Olympian Tom Dean first celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing

Maidenhead’s decorated Olympic swimmer Tom Dean said he ‘gave it his all’ after he became the first contestant to be kicked off this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist found himself in the show’s first dance-off alongside partner Nadiya Bychkova following a public vote.

This left the 24-year-old at the mercy of the judging panel but he could not win them over with his Cha Cha routine.

Head judge Shirley Ballas opted to keep singer-songwriter Toyah Wilcox and Neil Jones in the show – meaning an early exit for Dean.

After being voted off, the Olympian said: “I’ve had the best time the last few weeks and getting to work with Nadiya has been incredible.

“I wish I could have gone further and done more dances but I did give my all tonight.”

Dance partner Nadiya added: “To get to know him, he’s not just a three-time Olympic champion, he’s a true gentleman and he taught me how to work really hard.

“On this programme, sometimes to win, you don’t need to win and that’s how I feel this year.”

Dean should count himself unlucky to be the first off after his performances in the first two weeks of the competition had  left him sixth from bottom in the overall leaderboard.

Judge Craig Revel Horwood continued to be a hard man to please as he gave Dean a 3 out of 10 for his Cha Cha performance on Saturday evening – criticising his timing and fluidity.

But fellow judges Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse were more positive as they praised the swimmer’s dynamism and energy.

Dean, who opened the show on Saturday night, added: “It’s a bit nerve-wracking going first. I messaged my coach actually and he said it’s like leading a relay off at the Olympics, you want to get off to a good start.”