Former Chelsea star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has become the fourth celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing.
The 53-year-old and professional partner Lauren Oakley left the competition on Sunday night after losing the dance-off to Amber Davies and professional Nikita Kuzmin.
Both couples performed their routine from Saturday night's Icons Week show, with Hasselbaink dancing the American Smooth to Prince’s Purple Rain while Davies and Kuzmin performed a Cha Cha to Ariana Grande’s Break Free.
Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and head judge Shirley Ballas chose to save Davies and Kuzmin, with Anton Du Beke, who was this week’s judge with the casting vote, adding he would have voted the same way had it been required.
Hasselbaink said: "I have absolutely loved my experience. I can only say thank you very much for letting me have this experience and to my daughters for pushing me to come here and do this.
"I never expected that I would enjoy it this much. The people behind the scenes, from the wardrobe people to the hairdressers to the make-up people, are absolutely magnificent – thank you very much.
"This experience is going to live with me forever."
Despite securing their highest score of the competition on Saturday night with 30 points, Hasselbaink said: "The only thing you can do is dance as best as you can and then it’s up to the public. I was actually quite happy to dance again because I wanted to do better than my previous one. So listen, I have had a blast."
Speaking about Oakley, he added: "She is just absolutely incredible. She has been absolutely amazing with me. You are a diamond."
Oakley said the pair have had "so many laughs" and she was "absolutely gutted" to be leaving, however she praised Hasselbaink for being an "amazing student".
She said: "We have had the best time and I am so proud of how far he has come. It proves that anyone can be a dancer if you put your mind to it. He’s a footballer, and he just danced like that. We’ve had the best time and I’m just so proud and I feel honoured to have been able to teach you."
Sunday night’s results show also featured a performance of Don’t Cry For Me Argentina by Hollywood and West End star Rachel Zegler, accompanied by a routine from professional dancers Kuzmin and Luba Mushtuk.
The Strictly professionals also performed a Britney Spears group dance which paid tribute to the popstar’s musical eras.
It comes after Strictly hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly announced last week they will leave the show after fronting it together since 2014.
The pair’s last appearance will be in the Strictly festive special which will air on Christmas Day.
Hasselbaink and Oakley will appear on Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday at 6.30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
The remaining 10 couples will return to the dancefloor for Halloween Week next Saturday at 6.35pm on BBC One.
Source: Press Association
