Strictly Come Dancing couple Ellie Simmonds and Nikita Kuzmin may have bagged their highest score to date, but it wasn't enough to save them from the public and judges' vote.
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In their first joint interview following their exit on Sunday, the pair - who found themselves in the bottom two against Molly and Carlos - touched upon their emotions when they found out they were in the dance-off.
WATCH: Ellie Simmonds reveals Nikita Kuzmin has changed her life in sweet exit speech
"It was really really horrible, we were so shocked and it's just not nice," explained Ellie. "We didn't want anyone to be in the dance-off.
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"When we saw it was us, and to hear it was Molly and Carlos as well, who are absolutely incredible, all of us are like family, so to see that they were in the dance-off as well was so sad. You don't want anyone to go home!"
The duo performed an energetic Charleston on Saturday, bagging their highest score of 33. The former Paralympian, who is the first person with dwarfism to ever dance on the BBC show, compared their exit to "going through a heartbreak".
Nikita and Ellie became the sixth couple to leave the show
"I found yesterday and today a bit like going through a heartbreak. Strictly is everything and it’s been the most incredible time," she added. "We've been doing it for seven weeks now and now it’s all over all of a sudden.
"It's so sad but I cannot wait to see them all dance incredibly, I'm going to be supporting them all the way."
Asked about his time with Ellie on the show, Nikita said: "It's honestly a little bit difficult to talk right now but I'm just really grateful to have had this experience, to have had every single second with you. Every moment, even our struggles.
They performed an energetic Charleston on Saturday
"You've made me so much better not only as a choreographer but you've taught me so much as a person and taught me so much about life… It's honestly been one of the best times in my life and I will be forever grateful for it and I really mean that."
Ellie responded: "He's literally the best. What he's done with my choreography, you realise everyone can dance. He's adapted it to me and it shows that choreographers out there can do anything, with dwarfism or any different disability. He has changed people’s lives."
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