Strictly Come Dancing's Rhys Stephenson and Nancy Xu

Rhys and Nancy have been voted out of the competition (Picture: PA)

Rhys Stephenson has been eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing ahead of next week’s grand finale.


The CBBC presenter and his partner Nancy Xu landed in the dreaded dance-off against John Whaite and Johannes Radebe and had to perform their Samba to It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera) by Michael Bublé for the judges again.


Sadly their routine wasn’t enough to get them through to the last show, with Mosti Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood, and Anton DuBeke all voting to save John and Johannes.


Head judge Shirley Ballas also declared she would have chosen the former Great British Bake Off star.


When asked by Tess about their time on the show, Rhys said: ‘I might not have gotten to the final but I learned so much from just being on this show, from everyone here who’s just supported us in this new family.


‘To have the time to spend with this champion of a dancer [Nancy] who’s put so much into me. Thank you for just letting my energy shine. Thank you for being that partner.




EMBARGOED TO 2025 SATURDAY DECEMBER 11 For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC undated handout photo of Rhys Nicholson, Nancy Xu during the live show for BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing 2021 on Saturday. Issue date: Saturday December 11, 2021. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.

Rhys and Nancy found themselves in the dance-off (Picture: PA)

‘I should use your actual name which is Xu YouJie. Thank you so much Nancy Xu YouJie, for just being there, being my rock, and everything I needed to get through this. Thank you.’


Nancy was then asked if she had any words for Rhys and exclaimed: ‘First I want to say a massive thank you to everyone in the show for supporting us from the very beginning.




Johannes Radebe and John Whaite on Strictly Come Dancing

John and Johannes were also in the dance-off (Picture: PA)

‘You’ve become stronger and stronger every week. And thank you [Rhys] for being an amazing dancer partner. My first year, it has been absolutely epic.’


After watching their best bits, an emotional Rhys added: ‘It’s good to cry, it’s good to feel. Strictly makes you feel things. You feel so much and sometimes that’s overwhelming.’


Strictly is set to conclude next Saturday with John and Johannes, AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington, and Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice competing in the final.


The Strictly Come Dancing final airs Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.