Strictly Come Dancing professional Neil Jones has spoken out about last weekend’s controversial elimination.
After landing at the bottom of the leaderboard for two weeks running, Neil and his celebrity partner Toyah Wilcox wound up in the first dance-off of the series.
However, they were spared by the judges, who opted to send home Olympic swimmer Tom Dean instead – a result which it’s fair to say has proved divisive among Strictly fans.
Defending Toyah on Instagram on Monday, Neil wrote: “I just want to say it’s week two, [Toyah] is not a dancer but every day she’s improving. Each day I tell Toyah, it might not be perfect but you are improving, and at the same time you are not losing who you really are, and that is what Strictly is all about.”
He also had his say in the comments, after one fan wrote: “Sorry Neil… as much as I was over the moon that you had a partner this year, I’m very disappointed that Toyah was saved and Tom is out. Totally disagree with that decision.”
“Thank you I’m really happy that I have the pleasure to teach a complete beginner like Toyah,” he wrote back. “And honestly the improvement she is making blows my mind, I wish nobody went home so we could see everyone improve.”
“I wish nobody would go home,” Neil then reiterated after another follower wrote that they disagreed with the judges’ choice to save Toyah over Tom.
“Of course I fully understand,” he added, insisting that “Tom was wonderful and such a great dancer” and he wishes “we could watch everyone’s journey”.
Meanwhile, Tom himself has admitted he’s still in “shock” about his surprise elimination.
“I just wish I could have kept going, I really really do,” he told Monday’s edition of Strictly spin-off It Takes Two.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday night at 6.25pm on BBC One.