Nikita Kanda Eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2023

Nikita Kanda was the second celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2023 during Sunday night’s tense results show. The BBC Asian Network radio host, 28, left the show with her professional partner Gorka Márquez, 33, after underwhelming on Saturday’s Movie Night.

Nikita faced Zara McDermott in the dreaded dance off, before judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, and head judge Shirley Ballas saved Zara.

Both couples performed their routines again on the show. First up was Zara and her dance partner Graziano Di Prima who performed their Pasodoble to The Puss Suite from Puss In Boots. Then Nikita and Gorka performed their Jive to Kids In America from Clueless again in a bid to impress the judges and remain in the competition.

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

• Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Zara and Graziano.
• Motsi Mabuse also chose to save Zara and Graziano.
• Anton Du Beke chose to save Zara and Graziano.
• Head judge Shirley Ballas agreed and said she would have decided to save Zara and Graziano.

With three votes in favor of Zara and Graziano, they won the majority vote, meaning that Nikita and Gorka would be leaving the competition.

When asked about their time on the show, Nikita said: ‘I don’t want to leave yet, I feel like I’ve let him down. I’ve had the best time and I love all my Strictly family, I’m going to miss you all. This has been a dream come true, I’m so grateful. I’ve got to say the biggest thank you to Gorka, he has been the biggest support and I’ve had the best time ever.’

Gorka added: ‘I am beyond proud of her, for someone that doesn’t have any dance experience or performance experience to come on this show and dance in front of millions of people – for three weeks, I think it’s incredible. You should be very proud of yourself, you have never let me down and I am very proud of you. This show is going to teach you so many things about yourself that you can take with you and I take incredible memories. I’ve never laughed so much in three weeks than I did with you!’

Sunday’s results show also featured the professional dancers taking viewers on a journey to Barbie Land with a performance based on the hit movie of the summer. In addition, Madison Beer performed “Showed Me (How I Fell In Love With You)” in the ballroom.

The remaining thirteen couples will take to the dance floor next week when Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday, October 14 at 6:30 pm. The results show will then air on Sunday, October 15 at 7:15 pm on BBC One.

Nikita and Gorka will be joining Fleur East and Janette Manrara for their first exclusive televised interview live on Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday, October 9 at 6:30 pm.

On Saturday’s show, viewers saw a triumphant Angela Scanlon top the leaderboard after being awarded 35 points from the judges while Eddie Kadi was awarded the first 10 of the series from Shirley.

Unfortunately, Jody Cundy’s performance suffered after he was forced to miss out on two days of rehearsals due to a hospital dash. The Paralympian, 44, had a health scare earlier this week after waking up at 4 am with a swollen, infected leg and feared he would not be able to dance.

Elsewhere, Amy Dowden returned to the show for the first time since being diagnosed with breast cancer, and Neil Jones made an appearance after welcoming a daughter with his fiancée Chyna Mills.

Nigel Harman and professional partner Katya Jones opened the show with a Batman-inspired routine. The duo danced a Jive to the film’s theme tune and received a total of 25 points from the judges.

Returning to host Claudia Winkleman in the studio, Amy surprised fans as she read out the terms and conditions of the vote. She left viewers in tears as she confirmed she is now halfway through her chemotherapy treatment. Starring on the BBC show, she dazzled in a white gown with silver sequins for her first TV appearance since shaving her head.

Fans of the show shared their thoughts on X, formerly known as Twitter, with one person admitting they had shed a tear at her triumphant return. They posted: ‘Just burst into tears when Amy Dowden appeared on my screen. Keep fighting!’

Another added: ‘Amy Dowden choosing not to wear a wig on #Strictly tonight has just shown every little girl going through chemo that bald is beautiful. What a role model.’

Next up, Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington transformed into the Von Trapps to dance a Quickstep to Do-Re-Mi from The Sound Of Music. They scored 26 points.

Strictly fans were left in stitches over Kai’s Movie Week outfit as they compared him to a Ken doll. The pair channeled the 1965 film as Kai dressed up in a curtain outfit similar to that which Maria and the Von Trapp children wore for the musical number in the movie.

Meanwhile, Angela, 78, wore a brown pinafore dress over a white shirt with puffed sleeves as she appeared to channel Julie Andrews’ Maria.

However, viewers were left in stitches over Kai’s outfit in particular as they shared his hilarious reactions to seeing the dancer in a blond wig.