Tyler West has revealed he would have felt “guilty” making a mistake during his final Strictly Come Dancing performance after giving the dance his all.
The Kiss FM DJ became the eighth celebrity to be eliminated from the BBC One dancing competition after the contestants returned to Blackpool’s prestigious Tower Ballroom for the first time since 2019.
Speaking during Monday evening’s episode of spin-off show Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, West, 26, said: “Coming off that dancefloor and feeling like you left it all there, it’s the best feeling in the world.
From shy kid to #Strictly sensation. Tyler and Dianne made magic on the dance floor.Team Ty-Di will be sorely missed ✨@TylerWestt @dbuzz6589 @Rylan #ItTakesTwo pic.twitter.com/7vY6wyWsBq
— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) November 21, 2022
“If I had messed up and done wrong steps you’d feel so guilty, but we genuinely gave it our all and we couldn’t have done any more than that.”
West reprised his performance of his salsa to Megamix by KC and The Sunshine Band with professional partner Dianne Buswell in the dreaded dance-off on Sunday.
Despite doing all they could to impress the judges, three out of the four chose to save singer and presenter Molly Rainford and her partner Carlos Gu.
Reflecting on his Strictly experience, West added: “I’m just little old Tyler from some south London council estate, it’s just surreal to then be dancing in front of millions of people.
“I never used to come out of my bedroom. I used to be the shyest kid ever, and this girl [Dianne], she brought the best out of me on that dancefloor.
“And I tell you what, Di is what Strictly is all about. She has the passion, she has the power, she has the drive, she has the creativity and she has the patience.”
West also explained how “surreal” he found the experience of dancing at the Tower Ballroom, after the competition returned to the venue for the first time since the pandemic.
“It was genuinely everything and more. Dancing on that floor, I can’t describe that feeling,” he said.
“Honestly, I loved every second, it literally just felt like it was me and Di dancing out there, and the amazing dancers as well. It was surreal, just absolutely surreal.”
#Strictly has been life changing for @TylerWestt, and his iconic routines with @dbuzz6589 will live on in our history books! pic.twitter.com/4Mk2F19cr0
— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) November 20, 2022
After the dance-off, judge Craig Revel Horwood said he felt both couples danced “so much better” and that for the first time this series he was finding it difficult to choose, but he finally opted to save Rainford, 21, and Gu.
Motsi Mabuse agreed the second performances were better but said she was basing her decision to save Rainford and Gu on technique styles and presentation.
Anton Du Beke said he felt both couples could have “easily made the final” but chose to save West and Buswell as he felt they were “more dynamic”.
Head judge Shirley Ballas had the deciding vote, noting “this is probably one of the most difficult dance-offs that we’ve ever had to choose”.
In the end, her vote went to save Rainford and Gu, explaining: “Both couples were outstanding, both improved their performances but I am going to go with what I believe in, and that is a quality of movement and precision in partnering.”
Last weekend, West also found himself in the dance-off but was given a free pass though after former England footballer Tony Adams was forced to withdraw with an injury.
Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two continues every weeknight at 6:30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.