Former Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey struggled to contain his emotions during an appearance on BBC’s It Takes Two this evening, following his departure from Strictly Come Dancing.
The athlete, known as Nitro on the ITV show, became visibly moved whilst discussing his elimination with presenter Fleur East on Monday night’s programme.
Mr Aikines-Aryeetey and his professional partner Karen Hauer were voted off the competition on Sunday after facing drag performer La Voix and Aljaž Skorjanec in the dance-off.
The Team GB sprinter found it particularly difficult when producers aired a montage of memorable moments from his eight-week stint on the show.
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer appeared on Monday’s It Takes Two
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BBC
“Phew, that was tough wasn’t it,” he admitted after viewing the compilation, before speaking about the “magic” that made him cherish the experience.
Sunday’s results show saw the pair land in the bottom two alongside La Voix and professional dancer Aljaž Skorjanec, leaving the judges to determine their fate.
The two couples reprised their routines, with La Voix and Aljaž Skorjanec performing their Foxtrot to Cass Elliot’s Make Your Own Kind of Music, whilst Aikines-Aryeetey and Hauer repeated their Samba to Gloria Estefan’s track of the same name.
All three judges opted to keep La Voix and Mr Skorjanec in the competition, with Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood unanimous in their decision.
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey faced last week’s dance-off against La Voix
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BBC
Motsi Mabuse, who held the casting vote of the weekend, confirmed she would have made the identical choice had her vote been required.
During the It Takes Two interview, Mr Aikines-Aryeetey expressed satisfaction at achieving a personal goal he’d set from the beginning of his Strictly journey.
“To be fair, this whole Strictly journey was just something that I imagined. I’d always wanted to learn the samba, I said that straight away, and it is one of those things that brings the party, so it’s nice to go out on a party,” he reflected.
Hauer commended her partner’s dedication throughout the competition, stating she “couldn’t be prouder” of his efforts and commitment each week.
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Host Flear East showed the sprinter a sweet montage of his time on the show
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BBC
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer were eliminated by the judges on Sunday night
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BBC
The professional dancer expressed disappointment about their departure, believing Mr Aikines-Aryeetey had more potential to showcase in future weeks.
“It’s heartbreaking to be there. You don’t want your celebrity there, because you feel like, ‘what else could I have done to help?’,” Ms Hauer revealed about experiencing the dance-off.
The athlete emphasised that audience enjoyment remained paramount for both him and Ms Hauer, noting that viewer satisfaction was “what really matters” to them.
Ms Hauer reassured her partner about their enduring connection beyond the competition.
She declared: “Everyone just adores you. And I get to be your friend. Because you’re not getting rid of me, I’m sorry! It’s been a privilege.”
The emotional interview highlighted the strong bond formed between the dancing partners during their time on the BBC programme.
Mr Aikines-Aryeetey’s tearful response to the highlights reel demonstrated the profound impact the Strictly experience had made on the Olympic sprinter, with many fans watching from home having expressed their upset over the decision on social media.