Fans following entertainment news Ireland got a fresh reality-TV twist this weekend as presenter Will Best exited Strictly Come Dancing just before the much-anticipated Blackpool special. The Big Brother host’s departure brought an abrupt end to a steady run in the competition, despite praise from the judges for his consistency across the series.
Best and professional partner Dianne Buswell returned to the dance floor during Sunday’s results show to perform their paso doble to Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat. After posting 27 points in Saturday’s live show, the pair landed near the bottom of the leaderboard and were pulled into a tense dance-off.
Will Best exits in a dramatic Strictly result
In a result that quickly became part of Irish entertainment news conversation online, Best and Buswell faced Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu in the dance-off. Winstone and Gu had entered the results show in a much stronger position after their Charleston earned 33 points from the judges.
Once both couples performed again, the panel delivered a split but decisive verdict:
- Motsi Mabuse chose to save Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu
- Shirley Ballas also backed Winstone and Gu
- Anton Du Beke voted to keep Will Best and Dianne Buswell
- Craig Revel Horwood sealed Best’s exit by saving Winstone and Gu
That decision ended Best’s hopes of making it to Blackpool Tower Ballroom, one of the landmark weeks in the TV news Ireland calendar for fans of the BBC dance contest.
Judges’ praise couldn’t save a “plonky” paso doble
The result was especially striking because Ballas had described Best as one of the show’s “most consistent” performers during Saturday’s broadcast. Still, consistency did not outweigh technical issues in the routine. Revel Horwood’s withering description of the dance as “plonky” became the standout quote of the weekend and instantly fed into wider celebrity news Ireland coverage.
For viewers, it summed up the fine margins at this stage of the competition. A single routine that fails to fully land can undo weeks of solid progress, particularly when the public vote combines with a crowded leaderboard.
A big moment for reality TV audiences
Best’s elimination is also notable because of his profile beyond Strictly. He is best known to many viewers for fronting the revived Big Brother, and his crossover into Saturday-night entertainment helped keep him firmly in the broader latest entertainment news Ireland cycle.
His television career has included work across Channel 4, ITV and the BBC, while his Big Brother presenting role alongside AJ Odudu has raised his visibility even further in recent years.
What happened on the results show?
Beyond the elimination, the programme leaned into spectacle. The professional dancers performed a fantasy-themed group routine featuring the voice of Alan Cumming, while Celebrity Traitors winner Sebastian “Bash” Croft delivered a performance of his single Everything Always Now.
Moments like these continue to make Strictly a fixture in entertainment news Ireland, blending competition, live performance and celebrity culture into one of the season’s biggest TV talking points.
What’s next for Strictly?
The contest now moves on to its Blackpool special, traditionally one of the most loved episodes of the series. For Best, the journey ends just short of that milestone, but his run will still be remembered as committed, entertaining and more resilient than some expected.
For anyone tracking entertainment news Ireland, his exit is another reminder that on Strictly, momentum can vanish in a single night. With Blackpool now in sight for the remaining couples, the stakes have only gotten higher.
