PHIL DANIELS - PHIL DANIELS IS FIRST CELEBRITY TO LEAVE STRICTLY COME DANCING

PHIL DANIELS IS FIRST CELEBRITY TO LEAVE STRICTLY COME DANCING

Actor Phil Daniels has become the first celebrity contestant to leave the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.

The Quadrophenia star and his partner Flavia Cacace - who made the final alongside Matt Di Angelo last year - were awarded just 20 points by the judging panel following their waltz.

Judge Arlene Phillips said of their performance: "You need to introduce your right foot to your left foot and they need to fall in love, because they never came together. Bring them together occasionally."

Bruno Tonioli added: "For a bit of rough you actually scrub up quite well. It was a bit shaky and unsteady. You held your breath - you looked like you were going for a dive."

And the subsequent viewers' vote was not sufficient to save Phil and Flavia from a place in the bottom two and the dance-off.

Phil, a former EastEnder, faced fellow thespian Don Warrington and his partner Lilia Kopylova and though Craig Revel-Horwood and Arlene opted to save Phil and Flavia, Bruno picked Don and Lilia, leaving head judge Len Goodman with the casting vote.

"They both did make some mistakes and it is very difficult to judge between a waltz that needs so much control and a cha cha cha which needs so much rhythm," he explained.

"But for me the performance I've just seen - the cleanest one - was Don and Lilia."

Following his exit, Phil said: "It was a short ride. It's been fantastic, good fun."