Lucker "gutted" about 'Strictly' exit

Zöe Lucker has admitted that she is "gutted" about her dramatic exit from Strictly Come Dancing at the weekend.

The Footballers' Wives actress made a surprise departure from the BBC One show after ending up in the dance-off with soap star Ali Bastian.

Lucker and her professional partner James Jordan had earlier scored 32 points out of 40 for their samba routine.

Speaking on It Takes Two, she said: "We're gutted - it's such an emotional, amazing journey and experience. And then it just stops. It's a weird thing to come to terms with.

"You get so used to working with this person everyday, and me and James get on so well, we're very sad and we're grieving."

When asked why they thought the public didn't vote for them, Jordan replied: "It is a dancing show, but at the same time it is about popularity. I don't mean that in a horrible way. People are just trying to save the celebrities in a vulnerable position - like Craig Kelly - to make sure they come back next week.

"When you are near the top of the leaderboard, people think you are safe and don't vote. That's the way it works unfortunately."

He added: "We rang each other today and said, 'I miss you'. It's very sad."