Chizzy Akudolu has spoken out after leaving in the first Strictly Come Dancing 2017 results.
Last night saw just the first elimination of the series with Holby City actress Chizzy and her pro partner Pasha Kovalev leaving.
As usual in the Strictly Come Dancing results, the judges’ marks were combined with the viewer votes. Chizzy and her pro partner Pasha found themselves in the bottom two with Brian Conley and his pro partner Amy Dowden.
They both reprised their latest dances before judges Shirley Ballas, Darcey Bussell, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood then had to decide who to save, with new head judge Shirley having the casting vote.
Craig saved Chizzy while Bruno, Darcey and head judge Shirley saved Brian, seeing the Holby City star leave the competition.
Tonight Chizzy spoke out after her exit on BBC Two’s It Takes Two spin-off show.
The TV star told host Zoe Ball she “cried for quite a long time” after the series,
“Things happen for a reason, I had a bit of a bad knee so my knee needs resting, maybe there’s a big acting job around the corner I need to be free for, it happened for a reason,” Chizzy explained.
She added: “I am really sad to go first, I’m really sad to go, but also it’s my birthday this Saturday so I would have been dancing on stage on my birthday.
“Thank you to everybody who has supported me, just everybody who was nice to me.”
On her dance partner Pasha, Chizzy praised: “This guy has put up with a lot. At the beginning I don’t think he quite knew what to expect… I’ve kept him fit! I’m going to miss him so much. He’s so funny, he’s fast, he’s quick. I love dancing with you.”
Following Chizzy’s departure, she’s had plenty of love online with many viewers left fuming over the judges’ decision in the dance off.
“Did we see a different dance-off than what the judges saw?” one ballroom fan commented on Twitter.
“That was the worst decision ever! Wrong wrong wrong,” agreed another.
Strictly Come Dancing 2017 continues Saturday and Sunday nights on BBC One.
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