SHAYNE Ward’s soap star fiance Sophie Austin fought back tears they left Strictly tonight after his shock exit.

Former X Factor star Shayne, 40, went up against GoCompare star Wynne Evans and Katya Jones during Sunday’s results show.

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But Shayne was sent packing after head judge Shirley Ballas chose to save Wynne, despite two judges voting to save the ex Corrie star.

After being booted off the dance competition, Shayne was seen departing the BBC studios with his partner.

Ex-Hollyoaks actress Sophie, 40, looked visibly emotional as she comforted the former Coronation Street star.

Sophie was said to be gutted that Shayne missed out a spot at the famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Shayne explained that his mum was too ill to travel to Elstree Studios in London and had hoped to make it through to the next round so his mum could attend and watch him dance.

A close friend was seen holding the dreaded bunch of flowers that the voted off celebrity gets when they leave the show.

It comes after fans were left furious at the outcome tonight.

Both couples performed their routines again; Shayne and Nancy took to the dancefloor with their Rumba to Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper.

Then, Wynne and Katya performed their American Smooth to Grace Kelly by MIKA.

After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts.

Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Shayne and Nancy and Motsi Mabuse also picked to save Shayne and Nancy.

But Anton Du Beke chose to save Wynne and Katya.

With two votes in favour of Shayne and Nancy, the decision came down to Head Judge Shirley Ballas, who decided to save Wynne and Katya. As Head Judge, Shirley’s was the deciding vote, meaning that Shayne and Nancy would be leaving the competition.

When asked by Tess about his time on the show, an emotional Shayne said: “I just want to say, you guys up there [the other contestants in the Clauditorium] are a dream.

“Every single day, coming in here and seeing you guys you helped me so much.

“I want to say thank you to the audience as well, for always being amazing for us all. This has been, honestly, one of the best things I’ve ever done.”

He added: “I’m proud that I made it to eight weeks as a novice dancer. A massive thank you goes to this incredible human right next to me [Nancy], who has put so much fire in me and made me believe that I can actually achieve more if I let myself go.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out to the end, but I’m super proud that I got to meet you [to Nancy] and dance with you, so thank you.”

Pro dancer Nancy also praised her partnership with the former soap star and said he should be “proud” of himself.

Nancy said: “I’m beyond proud of this dance partnership. Shayne from week one until this point, every second you put your feet on the dancefloor you improved yourself. You’re a deep thinker, you always doubt yourself, you never believed yourself, but I never ever questioned you.

“When I watch you, I feel proud because I’ve turned someone who has never ever danced in their life into an amazing dancer. You should believe in yourself. I adored this partnership.”

But some fans were not happy with the decision and called it a “fix”.

One wrote: “Why are the judges saving Wynne, he wasn’t great tonight and deserved to go over Shayne.”

A second echoed: “It’s clearly a fix to get Wynne to the final.”

A third said: “Wow Wynne saved but Shayne’s gone, that’s not right. Wynne was no way as near as good as Shayne.”

“It’s a fix fix fix, Shirley and Anton have got it wrong,” a fourth added.

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Coronation Street star and former X Factor winner Shayne Ward and his partner Nancy Xu are the latest pair to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.

Saturday’s episode saw the couples performing at Blackpool Tower, with two Couples Choice performances by Pete Wicks and partner Jowita Przystal, and Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell.

It was a tough contest, with most of the couples scoring highly and no significantly low scores. JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, who is stepping in for Amy Dowden, and Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, held their position at the top of the leaderboard for the second week running.

Meanwhile, Wicks made a dramatic comeback, having come dead last in the previous week, scoring a paltry 22. He said he doubted that he “deserved” to be in the competition after Sam Quek and her pro partner Nikita Kuzman were eliminated following a judges’ decision last week.

Wynne Evans and Katya Jones, and Ward and Xu, found themselves at the bottom of the public vote for week eight of the competition.

Both couples were tasked with performing their routines again with Ward and Xu dancing the Rumba to “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper. They were followed by Evans and Jones, who performed the American Smooth to “Grace Kelly” by MIKA.

The judges then gave their verdicts with Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse choosing Ward and Xu, while Anton Du Beke opted to save Evans and jones. Head judge Shirley Ballas then made the final choice, with her deciding vote sending Ward and Xu home.

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“I just want to say, you guys up there [the other contestants in the Clauditorium] are a dream,” Ward told Strictly host Tess Daly.

“Every single day, coming in here and seeing you guys you helped me so much. I want to say thank you to the audience as well, for always being amazing for us all. This has been, honestly, one of the best things I’ve ever done.”

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He added, “I’m proud that I made it to eight weeks as a novice dancer. A massive thank you goes to this incredible human right next to me [Nancy], who has put so much fire in me and made me believe that I can actually achieve more if I let myself go.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out to the end, but I’m super proud that I got to meet you [to Nancy] and dance with you, so thank you.”

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Xu, who has been at the centre of a suspected rift with her co-star Carlos Gu, said: “I’m beyond proud of this dance partnership. Shayne from week one until this point, every second you put your feet on the dancefloor you improved yourself.

