Another celebrity was removed from Dancing On Ice 2024 after a heated skate-off, and they also departed injured.
Sadly, Lou Sanders and her partner Brendyn Hatfield, as well as Claire Sweeney and her professional partner Colin Grafton, finished in the bottom two.
Judges Ashley Banjo, Oti Mabuse, Jayne Torvill, and Christopher Dean were entrusted with sending one pair home and another to Musicals Week.
Claire, 52, of Coronation Street, was the final person evicted.
The judges all chose to save the comedian and her pro, with Diversity’s Ashley stating that he was saving the individual with’stronger skating substance’.
Former Strictly pro Oti concurred, saying she supported the skater with ‘more content who is becoming better’.
Chris also saved the duo, gesticulating: ‘It was this close between the two of you.’
Claire skated a burlesque-inspired dance to her own version of Hey Big Spender for Dance Week earlier today, dazzling everyone with her live singing of the introduction.
She also revealed that she had suffered a sprained rib, so had to make a last-minute change to the routine, but added during training: ‘I will definitely be on tonight, nothing is stopping me.’
She scored 23.5 and told presenters Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern: ‘I was trying to be sexy with a dodgy rib, but the show must go on, get on with it.’
Judge Oti said: ‘I love that you were very flirty and demanding, but it felt like you were doing too many lifts.’
Jayne agreed, telling her: ‘Well done for being such a trooper, but the show must go on. I would have liked to see a bit more footwork.’
Claire, a soap actress, will join S Club icon Hannah Spearritt and her pro partner Andy Buchanan, who were ousted last week.
Hannah also departed with an injury after falling just hours before the life show.
The previous week, boxing great Ricky Hatton and partner Robin Johnstone were eliminated from the ITV tournament.
The consensus after the third elimination of the season was that it was Claire’s turn to leave.
But she still had a lot of support.
I think that skate-off routine was Claire's best routine actually. I do wish she had skated solo though. #DancingOnIce
— Nikki 🇬🇧 🇫🇮 🇨🇦 (@MJ_JJ061215) February 4, 2024
NOOOO NOT CLAIRE #DancingOnIce
— 💛 (@corriedalexo) February 4, 2024
#DancingOnIce Aww, gutted for @clairesweeney. She upped her game tonight especially in the skate off and must've been hard even moving with a sore rib She's so lovely. Well done Claire!
— elizabeth scott 🇬🇧🏴 (@suzysasha) February 4, 2024
So sad to see Claire go I really like her and she was a lot of fun but I do agree with the results because I think with Lou there is so much more potential with the skating I’ll miss Claire she seems like such a sweetheart #DancingOnIce
— Thomas Steven 🍉 (@Thomasstevens00) February 4, 2024
‘I thought Claire did so well tonight she finally skated alone! You could tell she was in pain bless her. 6 from me tonight! Huge improvement’, wrote X user sofiepuff89.
‘Considering the injury I think Claire did well – She still needed more skating though’, penned RyanTheSoapking.
‘So sad to see Claire go I really like her and she was a lot of fun but I do agree with the results because I think with Lou there is so much more potential with the skating I’ll miss Claire she seems like such a sweetheart’, said Thomasstevens00.
The surviving celebs will now prepare for Musicals Week, when they will perform routines inspired by some of the largest theatre performances.
Dancing On Ice continues Sunday at 6:19pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
