Strictly Come Dancing’s Neil Jones was visibly gutted as he and Toyah Willcox became the latest couple to leave the dance floor, a body language expert has revealed.
The pair faced the chop for the second week running following Movie Week, battling it out with former Arsenal footballer Paul Merson and his dance partner Karen Hauer in the results show on Sunday night (October 6) for the BBC One smash hit’s 2024 series.
Toyah and Neil took to the stage once more with their samba to Poor Unfortunate Souls from The Little Mermaid, while Paul and Karen reprised their cha cha to the Magnificent Seven theme. Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke unanimously chose to save Paul and Karen, with head judge Shirley Ballas admitting she would have made the same call.
Chatting with co-host Tess Daly about their time on Strictly, Toyah said: “It’s been the best two months of my life, it has been fantastic. I have enjoyed every second. And you (Neil) have been phenomenal, thank you so much.”
Neil echoed her feelings, commenting: “She has made me laugh so much, I have never seen someone work so hard – I’m the one asking for breaks every now and then! She just kept going, she wanted to learn so much. If you saw her in the hallway she’s been practicing.”
“Everyone’s been telling me have you seen Toyah practicing, she’s brilliant and she’s what Strictly is all about, and I’ve loved every moment.”
Body language expert Darren Stanton, representing Betfair Slingo, analysed Toyah’s demeanour before her exit and suggested her “fake smile” hinted she knew she was about to leave. Stanton remarked that Toyah often held back her emotions which could have affected her bond with partner Neil, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Stanton observed: “There was a moment as the results came in where Neil was speaking in her ear, giving some sort of solace, but Toyah was not acknowledging it. She was in a state of anticipation waiting for the moment to end. They didn’t really have a great dynamic or great rapport, and that’s what has cost them here.
“I think Neil feels absolutely mortified here. They have an Olympic-esque mindset towards their craft. He was doing an expression with his lips as if he was holding his breath. They’ve all got professional pride and I just feel he was disappointed to have been voted off so early. They take it as a dent against their professional tuition.”
Furthermore, Darren commented on the partnership between the dancer and singer, noting the lack of closeness at a critical time. He said: “The moment the result is about to be announced, a tense moment, Toyah has her hands in front of her, Neil has his hands on his hips. Generally, at times like this, they would likely have an arm around each other.
“Toyah hasn’t quite managed to form a strong connection, despite her claims, and I’m not convinced she’s built a deep bond with her professional partner. To succeed, you need to exude passion and be able to convey it. This was the most intense moment of the competition, yet she’s not displaying any emotion. Instead, she’s suppressing it, which is a coping mechanism she’s developed, and she’s holding a lot back.”
However, professional dancer Neil seems to have formed a different view, as he shared on the Strictly Come Dancing spin-off It Takes Two, speaking highly of his time with Toyah.
“We’ve had really great conversations as well, and it was so nice to hear you’ve been waiting so long to do the show and it’s brilliant when she came to the show and she asked for me, that meant a lot to me,” he said, adding that he and Toyah plan to keep in touch “for life”, having enjoyed “so much fun” and laughter during their practice sessions.
Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on BBC iPlayer