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The fourth celebrity has been sent home from Strictly Come Dancing after a surprising dance off.

This year’s series has so far sent home an unexpected contestant in a result that was branded “messed up” and two more, including singer Toyah Wilcox, that left viewers feeling relieved.

The latest star to be eliminated is former Arsenal footballer Paul Merson, who ended up in a dance-off with a shock competitor: JLS singer JB Gill.

Merson was initially considered a “joke” contestant after his first few dances, but sailed through week three of the competition after delivering a better performance than expected.

However, following an episode that saw several standout dances and an unexpected contestant top the leaderboard, the sportsman’s luck ran out in Sunday’s results show (20 October), with all four judges opting to send him home after both celebrities performed their routines again.

However, the judges did note that Gill delivered his weakest performance yet.

Speaking about his time on the show, Merson, who danced a Samba to Rose Royce song “Car Wash”, said: “It’s been really good. For anybody I talk to, I would say you’ve got to go on this show. It’s amazing.

“There’s a Tottenham fan over there called Lincoln and even he’s nice! It’s been amazing – honestly amazing. I loved every minute of it.”

He called his professional partner Karen Hauer a “great teacher”, adding: “She’s been amazing and I couldn’t wish for a better coach. I’ve loved every minute of it.

“I can dance now. I’ve won because I can dance – I couldn’t dance before and I can half dance now. It’s a bonus.”

Hauer praised Merson, telling host Tess Daly: “You’ve been a joy. I’ve never giggled this much. My abs are really tight now. I am so proud of you. Every week you have showed up, you have improved.

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“You’re what Strictly is about and I want to thank you for bringing such joy and just showing everyone that it is possible with a little bit of work and lots of giggles.”

While Merson was eliminated, Gill’s presence in the bottom two is considered a surprise considering he and his dance partner Amy Dowden were considered early favourites to win the series.

The only other remaining contestant, alongside Gill, to have competed in the dance off so far is Shayne Ward.

The remaining 11 couples will next perform during Strictly’s Halloween episode on Saturday (26 October).

STRICTLY pro Karen Hauer’s time on the BBC show has been cut short for yet another year, after being voted off the dance competition with her partner Paul Merson.

The pair found them in the dance off, performing their Samba and going head to head with JB and Amy Dowden, whom the judges chose to save.

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But now die-hard fans of Karen are concerned that the 42-year-old who first joined the show in 2012, is in danger of quitting, after being continually paired with the least popular contestants.

Writing on social media site X, one person wrote: “I really hope this year isn’t Karen’s last series on Strictly, She’s the longest serving female pro, who has danced with a variety of celebs both men and women, Jayde Adams but has never one. 2025 needs to be her year to win.”

And another fan commented: “Actually loved Paul and karen plz strictly give Karen a contender next year she’s never looked soo happy being a part of the show as of right now.”

Meanwhile, someone else commented on how the show has lost its entertainment value, now that Karen and Paul have gone.

They said: “Paul Merson gave it his all in that dance-off, will be sad not to have him and Karen entertaining everyone each week.”

In a shocking dance-off, Paul found himself against JLS star JB Gill and his professional partner Amy Dowden.

Fans and the judges alike were left gasping when it was revealed that JB, arguably one of the stronger dancers on the programme, would have to dance again for his place in the contest.

It meant that Paul’s fate was seemingly sealed, having previously been forced into a dance-off alongside Toyah Wilcox.

Former footballer, Paul and Karen performed their routine, a Samba to Car Wash by Rose Royce, but it wasn’t enough to win over the panel.

All four judges revealed they were in agreement in choosing to keep JB and axe sports star Paul following the dance-off.

As Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all agreed to save JB, Shirley Ballas‘ vote was not required but she admitted to show host Tess Daly that she would have also chosen to save JB.

As the news began to settle on their exit, Paul told Tess: “It’s been really good.

“For anybody I talk to, I would say you’ve got to go on this show. It’s amazing – everybody.

He went onto add of his pro partner Karen: “She’s been amazing, absolutely amazing and I couldn’t wish for a better coach. I’ve loved every minute of it.

Venezuelan-American dancer Karen is a fan favourite and having starred on the show for 12 years, many would be happy to see her shine on the competition.

Having competed on the US show, So You Think You can Dance, Karen joined Strictly in 2012 and was partnered with Westlife star Nicky Byrne.

Throughout her time on the show she has been partnered with some of the biggest stars in Britain including, the late Dave Myers, broadcaster Jeremy Vine, pop star Will Young and Radio DJ Mark Wright. 

Her most successful pairing was with Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing in 2020, with whom she made the final, finishing in second place and Mark Wright back in 2014, finishing in forth.

But like Anton Du Beke who starred on the show since the beginning in 2004, rising from stalwart professional to revered Strictly judge in 2021, Karen’s longevity suggests that she is valued behind the scenes.

Numerous professional dancers have come and gone over the years, before disappearing out of the news cycle, but Karen remains relevant, standing firm in the Strictly frame.

Perhaps after yet another disappointing run, next year, producers will consider giving her a partner who has a fighting chance of winning the show.

