Strictly: Will anyone go home this weekend and will the final date change?

As Strictly Come Dancing fans take on the shock news that Amanda Abbington will not return to the competition, how could her exit see the show's schedule shaken up?

This week Abbington confirmed that she had quit the BBC One dance contest where she was partnered by Giovanni Pernice.

She had missed the week five show due to "medical reasons" which would have allowed her to stay in the competition if she came back the following week but Abbington's exit from the show was announced during Monday's Strictly: It Takes Two.

The actor clarified she had quit the show for "personal reasons".

Read more:

• Amanda Abbington leaves Strictly: 11 other celebs who had to quit the show

• Strictly insiders claim Amanda Abbington quit as she 'just couldn't cope'

• Strictly 2023's gruesome injuries: Slashed leg, 'broken toes' and being unable to dance

• Strictly Come Dancing 2023 leaderboard: All the scores so far

Abbington and Pernice had enjoyed some of the contest's highest scores, regularly placing near the top of the leaderboard.

We look at how Abbington quitting could affect the series going forward.

Will anyone leave Strictly this weekend?

There should have been 11 couples going into Halloween Week, one of the highlights of the series.

But now just 10 celebrities and their partners will be stepping onto the dancefloor for this Saturday's live show this weekend.

Viewers usually discover which couples have placed in the bottom two based on judges' scores and the public vote in Sunday's pre-recorded show, when one couple leaves after a dance off.

Some fans felt it was unfair Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer were eliminated this week, just before Abbington had decided she wanted to quit.

There have been cases when the dance off has been missed. In 2022, there was no dance off when Tony Adams dropped out of the show over his injury.

Host Tess Daly told the audience at the time: "Due to an injury sustained on Saturday night, Tony is unable to take part in the dance off and has decided to withdraw from the competition. This means there will be no dance off tonight and Tyler and Dianne are through to Blackpool."

But other series have seen eliminations still go ahead, instead affecting the number of finalists.

When Robert Webb quit in 2021, there were only three finalists, although the contest shrank again to just two couples when AJ Odudu was injured in the final week.

It is expected that Strictly will continue as usual this week with the dance off being aired on Sunday night.

Will the date of the Strictly final change?

Strictly 2023's grand final date has not yet been announced - we usually find out when the Glitterball trophy will be awarded a little closer to December.

However, whether or not the final needs to move dates and how many finalists there will be will depend on how the competition runs this weekend.

If someone is still eliminated, it would potentially end the series a week earlier but if there is no dance off or elimination this weekend then the final date would not need to change.

Although a date hasn't been announced, going on the schedule from previous years we would expect to see the final take place on Saturday, 16 December.

What has Amanda Abbington said about quitting?

Sherlock actor Abbington wasn't on Strictly: It Takes Two to make her own announcement about leaving the competition, but she has since posted an emotional statement on Instagram about leaving.

On Tuesday, 24 October Abbington wrote: "It is with deepest regret that I had to leave Strictly. I did not come to this decision easily or lightly but for personal reasons I am unable to continue.

"It was an absolute joy working with my fellow contestants, they are a beautiful, hardworking and talented group of people who I love and who I will miss seeing every Friday and Saturday and competing alongside.

"I want to thank the incredible Production team and everyone on Strictly who looked after me and who are so kind and caring.

"It’s a wonderful bunch of people and I’ll miss all of them. I’m so sad that I am unable to go any further.

"Thank you to everyone who voted and who sent wonderful messages and inspiring support. You are all amazing. Truly. Thank you. xxx"

Abbington was said to have missed last Saturday's show due to "medical reasons", but no further details have been given.

Her dance partner Giovanni Pernice also posted on Instagram, writing: "Amanda … I am so sad we can’t continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love."

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.40pm on BBC One.