Ricky Groves and his professional dance partner Erin Boag were voted off of Strictly Come Dancing this evening after competing in the dance-off against injured actress Laila Rouass and her partner, Anton Du Beke.

The couples were performing either a ballroom or Latin dance this week in order to impress the judges and the voting public into keeping them in the competition for another week.

The show was crippled with illnesses and injuries last week and the dancers came out fighting to try and secure their place in the dance show.

Athlete Jade Johnson was declared unfit to dance at the start of the show and so according to Strictly rules, she will not dance again. The British athlete watched the show from the audience and said that she will do her performance of the tango in the final show if she has fully healed.

The judges had all tipped Jade to be a finalist and admitted that she had been a serious “threat” to the other competitors.

After the couples had all danced and the votes were counted, the two couples were told who would be performing in the dance-off.

Ricky and Erin were sent home as the judges chose to save Laila and her partner Anton Du Beke from elimination.

Laila and Anton had received their lowest ballroom score ever and the judges were unanimous in their comments that they did need to work hard to improve.

Next week Strictly will be introducing two brand new dances for the show. The five couples that are left will be performing either a rock and roll dance or the Charleston. The judges are very excited about scoring the contestants on brand new dances and Head Judge Len Goodman told the stars: “‘Let your hair down and have a go.”

Strictly Come Dancing continues next Saturday at 6.50 on BBC1.