Karen Hauer’s Strictly Journey

Karen Hauer is the show’s longest-serving professional, who has come within inches of the glitterball. But after a few years of leaving mid way through the competition, fans are hoping next year will be her turn to shine. So who have her partners been so far?

2012- Westlife star Nicky Byrne- 6th place

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2013- TV chef Dave Myers- 10th place

2014- Radio DJ Mark Wright- 4th place

2015 Broadcaster Jeremy Vine- 9th place

2016- Will Young- 13th place- (Will pulled out of the show early)

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2017- Chef Simon Rimmer- 11th place

2018- Actor Charles Venn- 6th place

2019- Comedian Chris Ramsay- 4th place

2020- Radio presenter Jamie Laing- 2nd place

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2021- Actor Greg Wise- 12th place

2022- Comedian Jayde Adams- 12th place

2023- Eddie Kadi- 12th place

2024- Paul Merson 12th place

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Strictly Come Dancing viewers have been left stunned as an early favourite to win the 2024 series ended up in the bottom two.

Following an episode that left viewers in tears with comedian Chris McCausland’s emotional dance, which ended with a “sweet” interaction with his professional partner Dianne Buswell, the results show threw a curveball into the mix.

In the episode, which aired on Sunday (20 October), it was revealed that former Arsenal footballer Paul Merson, who was ultimately sent home, was in the dance off alongside JB Gill.

The JLS singer has been one of the early favourites to win the show, receiving high scores for his performances alongside professional partner Amy Dowden, who has returned to the BBC series for the first time since recovering from treatment for stage three breast cancer.

All judges voted to send Gill through to the next round, but noted that his performances was not up to scratch. Despite this, his placement has come as a surprise to viewers who were convinced he would sail through the competition.

“JB and AMY?!?! In the bottom two? What’s going on?” one fan asked, with another chiming in on X/Twitter: “JB AND AMY! WHAT? Wow, shocked at that. I thought he was great last night.”

Others highlighted the shock on dancer Nikita Kuzmin’s face when he discovered Gill was doing the dance off, with one stating: “Nikita’s reaction was so me, what do you mean Amy and JB are in the dance off?!”

Gill topped the leaderboard in week one, was in third place in week two, fourth in week three and fifth in week four.

The only other remaining contestant, alongside Gill, to have competed in the dance off so far is Shayne Ward.

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Merson, speaking about his time on the show,said of his elimination: “It’s been really good. For anybody I talk to, I would say you’ve got to go on this show. It’s amazing.

“There’s a Tottenham fan over there called Lincoln and even he’s nice! It’s been amazing – honestly amazing. I loved every minute of it.”

He called his professional partner Karen Hauer a “great teacher”, adding: “She’s been amazing and I couldn’t wish for a better coach. I’ve loved every minute of it.

“I can dance now. I’ve won because I can dance – I couldn’t dance before and I can half dance now. It’s a bonus.”

Hauer praised Merson, telling host Tess Daly: “You’ve been a joy. I’ve never giggled this much. My abs are really tight now. I am so proud of you. Every week you have showed up, you have improved.

“You’re what Strictly is about and I want to thank you for bringing such joy and just showing everyone that it is possible with a little bit of work and lots of giggles.”

The remaining 11 couples will next perform during Strictly’s Halloween episode on Saturday (26 October).

A STAR of an iconic horror movie looks worlds away from his film debut – 25 years on from starring in a movie that had fans ‘vomiting’ in the cinemas.

Michael C. Williams found fame back in 1999 when he was signed up to play one of the leading parts in the terrifying movie.

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The Blair Witch Project had its viewers rattled back in the late 90s thanks to its scary content and unique way of being filmed and produced in order to give off the effect the movie was a real recording from a handheld camera.

Michael played a ‘fictionalised’ version of himself in order to tie-in with the movie’s marketing campaign of the film being about real people who had gone missing or died.

25 years on from the release of the film and Michael looks worlds away from his time on the big-screen.

Once sporting a freshly-shaven look, he now sports a grey-bearded face after ditching his acting career in favour of a more ‘normal’ role.

For those who have yet to see the horror classic, the movie will be aired in all of its glory on BBC One at 11:50pm.

It comes amid reports that the movie’s distributor is working on a reboot after setting the wheels in motion by securing a deal with horror movie giant Blumhouse Productions.

Michael failed to replicate the success of his time in The Blair Witch Project with other roles and soon switched career’s to become a qualified guidance counsellor in a school in the States.

At the time of the movie’s cinema release in 1999, audiences were left being sick in the cinema as a result of the “motion sickness” gained through watching the movie filmed on handheld cameras.

There were reports of cinemagoers vomiting and collapsing whilst watching the film in Atlanta and Dallas with US cinemas soon forced to place up warning signs for those brave enough to purchase a ticket.

Controversy followed for Michael and his co-stars after the film’s release after they felt they were underpaid for their contributions to the movie after it became a runaway success.

Having initially been made on a tiny $60,000 budget, the film’s total costs went on to become closer to the $250,000 mark after post-production was accounted for.

