After leaving the programme early, Amanda Abbington will not be returning for the next Strictly Come Dancing final.
Sherlock actress Amanda, 51, left the series in October for ‘personal reasons’ after competing for four weeks.
She subsequently expressed ‘deep remorse’ over the tough decision, thanking her fellow candidates and those on the programme who were’so kind and compassionate’ to her.
She did not, however, address her dance partner Giovanni Pernice, 33, reigniting allegations of a ‘feud’ between the two, which she had previously denied.
Ellie Leach from Coronation Street, Bobby Brazier from EastEnders, and Layton Williams from Bad Education will compete for the title and Glitterball Trophy this weekend with their respective partners Vito Coppola, Dianne Buswell, and Nikita Kuzmin.
All of the evicted stars, including Annabel Croft, Adam Thomas, and Les Dennis, are slated to return as part of the final show.
Amanda, on the other hand, will not be in the lineup.
A BBC representative confirmed the news in a statement.
‘Amanda decided to withdraw from the competition, therefore she will not be returning for the final,’ they shared.
Last month, it was rumoured that the actress had declined an offer to return to Strictly.
‘It’s a shame, because her exit has been a sour note to the series this year,’ a source told The Mirror.
It followed rumours of friction between Amanda and Giovanni, who said he was’sending love’ to her after hearing of her departure.
Posting a photo of them together on social media he wrote: ‘Amanda…I am so sad we can’t continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love.’
However, it was also stated that he was ‘annoyed’ after being notified on the phone by a producer for the BBC series that they would no longer be moving forward only hours before it was made public.
Instead of his buddy, it appears that the staff informed him.
Sharing why she’d quit the competition, Amanda said in a public statement she ‘did not come to this decision easily or lightly but for personal reasons I am unable to continue’.
‘It was an absolute joy working with my fellow contestants, they are a beautiful, hardworking and talented group of people who I love and who I will miss seeing every Friday and Saturday and competing alongside.
‘I want to thank the incredible Production team and everyone on Strictly who looked after me and who are so kind and caring. It’s a wonderful bunch of people and I’ll miss all of them.’
She concluded by writing she was sad to be ‘unable to go any further’.
The Strictly Come Dancing final airs Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.