Strictly’s Mollie King REALLY didn’t expect to beat Aston Merrygold in the dance off

Mollie King has confessed she fully expected to leave in Strictly Come Dancing’s dance off on Sunday.

Despite being a favourite to win, it was Aston Merrygold who was voted off Strictly Come Dancing 2017 at the weekend.

He was in the bottom two dance off against Mollie after the viewer votes and judges’ scores were combined.

Craig Revel Horwood and Shirley Ballas both voted to save Mollie while Darcey Bussell and Bruno Tonioli saved Aston. As head judge, Shirley had the casting vote and so Mollie was saved and Aston went home.

Speaking on BBC’s The One Show last night, Mollie admitted she fully expected to be the one leaving.

“It was such an emotional weekend. It was such a shock, and for us, it was emotional because it felt like our actual nightmare coming true,” Mollie said. “Firstly, being in the dance-off again.

“And then being in it with a really good friend of yours.

“You’re so close to all of the cast, but I’ve known Aston for nearly ten years.”

Mollie continued: “To be there, it felt like a lose-lose situation. Obviously, I didn’t want to go. We didn’t want to go. But we didn’t want them to go either…

“When we stepped out on the dancefloor, I just thought, ‘We’ve just got to give it everything because this is probably the last time we’ll be on here’.”

The judges’ decision to save Mollie has proved controversial but she says Aston understood the process.

“He’s really strong, Aston. He understands that it’s the judges’ decision at the end of the day. It’s heartbreaking,” she explained.

Following Aston’s surprise departure, Debbie McGee has been installed as the current favourite to win.

Strictly is back this Saturday night as the remaining nine celebs fight for a place at the upcoming Blackpool special.