Lauren Steadman and AJ Pritchard found themselves bottom of the leaderboard last weekend, a whole five points behind Strictly Come Dancing 2018 rival Joe Sugg. And, after facing the dreaded dance-off against Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev, the BBC judges opted to send them home. Speaking on the latest instalment of the Telegraph’s Talking Strictly podcast, Debbie McGee said it was the right result. Ahead of this weekend’s finale, Paul Daniels’ widow and her fellow panelists agreed it was there time to leave the competition.
Chrissy Amer started: “I really liked what AJ said about Lauren at the end, when he said it was about ability not disability.
“I mean bless AJ, I think he’s done really well this year. They are wonderful role models the pair of them.”
Host Rachel Ward continued: “Like you say, it was time for them to go, she’d sort of plateaued a bit, hadn’t she?”
Although she went on: “It would have been kind of nice to have had her in the final.”
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But, her companion was not having any of it, and replied: “I don’t think so.”
Debbie agreed: “Yes, it wouldn’t have been right, I don’t think, to have her in the final.”
“Everyone else left is leagues above her I think,” Chrissy stated, as their fellow star Jess McAree supported her remark.
He added: “I think that’s right. I wouldn’t have been happy to see her in the final.”
Ashley was unanimously saved by the panel Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel-Horwood, Darcey Bussell and Bruno Toniloi.
The latter said at the time: “Well first I would like to say that all of you should be very very proud of what you have accomplished so far, you really did very very well.
“I have to choose a dance that is more accomplished overall so I will go for Ashley and Pasha [Kovalev].”
Craig revealed: “Well one couple for me were clean, precise and dynamic. And that couple? Ashley and Pasha.”
Yesterday bookmaker Coral cut the odds on Stacey Dooley winning to 1-2 (from 4-7) as she prepares to battle it out with Ashley, Joe Sugg and Faye Tozer.
The YouTuber (3-1) and the Steps hitmaker (8-1) are next in the betting, whilst they have Ashley as the 33-1 rank outsider.
“Ashley just hasn’t been able to convince the public to vote for her and despite her high scores looks destined to be first to leave the final four,” a spokesperson told Express.co.uk.
Strictly Come Dancing 2018 concludes Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC One.