“You’re a deep thinker, you always doubt yourself, you never believed yourself, but I never ever questioned you. When I watch you, I feel proud because I’ve turned someone who has never ever danced in their life into an amazing dancer. You should believe in yourself. I adored this partnership.”

WAYNE Rooney will not meet wife Coleen on the bridge after her stint on I’m A Celebrity — due to his busy footie schedule.

His struggling Plymouth Argyle side have four games in 16 days during the course of the Aussie jungle show.

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It starts this Sunday and finishes on December 8.

Plymouth play on November 22, 26 and 30 as well as December 7.

They also have games on December 10 and 14.

They drew 1-1 with Wazza’s old side Derby County on Saturday, putting The Pilgrims on 16 points.

England hero Wayne, 39, took over as manager in the summer.

A source said: “Coleen will be gutted Wayne can’t get out there to meet her, but she understands how demanding his job is.

“He’s desperate to string a decent set of results together before Christmas. He and Coleen have been living miles apart for months so that will have prepared them for the separation.”

Mum-of-four Coleen, 38, may be met by best pal Claire Rooney — Wayne’s cousin — or parents Colette and Tony.

The source said: “Coleen’s very family-orientated so she’ll find the show tough. Whoever is waiting for her, it’ll be incredibly emotional.”

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One of the stars of The Office (US) has revealed a fascinating secret behind the design of the popular sitcom’s set.

On the series – an American adaptation of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s BBC classic The Office – the titular office was divided into two rooms, with some characters working in an annexed section separate to the main office.

According to Brian Baumgartner, who played accountant Kevin Malone, there was actually a secret, entirely practical, reason for this.

Speaking on an episode of Joe Vulpis’s Lightweights podcast earlier this month, Baumgartner explained the reason for the seating divide.

According to him, those characters who sat in the annex were actually the ones who were involved with writing the show: Toby (Paul Lieberstein), Kelly (Mindy Kaling) and Ryan (BJ Novak).

“There was the main office, and then there was the other side,” Baumgartner began. “If your desk was in the annex, you were a writer.”

He continued: “They did this because the camera was always moving around. We were there all the time. So Greg [Daniels, the series showrunner] needed the writers in the writers room sometimes.”

Because their default in-universe workplace was separate to the main area, Lieberstein, Kaling and Novak were able to leave the set and go to the writers’ room without disrupting continuity in the background of shots.

“I did not know that,” Vulpis replied. “Fun fact.”

The Office did, however, manage to work the annex into its story, with those employees sat in the room looked down upon by the others in the main office.

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An Australian remake of The Office recently premiered on Prime Video, marking the third English-language iteration of the sitcom.

The series notably switched the gender of multiple key characters, including its lead. In the UK version, the centre of the show is obnoxious office manager David Brent (Gervais), while the US version focused on a similar character called Michael Scott (Steve Carell).

In the Australian version, the lead character is a female office manager called Hannah Howard, played by Felicity Ward.

Speaking to The Independent last month, Ward said: “I know that people are going to have very strong opinions about this regardless… [but] when people ask, ‘did you feel the pressure?’ I’m like, ‘no, not at all’.

“This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

LOVE Island star Matthew MacNabb has proposed to his girlfriend Laura Nolan.

The Irish hunk shared a video with fans of the moment he got down on one knee after two years of dating.

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He told fans: “We’ve come a long way.”

Their famous pals rushed to comment on the happy news, with Love Island winner Liam Reardon writing: “Special. So happy for you both! Congratulations X.”

Matthew, who appeared on the dating show in 2021, met Laura when he was partnered with her in the dancing competition in Ireland just a few months later.

Their relationship was speculated by viewers throughout the entire competition, but as Matthew was eliminated, a choreographed kiss gave the game away during his farewell dance.

Just last month, Matthew was forced to deny they were engaged after he shared a very romantic video of them dancing and fans went wild.

He wrote: “Ps. Not our wedding video or engagement, but thank you!”

The smitten lad recently told Evoke how the pair had their first kiss behind the scenes of DWTS.

The 29-year-old laughed: “It was mid rehearsals actually, I’m too smooth, too smooth!”

Laura added: “‘It was in the middle of a dance, we had a step where he grabbed my neck and like, pulled me towards him and we looked each other in the eye and he just kissed me.”

They continued: “We both knew that we had the show to do, so it was kinda like we really liked each other and there was a lot of flirting going on.

“We didn’t want to distract from the other contestants or degrade what we potentially had.”

Matthew was coupled up with Kaz Kamwi during his time on Love Island.

He later admitted he struggled during his time in the villa after entering during Casa Amor.

“I shouldn’t have been there in a way,” he explained.

“It was like trying to take over being someone else’s boyfriend.”

Matthew added: “I haven’t told anyone this, but I met with the psychologist when I was in the villa and cried for a solid hour.

“She helped me so much and made me realise that this life is an adventure and with any adventure, there are ups and there are downs.”

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The full line-up for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 2024 has been “revealed”.

The ITV reality show has been on the air since 2000, with winners including Tony Blackburn, Stacey Solomon, Jill Scott and last year’s victor Sam Thompson.

