Loved that. You can see Laura looking quite smiley in the background - she handled it well.

Nice of Greg to say how positive, bouncy and bubbly Laura was. 'Really up for it and brings a good energy'.

I'm going to miss her. I had hoped that she might get to Blackpool - it would be really, really nice if they ditched Gethin for Blackpool week and used Laura for the backstage interviews. I can dream.

Ironically, I was looking at the very high heels Laura was wearing for her MTV awards hosting tonight thinking that those shoes are a HUGE SPOILER that she is out of Strictly.

Laura wanted to experience the show and to be better known to a family audience. I think she has done really well and I agree - its a respectable way to go. So, so glad that she survived the Salsa shock bottom 2 and also fought her way back after her injury.

I did see those heels I already knew she was out, I always check the spoiler

That is nice - and you can see Laura in the background when Judge Rinder was saying his piece. She was hugging Tess, smiling and chatting, so I think she is fine.

I knew nothing about Laura before Strictly, but have grown to really like her and her partnership with Giovanni, so I'm sorry she is out.

I've not watched either show yet but checked the spoiler last night so I knew she was out.

I'm sad as I think in another series she could have gone further, but it's a strong year and I've seen each week that her and Giovanni have stayed in as a bonus more than anything! Laura has done so well and should be very proud of herself, I've loved watching her partnership with Gio.

She has been really active on social media today and seems okay. I do wish she had made Blackpool purely because she wanted to, but I think it might end up being somewhat of a relief for her as now she can focus on getting her ankle better!

EDIT: Really lovely words about Laura in that video. It appears she was very well liked and I can understand why!

Pleased that Laura gave such a strong performance in the dance off and showed people what she can do. I'll enjoy rewatching her and Gio's . . .

Waltz (Still my favourite.)
Quickstep
Halloween Tango

Brilliant routines Gio created for Laura. She's a beautiful dancer, a talented, warm, feisty and fun lady and I'd like to see her back on a Christmas Special and presenting on either ITT or the main show in the future.

Thanks for the VT link NicPlays, nice words from Daisy, made me smile. Looking forward to ITT tomorrow, pleased for Laura she was flying straight out to the EMAs and has been having a blast in Rotterdam tonight.

She's still dancing

Really enjoyed following Laura & Gio with you all x

To think that Laura outlasted Anastacia, Tameka and Naga... and Will Young is actually quite surprising - and impressive - when you reflect on it. And that is down to the dance partnership so well done Gio. Hoping to see him back in the Christmas special and on the tour.

I think Laura's very emotional week when she was injured was when she got her head around the fact that elimination was going to be sooner rather than later, given the standard of the other dancers this year AND the popularity of the 'journey' contestants. Probably the same for Gio as well.

Edit: It has been good to chat to everyone on this thread. Will pop in again after ITT.

Thanks Ochre, and I agree it has been lovely to chat to everyone on the thread.

Just a pity it didn't last a little bit longer

It is a shame Huph, since her return to the competition from her injury my hope for them was Blackpool and a beautiful Ballroom dance there. Week 7 is an achievement though and I hope Laura sees it that way and has plenty of fond memories. She loves the show so much. Last night was an awkward one really and it'll be good to see her and Gio on ITT tomorrow.

Hopefully her ankle will return to normal quickly now she won't be resuming dance training, sure Laura will throw herself in to other work projects as she is tonight and she's got her play tour lined up in the New Year.

I am a foolish individual for thinking this and worse for posting it, but I really loved bloody Len's face when Laura talked about her time on the show. He was just beaming back at her. That, more than the tabloids, more than the insiders, more than the comedy VTs told me what Laura's backstage experience of Strictly has been like. Seeing his smiling mug cheered me up. And that has NEVER happened before.

I thought Laura was hugely improved in the DO. Not surprising! She's had so little training time, what with her broken ankles, the dance on Saturday probably amounted to 5% of the total. But still, it took guts to do that.

I felt really sorry for all four of them in the DO. They seemed genuinely close and it must have been hard for them to be there together/against each other

Dervla - I rewatched and noticed Len for the first time. Its heart-warming.

And Gio has tweeted a very nice message to Laura and also to Ore and Joanne. I know that all the real words would have been shared last night .. but writing it down is important as well

' Thanks for the great journey together.. great partner and a great dancer'

A massive congratulations go to my friend @OreOduba and my sister @joanneclifton for the amazing performance! Well deserved! Love you both

I thought the judges could legitimately have kept either of them based on the dance-off.. Laura was much, much better. But it was always going to be Ore unless he actually dropped Jo. And maybe even then.

And a final thought.. Laura has put a little snippet out via the Press Association

"It's such a great opportunity to be part of this and make so many friends and I've really enjoyed my time with Giovanni and learning so much," she said.

"It was kind of like being back at school again which was really nice and refreshing, it's been brilliant and to even get this far, I'm so proud of myself."

