Shirley Ballas sparked complaints from Strictly Come Dancing viewers last night as the first contestant was sent home.
Kaye Adams and her dancing partner Kai Widdrington became the first couple to be sent home from the 20th series.
After a dance-off that fell flat, Kaye and Kai were voted off by judges Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood.
Shirley Ballas on Strictly
Anton said that the pair had “lost performance” halfway through the routine.
However, head judge Shirley admitted that she would have saved Kaye if she had the chance.
The Loose Women star and her partner danced the Charleston to Dorothy Provine’s Music! Music! Music! again in the dance-off against Matt Goss and his partner Nadiya Bychkova.
After the result, Kaye said: “It was the right result and I did make mistakes, and when it comes to that high pressured situation that’s what happens.
“So I am delighted for Matt and Nadiya, the only person I am just sorry for is this wonderful man [Kai], who has just been so brilliant.
“I said my ambition was to learn to love to dance, and actually I have seen a whole new side to myself, it’s opened a little door.”
Kaye thanks her fans
On Instagram last night, Kaye posted a video of herself and partner Kai.
She captioned the post: “Well it was a much shorter journey than I’d hoped for but a journey all the same!
“I’ll be talking more about my experience on @bbcstrictly It Takes Two tomorrow and on the How To Be 60 podcast when I’ve had more time to process it all
“But right now I want to say a massive thank you to the whole Strictly family – the pro dancers, my fellow performers and the whole production crew – but most of all to @kaiwidd.
“I’m just sorry we didn’t get to dance together longer.”
View this post on Instagram
Fans react
Following the result last night, Strictly fans were quick to share their opinions on social media, with many of them wondering what Shirley was thinking.
One fan said: “Shirley makes the strangest decisions sometimes. Kaye literally forgot half the routine and just stood about for some bits…and she would have saved them?!”
“What is Shirley on about?!” said another.
“What dance was Shirley watching to say that Kaye danced better than Matt in the dance-off? I can’t stand Matt, but Kaye completely forgot the steps and the routine,” said a third.
“Sometimes I think Shirley watches a different dance to the rest of us,” another tweeted.
One person said: “Is Shirley ACTUALLY blind? That was one of the worst dance-off performances I’ve ever seen, and she was going to vote for it?”
Meanwhile, others agreed that Kaye should have stayed as one tweeted: “Am I the only one who thinks Kaye should have stayed actually?”
Another wrote: “Neither were going to win it, but would have preferred Kaye stayed.”
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