Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell discovered that his “charm and elegance” could only get him so far, as he lost out to sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher in the Week 4 dance-off and made his exit from the competition.
“It’s fine,” said Daniel, when he was named as one of the two couples dancing to survive. “I’ve had a great time,” he added, sounding like he knew he was a goner even before the judges had had their say.
Daniel O'Donnell faced Kirsty Gallacher in the dance-off for Week 4
Daniel and his pro partner Kristina Rihanoff had danced the American Smooth to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon” and he seemed pleased at the end of his Saturday-night performance, when he told co-presenter Tess Daly: “We took off and we landed”.
But the judges had thought it was a bumpy ride and scored Daniel 23/40.
“You have a charm and elegance, but you’ve got to go for it,” Len Goodman told Daniel.
“It needs swing and sway and was lacking an enormous amount of style,” added Craig Revel Horwood.
“It was premium economy,” Bruno Tonioli told Daniel. “It needs much, much more wow factor.”
Daniel couldn't give his American Smooth enough of a wow factor
And Daniel couldn’t add enough “wow” to save himself in the Sunday-night dance-off with Kirsty and her partner Brendan Cole, who danced a Paso Doble to U2’s “Beautiful Day”.
The judges had actually scored Kirsty lower than Daniel on Saturday night, giving her 21/40 for a performance Craig had said “had as much shape as a broomstick”.
“You went for the kill but, in the process, you destroyed the shaping and, in the Paso, shaping is everything,” added Bruno.
Kirsty leapt into her Paso Doble with Brendan
“I’m going to do everything I can in the dance-off,” said Kirsty, when she was told she had to dance against Daniel to continue in the contest. “I’ve listened to the judges and I’ll do my best. That’s all I can do.”
And Kirsty did rise to the challenge, while Daniel “made too many mistakes”, said Craig.
So it was Daniel and Kristina who found themselves surrounded by the remaining celebrity contestants, who offered their commiserations and, no doubt, silently rejoiced in the knowledge that they have survived to dance another week.
Daniel O'Donnell is surrounded by the remaining celeb dancers as he says his goodbyes
Click here for our picture special on all the dances from Week Four.
And click here to find out how Katie Derham topped the leaderboard this week.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC1, Saturday, October 24, 6.35pm.
