October 27th 2024.
The latest episode of Strictly Come Dancing saw the departure of the fifth contestant from the show, as a fifth celebrity bid farewell to the ballroom. The Halloween special on Saturday night left fans amazed, but also outraged by what they perceived as an "obvious mistake" in Sarah and Vito's dance. Despite this, the duo managed to avoid the dreaded dance-off.
Following in the footsteps of Paul Merson, DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, Toyah Willcox, and Olympic athlete Tom Dean, Dr Punam became the latest celebrity to be eliminated from the competition. In a tense results show, she and her partner Gorka Márquez went head-to-head against Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu, ultimately losing out and having to leave the show.
The judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke all chose to save Shayne and Nancy, making Head Judge Shirley Ballas' vote unnecessary. However, she did later confirm that she too would have chosen to save the winning couple. Despite their disappointment, Dr Punam graciously thanked the judges for the opportunity to be on the show and expressed her pride in pushing herself out of her comfort zone.
"I am really proud of myself," she said. "I've taken on something that's so out of my comfort zone, and I've learned to say yes more. There's no point in your life when you can stop learning new skills. I've learned more than just dancing, I've also learned so much from Gorka. Everyone has been incredible and these are memories that I'll take home forever."
She also revealed that her family were incredibly proud of her achievement. "My kids, my parents, my husband, everyone is so proud. This is something I've dreamt about for years, and to have one of my dreams genuinely come true is just a surreal feeling. Week after week, it's been incredible. I've made friends for life and everyone has been so kind. Thank you."
Gorka, too, expressed his pride in Dr Punam's progress on the show. "It's been incredible, a fantastic six weeks," he said. "I'm very proud of what she has achieved. She's a GP and a mum, and she had never danced before. I think she improved week by week. She represents what the show is all about - someone who doesn't have experience in the performance world coming here and learning to dance. She worked so hard and wanted to do well."
He also highlighted the significance of their Bollywood dance, saying, "I feel very proud and honoured that we got to do a Bollywood dance and represent her culture to the world. It opened doors for so many people in her culture."
Dr Punam added that she plans to continue dancing even after the show. "Thank you for believing in me and giving me the gift of dancing," she said. "I've never danced before, but you've definitely sparked a love for it. I want to learn more, and I don't think this will be the end of my dancing journey."
Viewers were gutted to see Dr Punam go, with many praising her positive attitude and kind nature. Despite the disappointment, she made history with her Bollywood performance and touched the hearts of many.
Unfortunately, the results show was also missing professional dancer Amy Dowden, who was reportedly rushed to the hospital after her performance. The reason for her hospitalization is uncertain, but it is hoped that she will be well enough to return next week. As for the remaining ten couples, they will be back on the dancefloor for the icons-themed week on November 2. Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer, and the next episode will air on BBC One on November 2.
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