Jonnie Peacock has become the eighth celebrity to be voted off this year’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
The Paralympian and his partner Oti Mabuse left the competition during Sunday (19 November) night’s results show, after losing the dance-off to Debbie McGee and Giovanni Pernice.
Despite being one of the favourites to win the competition, Debbie found herself in the bottom two after finishing fifth on the leaderboard during Saturday’s Blackpool special.
Both couples performed their routines again, with Debbie and Giovanni doing their Samba to a Spice Girls medley of ‘Wannabe’ and ‘Who Do You Think You Are?‘, while and Jonnie and Oti performed their Tango to ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Eurythmics in a bid to remain in the competition.
However, the judges unanimously voted to save Debbie and Giovanni, claiming she gave a more “technical” performance.
After it was announced Jonnie and Oti would be going home, he told host Tess Daly: “I think it’s been an absolute honour to be the first disabled person and I want to thank each and every one of you for judging me as an equal. That’s what I want.
“You’ve been critical with me and I want that criticism; and I think that’s fantastic and hope it paves the way for more people to come through and I think they may be able to stick their bum under a bit better than me.
“I need to say an absolutely gigantic thank you to this woman [Oti] for pushing me because she knows what I’m capable of.
“Her choreography has been has been outstanding, and for putting up with me, pinching me, biting me - thank you so much.”
Oti added: “This has been one of the most life changing things that could ever happen to me. Jonnie is not only an inspiration but he represents so much more.
“If anybody wants to do anything, if you put your mind to it then you can achieve it and that’s what he represents.”
‘Strictly Come Dancing’ continues next Saturday at 6.50pm on BBC One.