netted him just 20 points out of 30 on Saturday night’s Musicals special, and left him bottom of the leaderboard.
While Jamie had fared better with the judges – scoring 24 for his Jive to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – he didn’t prove as popular with the public, landing in the bottom two for the second consecutive week.
After both couples had performed again, Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Jamie and Karen, while Motsi Mabuse chose to save JJ and Amy, leaving head judge Shirley Ballas with the casting vote.
Explaining her decision to save Jamie, she said: “Both couples lifted their game, I adored both performances very very much, and both couples made small mistakes, both couples. But on a more powerful and through difficulty of choreography and through sheer determination, I’m going to save Jamie.”
Following his exit, JJ told host Tess Daly: “I’m unbelievably proud. I never thought I would make it this far, I’ve gotten half decent maybe at something which I had no clue about to begin with and I’ve enjoyed every second of it, it has just been an absolute blast. It’s just a privilege to be in this long. I mean this competition is insane!
“To be counted among that cast at this stage in particular means the world to me. It’s meant everything. It’s been an unbelievable challenge, well outside my comfort zone but I’ve had this one to just keep me in it and I can’t quite express what she means to me.”
Amy added: “JJ it has been an absolute honour to be your partner and most importantly friend, throughout your Strictly experience. He is, and everybody would agree, one of the world’s most truest gentlemen.
“I didn’t think I could possibly fall in love with Strictly any more and this year my heart is just beaming full of Strictly and that’s down to absolutely everybody and I love you all.”
Five couples now remain in the competition, which continues next Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.
