OPINION: Strictly Come Dancing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are leaving the show just in time.

Strictly Come Dancing fans have been up in arms (Image: BBC)

Just when I thought Strictly Come Dancing had turned a corner, the backlash is back – and it’s coming in hard and fast following last night’s utterly shocking elimination, which will go down as perhaps the most gobsmacking in the BBC show’s history. I’m talking about the judges unanimously booting fan-favourite (and arguably the best dancer on the show) Lewis Cope out of the competition when he ended up in the dreaded dance-off with Amber Davies.

The former Emmerdale actor has been the one to watch since this series launched in the autumn, thanks to his charisma, warmth, and natural rhythm on the ballroom floor with professional partner Katya Jones. The pair have landed perfect scores during their time in the competition – and he’s been nothing but a joy to watch each week. So where did it all go wrong for the 30-year-old actor?

Lewis Cope and Katya Jones were sent home by the judges (Image: PA)

Strictly has a history of viewers voting for the underdog, and Lewis is known for having a dance background, which may have given him a rod for his own back. Viewers always seem to root for a celebrity who started with two left feet – and Lewis certainly didn’t have that issue.

He probably fell in the bottom two, along with West End star Amber, because the public assumed he’d be safe and have supporters voting to get him through to the semi-final.

However, Lewis and Amber – who scored a perfect 40 points on Saturday night – left the judges with an excruciating decision, which was aired during Sunday night’s results show to determine whether to send Lewis home or Amber.

From the way the judges covered their faces when the dance-off result was announced, it looked as though they knew this would be the final nail in the coffin for Strictly, following a myriad of scandals over the past few years involving professional dancers and celebrity contestants alike.

Will anyone bother watching the final on December 20 now that Lewis is gone? Will the series be canned following the exit of hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman later this month? T

The show was once the dazzling jewel in the BBC’s crown – but it feels as though there is no saving Strictly now Lewis has gone.