Les Dennis sent home after failing to impress viewers with sailor-themed Samba
Strictly Come Dancing fans were left in shock last night as veteran entertainer Les Dennis became the first celebrity to be eliminated from the competition. The 69-year-old Family Fortunes star failed to charm viewers with his lacklustre sailor-themed Samba, which only scored 15 points from the judges. Craig Revel Horwood didn't hold back, telling Dennis: "You've taken basic to a whole new level. It looked like you were limping with a broken ankle."
The surprising bottom two: Les Dennis and DJ Nikita Kanda
Dennis found himself in the bottom two alongside BBC Asian Network DJ Nikita Kanda, 28. Kanda and her pro partner Gorka Marquez performed a Charleston to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies," but only managed a mediocre 18 points.
Les Dennis' celebrity status fails to save him
Despite many fans assuming that Dennis' celebrity status would see him through the first few weeks, it wasn't enough to keep him in the competition. Viewers took to social media to express their surprise, with one user saying, "I genuinely thought he’d be in for weeks."
Emotional farewell for Les Dennis
The judges unanimously voted to save Kanda, leaving Dennis to bid an emotional farewell to the show. In an emotional speech, he thanked his partner Nancy Xu and the rest of the Strictly team. Dennis finished by expressing his gratitude to hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Xu called their time together a "short but sweet journey" and told Dennis: "I respect you so, so much."
