Jordan Dargan and his professional dance partner Rebecca Scott have missed out on a place in next week's Dancing with the Stars final after a nail-biting dance-off with Tolü Makay and Maciej Zięba.
The Apprentice UK star became the lastest celebrity to leave the competition on Sunday night following the semi-final, which saw the remaining five couples take on two routines each as part of the show's Dancing through the Decades theme.
After his exit was announced, Jordan said: "We were so close, and I wanted it so badly. I’ve had the time of my life. Thank you to everyone."
Paying tribute to his professional partner Rebecca Scott, he added: "You’ve helped me grow as a dancer and a person."
Sunday’s semi-final brought an added twist: each couple performed both an individual routine and a Time Machine Trio, joined on the floor by an extra professional dancer. With both dances scored out of 40, there was everything to play for as the celebrities battled for a place in the final.
Paudie Moloney and Laura Nolan were first up with a 1930s-inspired American Smooth to Cheek to Cheek. Arthur Gourounlian called Paudie "a ray of sunshine", while Karen Byrne said he was "oozing elegance". The pair opened the night with 26 points.
Jordan and Rebecca followed with a 1990s Cha Cha Cha to Dreamer by Livin’ Joy and made an immediate impact. Arthur said he loved how Jordan had captured the spirit of the dance, while Brian Redmond said he had "nailed the Cha Cha". They scored 38.
Katelyn Cummins and Leonardo Lini then delivered the first perfect score of the night with their 1920s Charleston to Charleston by Bob Wilson & His Varsity Rhythm Boys. Arthur said they had brought "the 1920s to the 2020s effortlessly", while Oti Mabuse called it "the dance of the season".
Tolü Makay and Maciej Zięba took on an 1980s Paso Doble to Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N’ Roses, earning 36 points. Arthur described Tolü as "the queen of Paso Doble", while Karen called her "a powerhouse".
Eric Roberts and Arianna Favaro closed the first round with a 1970s Salsa to Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind & Fire. The routine, which featured a series of ambitious lifts, scored 39, with Arthur saying Eric had "owned it".
The second half of the show saw the couples return for their trio dances.
Paudie and Laura teamed up with Robert Rowiński for a 2010s Samba to Gangnam Style, a performance that brought plenty of laughs and scored 24, giving them a total of 50.
Jordan and Rebecca were joined by James Cutler for a 1960s Charleston to Help! by The Beatles. Arthur told Jordan he did not need any "help" on the night, while Karen described the routine as "trio-tastic". They added 39 points, bringing them to 77 overall.
Katelyn and Leonardo, joined by Alex Vladimirov, performed a 2000s Samba to Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) by Beyoncé and scored 38, giving them a total of 78.
Tolü, Maciej and Stephen Vincent danced a 1950s Jive to Tutti Frutti by Little Richard, which earned 35 points and left them on 71 overall.
Eric and Arianna finished the night with Kylee Vincent in a 1940s Quickstep to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by The Puppini Sisters. The routine earned a perfect 40, with Karen calling it "perfection", and brought their total to 79.
After the public vote was combined with the judges’ scores, it was Jordan and Tolü who found themselves in the Dance Off, with Jordan ultimately missing out on a place in the Grand Final.
Next Sunday’s final will see Eric Roberts, Katelyn Cummins, Tolü Makay and Paudie Moloney return to the dancefloor to compete for the Glitterball trophy.
Dancing with the Stars is hosted by Jennifer Zamparelli and Laura Fox, with judges Oti Mabuse, Brian Redmond, Arthur Gourounlian and Karen Byrne.
The Grand Final airs on Sunday 15 March on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
