Strictly Come Dancing saw another celebrity leave the competition on Sunday night in a dramatic dance-off that left fans divided. Ellie Goldstein, the groundbreaking model and actress, was eliminated after facing off against EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal and her professional partner Julian Caillon for the third time.
The judges unanimously decided to save Balvinder, sending Ellie and her partner Vito Coppola home. Ellie, who made history as the first person with Down syndrome to appear on the cover of Vogue, expressed how much she had enjoyed the experience, saying she had wanted Vito as her partner from the very beginning. In turn, Vito described Ellie as a little sister and credited her with positively changing his life.
While viewers were saddened to see Ellie leave, many also showed concern for Balvinder. The EastEnders actress had been in the dance-off three times, twice consecutively at the start of the competition. When her name was called again as being in the bottom two, she laughed—a reaction that sparked speculation online. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) noted her unusual response, with one commenting, “Bal laughing,” and others questioning if she was simply growing used to the repeated nominations.
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Supporters took to social media to advocate for Balvinder, arguing she deserved better scores and expressing worry about the strain the competition was placing on her. After a particularly emotional results show, where Balvinder struggled to speak and broke down in tears, many sympathized deeply. She told Claudia Winkleman how surprised she was to have made it through to Halloween week, admitting she wondered if her name being called was “a mistake.”
Balvinder has since opened up about the mental toll the show has taken on her. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, she revealed that Strictly proved more challenging than expected—not just due to the dancing but because of the added pressures of balancing work, family life, and navigating public opinion, especially after multiple dance-off appearances.
Despite the hardships, Balvinder emphasized the importance of focusing on the joy of the experience and tuning out negativity. “You just have to stop that sometimes, you have to get out of your head and enjoy it because that’s what we’re here for,” she said. The competition continues to test the resilience of its stars as the journey towards the final heats up.