Strictly 2021: Six unforgettable moments before the final

The Strictly Come Dancing finale took place later, but only the two pairs would compete after TV host AJ Odudu left the show due to injury. EastEnders star Rose Eiling-Ellis and TV chef John Waite will perform three dances in Saturday's finale.

Odudu also had to compete but canceled Friday's show after tearing ligaments in his right ankle. Hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, the final will be broadcast live on One at 19:10 GMT. This year's results will be groundbreaking for Strictly - a win for Eiling-Ellis, making her the first Deaf winner at the event.

The win for Waite and partner Johannes Radebe was the event's first win for a same-sex couple. Odudu said he was "very disappointed" that he failed to take his place in the final with professional partner Kai Widrington.

"Learning to dance over the past 13 weeks has been an incredible honor, and doing so with someone as special, patient, and loyal as Kai is something I will cherish forever," she said. "I thank the Strictly family for the experience, the medical team who tried to get me back on my feet, and especially everyone at home for their care and support."

In last weekend's semifinals, Odudu and Eiling-Ellis scored 79 of a possible 80 points, while Waite scored 78 points. However, unlike the other series, the jury's judgment does not count towards the final result. 

Neither of the other two professional dancers has won Strictly before, but Ayling Ellis' partner, Giovanni Pernis, has spoken to each other several times. She previously reached the finals in 2018, 2017, and 2015 alongside Faye Tozeur, Debbie McGee, and Georgia May Foot.

Before the final, Eiling-Ellis told reporters at a press conference this week, "I feel amazing, I've been here from day one and made it to the end; isn't this amazing? I'm in the final; that's cool.

"I saw my videos from the first week, and then my last dance, and I feel like I've improved so much in such a short time, and that's mainly because of Gio. If I didn't have Gio, I wouldn't be like that to dance."

When asked if she was initially worried about the challenges of having a deaf partner, Pernis said, "I was more excited than worried, I was on the show long enough to be ready to challenge myself, and Rose is the perfect match; for that."