"On the actual night, if I were in the room, from what I saw with the camera angles, I would have saved Thomas."
That was former Strictly Come Dancing professional AJ Pritchard's verdict after watching the first dance-off of the 2025 series between Thomas Skinner and Chris Robshaw.
On Sunday night, The Apprentice star Mr Skinner and his pro partner Amy Dowden were sent packing after the judges unanimously decided rugby star Mr Robshaw and dancer Nadiya Bychkova deserved to keep their spot in the competition.
Tears soon flowed as Ms Dowden praised Mr Skinner for the laughs they shared and the confidence he instilled in her, insisting to viewers that she'd gotten to know "the real Tom" as opposed to the vilified figure many online had conjured up.
BBC Strictly: Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden were emotional after their exit | BBCMr Skinner's Salsa had failed to win over the likes of Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke, landing him second-bottom of the joint Week One and Two leaderboard.
But it wasn't Mr Robshaw who propped him up at the foot of the table, as that unwanted accolade went to entertainment reporter Ross King. His 25 points landed him four behind Mr Skinner's 29.
Despite the judges' verdict, Mr King and his pro Jowita Przystal landed a spot in Movie Week this coming Saturday. But given the overwhelming backlash Mr Skinner faced, does former pro Mr Pritchard think the online bandwagons and tactical voting may have played a part in Mr Skinner's exit, given Mr King appeared to leapfrog him?
"I don't think I'd say that," the 30-year-old told GB News, before adding: "One thing that I would say is that through watching the VT... So these are the small videos that you get, obviously, before the dance, and the VT is one of the most important things.
BBC Strictly: AJ Pritchard spoke exclusively to GB News about Thomas Skinner's exit
|BBC
"When you really do break it down, the VT is the same duration as your actual dance, and you obviously have a small opportunity to talk with Tess and Claudia, but I mean, you have a sentence. You can't really get your point across unless it's like, 'It went wrong. I'm so upset'. Like simple talking points.
"But on the VT with Ross, it's like, 'We're going to go back to Scotland, we're going to wear the kilt, we're going to do some tears here, we're going to do some tears there, we're going to show the relationship together'. They pulled out every trick of the trade for that!
"To try and show emotion, to try and make you feel attached to him in whatever way possible."
Mr Pritchard did admit, however: "He did do a nice dance, I will say that. But on the tricks of the trade, like you ticked every emotion box you could ever do to make somebody vote for him.
BBC Strictly: Ross King made it through the week despite being bottom of the leaderboard
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"And I think that was that was professionally done from the side of the TV entertainment side."
Mr King was elated - and, it's fair to say, gobsmacked - to discover he'd managed to avoid the dreaded first dance-off of the series.
Sadly for Mr Skinner and Mr Robshaw, it was them who had to perform again for the panel. So why would Mr Pritchard have saved the mattress salesman over the former England rugby captain?
"I felt like he didn't make a mistake. He did what he did. He came up more confident and with more energy," he said of Mr Skinner.
BBC Strictly: Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden faced the dance-off against Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova
| BBCSharing his exclusive critique of Mr Robshaw, he added: "But I did feel like with Chris and Nadiya... I just felt like there was one or two little slip-ups. And for me, I'm like, brutally honest.
"If you've done your routine from a Saturday night to a Sunday and there are changes in a positive way, that's who's going to get my vote.
"They were fundamentally doing different dances, but the same sort of quality; it's just that (Chris) made one or two mistakes, and therefore I would have had to vote Thomas to go through.
"But this is the thing with Strictly... I thought the audiences at home were going to vote for him and see him do more, and vote for Amy. You have to remember that the pro also has a good pull. So, yeah, I was a bit disappointed, but I didn't expect Ross to stay in!"
BBC Strictly: AJ Pritchard felt Thomas performed better in the dance-off than Chris
|GB NEWS
The Salsa that eventually led to Mr Skinner's exit was peppered with lifts and hip rotations as he and Ms Dowden performed to Dizzee Rascal's Bonkers.
While Mr Revel Horwood called the routine "just power lifting", Mr Pritchard praised the Apprentice star "supporting" Ms Dowden during the high-risk performance. "I felt like that deserved an extra point," he said.
Delving into other factors that may have played a part in Mr Skinner's departure, Mr Pritchard mused: "What it comes down to, especially on a show like Strictly - yes, the dancing is what's being judged on the night in the TV show, but it comes with this massive machine of media, and it gives you that platform and exposure to people who then highlight or dig into your past.
"I think regarding his position, he says what he believes, and I think that's what's really important when we talk about different news outlets or opportunities. He has his opportunity to have his free speech, and I think that's important in the UK.
BBC Strictly: Amy Dowden and Thomas Skinner's scores landed them bottom of the Week Two leaderboard | BBC
"He respected Strictly as the dancing show, and came out and did exactly what it is. You learn a dance, you come out, you have fun, you show your personality and that's what's really important.
"He never changed who he was before and after."