Very positive stuff.

In the days after their Halloween tango,which I re-watched quite a few times,I reviewed Laura's earlier dances and felt that no female this series could have delivered such consistently expressive performances up to that point.
Clearly,not enough of the public saw value in retaining that ability.
A shame.

Couldn' t agree more. Her walz was an amazing performance. She acted it beautifully and looked so elegant. I was so looking forward to seeing her do more slow ballroom. For me Laura and Giovanni had the chemistry to draw you into the story.

Completely agree with you. Every year there's one couple that excels at 'drawing you into the story', whether it's Chelsee and Pasha, Patrick and Anya, Mark and Iveta, or whoever -- they're just my personal favourites. And this year it was Laura and Giovanni. I miss the dances we won't see.

It's very sad I had a bad feeling after Saturday and did not feel very optimistic yesterday. Poor Laura, she handled it really well. I thought Giovanni wanted to give her proper job hugs but she looked like she might break down if he did - I am the same, if I'm upset then people being kind makes me far more likely to cry.

Lovely to see Flackers in the audience supporting Laura. They are really good friends - I hope they went for a drink afterwards.

Very disappointed that Laura has unfollowed Gio on social media accounts. That is not good. Feeling a bit nervous about ITT later today.

Maybe she and Giovanni have made the (very sensible) decision to keep their friendship/ relationship going away from social media. I don't believe there is any sinister reason behind it other than Laura being sick and tired of her every move being analysed and criticised (not by you I hasten to add!)

Lou - I agree that in real life people simply talk to each other. And they would have no need to spend their days sending public tweets to each other etc etc.

But the immediate unfollowing.... well, its odd. Laura is also media-savvy. This is going to get picked up by the press. I mean, discretely tidying up your social media accounts at the end of December is one thing. The Monday after your elimination, and before ITT, is entirely different.

Reflecting on my social media accounts, I only really tend to unfollow people who tweet all the time and clog up my timeline. No-one could accuse Gio of being a prolific tweeter or Instagram poster.

Waiting for ITT I think.

Hi LL and Lou

Just catching up, While things were awkward between Laura & Gio on Saturday and I did think she was upset with him I'm surprised she's unfollowed him so immediately and hasn't yet directly publically thanked him in more depth than on the main show.

Whatever their personal difficulties he's worked very hard to teach and support her through to this stage of the competition and she's repeatedly voiced recognition of that. I myself was very critical of Gio's Samba choreography but that wasn't the reason they left and I feel less strongly about it having watched their dance off performance where Laura shone. I wanted her to go out on a strong performance and she did. She was very gracious in defeat and I felt genuinely supportive of Ore and Joanne who she's close with so I can't believe she blames Gio for them leaving. Aside from anything else I think Laura's known she was on borrowed time with her injury.

I don't know that we'll learn much from ITT. Laura is a presenter, expecting a professional interview and they both have a good rapport with Zoe which will likely ease any tension.

It's a shame that what has been a wonderfully creative though shortlived dance partnership has potentially ended on a sour note. Feeling for them both really.

I knew the result on Saturday and was so disappointed that Laura and Giovanni have left the competition as I wanted to see more of Giovanni's superb dancing and choreography and I think Laura had a lot of potential, especially in the ballroom dances, such a shame that she had the ankle injury as that must have caused her a lot of problems but, as I said earlier, Strictly isn't a dance competition, more of an entertainment show, which is why Ed is still in it ! Looking forward to ITT tonight, but for the wrong reasons

Hello Ochre. I agree with your thoughts. Realistically, even without Laura's injury, Blackpool would have been a big achievement this year as the field is so strong. With her injury, it was probably this week or next week. With a VW, it might well have been next week I think. With a Samba on an injured leg.. it was always likely to end in Bottom 2 unless someone else had a very bad week. And the other weaker dancers had VW and Quicksteps to help them.

The three remaining ladies are all technically better dancers although Laura wasn't far behind Daisy. So I think Gio did a good, professional job this year to help Laura finish in a 'fair' position in the competition. She improved week by week so Gio has clearly shown he can teach and I have enjoyed their routines.

I hope that Laura is not feeling Gio is responsible for Bottom 2 on Friday. Even if she does feel that, I hope that keeps that to herself.

Laura had some public votes including mine but at the end of the day, just not enough to keep her safe, and not enough to get her to Blackpool. That is not down to Gio.

Hello Ruby - I wanted to see more too and I liked seeing Laura improve every week. Gio's dancing and choreography was always very very watchable. I would have liked a few more weeks for them... but it wasn't to be. Such a shame.

Hi Ochre I do hope there is a non sour note reason behind the unfollowing. Laura strikes me as such a down to earth lovely person who doesn't want to get involved in silly social media "statements". I'm sad in one way that she's left but I hope she will take some happy memories with her, she was a beautiful dancer and I really do think she had a lot left to give.