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Sam Quek, the latest Strictly Come Dancing star to be eliminated, was left “gutted” by the result, which has been branded a “travesty” by viewers.

With the 20th series of the BBC dancing competition at its halfway mark, certain celebrities who were expected to make it far are now finding themselves being sent home.

After an emotional episode that saw professional dancer Amy Dowden in tears over her temporary replacement’s show-stopping performance with JB Gill, Sunday’s results show episode (3 November) saw Gladiators star Montell Jordan end up in the bottom two alongside hockey player Sam Quek.

However, it was Quek and her professional partner Nikita Kuzmin who were sent home by all four judges after performing the dreaded dance off.

Quek couldn’t hide her disappointment, telling host Tess Daly after that she was “gutted” by her elimination. Explaining precisely why this was, she added: “I’m gutted because I do feel like I still have more to give.”

In a follow-up post discussing her departure from the show on Facebook, Quek continued: “Losing a dance off isn’t great. In fact, the competitor in me hates it, but Montell is a better dancer than me and this is a dance competition after all – so fair do’s.”

She credited the show with bringing “that spring in my step back” after what she said has been a “quiet” few years, but said it “was tougher than I imagined” as she “sacrificed everything I needed to and still ended up towards the bottom of the leaderboard” each week.

Quek wrote: “I must stress, I knew what I was signing up for. And when I commit to something, I give it everything I have for as long as I have to. I have no regrets about what I put into this process. That’s why I cannot be too sad about leaving. I gave everything I had. I fell short and that’s ok, because there was nothing more I could have done.”

During the results show, Quek also pointed out what she has admitted was a misconception she previously had about the show when she was watching along as a viewer, telling Daly: “I’m guilty of watching the competition and thinking ‘how do they have that relationship as a celebrity and a dancer?’

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“All I can say is, the time you spend with each other and what you bring out in each other. It really is, and it sounds dead cheesy, magical.”

Quek’s elimination follows the departures of Dr Punam Krishan, footballer Paul Merson, singer Toyah Willcox, presenter Nick Knowles and Olympian Tom Dean.

With the 20th series of the BBC dancing competition at its halfway mark, certain celebrities who were expected to make it far are now finding themselves being sent home.

Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday 9 November on BBC One.

MARRIED At First Sight fans were left heartbroken after fan favourite couple Kieran and Kristina choose to LEAVE after the final commitment ceremony.

The pair, who said ‘I Do’ just moments after meeting, left the experiment during tonight’s instalment of the E4 show.

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Kieran and Kristina hit it off immediately when they first locked eyes on the aisle.

The animal carer luckily found the mechanic’s practical joke funny as he surprised her with a set of false teeth on their wedding day – so it seemed they were the perfect match.

But as the weeks have gone on, cracks started to appear in their relationship.

Last week Kieran sobbed in the corner of the room after their marriage imploded, days after they locked horns in an explosive argument after he expressed fears he was “wasting” his time in their marriage.

Fans were previously quick to call out Kieran for “making excuses” after admitting he did not want to be “intimate” with his spouse.

Today the pair decided that enough was enough and called it quits – and there was not a dry eye in the room.

Kieran told Kristina: “I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving this your all.

“I just genuinely wish you the best for the future.

“Don’t change for anyone.”

Kristina replied: “Thank you for the most magical, amazing day of my life at our wedding.

“I’m gutted but I do only wish you the best.

“You’ll be in my life. Don’t worry.”

Those watching at home were also left in tears.

One wrote on X: “Not Kristina & Kieran. Love these guys!! So glad they have stayed friends. Was rooting for them.”

Another brutally said: “Kieran has known for weeks how he feels about Kristina. He’s just finding it hard to admit it to himself, Kristina, and his friends and family.”

A third chimed in: “Not sure Kieran knows what he wants anymore. This PMDD has really put him off and he’s making every excuse under the sun not to just say it’s that. Kristina deserves better.”

Cracks started to appear when Kristina was left devastated when Kieran gave co-star Polly a big kiss on the lips – after saying he didn’t want to be intimate with her because of a cold sore.

Days before Kristina was in tears when Kieran admitted he was struggling in their relationship.

Asked by the experts why his behaviour towards her has changed, he said:  “I am really questioning at the minute if I am able to sustain a relationship with someone who suffers with PMDD.”

Kristina suffers from Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which causes extreme emotional and physical symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.

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The Daily Show has poked fun at the Trump campaign’s obsession with Peanut the Squirrel, whose euthanization has caused uproar among Republicans.

During Monday’s (November 4) episode of the Comedy Central talk show, guest host and correspondent Jordan Klepper recounted Donald Trump’s final rallies before Election Day.

“Trump campaign, this is your last chance to get your message out. Surely there is someone who is staying focused on the important issues and not getting distracted like some idiot dog when it sees a squirrel,” the host joked.

