The dance floor at Strictly Come Dancing delivered more drama than ever this Sunday as viewers said goodbye to fan favorite Ellie Goldstein.
The 21-year-old model and her professional partner, Vito Coppola, were sent home following a tense dance-off against Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon.
While Ellie’s journey came to an emotional close, Balvinder survived her third consecutive dance-off, keeping her spot in the competition.
Tango to Abracadabra and Rumba to Stay
Ellie and Vito returned to the floor to perform their Tango to Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra, a routine they had showcased previously.
Meanwhile, Balvinder and Julian performed a passionate Rumba to Stay by Shakespears Sister.
After deliberation, the judges were unanimous: Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse all chose to save Balvinder, leaving Ellie and Vito to bid farewell.
Head judge Shirley Ballas, holding the casting vote this week, confirmed she too would have saved Balvinder, though she praised Ellie as “outstanding throughout the whole competition.”
Heartfelt Messages Between Ellie and Vito
For Ellie, the experience was about more than just dancing. Speaking after the announcement, she shared her gratitude for Vito, saying:
“I’ve enjoyed it so much! He is a kind person and all I wanted from day one. You have been so heartwarming, thank you to you.”
Vito, clearly emotional, returned the sentiment, telling Ellie:
“Honestly, there are no words I can use to describe how proud I am of you. You really changed my life and made me a better person.
At the beginning of this year, I prayed for a beautiful angel in my life, and now you’ve arrived.
I’ve never had a little sister, but I always wanted one. Now I have you, and you’ll always be my little sister. Your big brother is always by your side.”
He added that the pair would continue dancing together in the future, proving their bond goes far beyond the competition.
Star-Studded Performances and Spooky Fun
Sunday’s results show wasn’t all tears. Pop star Cat Burns, famous from Celebrity Traitors, performed How to Be Human, accompanied by professionals Michelle Tsiakkas and Nancy Xu.
The Strictly Professionals also delighted audiences with a devilishly themed Monsters’ Ball group routine, keeping the Halloween spirit alive.
Next week, the remaining nine couples return to the dance floor on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with the results show airing Sunday, November 9.
The professionals will be joined by the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment in honour of Remembrance Sunday.
Lewis Cope Makes History With First Full Marks
Halloween week also brought a historic moment as Lewis Cope received the first perfect 40 of the series for his Couple’s Choice dance, a thrilling quick version of Radiohead’s Creep.
Reflecting on his childhood in Hartlepool with 13 siblings, Lewis shared that leaving home at just 10 years old to pursue performing in London often left him missing his family, particularly his Nanna Dot.
Judges were blown away by Lewis and partner Katya Jones’s electrifying performance.
Motsi Mabuse called it “out of this world,” while Craig Revel Horwood deemed it “Spooktacular.”
Shirley Ballas was moved to tears, thanking Lewis’s family for allowing him to chase his dreams, and Anton Du Beke said it was the best performance of the series by “a million miles.”
Even Craig awarded the pair full marks, making this the first perfect score of the season.