Retired, hurt… Graeme Swann’s Strictly dream ends

GRAEME SWANN’S dreams of winning Strictly Come Dancing were in Ashes last night after a dance-off with high-scoring Ashley Roberts.

The former England cricketer, 39, was the ninth celebrity to leave the BBC show. Ashley, 37, who found herself and partner Pasha Kovalev in the dance-off, dropped four points for this week’s samba routine after receiving a perfect score of 40 last week.

All the judges said they would save her, with Craig Revel Horwood calling the decision ‘a no-brainer’.

Even Swann, who had stumbled during his routine with Oti Mabuse, thanked his partner but admitted: ‘I’d have voted for Ashley and Pasha as well. I was on borrowed time, unless I learnt to fly.’

The judges’ scores were combined with the results of the viewers’ votes to decide the lowest-scoring two couples facing the dance-off.

Author: Aidan Radnedge