Strictly Come Dancing fans have been left "gutted" and "devastated" to learn the identity of this week's dance-off casualty hours before the results show has aired on the BBC.
The results show, which is recorded on the Saturday evening, isn't broadcast until Sunday evening and as a result, the Beeb has been vulnerable to leaks online throughout the series so far.
Week Eight is no different after the remaining eight contestants took to the dancefloor to try and impress Craig Revel Horwood, Anton du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas in order to keep their spot in the contest.
It was another record-breaking evening for Layton Williams who racked up a near-perfect 39 for his Argentine Tango with Nikita Kuzmin - the highest-scoring Week Eight Argentine Tango in Strictly history.
Ellie Leach continued to impress with a score of 35, while Nigel Harman was close behind at 34, Angela Scanlon bagged 33, Bobby Brazier and Angela Rippon both scored 32, Annabel Croft earned 31, and Krishnan Guru-Murthy propped up the leaderboard with 25.
However, the leaderboard standings aren't the be-all and end-all as the judges' scores are combined with BBC viewers' votes in order to determine who'll land in the dreaded dance-off.
The Strictly judges delivered their scores on Saturday evening
BBC
GB News will not reveal the identity of the celebrities who landed in the dance-off for Week Eight.
However, after spotting the Strictly spoiler on X, it didn't take long for the fury to pour out, including from one fan who penned: "F*** sake man. I knew that would happen. I don’t like shouting fix but..."
A second said the booted-off contestant was "robbed" before adding they were "the authentic Strictly that it started out as" and "deserved to be in Blackpool".
Elsewhere, a third was disappointed as they typed: "Nooooo. They’re so much more entertaining. Gutted!"
"Gutted. Devastated xXx," another added while a fifth echoed: "Very annoyed about the choice they made. Time for the other one to go now."
However, the leaked results did garner some support, with one Strictly fan agreeing with the outcome: "The right decision... the weakest dancer left. Fun to watch but not a great dancer. Judges were too easy on them."
While another had a suggestion for the BBC in order to avoid such instances of outrage once the results leak early.
They added on X: "I think #Strictly should scrap the dance off as it’s a mechanism for producer/establishment control. But that’s exactly why they have it!" (sic)
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- 'I'll cancel everything!' Denise Welch shares wedding hopes for son Matty Healy after being 'hurt' by absence at her big day - EXCLUSIVE
- BBC Strictly stars share sweet gesture to Amy Dowden as dancer marks end of chemo amid cancer battle
- Alastair Stewart swipes at Carol Vorderman BBC sacking as he wades into social media row
The Strictly contestants ahead of Week Eight's routines
BBC
Last week's dance-off saw Rippon face off against Adam Thomas, with the judges voting unanimously to save the 79-year-old.
The ordeal resulted in brutal "fix" claims from some Strictly fans who were left disgruntled at the fact Thomas had lost out to the iconic broadcaster.
Clearly not an enjoyable ordeal, Rippon spoke out a few days later about the "upsetting" experience having never landed in the dance-off previously.
So far this series, Les Dennis, Nikita Kanda, Jody Cundy, Eddie Kadi, Zara McDermott and Thomas have been eliminated while Amanda Abbington quit the show for "personal reasons".
