Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Ola Jordan has slammed the BBC for sending Melvin Odoom home at the weekend.
She said it was “completely unfair” that he left the competition without facing a dance-off, as Anastacia – who was also in the bottom two – was unable to perform due to an injury.
When breast cancer survivor Anastacia had to pull out due to a tear to scar tissue from her double mastectomy, Melvin and his professional partner Janette Manrara became the first pair to leave the show as Strictly rules say the couple with the fewest viewer votes get sent home.
Ola, who left the show after 10 years in 2015, said: “I have never heard of a rule book. It’s not fair. The BBC is all about fairness but they are not being fair.”
She added that she thought that due to the circumstances, both Melvin, 36, and Anastacia, 48, should have remained in the competition for another week.
“The reason the judges have the last say on the dance-off is because they want a better dancer to go through. If they couldn’t have done a dance-off then they should have put two couples through and done a double elimination next week.
“To give Melvin another chance. Melvin wasn’t given the chance to dance. I felt sorry for him,” she added.
“If the BBC is all about fairness then be fair. Anastacia went through a horrible time but Strictly is full on. That’s just the way it is.”
Melvin has told of his disappointment at being eliminated without the opportunity to perform to keep his place.
I have really enjoy my @bbcstrictly experience ....I have had so much fun and want to thank everyone for their support! #teamjboom 💃🏃🏾 pic.twitter.com/fSjYswLplO
— Melvin Odoom (@Melvinodoom) October 2, 2016
He had been set to face Anastacia in the dance-off and said he wanted to perform as if it was “the last dance ever”.
Speaking on BBC Two spin-off show It Takes Two, Melvin told host Zoe Ball: “Do you know what, it was so funny because when we found out we were in the bottom two, Janette was like, ‘Right Melvin, start stretching, we’re going on soon’.”
He added: “We wanted to go out there and just dance like it was the last dance ever in life. So yeah, but we can still do it.”
It is the first time the dance-off has been called off during the opening rounds and some fans on Twitter were unimpressed with the rule that saw the former Xtra Factor host eliminated.
