Strictly Star Creates Show History
In a tense weekend for Strictly Come Dancing, the competition saw a historic record broken and an emotional departure. Actress Alex Kingston, 62, became the eighth celebrity to leave the 2025 series, while her competitor, Balvinder Sopal, achieved a feat never before seen in the show's history.
A Painful Exit and a New Record
The elimination results on Sunday, November 30, were charged with emotion. Alex Kingston and her professional partner Johannes Radebe faced the dance-off against EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal and her partner, Julian Caillon. Both couples reprised their Saturday night performances, but it was Balvinder and Julian's lively jive that ultimately won over the judges.
This victory marked a monumental moment for Balvinder Sopal. By surviving this dance-off, she has now won five dance-offs in this series, surpassing the previous record of four held by singer Jamelia since 2015. Balvinder is now the first celebrity to ever win five dance-offs on the show.
For Alex Kingston, the exit was particularly poignant. Viewers had expressed deep concern after noticing she was visibly struggling during her performance. It was later revealed she was dancing with a dislocated rib, an injury her daughter had mentioned online. Alex had previously tried to reassure fans it was a 'minor injury', but by the weekend, her discomfort had clearly worsened.
Reactions and the Physical Toll
Following the judges' decision, Alex reflected on her time on the show with host Tess Daly. 'I had never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would last this long,' she said. 'It's been just the most incredible journey for me.'
Her professional partner, Johannes Radebe, paid a touching tribute, calling Alex 'a trooper' and vowing to hold on to their memories together.
The incident has sparked conversations about the immense physical demands placed on the contestants. Alex herself had spoken to co-host Claudia Winkleman about the toll, stating, 'It's never really kind of discussed, when you're at the sharp end, how much our bodies are really suffering.' She is the latest in a string of celebrities, including Kristian Nairn and Dani Dyer, to suffer significant injuries on this year's series.
Meanwhile, Balvinder Sopal's unprecedented resilience has captivated the audience. Fans on social media platform X have labelled her 'unstoppable', with many now championing her for a place in the final despite her frequent appearances in the bottom two. Her journey to the quarter-finals, and specifically to Musicals Week, is now one of the most remarkable in Strictly's history.
