Strictly couple axed days before final as series confirms 2023 finalists

10 December 2023 , 19:59

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Strictly couple axed days before final as series confirms 2023 finalists

Strictly Come Dancing has axed another couple just days before the live final airs on BBC One.

Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe were the latest stars to leave the show in the semi-final, as one more pairing from the BBC series was eliminated after losing the dreaded dance-off, missing out on a place in the final. The four semi-final couples performing were Layton Williams and his partner Nikita Kuzmin, Annabel and Johannes, Ellie Leach and rumoured beau Vito Coppola and Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell.

As the public vote was announced and the first finalists were revealed, two couples were tasked with performing for the judges one final time to keep their place on the show. It was Tennis pro Annabel and EastEnders star Bobby who had to compete for the final spot in the final, as Ellie and Layton both made it through.

The judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley Ballas would be tasked with deciding which couple went through, and which one was sent home - and sadly it was Annabel going home. Bobby and Dianne performed their Quickstep to Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin.

Strictly Come Dancing has axed another couple just days before the live final

Then, Annabel and her dance partner Johannes performed their Viennese Waltz to Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want by Slow Moving Millie. As the votes came in, Craig chose to save Annabel and Johannes.

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Craig said: "Well, one dance was flashy, one dance was quiet. I think both couples have equalised completely. I saw improvement in this one couple and based on this dance and nothing in the past but this dance alone, the person which I think had the most exquisite technique is Annabel and Johannes." But Motsi chose to save Bobby and Dianne.

Motsi said: "Well, first of all I have to say this was a really tough one tonight, I think both couples danced really well, and after the dance off I stood there for a few seconds making my decision. There was one dance where there was a slight hesitation at a turn, one slight hesitation was the decision, and I will be saving Bobby and Dianne."

Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell were saved by three of the judges (BBC)

Anton echoed this choice and chose to save Bobby and Dianne. Anton said: "Well the semi-final, I mean it’s going to enormously disappointing for somebody, but I also think its celebration of how well you’ve both done and how far you’ve come and how wonderfully you’ve danced through the whole series.

"It was a very close run thing and literally because of a coming out of a pivoting section wasn’t as clean as they would have liked and I would have liked, I’m going to be saving Bobby and Dianne." Head Judge Shirley had the casting vote, and she decided to save Bobby and Dianne.

Shirley Ballas said: "The semi-final 2023, I thought both couples were absolutely extraordinary, I felt that both couples lifted their performance, I thought there was technical qualities on both sides, improvements galore, but again one tiny mistake coming out of a pivot turn and therefore my decision would be to save Bobby and Dianne." This meant Annabel was out of the competition.

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday and Sundays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on , , , , and .

Charlotte Tutton