The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Catherine vows to keep dancing after Strictly exit
Catherine Tyldesley vowed to keep dancing as she became the fifth celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.
The former Coronation Street star and her professional partner Johannes Radebe were given their marching orders after a dance-off against Mike Bushell and his partner Katya Jones.
Tyldesley said she had
“loved every second” of her time on the BBC show and that Radebe was now “like my best friend”.
“Just the opportunity to work with amazing people and get critiqued off amazing people,” she said.
“I never thought I’d say this, I’m going to keep it up because I fell in love with it!
“I’ve loved every second, this man has changed my life!”
The actress found herself in the bottom two on yesterday’s results show, after the judges’ scores were combined with the results of the viewers’ votes.
Both couples performed their routines again, with Tyldesley and Radebe taking on a cha cha to Scared Of The Dark by Steps, and Bushell and Jones dancing a tango to What You Waiting For by Gwen Stefani.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Bushell and Jones as he thought they “really stepped it up a notch”, while both Motsi Mabuse and Bruno Tonioli opted to keep Tyldesley and Radebe in the competition.
Tonioli said: “It’s hard because you’ve both done very, very well, but purely based on tonight I have to save the couple that got me tingling a little bit more and I have to save Catherine and Johannes.”
Head judge Shirley Ballas had the deciding vote.
She said: “I thought both couples really stepped it up a notch and this is always the most difficult decision for me, but based on a good focus, difficult content, with some really beautiful footwork in there with stronger technical skills for me, cleaner and polished.
“I’m going to save Mike and Katya.”
Radebe, who joined Strictly in 2018, said he was grateful for the opportunity and thanked Tyldesley.
Speaking to host Tess Daly, he said: “Most of all, I want to say thank you to this woman. She has been a light for me.”
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One.