Belfast Telegraph

Man taken to hospital after gang shooting

- BY FRANCESCA GOSLING BY LEONA O’NEILL

AS Ruth Langsford waltzed off the Strictly stage last night, hubby Eamonn Holmes was looking forward to getting his wife back.

The music had hardly faded away before the Northern Ireland-born TV presenter took to social media to share the bitterswee­t news with his almost 1m followers on Twitter.

“Well it’s Strictly over and my darling Ruthie has no complaints,” he posted.

“Thanks to the support of you amazing folk she had an amazing run with an amazing partner.

“I am feeling a lot of love for her out there but I am also looking forward to having my wife and our life back.”

Strictly Come Dancing veteran Anton Du Beke — Ruth’s partner — described being booted off this year’s series as the “most difficult” to date.

The dance pro said he felt unusually emotional after being eliminated from this weekend’s leg of the BBC One contest, as it would mean spending less time with celebrity partner Ruth.

The pair were given their marching orders after facing the dreaded dance off against Paralympia­n Jonnie Peacock and dance partner Oti Mabuse.

Langsford and Du Beke have warmed viewers’ hearts with their relationsh­ip and comedy moments on the dancefloor, even though they have failed to score top marks for technical skill.

They were saved from the boot last weekend, even after finishing their paso doble with a hilarious tumble.

Du Beke brought the pair to the floor as he lost his balance — and Langsford climbed on top of him.

Their week eight exit comes just days before the show moves to the glittering Tower Ballroom in Blackpool next weekend.

As the judges made their unanimous decision, Du Beke said: “It’s a funny old thing this, getting voted off Strictly Come Dancing, it never gets any easier and this is by far the most difficult.

“I feel a bit emotional and I don’t know why.”

He told Ruth: “I don’t really get emotional about this kind of thing because it’s part of the fun of the show, the thing that upsets me the most is not being able to spend all the time that we do together, you are beyond the most joyous person I’ve ever met.

“I’ve enjoyed every second of

it.

“The time we spent in the studio together rehearsing and laughing. The moment you jumped on me and wrapped your legs around my hips to the moment where we basically laid on the floor.

“You are amazing and I love you.”

Meanwhile, Ruth said she felt “disappoint­ed” that she had not been able to get ‘fabulous’ Du Beke through to Blackpool week. A MAN in his 40s was shot by a masked gang in an under-road tunnel in Londonderr­y last night.

The 44-year-old was shot in his left leg shortly after 8pm in a tunnel which runs under the Madam’s Bank Road, as children played nearby.

He was rushed to Altnagelvi­n Hospital where his injuries are not thought to be life-threatenin­g.

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney condemned the incident, the fourth paramilita­ry attack in less than a fortnight.

“People in our community will be frightened to learn of another shooting taking place on our streets,” he said.

Two weeks ago two women escaped injury when their nearby Racecourse Park home was shot at.

Last Tuesday, a masked gang ransacked a flat in Altcar Park in Shantallow and on Wednesday a 17-year-boy was shot as he slept in his bed when a masked gang burst into his Bogside home.

 ??  ?? Ruth Langsford and Anton Du Beke crash out of Strictly last night but Eamonn Holmes (below) is
just delighted to have his wife back
Ruth Langsford and Anton Du Beke crash out of Strictly last night but Eamonn Holmes (below) is just delighted to have his wife back

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