Strictly viewers weren’t happy with judges’ "rude”, "disrespectful" comments about one couple

After another ballroom showdown this weekend, Strictly Come Dancing had to wave goodbye to a ninth celebrity, this time Graeme Swann and his partner Oti Mabuse.

However, viewers at home were irked by the judges’ remarks on Sunday's show after the cricket star’s dance-off against Ashley Roberts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RZXJWRFx3k

As he voted to send Graeme home, Bruno Tonioli said: "No disrespect but it’s evident. Overall much much stronger on every level, come on, it’s Ashley. Ashley and Pasha."

Craig Revel Horwood – who voted to save Ashley alongside the rest of the panel – said: "For me, it’s a no-brainer and the couple I’d like to save: Ashley and Pasha.”

Many fans felt the remarks were “rude” and "disrespectful", especially since Ashley had more dance experience thanks to her pop career.

https://twitter.com/LoreleiKing/status/1066783101437861888

https://twitter.com/LightFuryDoctor/status/1066787166104313857

https://twitter.com/allssfc72/status/1066786572056580096

https://twitter.com/Ems_Mitchell/status/1066786909857419264

https://twitter.com/ArleneJ96941558/status/1066787436360069120

https://twitter.com/LoreleiKing/status/1066783101437861888

Fortunately, Graeme took the comments in his stride, joking after his elimination: “Secretly I’ve had 25 years of ballroom experience but I kept that to myself! No, I was a novice coming into this.”

He added: “I’ve just had the best of times I’ve had the worst of times, it’s been very hard missing the kids and the wife. Blackpool I will never forget, this whole experience I will never forget and Oti I will never forget you, you absolute hero.

“To be honest let’s face it when you get down to the nitty-gritty of this competition, I was on borrowed time – unless I learnt to fly or something I wasn’t going to past here.”

Strictly Come Dancing continues at 7:05pm on Saturday on BBC1

Sign up for the free RadioTimes.com newsletter

TBX promo on RT develop