However, it soon blew that figure out of the water when it raked in a humongous $250 million at the box office – leading it to become one of the most successful independent films of all time.

Michael – along with his two co-stars Heather Donahue and Joshua Lenoard – were each paid $1,000 to both star and record the film on handheld devices.

Forbes went on to estimate that the trio’s total earnings in the aftermath of the film’s release would not have totalled more than $375,000 with most of that money being related to other settlements as opposed to profits of its success.

The publication claims that had the actors been paid in accordance with their original contract agreements, it is likely they would have pocketed the equivalent of $2.5 million for their work.

The magazine further adds that production companies on the film were able to conceal the full earnings thanks to “classic Hollywood accounting”.

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CNN anchor Jake Tapper got into an awkward argument with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson about the odd comments that Donald Trump made about former professional golfer Arnold Palmer during a rally on Saturday.

With just days to go before the election on 7 November, Trump used a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Palmer’s birthplace to speak for 12 minutes about Palmer’s manhood.

“This is a guy that was all man,” Trump said. “He took showers with the other pros, they came out of there, they said, ‘Oh my God, that’s unbelievable.’ I had to say it.”

“I had to tell you the shower part because it’s true,” he added.

Speaking to Johnson after the rally, Tapper questioned why Trump used a good chunk of his rally to talk about Palmer in such a manner, asking the Speaker of the House: “Is this really the closing message you want voters to hear from Donald Trump stories about Arnold Palmer’s penis?”

Johnson tried to ignore the question and attempted to pivot to a debate about Kamala Harris but Tapper refused to let the issue go.

“I’m sure that you think that a policy debate would be better than a personality debate, but if President Biden had gone on stage and spoke about the size of a pro golfer’s penis, I think you would be on this show right now saying you were shocked and appalled and you would suggest it was evidence of his cognitive decline,” Tapper propositioned Johnson, asking: “Why is he talking about Arnold Palmer’s penis in front of Pennsylvania voters?”

“Jake, you seem to like that line a lot,” retorted Johnson.

Tapper protested this, claiming that he didn’t like talking about Trump’s comments but that he had because “Donald Trump is out there saying it.”

Johnson did eventually address Trump’s comments about Palmer, saying: “ I get it. There are lines in a rally. When President Trump is at a rally, sometimes he’ll speak for two straight hours.”

Johnson then went on to attack Biden and Harris again and put forward why he believes Trump will win in November.

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The 52-year-old concluded by saying: “He says things that are off the cuff. But I’m telling you, I’ve been in those events. I’ve been in those arenas, and people have a great time at those arenas.”

Social media users were quick to mock Trump for his Palmer anecdote.

“According to the most recent NYT/Siena poll, the top three issues for swing voters include: 1. Inflation 2. abortion 3. The size of Arnold Palmer’s schlong,” podcast host Dan Pfeiffer wrote on X.

“But don’t call them weird,” author Jennifer Taub posted, alluding to Kamala Harris’s moniker for the former president and his running mate, JD Vance.

Sky reported a doubling of its annual losses last year as the media and telecoms company spent more on programming and costs relating to its broadband services and hardware such as mobile devices and Sky Glass TVs increased.

The company, which earlier this year cut 1,000 jobs, reported an operating loss of £224m for 2023.

Sky, which was bought by the US media company Comcast for £30bn in 2018, reported an operating loss of £111m in 2022. The company’s total revenues remained flat at £10.23bn.

The direct-to-consumer business, which includes its pay-TV, mobile broadband and streaming operations, grew revenues by almost 1.6% to £8.5bn. The company attributed this to the revenue growth of its internet-enabled smart TV Sky Glass as well as mobile, broadband and streaming services, fuelled by price increases for consumers.

Sky said the modest improvement was offset by a decline in the popularity of its Sky Q box as consumers move toward streaming and smart TVs for their viewing.

The company also recorded a slight fall in advertising revenue, from £1.27bn to £1.2bn, which it said had “held up well in spite of the market squeeze driven by the cost of living crisis”.

The company will face increasing market pressure when Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) launches its streaming service, Max, in the UK in 2026. WBD, which owns brands including HBO and franchises including Harry Potter and superhero franchises such as Superman and Batman associated with DC Comics, has a deal in place for all its content to run through Sky which is up for renegotiation next year. Without the WBD content and the US company as a rival, Sky’s revenues could come under even more pressure.

Emphasising the difficulties media companies face in managing collaborative deals, Sky also registered a £327m impairment due to the performance of its loss-making streaming service SkyShowtime, a joint venture with the US media company and Channel 5 owner, Paramount.

Sky’s total operating expenses increased from £10.3bn to £10.45bn, with programming costs increasing marginally to £3.45bn. Direct network costs increased to £1.66bn in line with its growing number of mobile and broadband customers.

The group also took a £1.2bn write-down related to loans provided to its subsidiaries in Germany and Italy.

Sky’s employee costs increased from £843m to £887m as its number of staff grew from 9,528 to 10,036. The highest paid was unnamed director who received £3m.