Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu Exit Strictly After Shirley Ballas Decides Tense Dance-Off
Bethany and Nancy leave after a split judges’ decision, prompting fan backlash as nine couples remain in the race for the Glitter Ball.
Three dance-offs ended Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu’s Strictly Come Dancing run, but the result that sent them home has left a sharp question hanging over the competition: how much can a couple’s earlier score protect them when the judges have to choose again in the final showdown?
At the halfway point of the series, Bethany and Nancy finished Saturday’s main show with 30 points, four ahead of Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby, who scored 26. Yet the leaderboard advantage did not carry into the dance-off. The judges split, and head judge Shirley Ballas chose to save Cach and Maddie, confirming Bethany and Nancy’s exit.
The result followed a night of contrasting fortunes. Dani Dyer led the scoreboard with 36 for her American smooth, while Graeme Hall’s couple’s choice failed to land as strongly. That reshaped the pressure at the bottom: Bethany and Nancy faced Cach and Maddie, despite the gap between their earlier marks.
A split decision settles the dance-off
Both pairs repeated their routines in the head-to-head. Bethany and Nancy danced their foxtrot to Leona Lewis’s “Bleeding Love”; Cach and Maddie performed a waltz to Mulaa Joans’s “That Ain’t You.” Anton Du Beke backed Cach and Maddie, while Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse preferred Bethany and Nancy. Ballas then made the decisive call, siding with Cach and Maddie.
That split is the heart of the controversy. Viewers pointed to the original scores and argued that Bethany and Nancy had danced better, while others questioned technical flaws in Cach and Maddie’s routine. The dance-off gives judges a fresh performance to assess, so the earlier leaderboard is only part of the picture. Still, when the public has seen one couple score higher, a reversal is bound to invite scrutiny.
Fan reaction was immediate. One viewer, posting as @Henry92589880 on X, questioned how Bethany and Nancy could be eliminated after scoring 30 to Cach and Maddie’s 26. @superTV247 called the outcome “the biggest joke of the series,” while @chaesmarts argued that Bethany had the stronger dance and praised Craig and Motsi’s assessment.
Other comments focused on the quality of Cach and Maddie’s performance. @annoyingCD described it as “full of technical flaws,” and @Jamoffical_ said Bethany and Nancy “didn’t have a bad dance.” Some viewers accused Ballas of favouring Cach and Maddie; others saw the couple’s first appearance in the dance-off as a warning they needed to sharpen their work.
Bethany and Nancy had already survived two dance-offs before this one. Ahead of the weekend, the 28-year-old actress told Metro that she and her partner were “hilariously offline,” and were keeping their attention on the 90 seconds of performance rather than online speculation. She said the distance from commentary made the experience feel more intimate and gave them room to cherish each routine.
After the result, Bethany told host Emma Willis that leaving after this dance felt meaningful. “To go out on this dance and to feel the magic of getting to do that kind of routine and what it means and what it stands for just means everything to me,” she said.
She thanked Nancy for drawing out a side of her she had not expected to discover, adding that she would miss her and was grateful for what she had taught her. Nancy, in turn, praised Bethany for taking criticism on board and showing no fear. She urged her partner not to doubt her abilities, saying Bethany had made many girls proud to watch her dance.
Their partnership also carried significance beyond the weekly scores: they were the show’s first same-sex pairing in three series. Bethany had described simply sharing that space as meaningful representation, without needing to make a spectacle of it. Nancy highlighted Bethany’s strength and growth across the competition.
With Bethany and Nancy gone, nine couples remain in contention for the Glitter Ball. Cach and Maddie now have their first dance-off experience to absorb, while fans will be watching to see whether they respond with a cleaner, more assured performance. Their survival gives them another week, but the narrow judges’ split and the criticism online have made the next routine a test of whether they can turn that reprieve into momentum.
The results show also featured a group performance by the professionals, choreographed by Lizzie Gough and set to Peter Gabriel’s arrangement of “Heroes.” The number drew inspiration from The Monument to the Women of World War II and focused on women’s lives during the conflict. Gregory Porter also performed, accompanied by Alexis Warr and Aljaž Škorjanec.
Jaime Winstone is among the remaining nine couples and is expected to return next weekend after missing Saturday’s show through injury. Her absence leaves another point of interest as the contest enters its second half. Strictly returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday, November 14, at 6.25pm.
