03 October 2023 , 22:17
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Les Dennis 'struggled' to connect with his Strictly Come Dancing partner before being eliminated on Sunday's live show, it's been reported.
The TV presenter was paired with Nancy Xu to compete in the latest series of BBC reality show, joining the likes of EastEnders Bobby Brazier and journalist Angela Rippon in the hope of winning the coveted Glitterball Trophy.
Unfortunately for Les, he failed to impress with his performance of the Samba on Saturday evening and became the first celebrity to be axed after judges unanimously voted to save Nikita Kanda in the dreaded dance-off.
It has now been alleged that Les struggled to 'gel' with Nancy, 32, over differences in attitudes towards training. While the Chinese choreographer was said to have had plenty of "enthusiasm and positivity" in rehearsals, her 69-year-old partner apparently didn't reciprocate her upbeat personality.
Les Dennis reportedly clashed with partner Nancy behind the scenes (PA)"Les the entertainer may have charmed audiences with his style, but behind the scenes it was a vastly different story," a source told the Sun. According to the TV insider, the former Family Fortunes host was "often moody and erratic" during the "draining process" of training.
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It's claimed that Les was easily annoyed in the dance studio, becoming frustrated "at the slightest misstep" of choreography despite Nancy's ongoing "patient and encouraging" instruction. While they never had an official falling out, they were reportedly "polar opposites" when it came to work ethic.
The insider also claimed that the former Celebrity Big Brother star was relieved to have been the first Strictly 2023 contestant to be booted off, telling the tabloid that he was "glad it was all over."
Les appeared to be in good spirits when during his post-elimination interview, however, describing his experience on the show as 'the best' and hailing Nancy as 'amazing'. "I’ve had the best time, this lady has been amazing, a great teacher, she’s really put me through my paces... I hope I’ve entertained, that’s what I came here for. Strictly is the best and the people who put this on, you’re just all amazing!" he gushed to Tess Daly.
The reports of a feud come after Les revealed that he had lost a dramatic amount of weight during his Strictly stint, having previously dropped 3 stone following a health scare in 2017. His short-lived time on the BBC reality series has left him another 20 pounds lighter, a surprising development he has admitted to being "really happy" over.
The Mirror has reached out to Les Dennis's representative for comment on this story.