Strictly fans have been left fuming after Shirley Ballas chose to send Shayne Ward home after a nail biting dance off against Wynne Evans on Sunday night. 

The head judge delivered the casting vote after the judges were left with a split decision with both Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse opting to save Shayne and Nancy Xu and Anton Du Beke voting for Wynne and Katya Jones. 

While Shirley acknowledged that both couples had made mistakes during their dance off performances, she reasoned that Wynne’s performance was more ‘joyous’ before choosing to save the Welsh opera singer. 

However fans were less than impressed with her decision as they criticised her comments after Shayne performed the notoriously hard rumba while Wynne took to the floor with an uplifting American Smooth. 

Taking to Twitter, they slammed the judge as they accused her of being ‘biased’ and branded her decision as ‘pathetic’. 

Strictly fans were left FUMING as they accuse Shirley Ballas of being ‘biased’ after she sent home Shayne Ward in a nail biting dance off with Wynne Evans on Sunday evening 

The head judge delivered the casting vote after the judges were left with a split decision with both Craig and Motsi opting to save Shayne and Nancy and Anton voting for Wynne and Katya 

They wrote: ‘So wrong, Shirley Ballas makes me so cross. When judging it’s ok to say one was joyous when they are dancing the same. How on earth can anyone say that when it’s a gallop against the rumba.’;

‘Hopefully b****y go compare man will go next week. Shayne was the better dancer by far. Shirley and anton are so biased’;

‘If @ShirleyBallascan’t be impartial she shouldn’t be a judge let alone head judge. “Joyous” as a reason to save someone. Pathetic. #Strictly’;

‘Wrong so wrong #strictly Just because he’s called Wynne doesn’t mean he should.. Can you even do a joyous Rhumba Poor Shayne’;

‘Gutted to see Shayne out’; ‘Shayne and Nancy should have stayed ..’

‘Shirley saving her job by saving Wynne cause he’s clearly a producers/BBC favourite’;

‘#Strictly very interesting. Judges keep telling us this is a dance compeтιтion. Shirley has just disproved that. It’s more about ratings, how many viewers can the BBC keep week on week. 

‘Wynne brings the Welsh vote – fab for beeb box ticking. Shayne won’t bring as many viewers.’;

Others shared their surprise as they penned: ‘Quite surprised at the outcome in the dance off in the show. I think Shayne was the better dancer and I feel for him as he was so looking forward to dancing in Blackpool’;

While Shirley acknowledged that both couples had made mistakes during their dance off performances, she reasoned that Wynne’s performance was more ‘joyous’ before choosing to save the Welsh opera singer

However fans were less than impressed with her decision as they criticised her comments after Shayne performed the notoriously hard rumba vs Wynne’s uplifting American Smooth

‘Ban the rhumba unless you’re going to make all the male celebs do it on the same night’; ‘Why are the judges so obsessed with Wynne’;

‘2+1 to @shayneTward & Nancy then #Shirley ruins it – her vote makes it 2-2, this should go back to the public vote! Shayne was clearer the better dancer’.

Another viewer suggested that when the votes are tied it should revert back to the public vote as they added: ‘If the dance off ends up in 2 votes for each couple it should then go back to the public vote to decide who goes. 

‘Shirley should not have the final say!!’

Wishing everyone well after being sent home by Shirley, Shayne said: ‘I just want to say, you guys up there [the other contestants] are a dream. Every single day, coming in here and seeing you guys you helped me so much. 

‘I want to say thank you to the audience as well, for always being amazing for us all. This has been, honestly, one of the best things I’ve ever done.’

The Coronation Street actor and his dance partner Nancy Xu scored just 30 out of 40 for their Rumba, leaving him at the bottom of the leaderboard

Shayne gushed: ‘I’m sorry it didn’t work out to the end, but I’m super proud that I got to meet you [to Nancy] and dance with you, so thank you’

He added: ‘I’m proud that I made it to eight weeks as a novice dancer. A mᴀssive thank you goes to this incredible human right next to me [Nancy], who has put so much fire in me and made me believe that I can actually achieve more if I let myself go.

‘I’m sorry it didn’t work out to the end, but I’m super proud that I got to meet you [to Nancy] and dance with you, so thank you.’

Nancy, who last year danced with Les Dennis, said: ‘I’m beyond proud of this dance partnership. Shayne from week one until this point, every second you put your feet on the dancefloor you improved yourself. 

‘You’re a deep thinker, you always doubt yourself, you never believed yourself, but I never ever questioned you. 

‘When I watch you, I feel proud because I’ve turned someone who has never ever danced in their life into an amazing dancer. You should believe in yourself. I adored this partnership.’