Graeme Swann has denied “tiresome” claims that he took a swipe at Ashley Roberts during the Strictly Come Dancing results show.
The former cricketer and his partner Oti Mabuse were eliminated from the competition after facing the former Pussycat Dolls star and partner Pasha Kovalev in the dance-off on Sunday.
Graeme said during the show as he made his departure: “Secretly I’ve had 25 years of ballroom experience but I kept that to myself! No, I was a novice coming into this.”
Please don’t believe any of the tiresome headlines about me having a ‘swipe’ at @ImAshleyRoberts or @bbcstrictly. I love everything about the show and everyone on it, my glorious adventure came to a natural happy ending and I have no bitterness in any way shape or form. 🕺🏼💃😁👍
— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) 27 November 2018
Read more: Graeme Swann graciously messages angry fans after Bruno Tonioli backlash
His comment was interpreted by many Strictly fans to have been a dig at Ashley due to her previous years of dance experience.
Swann tweeted: “Please don’t believe any of the tiresome headlines about me having a ‘swipe’ at @ImAshleyRoberts or @bbcstrictly.
“I love everything about the show and everyone on it, my glorious adventure came to a natural happy ending and I have no bitterness in any way shape or form.”
Graeme also said, as he left the series on Sunday, that he would have voted for Roberts and Kovalev, after the judges voted unanimously to save them.
He added: “I can’t quite believe I was put against them to be honest but this whole journey I’ve got to say, before I say gloating things about Oti that I’m obviously going to.
“This show and what you’ve got is something special and thank you for letting me be a part of it.”
After leaving the competition on Sunday night, Graeme also hailed Ashley, 37, as an “incredible dancer”.
He later thanked viewers and Oti on Twitter.
Graeme wrote: “And so the @bbcstrictly adventure comes to an end. I embraced it with all I had and loved every minute. Your messages of love and support are beautiful and I thank you all.
And so the @bbcstrictly adventure comes to an end. I embraced it with all I had and loved every minute. Your messages of love and support are beautiful and I thank you all. I’m the lucky one, I got to spend ten weeks with the truly incredible @OtiMabuse. 🌟❤️🕺🏼💃🔥
— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) 25 November 2018
“I’m the lucky one, I got to spend ten weeks with the truly incredible @OtiMabuse.”
Oti, 28, couldn’t praise Graeme enough after their journey together on the show.
She called their time “unforgettable” and said fans helped them get through each week.
She tweeted: “Just want to truly make a special thank you to everyone who was on our side, sent positive messages and energy to us.
“Without you we wouldn’t have made it passed week 2 thank you for voting and seeing and hope and potential is Graeme and myself! It’s been unforgettable.”
Read more: Strictly’s Ashley Roberts worried over ‘public backlash’
Meanwhile, Ashley shared her gratitude for staying in the competition.
Fans voiced their sadness at Graeme leaving the competition, with some feeling judge Craig Revel-Horwood was too harsh for calling his elimination a “no brainer”.
While judge Bruno Tonioli said Ashley was “much stronger on every level”.
Do you think Graeme should have left Strictly at the weekend? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.