Silverton waltzes off from a ‘magical experience’

Kate Silverton is the latest celebrity to be booted from Strictly Come Dancing, waving goodbye to the series during Blackpool Week.

The newsreader and dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec faced former cricketer Graeme Swann and Oti Mabuse in the dance-off after their scores combined with the public vote put them in last place.

Silverton and Skorjanec performed their American smooth to Everlasting Love by Love Affair again, while Swann and Mabuse repeated their theatre and jazz routine to The Trolley Song from the film Meet Me In St Louis.

The judges unanimously chose to save Swann and Mabuse, leaving Silverton and Skorjanec to waltz away from the dancefloor.

Silverton, 48, told her dance partner: “As your student I couldn’t be more grateful it’s been a magical experience.

“We enjoyed our training days probably more than even the Saturdays sometimes. We’ve had fun and I’ve been learning new skills.

“Aljaz is one of life’s more special people and we’ve become such good friends.

“It has been a journey without trying to sound like a cliché. It’s been brilliant to be part of.

“I knew I’d enjoy it. I don’t normally make decisions based on anything other than joy. I hoped it would be joyful and gleeful and it was.”

The BBC news anchor said that she hopes she keeps dancing now that her Strictly journey is over.

Skorjanec, 28, said: “We took it week by week and it’s been a beautiful journey for both of us. We’ve improved on a daily basis, not even weekly.”

He added: “This has been the first time while I’ve been on it when, from about two to three weeks ago, we could not tell who would be in the bottom two or going home.

“It’s been such a tight competition.”

Kate says Strictly has taken her on a journey.