Going on to play a clip of Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, asking North Carolina rallygoers if they’d “seen the videos of this squirrel,” Klepper cut in to add sarcastically: “F*** me. No, no, I haven’t seen the videos of the squirrel. Why is that an issue?”

He then showed a TV report about Trump supporters up in arms after Peanut the Squirrel – who became a social media star after being taken in by Mark Longo in 2017 – was seized by New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation and later euthanized for biting an official.

“I know Don’s fired up about Peanut the Squirrel,” Vance said at the North Carolina rally. “We were on the way down here from Cincinnati. He was like, you know, is it really the case that the Democrats murdered the Elon Musk of squirrels?”

Klepper asked his audience: “Everyone, we are mere hours before Election Day, and Republicans’ final message is, ‘We must avenge the death of Peanut the Squirrel.’

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Republicans finally care about police brutality. But here we are, with all of MAGA world mourning the death of Peanut the Squirrel.”

Earlier in the episode, Klepper recounted Kamala Harris’s star-studded final Pennsylvania rally, which saw performances from pop superstars Katy Perry and Lady Gaga.

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“If you still have their album on LimeWire, they’re probably endorsing Kamala Harris,” he quipped. “She’s coming for every last Soul Cycle vote.”

Klepper continued: “While Kamala’s ending the campaign on a note of joy and celebrity hype, Donald Trump’s closing argument is that he’s pissed at basically everyone.”

The host played clips of Trump slamming several Democratic politicians, including California Representative Adam Schiff, who’s currently running against Steve Garvey to fill the late Diane Feinstein’s Senate seat.

“To sum up: We are an hour from Election Day. We have a presidential candidate descending even further into madness, a legion of his supporters ready to follow him into battle, the Capitol’s all boarded up and ready for a final showdown, our kids’ teeth are about to fall out, the police are executing squirrels, and tomorrow is the climactic day when we discover whether Earth continues existing in its muddled mess or we all go screaming into hell,” Klepper concluded.

“I guess what I’m saying is, don’t forget to vote.”

VIEWERS of The Great British Bake Off were left red-faced after the show broadcast its rudest episode ever.

The latest episode of the Channel 4 programme was jam-packed with explicit innuendos and comments that led to fans reaching for the mute button.

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It was dessert week on the programme with Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood deciding to challenge the bakers with a British classic, Spotted Dick, for the technical challenge.

It led to show hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding making a series of close to the wire comments that left many watching at home flabbergasted.

During one ear-popping scene, Alison could be heard saying to the bakers: “You have two and a half hours to get your dicks ready.”

Before one of the show contestants quipped: “I need a finger, that’s what I have a husband for, it’s his only use,” as they tied up the suet pudding with a piece of string.

Littered amongst an array of other shock comments, viewers of the baking contest were quick to have their say with one insisting it was “absolute filth”.

They wrote online: “Absolute filth on #gbbo this week. Deary me.”

Another commented: “Alison and Noel are unhinged with these innuendos.”

A third said: “So many jokes right now I’d get us banned… #GBBO.”

Others were left gasping by one of the contestant’s comments saying: “What did Gill just say about her husband?!”

As someone else shared a GIF of an overtly shocked face along with the caption: “Literally every thirty seconds on #GBBO tonight.”

Throughout the nine-minute long segment, a series of rude comments and jokes were said much to the shock of fans.

Looking over the recipe, one baker reacted: “I’ve never seen a spotted dick, I’ve never tried it,” prompting another to chime in: “My boyfriend told me that spotted dick is very nice.”

A third added: “I know what spotted dick is, but it’s something that I would make a pass on.”

At the end of the challenge, it was revealed that fan favourite Dylan had the spotted dick that had impressed Paul and Prue the most.

His bake went down a storm with the panel and he later went on to be awarded Star Baker at the end of the episode.

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Great British Bake off cast 2024

The Great British Bake Off is back for another series of the heartwarming Channel 4 show.

Legendary judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith are back to give their expert opinion, while hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond are on hand to lift the bakers spirits.

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Here are the amateur bakers all taking part in 2024.

• Andy, 44, car mechanic.
• Christiaan, 33, menswear designer.
• Dylan, 20, retail assistant.
• Georgie, 34, paediatric nurse.
• Gill, 53, senior category manager.
• Hazel, 71, former nail technician.
• Illiyin, 31, birth trauma specialist midwife.
• Jeff, 67, former university lecturer.
• John, 37, NHS directorate support manager.
• Mike, 29, farmer.
• Nelly, 44, palliative care assistant.
• Sumayah, 19, student.

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Dr Phil McGraw has revealed that his appearance at Donald Trump’s controversy-laden New York City rally in late October came as “an act of rebellion” against Kamala Harris.

While speaking on a recent episode of Piers Morgan’s Uncensored talk show, the popular TV personality and former psychologist, 74, walked back on his apparent endorsement of Trump.

