In a dramatic Sunday night results show that left audiences reeling, Vicky Pattison was eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing in a devastating blow that coincided with her 38th birthday.
The Fateful Dance-Off
The former Geordie Shore star found herself joint bottom of the leaderboard with fellow contestant Balvinder Sopal, both having scored 27 points for their Saturday night performances. Pattison had performed a Jive to Sound Of The Underground by Girls Aloud with her professional partner Kai Widdrington, while EastEnders actress Sopal and her partner Julian Caillon delivered an American smooth to My Guy by Mary Wells.
When hosts announced the two would face each other in the dreaded dance-off, the atmosphere turned tense. "I'm nervous," Pattison confessed. "I thought Bal's dance was absolutely beautiful and she's one of my absolute best friends in this competition so this is a horrible place to be." Sopal echoed the sentiment, stating plainly: "I don't want to do it. I really don't want to do it."
Judges' Verdict and Emotional Aftermath
Head judge Shirley Ballas offered some brief encouragement to a distraught Pattison, advising her to "wipe it out. it's a new dance. it's a new day." However, in a decision that defied both bookmakers' predictions and fan expectations, the judges unanimously chose to save Balvinder Sopal. This marked the fourth time Sopal had survived the dance-off in the competition.
Following the announcement, Pattison offered a heartfelt apology to her professional partner. "I’m so sorry I didn’t get you to Blackpool," she told Widdrington, referencing the coveted Blackpool special scheduled for the following week. She expressed gratitude for the experience, adding, "I didn’t think I’d get past week one. And I’m really honoured to have shared this experience with so many amazing people... I feel like I’ve won just by having you as my partner."
Kai Widdrington responded in kind, praising Pattison as "everything that this series is about. Strong, confident, independent – and all that I can say is, I have loved every single second." He concluded emotionally, "I’m going to be gutted not coming to Blackpool with you on Monday."
Fan Reaction and What's Next
The elimination sent shockwaves through the Strictly fanbase. One viewer expressed the general disbelief on social media platform X, writing: "What thats a shock! No way Vicky & Kai should have left #strictly they’ve been fantastic throughout this series!" Another simply stated: "#strictly Absolutely the wrong decision tonight."
The remaining seven couples will now prepare to travel to the iconic Tower Ballroom for Strictly’s Blackpool special next weekend. The show continues to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 6.35pm on Saturday and 7.15pm on Sunday.
