Actor Will Mellor and his professional dance partner Nancy Xu have missed out on a place in the Strictly Come Dancing final after losing the dance-off in the semi-final.
#Strictly Semi-Finalists Will and Nancy have given everything this series. They're taking so many memories home from an incredible 12 weeks together 💕@Mellor76 @Nancy_xuxi pic.twitter.com/tAGP0SsAeq
— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) December 12, 2022
The Coronation Street actor and Xu battled it out against singer and radio host Fleur East and her professional dance partner Vito Coppola in the dance-off after they came bottom of the leaderboard, based on the scores from the judges and public.
East and Coppola will join three other couples - Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał, Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu, and Helen Skelton and Gorka Márquez - in the final this weekend.
The judges awarded 74 to East and Coppola and gave Mellor and Xu a 70 during the semi-final when they performed two dances.
In their dance-off bid to make the final, Mellor and Xu danced a Couple's Choice to a 90s Manchester-inspired medley but did not win favour with the judges.
Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas all opted for East and her partner Vito Coppola, who performed the Charleston to Tu Vuò Fà L'Americano by Fiorello.
Anton Du Beke, the only judge to choose Mellor and Xu, said both couples had "danced terrifically" but he had to go with the "details".
He added: "Due to an error in a dismount from a lift, I am going to have to save Will and Nancy."
Mabuse said the "details" led her to choose East and Coppola while Revel Horwood also said East and Coppola were the "most impressive".
Head judge Ballas said she knew the public had gone a different way than the judges but due to the "micro details" she also opted for East and Coppola, calling it the "most difficult decision" she had made so far.
Asked for his final words, Mellor said: "I have to thank you all for giving me this chance to put a smile on my mum's face, she deserves it.
"I'll take whatever I have learnt from this show forward in whatever I do, because it shows you can achieve more than you think.
"I didn't think I'd be able to get anywhere near this, and I am so proud of what we have achieved - but also everybody who has voted for me, who has supported me, the messages I've had from my local community and children."
Mellor previously said he wanted the glitterball trophy so his mother could display it on her mantelpiece.
His professional dance partner Xu also said during Monday's show: "I really wish I could make more memories with you and your family."
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final will air live on Saturday at 7:15pm on BBC One.
Source: Press Association
