Wynne Evans tipped for Strictly Come Dancing exit after dance-off backlash

Wynne Evans is now tipped as the next contestant likely to exit Strictly Come Dancing, following a contentious decision in the recent dance-off vote that has sparked backlash among viewers.

In Sunday's showdown, Wynne and his dance partner, Katya Jones, found themselves facing the possible chop against Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu. The judges delivered a split verdict, with Craig Revel-Horwood and Motsi Mabuse backing Shayne and Anton Du Beke showing support for Wynne and Katya.

With the head judge Shirley Ballas wielding the decisive vote, she elected to save the familiar face from the GoCompare advert, triggering a state of dismay for Shayne and Nancy.

The outcome has sent shockwaves among the fanbase, leading to calls for an overhaul of the judging system, with Shirley and the BBC One series facing significant backlash. Nevertheless, predictions have positioned Wynne at the fore of potential departures from the show in the approaching week.

Lee Astley, representing Bet Ideas, shared: "Wynne Evans was fortunate to survive yesterday's dance-off against Shayne Ward, and we make the Welsh tenor the firm favourite to leave Strictly this weekend," reports the Mirror.

"Evans has been flirting with danger for a couple of weeks now and is odds-on at 4/7 to be eliminated on Sunday comfortably ahead of Pete Wicks (4/1) in the betting."

After their performance, the duo notched up 32 points for their American Smooth, and despite the judges' split vote controversy, Wynne and Katya are now poised to dazzle at Blackpool's annual showpiece event.

Commenting on the recent elimination result, body language expert Darren Stanton remarked it was unfortunate that Shayne and Nancy had to leave, especially given their growing bond after surviving two previous dance-offs. "Prior to the result, it was a very tense moment for both couples. Shayne and Nancy were standing close together and used tactile behaviour to comfort and reassure each other as they were waiting to hear," he shared.

Darren elaborated on how deep their rapport had become through the show, saying: "Although they were told they would be leaving the show, they both demonstrated how close they had become over the weeks of working together and building their relationship. When they were told they were leaving, Shayne was gutted. He immediately wrapped his arms around Nancy, resulting in a deep hug. This shows us they will miss being in each other's company."

The heartbroken ex-Corrie actor expressed his gratitude to his Strictly colleagues as he said goodbye to the programme, thanking the celebrities for their backing. "Every single day, coming in here and seeing you guys, you helped me so much. I want to say thank you to the audience as well for always being amazing for us all. This has been, honestly, one of the best things I've ever done," Shayne stated.

Strictly Come Dancing returns Saturday at 6:45pm on BBC One.