Strictly Come Dancing’s first elimination happened tonight (Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing has been hit with a ‘sexism’ row after the first dance off and elimination of the 2024 series.
Olympic swimmer , along with his pro dance partner Nadiya Bychkova, has become the first celebrity of the 2024 series to be eliminated from the competition following a dance-off with Toyah Willcox and her pro partner Neil Jones.
It’s the first time Ukrainian former Playboy model Nadiya has had a partner on the show since 2022, having been dropped in 2023 to give Luba Mushtuk a chance in the main lineup.
And Neil Jones has also been without a celebrity for several years.
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Tess Daly consoles Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova (Image: BBC)
Following the public vote, the gold-medallist swimmer, 24, faced singer and actress Toyah Willcox, 66, in the dance-off.
After both couples danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts, with Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse both choosing to save Willcox and Jones while Anton Du Beke opted to save Dean and Bychkova.
Head judge Shirley Ballas had the deciding vote and chose to save Willcox and Jones.
But furious fans are raging at the decision and some argued that Tom only made way because the series has too few women this year and show bosses didn’t want to lose a woman too early.
The lineup has just six women out of 15 celebrities in 2024 and some viewers felt that the decision to save Toyah and send Tom home could have been motivated by a desire to keep the numbers balanced in the early stages.
@marciehatter said: “That #StrictlySpoiler is quite unbelievable tbh. Fair enough that they both ended up in the bottom two, but he must have forgotten all the steps for the judges to save her over him?!! Or could it be because they only have 5 female contestants this year?”
@survivininthe20s said: “Smells like a balance up the men VS women numbers.”
@meghanmcflygd said: “#strictlyspoiler I did not see that coming. IF this is 100% true, then it is absolutely shocking and not fair. The person saved should not, repeat NOT have been saved. Enough said… #wow”
@fansvfavourites said: “i genuinely don’t think i’ve ever been more p**** off if i’m being honest. heads will roll. #StrictlySpoiler”