The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Laura sent home after stumbling samba on Strictly dance floor
Irish TV presenter is seventh celebrity to leave the show
Laura Whitmore said it was “brilliant to even get this far” after becoming the seventh celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing.
The Irish TV presenter, 31, had struggled slightly with her samba to the Gipsy Kings’ Bamboleo with dance partner Giovanni Pernice, coming in joint second-to-last on the leaderboard during Saturday night’s live show.
She faced BBC sports presenter Ore Oduba and his partner Joanne Clifton in the dance-off after the public’s votes were combined with their scores from the judges – 32 for Whitmore, and 34 for Oduba.
Both couples repeated their dances for a second time and the judges unanimously opted to save Oduba, sending Whitmore home.
Craig Revel Horwood said that Oduba and Clifton’s dance – a Salsa to Turn The Beat Around by Vicki Sue Robinson – was the “dance of the night”, and Darcey Bussell agreed that theirs was a “finished performance”.
Whitmore has said that, while it is “upsetting” to leave Strictly, she is going to stay in touch with her co-stars.
“It’s such a great opportunity to be part of this and make so many friends and I’ve really enjoyed my time with Giovanni and learning so much,” she said.
“It was kind of like being back at school again which was really nice and refreshing, it’s been brilliant and to even get this far, I’m so proud of myself.”
Whitmore returned to the Strictly dance floor last weekend after missing the previous show due to an ankle injury.
Following her return, she managed to top the scoreboard with a tango and received her highest total ever, 36.
But her latest routine saw her stumble over one of the moves, leaving her to fight back the tears while apologising to Pernice.
Returning after nearly having to pull out of the series was a high for her, though, as she said: “Two weeks ago I couldn’t walk because I’d injured myself and to be able to come back here for two weeks has been lovely.”
It’s been brilliant and to even get this far, I’m so proud of myself