BBC Strictly Come Dancing fans outraged as eliminated star says 'I'm sorry'

Strictly Come Dancing's Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu were forced to leave the dance floor as they became the latest couple to be voted off on Sunday night.

In a tense results segment, Shayne, 40, and Nancy, 33, found themselves in the dreaded dance-off against fellow competitors Wynne Evans and Katya Jones.

Both couples had to perform their routines again, with Shayne and Nancy performing their Rumba to Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper, while Wynne and Katya performed their American Smooth to Grace Kelly by MIKA.

After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts, resulting in a split decision that forced head judge Shirley Ballas to have the final say.

Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse chose to save Shayne and Nancy, but Anton Du Beke opted to save Wynne and Katya. With two votes in favour of Shayne and Nancy, the deciding decision came down to head judge Shirley, 64, who chose to save Wynne and Katya, meaning Shayne and Nancy would sadly be leaving the competition, reports the Mirror.

When asked by host Tess Daly about his time on the show, Shayne said: "I just want to say, you guys up there [the other contestants in the Clauditorium] are a dream. Every single day, coming in here and seeing you guys you helped me so much. I want to say thank you to the audience as well, for always being amazing for us all. This has been, honestly, one of the best things I've ever done.

"I'm proud that I made it to eight weeks as a novice dancer. A massive thank you goes to this incredible human right next to me [Nancy], who has put so much fire in me and made me believe that I can actually achieve more if I let myself go. I'm sorry it didn't work out to the end, but I'm super proud that I got to meet you [to Nancy] and dance with you, so thank you."

Nancy reciprocated with heartfelt praise: "I'm beyond proud of this dance partnership. Shayne from week one until this point, every second you put your feet on the dance floor you improved yourself. You're a deep thinker, you always doubt yourself, you never believed yourself, but I never ever questioned you. When I watch you, I feel proud because I've turned someone who has never ever danced in their life into an amazing dancer. You should believe in yourself. I adored this partnership."

Taking to Twitter, now X, viewers were quick to complain about the dance-off results. One person said: "Shirley getting casting vote is a joke ..if it’s 2-2 should come down to audience vote" while a different account wrote: "The judges votes is totally unfair? if two judges save one...then the other two save another, that's 2 each? how can it be that it just goes on Shirley's vote?? Absolutely unfair! what's the point of judges votes? may as well just let Shirley decide?"

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday 16 November at 6:45pm for a special evening from the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom with the results show on Sunday 17 November at 7:20pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.