Strictly Come Dancing fans are reacting with relief to the elimination of internet personality and Apprentice star Thomas Skinner in the latest episode of the BBC dance competition.
Skinner, who swiftly became the most divisive contestant of this year’s series, was voted out by the judges after a dance-off with his professional partner, Amy Dowden, against England rugby star Chris Robshaw and dancer Nadiya Bychkova.
Posting to social media after the results on Sunday (5 October), many fans said the judges had made the right choice, pointing to his salsa to the song “Bonkers” by Dizzee Rascal.
“Whatever the f*** Thomas Skinner did may be one of the most traumatising things ever on the show,” one viewer said. “And I remember Ann Widdecombe. And John Sergeant’s marching… horrific stuff.”
“Just locked in to BBC and seen Thomas Skinner doing some weird stuff with Dizzy’s track can’t lie kinda creeped me out forget that for a laugh mate,” another audience member said.
“Excellent, I can start watching Strictly with the wife now that moron Thomas Skinner has been kicked off,” one viewer wrote on X. “Do better picking contestants @BBC.”
One fan said he was “gutted” for Dowden but “delighted” that Skinner had been voted out.
One, sharing a clip of Skinner dancing the salsa, said sarcastically: “The woke lefties have sent home one of the greatest dancers Strictly has ever seen. Poor Thomas Skinner.
“Cancel culture is so cruel.”
Head judge Shirley Ballas and judges Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood all voted to save Robshaw and Bychkova, meaning Motsi Mabuse did not need to use her casting vote. However, she said she would have voted the same way when asked by host Tess Daly.
Before giving him a two, Revel Horwood said of Skinner’s salsa on Saturday night: “It looked like you were competing at a weightlifting competition in Skegness, darling, it was all just powerlifts.”
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Speaking about his time on the show, Skinner said: “I’ve loved it. I’ve never danced before and my stay was short, but Amy’s amazing.
“It’s been great fun and I’ve enjoyed it. I can’t really dance that well but I’ve had fun! Thank you, Amy – sorry that we haven’t done too good, ‘cause you’re a different class.”
Dowden said of her time with Skinner: “We’ve laughed so much. We’ve worked so hard and a glitterball would have been amazing, but what I’ve learnt in the last few years is happiness, health and being alive is more important than anything.
She continued: “There is a ballroom boy in there, so I’m a bit gutted he didn’t get to do the ballroom, but the last three years, as you know, have been quite difficult for me. I lost all confidence as a dancer – but walking into the room with you with a massive smile and a laugh, you brought me back and, honestly, thank you.”
Skinner had early spoken out against what he called a “hate frenzy” against him after his now-infamous meeting with US vice president JD Vance. He claimed that much of what had been reported about him had been “massively exaggerated” or written in a way to “make me look bad”.
The internet personality was mired by numerous controversies ahead of the start of the Strictly series. Days before the series launch, he snatched a journalist’s phone at a press conference before walking out of the event.
“I happened to catch a glimpse of the screen and saw numerous messages – not about Strictly – but about a personal story from my past,” Skinner explained later. “In that moment, seeing it there caught me off guard.”
Sunday night’s episode also featured a special performance from Swedish pop star Zara Larsson of her new single “Midnight Sun”, the title track from her latest album.
Next week, the remaining 14 couples will take to the dancefloor next week in a Movie Week special, where each couple will channel a different film.
Strictly returns at 6.05pm on Saturday, 11 October on BBC One.
