Mike Bushell has been eliminated from ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
The 53-year-old sports presenter was given the boot from the Ballroom and Latin competition on Saturday (10.11.19) night after the judges – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli – unanimously chose to save his rival Michelle Visage and her partner Giovanni Pernice in the Dance Off.
Mike said: "I have had the most amazing nine or 10 weeks since we started training. I have lost a stone and half. I’m a guy in his 50s, I’m mentally sharper, I feel able to deal with pressured situations – thanks to the dance-offs! It has changed me completely and honestly I’m not going to stop dancing.
"My wife Emily has supported me all the way through and my daughters. My dad’s going to take up ballroom dancing and my mum has started Zumba – I want to thank all my family and the judges. I have all the comments framed around the house. Every moment has been an absolute honour and a joy.
"I didn’t think I’d get this far so I have already booked a hotel in Blackpool, so I’m still coming along. This amazing teacher, Katya [Jones, his dance partner], I can’t tell you the dedication that she puts in. She’d make the greatest sporting coach ever, she makes you believe that anything is possible. She hasn’t taken it easy on me. We’ve had some difficult routines and I can’t believe the miracles you’ve performed. There’s so many memories."
Mike and Katya found themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard at the end of Saturday (09.11.19) night’s show after their Paso Doble to ‘Tamacun’ by Rodrigo y Gabriela earned them a score of just 25 points out of a possible 40.
Next week’s show will see the remaining contestants perform at the iconic Blackpool Tower – a milestone in the competition everyone dreams of getting to.
Mike Bushell gets axed from Strictly Come Dancing
