Strictly Come Dancing 2018 first results show, live: Susannah Constantine is first out, meaning partner Anton Du Beke's earliest exit
Susannah Constantine and her pro partner Anton Du Beke become the first couple eliminated from Strictly 2018
Lee Ryan makes shock appearance in the dance-off
14 surviving pairs now dance onto Movie Week
Clod-hopping Susannah Constantine deserved to go
What not to wear, for fashionista Susannah Constantine, turned out to be a pair of dancing shoes. She scored just 12 points for both routines: her tutti-frutti car crash of a samba and her wobbly, walking-around-the-floor foxtrot. The judges despaired both weeks and Craig Revel Horwood raised his "1" paddle two weeks running.
Neither did Susannah have the infectious sense of fun that many of Anton Du Beke's comedy partners have had over the years, often looking too terrified to truly enjoy herself. No wonder Craig told her tonight to "have a stonkingly good time, dah-ling".
She now joins the Strictly hall of shame alongside such first eliminees as Quentin Wilson, Martina Hingis, Goldie, Edwina Currie, Johnny Ball, Tony Jacklin, Chizzy Akudolu and Gregg Wallace. She's only the fifth woman to be first out in 16 series. Suze has also now been eliminated first from both Strictly and I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. What would Trinny say?
Anton's out too soon but must stay on Strictly
This is the first time that long-serving Strictly stalwart Anton Du Beke has been first out - meaning that Susannah beats Jerry Hall and Gillian Taylforth to the dubious honour of being his worst ever partner.
Devoted fans of dear old "Tony Beak" groaned with disappointment. As the show's senior pro, he invariably gets the older female celebrities, steers them around the dancefloor, bonds with them, backchats amusingly to the judges and proves all-round entertaining.
When Anton has a run deep into the competition - like he did with Lesley Garratt, Laila Rouass and Katie Derham, plus Ann Widdecombe in an altogether different way - it adds something to a Strictly series. We'll miss seeing his knitwear and ties in the training room. We'll miss his long-suffering look when he gets low scores. We'll miss his insistence that his female partner, no matter how bad, is "absolutely marvelous".
The 52-year-old king of ballroom definitely deserves a better partner next year. We'd hate him to follow his old buddy and fellow original Strictly pro Brendan Cole by leaving the show.
Dance-off survivor Lee got a shock
Finishing in the top half (just) of last night's leaderboard with a respectable 26 points and being one of the few couples to improve their score, Lee Ryan and pro partner Nadiya Bychkova probably thought they were safe.
However, the “curse of the middle” struck, too few viewers voted for them and Lee plummeted seven places into the bottom two.
Is the Blue boybander and former EastEnders actor not connecting with viewers? Or did they just assume he'd be fine and not bother to vote for him? Either way, he'll have been seriously spooked and needs to come back with bang next week.
Katie and Seann had lucky escapes
There must have been sizeable sighs of relief from campaigner Katie Piper and comedian Seann Walsh tonight, as they were way more worthy of being in the dance-off than Lee Ryan.
Hesitant, stage-struck Katie needs to conquer her nerves soon. Perhaps playing a filmic role next week will help her. Seann needs to be less flat-footed and a lot more musical, as his timing was terrible. He should be able to bring the fun factor in Movie Week, at the very least.
Did group dance give a glimpse of Strictly's future?
This results show opened with a stunning group number from the Strictly professional troupe: a moodily modern fusion of tango and paso doble, performed on mini-platforms and set to "Believer" by Imagine Dragons.
It saw men dancing with men, women with women, and went down a storm on social media. There have been rumblings for the past two years about the possibility of Strictly introducing same-sex pro-celebrity couples. On this evidence, it would elicit a largely positive reaction. Could this have been a sly road-test?
Swanny sobbed, Stacey screamed
This results show was new territory for the Strictly class of 2018 and there were some interestingly varied reactions to the experience. Investigative reporter Stacey Dooley screeched with delight when she got through and jubilantly leapt into partner Kevin Clifton's arms.
Cricketer-turned-pundit Graeme Swann was quite the opposite. Despite being one of the jokers of the pack, the tension and the prospect of going home so early resulted in tears up on the Clauditorium.
He sobbed that his three children would've got "slaughtered in the playground" if he'd been eliminated first. Well, Swanny himself might now get slaughtered in the commentary box for blubbing.
Movie Week next up
The remaining 14 couples now dance onto the annual Movie Special, where they'll dance routines inspired by classic films - and there'll be the magical bonus of a special Harry Potter dance by the pros. Muggles welcome.
The third live show airs next Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC One. Please join us back on the liveblog to see if they're spray-tanned turkeys or blockbuster hits. Until then, it almost goes without saying: keeeeeep dancing!
Sunday night in full
Your recap of the results show as it happened...
Susannah and Anton’s last dance
As the eliminated couple take a final turn around the floor to The First Cut Is The Deepest and the other couples crowd in for a group hug, please stay with us for analysis and social media reaction.
King Anton is gracious in defeat
“It’s just all too brief,” says Susannah's partner, Anton Du Beke. “I have had the most fabulous time with Susannah. She is going to be a great loss to the show. Sadly, someone’s got to go but I wish it wasn’t you, because you’re wonderful to be with. I’m going to miss spending time with you in the studio. We’ve had a great time, enormous amounts of fun. You’re wonderful. Thank you very much indeed.” Aww.
Susannah says her farewells
In his exit interview, Susannah tells Tess: “I know it has gone a bit quick but I just feel so lucky to have had three weeks learning to dance with Anton, and to have met all these amazing people. For me, they are the most important and I feel privileged to have met them all. And thank you judges, you’ve made the right choice. Lee and Nadiya were brilliant but Anton is still the king!”