“I’m just not here to endorse Donald Trump. I do not like celebrity endorsements,” McGraw said in a teaser clip posted to X.

The Dr Phil host went on to tell Morgan that he doesn’t like a lot of what the former president says or does, explaining that his speech at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally was more so “an act of rebellion on my part.”

“I requested 25-plus times to speak to Kamala Harris,” he claimed. “I offered to give the identical speech at a Harris rally.”

The Independent has contacted the Harris campaign for comment.

When asked by Morgan if he had decided who he was going to vote for, McGraw responded: “I think I have, but I’ll never tell.”

Last month, McGraw joined Trump on stage at his Madison Square Garden rally. There, he spoke passionately to thousands of attendees, saying that he was “not here just to stand up for Donald J Trump. Lord knows he doesn’t need me to stand up for him. He’s tough as an old army boot. He’s got lots of enemies, different groups that are scared, and between them, they have impeached him, indicted him, raided him, railroaded him, shot him and sued him. And where is he? He is still standing.”

McGraw used much of his speech to defend Trump supporters who he claimed are being “cancelled, intimidated, marginalized, excluded or even fired or boycotted” and then used his professional opinion to declare that Trump isn’t a “bully.”

He argued that Trump couldn’t be a bully because “there has to be an imbalance of power, and when there’s not, it’s just called a debate, and he’s just better at it than anybody else.”

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“No human is perfect,” he added. “We don’t strive for perfection. We strive for excellence. But you don’t have to love everything about someone in order to love them, and the last thing he needs is some celebrity endorsement.”

He also used a portion of his speech to attack the likes of Beyoncé, Lizzo, George Clooney and Robert De Niro, celebrities he claimed hadn’t received any backlash from the media for endorsing Harris.

“Watch what happens tomorrow morning when people find out I came here to talk to you,” McGraw said.

Elsewhere at the controversial rally, a long list of Trump allies hurled insults and racist comments at their political opponents.

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe also sparked backlash when he insultingly likened Puerto Rico to a “pile of garbage.”

THE curse of Strictly Come Dancing has struck again – with Shirley Ballas splitting from her one-time fiance, The Sun can reveal.

The show’s popular Head Judge has called time on her six year relationship with actor Danny Taylor, 51, to whom she got engaged in 2021.

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News of their split comes six months after Shirley, 64, revealed the pair had called off their engagement – but were still together.

Last night a source said: “As with any break-up, it is, of course, a very sad situation.

“She gave her all to that relationship and in the end came to the realisation that it wasn’t going anywhere. She made a lot of effort to see Danny and support his theatre and panto work, travelling up and down the country.

“Distance also played its part – Shirley lives in :London with her mother and Danny remains based in Liverpool; that commute is a killer.

“But Shirley is a strong, resilient character and is looking better than ever. She will 100% bounce back – 2025 promises to be an absolute corker for her.”

The couple remain friends and still follow one another on social media. They haven’t posted together, however. 

The couple met in panto in 2018, appearing in Jack and the Beanstalk.

Danny, a trained ballroom dancer, has also appeared in soaps including Brookside and The Bill.

Speaking about how their romance came about, she said: “We met on panto as friends. It didn’t really take off until March… for him. I fell in love way before… I think for me it was [at] first sight. He was going through a difficult time in his relationship. 

“We did become friends and then probably in about February I said, ‘I love you Danny’ and he said, ‘I know’. It took a while.”

In June twice-married Shirley, whose son Mark was a dancer and then a judge on the American version of Strictly, Dancing with The Stars, furiously denied suggestions the pair had split.

She insisted things are better than ever for the couple after previously admitting she had “changed her mind” about marriage after two divorces.

She said: “Danny and I are still together contrary to anything you might read. Who knows [if we’ll get married].”

Strictly Curse – The Lowdown

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s latest series has already been hit by rumours of a BBC show ‘curse’ – yet what is it?

A host of Strictly Come Dancing stars have been struck by the Strictly Curse during the past two decades.

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This is where celebrities who may or may not be attached in the outside world become more than friends with their professional partners.

A total of 20 relationships are said to have been impacted so far over the show’s 20 years.

It has seen relationships crumble with dance floor romances and punishing rehearsal schedules to blame.

This includes the partnerships of Louise and Jamie Redknapp as well as Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer.

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Controversially, Judge Craig Revel Horwood once said of the curse: “I think of it as a blessing, to be honest. One person is married, the other one had a girlfriend but my point in this entire thing is: if you come on Strictly, sometimes you are in a relationship that is not working anyway.

“There has to be something wrong in your relationship before it all goes awry.”

Series one winner Brendan Cole left his fiancé, fellow Strictly professional Camilla Dallerup, during filming for the very first series in spring 2004. 

Brendan was said to have fallen for his celebrity partner and inaugural winner Natasha Kaplinsky, although the duo didn’t confirm they were romantically involved.

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Last night a spokeswoman for Shirley declined to comment.

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