TAKING THE MIKE
BBC BREAKFAST host Dan Walker has defended his colleague Mike Bushell in a furious rant after he was once again saved during the Strictly Come Dancing dance-off.
Mike, 53, was spared from elimation during Sunday night's results show after he ended up in the bottom two with Viscountess Emma Weymouth, who ended up being shown the door.
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This is the third week in a row that Mike has failed to impress the public, but each time he and professional partner Katya Jones have been saved by the judges.
Fans had already branded the show a 'fix' after the BBC Breakfast sports broadcaster previously escaped the chop - and things flared once more during his triumph last night.
But the claims have really riled Mike's colleague Dan, who spoke out in support of his colleague - who has even received vile death threats - during Monday morning's episode of BBC Breakfast.
Dan, 42, raged: "I'm getting increasingly annoyed with people giving [Mike] grief.
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"Some of it is getting a bit cruel. All he's doing is enjoying himself.
"He's trying really hard and all four of the judges said he was the better performer in the dance off than the Viscountess who went home."
Quashing claims that Mike is repeatedly being saved because of his links with the BBC, Dan added: "He's certainly not being kept in there because he's working for the BBC.
"That's a ridiculous accusation."
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Mike and Katya first found themselves in the bottom two in Week 5, after failing to impress viewers at home with their Samba.
Former England footballer David James and his professional partner Nadiya Bychkova were eliminated however, after the judges unanimously voted to save Mike and Katya.
During Halloween Week, Mike and Katya's Tango once again fell flat with fans, but Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley and partner Johannes Radebe were given the chop after head judge Shirley Ballas had the deciding vote.
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Then this weekend, the judges once again unanimously chose to save Mike and Katya, this time over Emma and her partner Aljaz Skorjanec.
Shrugging off the criticism, Mike has since tweeted: "Thank you for great feedback tonight.
"I did my best and as from week one I can’t wait for next week."
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