Head judge Shirley Ballas agrees
The Queen of Latin confirms that, were her casting vote needed, she would also have saved Lee and Nadiya "100 per cent". Well, obviously.
Susannah Constantine is eliminated
So the fiftysomething fashionista becomes the first celebrity to depart Strictly 2018.
Bruno Tonioli chooses to to save…
Lee and Nadiya, saying: “It’s obvious. I have to save the overall better couple.”
Darcey Bussell chooses to to save…
Lee and Nadiya, saying: “Both couples made a great improvement tonight but they delivered a more rounded, stronger performance.”
Craig Revel Horwood chooses to save…
Lee and Nadiya, saying: “For me, it’s a no-brainer.”
Only one winner, surely?
We're about to go to the judges for their verdicts.
Lee Ryan next up
Lee Ryan and his partner Nadiya Bychkova have another go at their rockin' jive to Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis Presley. Lee scored 14 points more on Saturday night and Craig Revel Horwood gave Susannah a score of just one. Surely this is a foregone conclusion?
Susannah goes first in dance-off
Susannah Constantine and her pro partner Anton Du Beke reprise their foxtrot to "They Can’t Take That Away From Me" by Frank Sinatra. Craig Revel Horwood called it "a complete dance dis-ah-ster", while colleague Bruno Tonioli added: "Anton, you could've got better movement out of a lamp-post". It's not much better second time around.
Susannah faces Lee in the dance-off
It had an air of inevitability about it: Susannah Constantine and Anton Du Beke are consigned to the dreaded dance-off. Surely they're doomed?
Dance debrief
Time for the regular feature formerly known as Len’s Lens (*mists over with nostalgia*). The judges analyse Joe Sugg's lift, Susannah Constantine's tiny improvement, Faye Tozer's lack of heel leads and Graeme Swann's ostrich flapping. Craig Revel Horwood says "I'm not normal", which Bruno Tonioli calls "understatement of the year".
George Ezra rides Shotgun
Musical interlude now, with Hertfordshire singer-songwriter George Ezra crooning his catchy number one hit, Shotgun. Bluesy bass-baritone vocals. Dance accompaniment by Kevin Clifton and Dianne Buswell - from Grimsby and Australia respectively.
Lee Ryan in bottom two shocker
Blimey. Despite finishing seventh on last night's leaderboard, Blue boybander Lee Ryan is consigned to the dreaded dance-off. “Curse of the middle of the scoreboard” in operation?
Let's try that again
More tension-building. But Danny John-Jules, Lauren Steadman, Vick Hope and Dr Ranj are all safely through.
Seann Walsh is still standing
Blimey. Are we about to get a dance-off shock? Yes, we are - namely that Tess Daly is going to build the tension a little more. Curses. That's cruel.
Katie Piper goes through
She was second bottom of the scoreboard, so at least half the dance-off hasn't gone to form.
First dance-offers about to be revealed
Time for the tension building music and dancing lights of doom...
Saturday’s show recapped
Last night’s action gets a rewind. Ashley Roberts' glittery cha cha! Joe Sugg's redneck charleston! Dr Ranj's incredible outfit!
Frockwatch
Here come our co-hosts, so let’s do the traditional fashion face-off. Claudia Winkleman’s in a shimmery pastel shift with statement sleeve. Tess Daly’s in spaghetti-strapped white with overly busy detailing. Claudia wins by a country mile.
Group dance to open
We kick off with a moody group number from the pros. It's a fusion of tango and paso doble, performed on mini-platforms. Sharp staccato, red-and-black outfits and set to "Believer" by Imagine Dragons.
And we're off!
Roll clap-along credits and hammy celebrity faces.
Wellies off, dancing shoes on
The last knockings of rural favourite Countryfile on BBC One right now. A few minutes until we go over to the Elstree Studios ballroom...
Dreaded dance-off looms
Will the public vote go the same way as the judges' scoreboard, meaning a Susannah Constantine vs Katie Piper dance-off? Strictly is always full of surprises, so don't count on it. Ten minutes until we get our first clues...
By George, it's the first results show
Musical guest for the opening Sunday results show of this Strictly series is fresh-faced, deep-voiced, chart-topping crooner George Ezra. Fifteen minutes until showtime...
Who'll get the sparkly-handled wooden spoon?
Tonight sees the first elimination of Strictly 2018, as our 15 pro-celebrity pairs find out if they’re doomed to face the dreaded dance-off.
On Saturday night's two-hour live epic, Ashley Roberts topped the leaderboard with the highest score of the series so far. Joe Sugg and Faye Tozer were tucked in just one point behind.
Stranded at the foot of the scoreboard was Susannah Constantine, whose foxtrot wasn't any better than last week's shambolic samba. Just above her was the nervous Katie Piper, who performed the first paso doble of the series.
Two weeks' worth of judges' scores will be combined with the public vote tonight and the bottom two couples will dance for survival - but will viewers agree with the judges? If not, the likes of comedian Seann Walsh and cricketer Graeme Swann could come into choreographic contention.
The results show airs at 7.15pm on BBC One. We'll be liveblogging from 6.45pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis and sardonic asides, so do join me and watch along with this blog. And please join in too - you can email me on michael.hogan@ telegraph.co.uk, tweet me on @michaelhogan or leave comments at the bottom of this blog. I'll keep an eye on them all and report the highlights here.
Who'll be first to depart the dancefloor? Nearly time to staaaaart eliminating!