Strictly Come Dancing’s Karen Hauer declares love as Harry Aikines-Aryeetey leaves competition
It was an emotional farewell as Harry and Karen were voted off the BBC series
Harry and Karen bid farewell to Strictly(Image: Guy Levy/BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing’s Karen Hauer declared love to Harry Aikines-Aryeetey as he became the sixth celebrity to be eliminated.
On Saturday (November 8), the remaining nine couples appeared on the dancefloor as they took on the halfway point of the BBC competition.
Vicky Pattison reigned at the top of the leaderboard following her tango, closely followed by Amber Davies and Lewis Cope.
At the other end of the scoreboard, Harry and La Voix placed at the bottom along with Alex Kingston.
On Sunday (November 9), the couples fate was revealed as the results show saw Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer leave the competition, following a dance off against La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec.
Both couples performed their routines again; La Voix and Aljaž performed their Foxtrot to Make Your Own Kind of Music by Cass Elliot. Then, Harry and Karen Hauer performed their Samba to Samba by Gloria Estefan
After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts. Head Judge Shirley Ballas chose to save La Voix and Aljaž. Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood also made the same call.
Motsi Mabuse, who this week had the casting vote, said she would have decided to save La Voix and Aljaž should she have been required to vote.
La Voix made it through to next week(Image: Guy Levy/BBC)
When Tess Daly asked Harry about his time on the show, the Olympian and Gladiators star said: “I think, first things, I just want to thank Karen, genuinely, you have given me an opportunity to shine. You’ve understood my crazy brain.
“I’m such a logical person, trying to dance – and obviously doing what I do – Olympic sprinter, Gladiator – now I’m trying to be a dancer.
“I just want to thank you so much for the time and effort, the hard work that you’ve given to me. You show up, you turn out. I want to thank everyone here. Literally, this has been a dream come true.
“This is a celebration. It’s a celebration. I spoke to my daughter and she didn’t like seeing her dad sad, and when she saw me sad last week, she was like, ‘Daddy what’s wrong?’ and I wanted to show everyone that, no matter what happens, there’s always a silver lining. But this is an experience for me.
“So, thank you for this lovely gift, and at the end of the day, we carry on, we give it to them, and we continue to shine. Do you know what I mean?”
Karen then declared love for Harry, as she added: “I am extremely proud. We’ve had the best time. You’re such a gentleman, you’re a hard worker, you listen, and you get into those times where I don’t know what you were thinking, but you know what?
“I loved you in every kind of way because of the person that you are, and it was an honour to teach you, so thank you so much.”
Sunday’s results show also featured a musical performance from James Morrison of ‘Fight Another Day’, accompanied by a routine from Jowita Pryzstał and Neil Jones.
The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment also joined the Strictly Professional Dancers for a group performance to mark Remembrance Sunday, set to the Sam Fender song Remember My Name.