In recent years, I’m a Celebrity has been plagued with controversy for signing up two controversial politicians: former health secretary Matt Hancock in 2022 and Nigel Farage in 2023, which appeared to lead to a downturn in ratings.

It seems like bosses don’t have anyone quite so contentious waiting in the wings this time around, with The Sun claiming to have discovered the identity of every star joining the show later this month.

Below are the 12 stars “revealed” to be taking part in this year’s series

Coleen Rooney

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Coleen Rooney has reportedly signed up to appear on this year’s series. The wife of former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is said to have secured the biggest deal in the show’s history, which would surpass that of Farage and presenter Noel Edmonds with a fee of over £1.5m. “I’m a Celeb bosses have pulled off a huge coup getting Coleen for the jungle this year and the team are thrilled to have her on board,” a source told The Sun. “Coleen has a huge fanbase and she won massive plaudits for her classy handling of the Wagatha Christie case. She’s excited to show fans a different side to her and prove she can survive without her creature comforts.”

Tulisa Contostavlos

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One of this year’s biggest stars is said to be N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos, who was also once a judge on The X Factor. An insider suggested to The Sun that Contostavlos’s booking was inspired by a recent N-Dubz tour, which “introduced her to a younger generation, especially through platforms like TikTok”. They added: “Tulisa’s diverse career makes her a strong contender for I’m a Celebrity because she appeals to a wide audience. ITV is particularly excited about her new following among 16 to 24-year-olds, and hopes the deal is finalised soon.”

Jane Moore

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One Loose Women star who is reportedly poised to follow in the footsteps of fellow panellists Janet Street-Porter, Frankie Bridge and Charlene White is Jane Moore, who first appeared on the ITV panel show in 1999. he has been a regular panellist since 2013 and is rumoured to be up for entering the jungle following a split from her husband of 20 years.

Oti Mabuse

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Oti Mabuse is a former Strictly Come Dancing professional, appearing on the BBC series from 2015 to 2021. She won the series with both Kelvin Fletcher and Bill Bailey, and appeared on Dancing on Ice as a judge after leaving Strictly.

Reverend Richard Coles

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Reverend Richard Coles, the media personality and former vicar, who was once a member of the band the Communards, will – according to The Sun – be a campmate on this year’s I’m a Celebrity. A source said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly Come Dancing and his later life as a man of the cloth.” Earlier this year, Coles described his time on Strictly as “brutal” amid a behind-the-scenes scandal.

Dean McCullough

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Northern Irish BBC Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough has reportedly been tapped to appear on this year’s series. He started presenting for the station in 2020, standing in for Clara Amfo, and in September 2022 he replaced Scott Mills and Chris Stark, alongside Vicky Hawkesworth, as hosts of Radio 1’s afternoon show.

Alan Halsall

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Coronation Street star Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, had an I’m a Celebrity near-miss in 2023. He was rumoured to be a part of the line-up but was reportedly forced to withdraw after suffering a knee injury; the photo he shared of himself from his hospital bed essentially ruled himself out of appearing. It’s a likely bet, then, that Halsall has been drafted in for the new series.

Danny Jones

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It’s been claimed that McFly singer Danny Jones is following in the footsteps of his bandmate Dougie Poynter, who won the show in 2011, by entering the jungle. While it seems like a long shot considering Jones is not short of work – he’s currently a judge on ITV singing competition The Voice – a source told The Sun he is being offered a lucrative amount to appear on the show.

Melvin Odoom

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The radio DJ and TV host is believed to be entering the jungle this year. In the past he has presented shows on Kiss and Radio 1, and his presenting stints include the BRIT Awards, MOBO Awards and The Xtra Factor.

GK Barry

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The second Loose Women star being tipped to join I’m a Celebrity this year is influencer GK Barry. She became a swift favourite to appear after it was reported she had withdrawn from participating in Strictly Come Dancing due to the rehearsal room scandal that hit the BBC show earlier this year. Barry – real name Grace Keeling – would be a hit with the youngsters considering she has a huge following on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

Maura Higgins

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Shortly after it was claimed Tommy Fury had withdrawn from the series, another Love Island star’s name was thrown into the mix: Maura Higgins. Higgins is one of the ITV2 reality show’s best-loved contestants, having appeared on series five in 2019. A source told The Sun: “With Tommy Fury pulling out, it gave show bosses the opportunity to look at other Love Island stars and Maura stood out as the perfect candidate.”

Barry McGuigan

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According to The Mirror, Irish boxer Barry McGuigan will be entering the jungle, replacing McCoist. A source told the outlet: “Barry is a bona-fide sporting legend and he’s a great person to have heading for the jungle. When he rose to fame in the 1980s as the WBA featherweight boxing champ he became a non-sectarian ambassador. He fought for both Ireland and Great Britain and was loved and respected on both sides of the divide. There’s not many who can say that.”

An ITV spokesperson told The Independent: “Any names suggested for I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! are just speculation.”

It was reported on 1 November that former Rangers footballer Ally McCoist backed out of an appearance – for a second time – having been signed up by bosses weeks ago. His departure follows that of Love Island star Tommy Fury, who also dropped out of the show weeks before it was due to begin.

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