Strictly Come Dancing: Peter Shilton is sent off!

Strictly Come Dancing: Peter Shilton is sent off!
Strictly Come Dancing: Peter Shilton is sent off!

Peter Shilton has become the latest casualty of Strictly Come Dancing 2010 after finding himself in the bottom two for the second time. The former footballer narrowly missed out on elimination two weeks ago when Goldie was sent home - but this time around he came a cropper after performing a Charleston with Erin Boag. After finding himself in the bottom two with Michelle Williams - who was there for the second week running - he was revealed to have received the lowest number of votes from viewers. However he accepted defeat graciously, saying he had had a "fantastic" time. "It's such a strong competition this year but it's been a great experience," Peter said. "I won't miss the judges, obviously," he joked, "but I think the spirit among the competitors has been great. I've been taught by the best in the business." Peter had found himself out of favour with the judges as well as the public, finishing bottom of the scoreboard on Saturday night with just 17 points out of 40. "What can I say," Bruno Tonioli told him, "you looked like a little penguin stuck in the mud." "It's like your body doesn't have an understanding of what the Charleston is all about," added Alesha Dixon, "and it's such a shame really because I think last week was really positive and I feel you've gone a step backwards." 11 contestants now remain in the competition, with favourites Scott Maslen, Matt Baker, Kara Tointon and Pamela Stephenson all safely through. Ann Widdecombe and Gavin Henson also made it through despite being near the bottom end of the scoreboard. Next weekend will see the contestants perform either an Argentine Tango or a Viennese Waltz.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.