Strictly Come Dancing's 5 biggest stories of the week: Feud rumours and Rose Ayling-Ellis' ballroom legacy

Richie Anderson and Giovanni Pernice
Richie Anderson and Giovanni Pernice had a BSL message for their fans. (BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing sent home its first celebrity of the season this week, and is about to give a second couple their marching orders on Sunday.

But the elimination wasn't the only thing going on in recent days, with feud rumours swirling and one energetic celebrity even finding time to run the London Marathon.

Here's the past week in Strictly gossip.

Strictly Come Dancing's 5 biggest stories this week

Feud rumours for Matt and Nadiya

Matt Goss and Nadiya Bychkova. (BBC)
Matt Goss and Nadiya Bychkova say there is no rift. (BBC)

Every series, there are rumours that couples don't get on, and it seems this week viewers read too much into a moment that saw Matt Goss take his partner Nadiya Bychkova's arm and pull her into shot after dancing on the live show.

But Goss rubbished the rumours, telling Metro: "First of all, I couldn’t enjoy my partner’s company more actually. She is just such a cool person. It’s all a load of b*****ks.

Read more: What is the Strictly curse?

"And to be quite honest with you, if she’s my partner, and I’m told to stand there, as a gentleman I will always make sure that she’s beside me – I’m not going to let stand behind some dark disco ball.

"I’m going to pull her in so she’s with me like every other couple but it is a load of b*****ks and, as a gentleman, I’m going to make sure she’s next to me."

Giovanni Pernice also firmly shut down talk that he wasn't getting on with Richie Anderson, saying on It Takes Two: "There is no problem between us. We are having a good time! So forget about what you’re reading, it’s not true.”

Kaye Adams is first to leave

Kaye Adams and Kai Widdrington were first out. (BBC)
Kaye Adams and Kai Widdrington were first out. (BBC)

It's the title no one wants - First To Leave Strictly - and this year, Kaye Adams and Kai Widdrington were the unlucky couple.

They went up against Widdrington's girlfriend Nadiya Bychkova and her partner Matt Goss in the dance off, but every judge apart from Shirley Ballas opted to send Adams home.

Read more: All of the Strictly winners so far

Adams said afterwards: "I’ve seen a few people saying 'she looked like a rabbit in the headlights' and all I can say is, yes I was. I blanked. I was tired!"

Widdrington said of going up against Bychkova: "Last year when I did my only dance off it was also me against Nadiya and I knocked her out, so we’re 1-1 now… we’re even."

Rose's BSL ballroom legacy

Strictly Come Dancing's Richie Anderson and Giovanni Pernice thanked viewers in BSL. (BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing's Richie Anderson and Giovanni Pernice thanked viewers in BSL. (BBC)

As Strictly's first ever deaf contestant, last year's winner Rose Ayling-Ellis shone a light on what it was like to take part in the show for her - but her amazing dances won't be the only thing she is remembered for.

She taught partner Giovanni Pernice some British Sign Language, which they used each week to thank fans for voting them through, and it doesn't look like Pernice will be giving up signing his thanks any time soon.

Viewers were pleased to see Pernice and his new partner Richie Anderson, as well as some of the other couples, signing thank you in the results show.

Tyler's marathon week

Tyler West at the London Marathon
Tyler West made an impressive achievement this week. (Getty Images)

As if Strictly training wasn't enough, Tyler West had an even more exhausting commitment this week.

On Sunday morning, just hours after dancing in the live show, he completed the London Marathon in a time of 5 hours 25 minutes, fundraising for charity UK Youth.

If West thought fitting in running and dancing training was hard, he'll have had the difficult challenge this week of learning a whole new routine while recovering from the race.

Movie week is here

Week three on Strictly traditionally means the arrival of the first theme week of the series.

Fan favourite movie week is always a celebration of the costume and make-up departments as couples take inspiration from well-known films.

Highlights to look out for this series include Fleur East's Little Mermaid American Smooth, Will Mellor's Dirty Dancing tribute, and Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer taking on Flashdance.

But who'll top the leaderboard this time, and who is following Kaye Adams out of the door?

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC One.

Watch: Who is Strictly's Tyler West?