Anastacia fights back tears as she thanks Strictly Come Dancing for 'helping her find her female' on emotional exit
Singer Anastacia became the sixth celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing dance on Sunday.
After her Halloween-themed jive failed to impress the voting public, she and partner Brendan Cole faced model Daisy Lowe and Aljaz Skorjanec in the dance-off.
The judges voted unianimously to save Daisy and as she exited, Anastacia thanked the BBC One show for helping her 'find her female,' following her highly-publicised double mastectomy.
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Heading home: US musician Anastacia was sent packing on Sunday night, after finding herself in the Strictly Come Dancing Dance-Off
Speaking to presenter Tess Daly after the result, Anastacia said: 'I've really enjoyed being here.
'This was a place for me to get to know my "female" and this place allowed me to do that; the hair, the make-up, the production, the judges gave me great comments.'
Cole also had warm words for his partner, adding: 'This programme will miss you. I will miss you.
'Thank you for teaching me so much about everything and for being a fantastic partner. Thank you so much, what a great ride.'
Fright Night - on which the duo had performed a bat-themed jive to Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell - had been their first time performing together since Brendan was forced to skip a week due to a chest infection.
Bidding farewell: It has been an emotional few weeks for Anastacia and partner Brendan Cole
Brendan was replaced by fellow professional Gorka Marquez last week, but seemed determined to return to the show to dance with Anastacia this weekend.
When it came down to the judges, Daisy and Skorjanec received a unanimous vote for their Mexican Day of the Dead take on a paso doble to Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by Santa Esmeralda.
Known for his dramatic compliments and theatrical feedback, judge Bruno Tonioli said: 'I'd like to say both girls put up a fierce fight...
'But overall I would like to choose the couple that satisfied me with content, gave me quality of movement, power of performance - Daisy and Aljaz.'
Like a bat out of hell: On a Halloween themed evening, the duo had danced to a Meat Loaf song
Creepy crawly: She had dressed has a creepy vampire bat
Anastacia's appearance on the show has been an emotional rollercoaster.
In Week One, the US musician was controversially pulled from the Dance-Off when she ripped her mastectomy scar tissue during rehearsals.
She struggled through her Saturday night performance, but said that a repeat performance would be too risky on the Sunday night, leading producers to pull the Dance-Off for the first time in the show's history.
The elimination therefore came down to the public vote and saw the couple with the lowest votes, Melvin Odoom and Janette Manrara, exit the competition.
Just this week, television regulating body Ofcom has rejected a decision to further investigate complaints about the controversial Dance-Off decision.
One last dance: The couple were forced to dance again, but failed at the final hurdle
The BBC One show's Halloween special was the most watched programme on UK television on Saturday, with an average of 10 million viewers tuning in to watch the remaining contestants pull off their deadliest dances.
It smashed ITV1's X Factor ratings, which averaged an audience of 5.7 million, for another week running.
Dressed as a mad scientist ex-Labour MP Ed Balls scored his highest place on the judges' leader board so far with an electrifying cha cha cha packed with crotch-grabs and pelvic thrusts to Hansel Martinez's version of Love Potion No. 9.
Head judge Len Goodman called it Balls' 'best dance yet'.
Saying goodbye: The BBC One show's Halloween special was the most watched programme on UK television on Saturday
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