Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton has become the latest celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing. She and her partner Brendan Cole lost a dance-off against former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan and Natalie Lowe after the judges' scores were combined with the results of the viewers' votes to decide the lowest scoring two couples in the latest round of the BBC show.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Michael, saying: "Well this couple completely smashed and I thought they were fantastic, Michael and Natalie." His colleague Darcey Bussell also chose Michael, saying: "Yes, I am going save Michael and Natalie." Bruno Tonioli made the same choice, saying: "I am going to save the best performance, and that came from Michael and Natalie." Victoria, who had the lowest judges' score on Saturday night, when she and Brendan received only 21 votes out of 40 for a salsa to Robbie Williams' Candy, said: "It's been so much fun. I have loved every second of it. It pushed me totally out of my comfort zone which I think you really need to do in life. "Brendan has been fantastic, the people behind the scenes here - the hair, make-up. I love the costumes. It's been a fantastic experience."
Brendan said: "It's been an emotional roller-coaster but I said from the start I was so excited to be paired with Victoria and I haven't changed my mind. She has been a diamond to work with. What a girl. She is the pride of the nation and I couldn't be happier or prouder of you for the way you have attacked it." On Sunday's results show the Strictly professionals took to the floor with dance troupe Flawless, while Irish rockers The Script also performed. Despite her eviction, Victoria Pendleton managed to put on a brave face to attend the Evening Standard Theatre Awards later that evening. The 32-year-old, dressed in a sparkly knee-length dress, flashed her biggest smile to photographers as she posed outside the Savoy hotel, where the ceremony was held.
Once inside, she presented Danny Boyle and his artistic team a special Beyond Theatre Award for the extraordinary London Olympics opening ceremony.She also confessed to the Daily Mail that she was voted out of Strictly because she was 'rubbish'. "I did my best but I just wasn't good enough," she told Baz Bamigboye. "The truth is I'm not a natural dancer. I have to be shown the steps and moves. Even when I was shown I was given three and a half days to do it and someone like me needs a year", she joked.
