While the world and its dog have had their say on last night’s shock Strictly result, Janette Manrara has remained silent throughout the whole furore – until now.
Aston Merrygold’s professional partner has kept schtum as fans have criticised the show’s judges – and even Janette herself – for the former JLS star’s early exit.
But today, the American dancer, 33, finally broke the ice, releasing a statement on her Twitter feed.
In the commendably diplomatic post, she attempted to calm down critics, while paying a touching tribute to Aston, 29.
In the tweet – titled “OK… here goes…” – she wrote: “I’ve finally gathered my thoughts on my time on Strictly w/ Aston, and can now put them into words.
“Firstly, thank you to everyone for your supportive messages! They have put a huge smile in my heart!
“Kindness and understanding will always win during hard times, so let’s all be kind.
“As for Aston, from day 1 it was never about how it would end, it was always how we got there.
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“It was short and sweet, but better to have danced with you for a moment than to never have danced with you at all.
“You are a true star, and have so much to offer the world! I cannot wait to see your journey as an artist, and also very soon (and most importantly) as a father! I love you…. #TeamMnM.”
And Janette wasn’t the only professional dancer to share a sweet message following Sunday night’s show – her husband, Aljaz Skorjanec, posted a tweet praising Janette’s efforts.
Slovenian Aljaz, 27, who’s partnered with former Emmerdale star Gemma Atkinson, 32, wrote: “My @JManrara I am beyond proud of what you and @AstonMerrygold have created on that magical Strictly floor.
“A little bit of magic is gone now! But I (we) are smashing it for you now!”
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Aljaz and Gemma are sure to be involved in a ding-dong battle with Debbie McGee and Giovanni Pernice, and also Alexandra Burke and Gorka Marquez, for the Strictly title.
But nevertheless, it sounds like Strictly producers are disappointed that Aston and Janette have been given the push.
A source told The Sun: “Behind the scenes, the crew were left open-mouthed by the decision and feared it would spark a bad reaction from fans.
“Of course, the public vote is a major factor, but ultimately the judges make the final call.
“Some of the production team were totally horrified and even annoyed to see such a good dancer get the boot when there’s so much more of the series left. It’s the biggest shock in the show’s history, without a doubt.”