The journey of Gladiator and former Olympian Montell Douglas on Strictly Come Dancing came to an end after the Musical Week quarter-final. This was a significant moment not only for Douglas but also for the show and its viewers.

A Gladiator's Dance Journey on Strictly

Defeat in the Dance-Off

At 38 years old, Montell Douglas and her professional partner Johannes Radebe faced a tough challenge in the dance-off. They were defeated by former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and her partner Aljaz Skorjanec. Despite scoring the joint second highest with 38 for their Argentine tango to Ex-Wives from Six The Musical on Saturday's show, they couldn't secure a place in the next round.Douglas and Radebe had scored 32 for their rumba to I'm Here from The Colour Purple on the live show. This performance showed their dedication and effort, but it wasn't enough to overcome the competition.

Avoiding the Dance-Off Despite Low Scores

Reality TV star Pete Wicks and his partner Jowita Przystal faced a similar situation. Despite scoring just 26 on the live show for their waltz to Somewhere from West Side Story, they managed to avoid the dance-off. This shows the unpredictability of the competition and the importance of each performance.

Leaving with Gratitude

After finding out she would be leaving the show, Douglas expressed her gratitude. She said, "He (Johannes) has been amazing. Strictly has touched me in ways I never knew possible. I'm an Olympian and a Gladiator, but I have honestly struggled with confidence my whole life and being on the show, with the beautiful crew, the judges, the cast, has just been such an honour."Radebe also shared his thoughts, saying, "I am so proud of you (Montell), because you are a non-dancer. But the one thing that you have done every single week is turn out beautiful dancing. So I want to say to you, thank you for respecting our art form of ballroom and latin. The way you handled it was like a true pro. You're my winner."The former Olympian added that Radebe had become "a friend and a brother", expressing her hope that he would be in her life forever.

Upcoming Semi-Final

Sunday's results show featured a performance of The Schuyler Sisters from the musical Hamilton and a group number by the Strictly professional dancers to As If We Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard. The remaining five couples will take to the dancefloor next week for the BBC dancing show's semi-final, where they will perform two dances.Strictly Come Dancing returns live on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday December 7 at 6.30pm, while the results show will air on Sunday December 8 at 7.20pm. Douglas and Radebe will join Fleur East to discuss their departure on Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday at 6.30pm on BBC Two and iPlayer. Both of this weekend's episodes are available to watch on iPlayer.