Strictly speaking: James Bye is eliminated as the fifth celebrity

James Bye is the fifth celebrity to leave the current 20th series of Be sure to come dance.

That EastEnders star was eliminated along with partner Amy Dowden on Sunday October 30 after they faced Fleur East and Vito Coppola in the dance-off.

For Halloween week, Bye and Dowden performed the Charleston to LaVern Baker’s “Bumble Bee,” but the judges ultimately ruled in East’s favor.

All four judges voted for East, with Craig Revel Horwood saying, “Well it’s my responsibility to save the better dancer and the better dancer tonight for me was Fleur and Vito.”

“For me there were different dance levels on the dance floor and I decided to save Fleur and Vito,” said Motsi Mabuse.

Anton Du Beke confirmed the verdict and said: “I felt that both couples danced better on Saturday night. They didn’t reproduce their best performance, but it doesn’t have to be the best performance, it has to be better, and I found their performance just about good enough. Fleur and Vito.”

In the Halloween episode, contestants performed spooky dance numbers in outlandish Halloween outfits — but it was the judges’ getups that ended up stealing the show.

After leaving the show, Bye remarked, “I’ve said this from the start, all I can do is go out there and do my best. I’m dancing against Fleur East, I did my best but she’s phenomenal.

“I had the best time on this show and I have a friend for life [in Amy], all I can do is thank the family and I have a new family now. It’s a competition but you don’t feel that way backstage, you really feel like everyone has each other’s back and everyone just wants everyone to do their best!”

Strict continues next Saturday on BBC One.