Strictly fans in meltdown over ‘biggest shock ever’
WALTZING OFF Aston Merrygold and pro partner Janette get boot
STRICTLY viewers are threatening to boycott the series after favourite Aston Merrygold, was kicked off in what bookmakers have called “the biggest shock in reality TV history”.
The JLS hunk’s dance partner Janette Manrara and his close friend Alexandra Burke both burst into tears off-camera after head judge Shirley Ballas sent him packing from the dance-off.
Bookies didn’t take a single bet on 29-year-old Aston leaving the show and he agreed with fans on Twitter who said he had been “under-marked” by judges.
“Unfairly judged”, fumed one message, which Aston liked with a heart, along with another that read: “Judges are so harsh on Aston. Alexandra always gets high marks and hers is far from perfect.”
The dismissal was particularly upsetting for Aston as his grandmother Mavis had flown in from Jamaica to watch his performance alongside his dad Charlie.
A source said: “Aston took it in good spirits, but it was devastating that his family were there to see such a disappointing result. Everyone was shocked – Alexandra and Janette were in floods of tears. Everyone was really angry at Shirley. They felt she could have saved him. Mollie felt awkward because she had survived the dance off.
“But it was a bittersweet victory because everyone was so upset – the atmosphere was really intense.”
Bookies Coral had made Aston 5/2 to win the series. And nobody took up their odds of 100/1 on him to leave.
An average of 10.5 million viewers had tuned in on Saturday, many outraged when judge Craig Revel Horwood gave the JLS hunk’s dance a low score of 4
saying it “lacked grace”. Craig, 52, later got on his knees and bowed down to Debbie McGee as he awarded her a perfect 10 as she received the maximum score possible with 40 out of 40. It’s the earliest week a score of 40 has ever been received in Strictly history.
Having failed to receive enough votes from the public to get through to next week, Aston performed his Viennese Waltz a second time in a dance-off with Saturdays star Mollie King last night.
The judges’ votes were split down the middle. Darcey Bussell, 48, voted to save Aston and Janette, saying theirs was a “more assured performance”, while Bruno Tonioli, 61, saved them as they had “much more power, much more impact”.
But Craig voted for Mollie “based purely on technique”, he said, and head judge Shirley cast the deciding vote, sending Aston and Janette, 33, home from the series.
She said the decision was “very difficult” but voted for Mollie “on technical accuracy, beautiful flow and full engagement during the dance.”
Aston said he had loved “every second” of the show, adding: “I’ve made amazing friends and honestly I’ve had the best time, it’s been amazing.”
Janette added: “I just have to say, honestly I don’t think that I am ever going to have the opportunity to dance with someone like you again. Someone who is so talented, so lovely, such a good friend and I just have to say thank you.”
Some fans were threatening to sit out the dance series. “I’m about to boycott Strictly. Judging’s not right,” said one.
Coral’s John Hill says: “In all the years we have been betting on reality TV, we don’t recall a bigger surprise than this.
“Aston was one of the most popular contestants in the outright market to win the series, while we did not take one single bet on the former JLS singer departing this weekend.”
On Saturday, Alexandra, 29, will battle on without her pal, dancing the first Argentine tango of the series.