Tasha Ghouri sends clear message after BBC Strictly semi dance-off as she issues statement on finale spot: ‘Kept fighting!’
Tasha Ghouri has spoken out about her experience during the Strictly Come Dancing semi-finals after finding herself in the dance-off for a second week running.
The result was a shock to many BBC viewers given Ghouri and partner Aljaz Skorjanec had been awarded a perfect score of 40 for their jaw-dropping Waltz.
The public failed to back the Love Island star, however, with Chris McCausland, JB Gill, and Sarah Hadland all receiving the votes to make it automatically to Saturday’s finale.
Ghouri, on the other hand, had to face Pete Wicks and Jowita Pzrystal in the dance-off where she was unanimously saved by all four judges.
While Wicks took his exit in his stride and conceded his time was up, Ghouri was visibly upset as she hugged her dance partner while listening to the judges’ feedback with this being her second stint in the dance-off.
But heading into the finale, Ghouri has defiantly addressed the “few kickbacks” she’s faced when it comes to the public vote and has vowed to “let go” in Saturday’s extravaganza.
Taking to Instagram with a series of snaps from the semi-final, Ghouri penned: “WHAT A SEMI FINAL!! My goal on this show was to just make it to the final, that’s all I wanted to do and I have with a few kickbacks.
“I’m so proud that I didn’t give up and kept fighting. I’m just so excited to just let go, enjoy this week and do a show dance!!!
“My strictly journey is complete!! I can’t believe I’m a finalist,” she continued before paying tribute to Wicks.
Much like Wicks did in his own exit statement, Ghouri was full of praise for her Strictly castmate: “@p_wicks01 .. being in the bottom two with you was the hardest thing on this show.
“You’re so kind, humble, sweetest soul & when I say he has really taken me under his wing during this time and for that I’m so thankful, truly have found a friend for life.
“You should be so so proud of yourself! You and @jowitaprzystal partnership was so beautiful to watch,” she added with a love heart emoji.
Skorjanec also got a special message in Ghouri’s statement: “@aljazskorjanec feeling sad this is our last week but what a time we had with the salsa and waltz, I can’t wait to dance with you many more times this weekend.
“I have so much more to say but I’ll be saving that till Saturday night. WE’RE FINALISTS!!!” (sic)
Ghouri went on to thank the make-up team behind the scenes as well as “the band, singers, production, set, everyone who’s involved” who “work to make sure the magic happens on a Saturday night”.
Ghouri’s spot in the dance-off came as a surprise to the judges and viewers at home after she ended up second on the night’s leaderboard behind Gill.
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The semi-final saw five remaining couples perform two routines each on Saturday night, with two perfect scores awarded by the judges.
JLS star Gill and partner Lauren Oakley topped the leaderboard after delivering one of the first perfect Salsa scores in six years on the show.
In the first round, Gill scored an impressive 39 points, whilst Hadland and Vito Coppola earned 36, and Ghouri and Škorjanec received 35.
The second round saw both Gill and Oakley’s Salsa to Red Alert and Ghouri and Skorjanec’s Waltz to (You Make Me Feel) A Natural Woman achieve perfect scores of 40.
McCausland and Dianne Buswell’s Viennese waltz to Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters earned them 36 points, matching Hadland and Coppola’s second performance.
Wicks and Pzrystal closed the show with their Bittersweet Symphony routine, scoring 33.
The final leaderboard saw Gill and Oakley leading with 79 points, followed by Ghouri and Skorjanec on 75, and Hadland and Coppola with 72 points.
McCausland and Buswell secured fourth place with 69 points, while Wicks and Pzrystal finished with 65 points.