DANIEL O’Donnell has waltzed around the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom for the final time, as he and partner Kristina Rihanoff were voted off the show.
The pair performed the American Smooth to Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon, but they failed to impress the judges on Sunday night after a few mistakes from the Donegal singer.
O’Donnell became the third celebrity to leave the competition, after losing the dance-off to TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher and her partner Brendan Cole, who performed the Paso Doble to U2’s Beautiful Day.
Speaking after the show, he said that he’d “absolutely” enjoyed his time on the show.
“Whatever I have given, I have received ten fold,” he told host Tess Daly.
Can't find words to express my appreciation for your kind words for Daniel &I. So glad I got an opportunity to get to know a great person
— Kristina Rihanoff (@KRihanoff) October 18, 2015
But, he told the BBC’s Nolan Show that he was relieved his time on the show had ended, as he suffered anxiety ahead of every live performance.
"If I didn't have to do that live show every Saturday night it would have been the perfect experience,” he said.
"The strange thing is I hadn't anticipated being nervous, I thought it would be hard to learn the routines, but I never anticipated that kind of nerves.
“I can't explain it. It's ridiculous from the point of view of someone who has been on stage as many times as me.
"The dance off was a disaster. I forgot everything and maybe I was quite happy to go to tell you the truth."
Following the dance-off, judge Craig Revel Horwood said: "One couple did really, really well in the dance-off and one couple, I am afraid, made a lot of mistakes.
“I am going for the couple that was the most powerful, and that was Kirsty and Brendan."
