Strictly insider reveals why Lewis Cope was controversially eliminated from show
'Those types rarely win – the public tends to go for underdogs'
Lewis Cope was sensationally eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday night (December 7), and now a former pro has exclusively revealed why he thinks the actor was sent packing.
The ex-Emmerdale actor and West End star Amber Davies found themselves in the dance-off on Sunday night. Sadly for Lewis, the judges saved Amber unanimously and sent him home.
His dance partner Katya Jones was left incredibly emotional, both at the time and on It Takes Two on Monday night (December 8). And now ex show pro Vincent Simone has explained how Lewis – arguably this year’s best dancer – ended up being eliminated.
‘The public tends to go for the underdogs’
Speaking on behalf of Paddy Power Games, Vincent defended the BBC show against backlash, which started after ‘trained’ dancers Lewis and Amber joined the line-up.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with bringing amazingly talented people into the show. People sometimes find it unfair, but those types rarely win,” he said, explaining: “The public tends to go for underdogs.”
Vincent added: “The entertainment they bring is unbelievable. And, from a professional dancer’s point of view, I love watching super-talented people. It makes the show special and gets people talking.
“People vote for their favourites, of course. But what Lewis brought to the show was unbelievable.”
Lewis got a lot out of the show, too, it seems. Earlier today (December 8), he posted a lengthy statement about his exit to Instagram. In it, he said that the show had “changed” him forever.
Why Lewis Cope was eliminated from Strictly
Speaking about last weekend’s bottom two, and the judges saying that neither couple deserved to go home, Vincent explained: “I get what the judges are saying. What they mean is that you had the two best dancers in the show ending up in the bottom two together.”
He then gave an insight into just how Lewis ended up crashing out of the competition. “I’d said before that the only way one of them could leave was if they both landed there. And that’s exactly what happened.”
Paying tribute to both Lewis and Amber’s dancing skills, he concluded: “The entertainment they gave us and those fantastic performances were unforgettable. Amber’s Charleston was gorgeous to watch. Every time they did something notable during their performance, I’d be saying: ‘Bloody hell!’ It was just amazing.”
Read more: All the songs and dances announced for this weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-final
