Ellie Simmonds has compared her Strictly Come Dancing exit to experiencing “a heartbreak” as she and pro dancer partner Nikita Kuzmin became the latest couple to leave the BBC One competition on Sunday night (November 6th).
The Paralympic champion and broadcaster was in the bottom two and lost out with her Charleston to Too Darn Hot by Kiss Me Kate to Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu’s Foxtrot to You Make Me Happy by My Sun and My Stars.
Speaking for the first time since her exit on BBC Two’s Strictly – It Takes Two, Ellie told host Rylan Clark: “I found yesterday and today a bit like going through a heartbreak, Strictly is everything and it’s been the most incredible time. We’ve been doing it seven weeks now and now it’s all over all of a sudden. It’s so sad but I cannot wait to see them all dance incredibly. I’m going to be supporting them all the way.”
Ellie’s certainly going to keeeep dancing – from the #Strictly ballroom to Cheshire!@EllieSimmonds1 @kuzmin__nikita @Rylan #ItTakesTwo pic.twitter.com/a18boR9vFI
— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) November 8, 2022
Ellie continued: “It was really really horrible, we were so shocked [to be in the bottom two] and it’s just not nice. We didn’t want anyone to be in the dance off. When we saw it was us, and to hear it was Molly and Carlos as well, who are absolutely incredible, all of us are like family, so to see that they were in the dance off as well was so sad. You don’t want anyone to go home! I feel like I’m heartbroken. Because what am I going to do now I’m not going to be with [Nikita] every single day?”
Nikita was emotional as he told Ellie that she had improved him not only as choreographer, but had taught him “so much as a person and so much about life”.
“It’s honestly a little bit difficult to talk right now but I’m just really grateful to have had this experience, to have had every single second with you,” Nikita said. “Every moment, even our struggles. You’ve made me so much better not only as a choreographer but you’ve taught me so much as a person and taught me so much about life. It’s honestly been one of the best times in my life and I will be forever grateful for it and I really mean that.”
Molly and Carlos will return next week along with the eight other remaining couples as the competition continues to heat up.
Strictly – It Takes Two continues every weeknight at 6:30pm on BBC Two.
Strictly Come Dancing continues next Saturday. Catch up now on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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