'She's shown you don't have to be a certain size to dance': Lisa Riley leaves Strictly Come Dancing... as Denise Van Outen scrapes a place in the final
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She's kept television audiences entertained for the past 10 weeks with her energetic routines and can-do attitude.
But Lisa Riley has now performed her last tango on Strictly Come Dancing after narrowly missing out on a place in the grand final of the BBC One show next weekend.
The former Emmerdale actress was voted off the series after losing a dance-off to former favourite Denise Van Outen.
The last tango: Lisa Riley narrowly missed out on a place in the Strictly Come Dancing final after losing a dance-off against Denise Van Outen
Despite receiving a standing ovation from Craig Revel-Horwood, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Darcey Bussell for her American Smooth with partner Robin Windsor, the judges chose to save Denise and James Jordan.
Bruno said: 'First I have to say you’ve both done so well to come this far, great dancing, great entertainment but I have to go for the best dance and that was delivered by Denise and James.'
Darcey added: 'This is so hard but yes, technically, the ones I’m going to save are Denise and James.'
Emotional: Lisa broke down in tears upon hearing she would be leaving the competition
Tension: Both Lisa and Denise seemed to be on edge as they waited to hear their fate
Hearing that she would be the tenth celebrity to leave the competition, the 36-year-old actress broke down in tears as she admitted the experience had been 'the best' of her life.
Lisa said: 'It’s been the best time of my entire life, I can’t thank you enough. From the costume to the makeup, everybody backstage is just beyond belief, and all the judges, I’ve had the time of my life. And one person has made that and that’s Robin Windsor. He has just been amazing.
'What you don’t all know is having me as a partner is a really, really tough ask and every week, week in week out he’s done it…and he’s helped me through one of the toughest times of my life. I owe every inch of Strictly to him, he’s just amazing.'
Comforting: The 36-year-old actress and her partner Robin Windsor sobbed on host Tess Daly
Time of her life: Lisa admitted participating in Strictly Come Dancing was the 'best experience' of her life
Robin was also visibly fighting back the tears, telling the audience that curvy Lisa has proven you don't have to be a 'certain size' to be a great dancer.
He said: 'I just want to say from day one this whole experience this year has been absolutely amazing, and Lisa has come out and shown you don’t have to be a certain size to dance, and she’s inspired so many people around the country. She is one of the loveliest, nicest people I’ve ever met.'
In one of the most emotional exits the show has ever seen, the pair then took to the dancefloor for one last time, with Lisa turning the tables and giggling away as she lifted Robin into the air.
At their best: Lisa and Robin kept audiences entertained with their comical routines, particularly on Saturday night's show when Robin struggled to lift up his partner off the floor
During Saturday night's semi-final, the couple ensured they kept viewers smiling with their comical routine that kept the audience chuckling for all the wrong reasons.
As the duo performed a Salsa centre stage to Best Years Of Our Lives by Modern Romance, Robin awkwardly attempted to lift Lisa into the air - much to the amusement of the viewers.
Next week's Strictly Come Dancing final will see Denise Van Outen, Kimberley Walsh, Dani Harmer and Louis Smith battle it out in the hope of lifting the Glitterball Trophy.
'Inspiring': Robin explained Lisa is one of the 'loveliest' people he has ever met
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2249032/Lisa-Riley-leaves-Strictly-Come-Dancing--Denise-Van-Outen-scrapes-place-final.html#ixzz2FFVyrOuK
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