Strictly Come Dancing 2019: Ex-Horndean pupil Emma Barton voted through to final

The former Horndean Technology College pupil and her partner Anton Du Beke scored a total of 67 points for their two dances on Saturday night.

It included a 31 for their Cha Cha Cha to ‘Hold by Hand’ by Jess Glynne, and a 36 for the Waltz to 'Gymnopédie No.1' by Erik Satie.

Barton, a ex-Eastenders actress, went straight to the final with Chris Ramsey, joined by his dance partner Karen Hauer, losing out in a dance-off to CBBC star Karim Zeroual.

Ex-Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher, 35, will also go through to the final.

The couples performed in front of judges Shirley Ballas, Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse.

Judges opted to save Zeroual, saying he was the ’best dancer’ and that the pair's routine was ‘brilliant’.

Ramsey, who has become a household name since joining the show, said he is ‘very proud of myself’ to have got so far.

‘I never ever thought I would make it past week two, genuinely I had no expectations whatsoever,’ he said.

‘I am astounded and I've got to thank Karen - she is just amazing and so patient it's crazy!

‘I had sleepless nights in the build up and there is no-one else who can have made it what it has been.’

Hauer described their experience as a ‘giggle fest’ and said Ramsey, a former co-presenter of I'm A Celebrity: Extra Camp, did not know how to walk when he first stepped through the Strictly door.

She told her dance partner, who was emotional on Saturday night's show: ‘From week one, not knowing how to walk, and now you are a semi-finalist and you have made all of us proud and have inspired all of us and I want to thank you for being awesome.’

Both couples performed their choice of routines from Saturday's show again - Ramsey a Rumba and Zeroual the American Smooth.

The remaining three couples will take to the dancefloor for the Strictly Come Dancing grand final on Saturday December 14 on BBC One.