Strictly Come Dancing: Michelle Visage and Giovanni Pernice become eighth couple to leave after Blackpool special

The RuPaul's Drag Race star was up against Saffron Barker in the dance off 
Dance off: Saffron Barker and Michelle Visage fought for their places on the show
BBC/Guy Levy
Rachel McGrath17 November 2019

Michelle Visage made an emotional exit from Strictly Come Dancing during Sunday night’s results show.

The RuPaul’s Drag Race star has provided many must-watch moments in the series, but after ending up at the bottom of the leaderboard on Saturday, her time on the show came to an end.

Visage, 51, and her professional partner Giovanni Pernice faced Saffron Barker and AJ Pritchard in the dance off.

Once both couples had performed their routines again - a Couples Choice to Vogue by Madonna and Quickstep to Marvellous Party by Beverley Knight, respectively - the judges had to make their decisions.

Admitting he was having “a very difficult time with myself over this”, Craig Revel Horwood said: “This doesn’t normally happen to me. I normally make a very quick, instant decision.

“This has been really, really difficult. One couple took all the notes on board and one couple were better.

“And the couple I’ve decided I would like to save is Saffron and AJ.”

Motsi Mabuse agreed with him, also opting to save Saffron after commending both couples for “brilliant dances.”

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Bruno Tonioli said: “Ahh, it’s so competitive, it's unbelievable. First I want to congratulate both of you.

“You both really raised the game tonight – much, much better than Saturday. And it’s very hard to decide but based on what I saw somebody I really thought nailed the dance.

“Right on the money. Saffron and AJ.”

Shirley Ballas then revealed she would also have saved Saffron.

Last dance: Michelle and Giovanni's Madonna-inspired performance failed to win votes (BBC/Guy Levy )
BBC/Guy Levy

Reflecting on her time on the show, Michelle praised Giovanni, 29, for being “my rock and my best friend throughout this entire competition.”

“He could take it as much as he could dish it, and I needed somebody like that,” she said. “I’m going to miss seeing him every day. I would never have wanted to do this with anyone else.”

Giovanni told her: “You are wonderful. We laugh, we cry, we fight and we argue and we’ve done everything but I’ve loved every single second.

“I think you are inspirational and we did this dance and wanted to send a message. You are a phenomenal lady and I am so proud of everything we’ve done.

“I’m here to say thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Michelle and Giovanni had been the subject of feud rumours during their time on the show.

Responding to the claims on Twitter, Michelle labelled the reports “upsetting.”

“If anyone knows us, you would know how close Giovanni and I,” she wrote.

"We have the most fun and laughs together and to suggest otherwise is just sad.”

Strictly Come Dancing returns at 7pm next Saturday.

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