Strictly fans work out real reason Pete Wicks was saved from the dance off – despite being bottom of the leaderboard

STRICTLY fans have worked out the ‘real reason’ Pete Wicks was saved from the dance off – despite landing at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing saw Pete, 36, and his professional partner Jowita Przystal dance the Cha Cha.

But despite the routine being criticised by viewers for Pete’s many mistakes, they managed to avoid the dance off.

Instead Wynne Evans and Katya Jones faced Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe, with Wynne getting the boot.

And fans think Pete’s costume – which included skintight pink PVC trousers – is what saved him.

Writing on social media, one said: “I can only assume people were voting for the pink trousers as it sure as hell wasn’t the dancing!”

Someone else wrote: “So how the hell did Pink Pete not be in the dance-off?

“His Cha Cha was the worst dance of the night! Must have been the Pink trousers that won it for him.”

And a third added: “Please vote for the dancing, not the pink trousers! He was shocking.”

Fans also called for head judge Shirley Ballas to be axed for ‘over-scoring’ Pete.

After Shirley gave them an eight, one wrote: “Need Shirley to leave after this series. So f****** unprofessional. Pete gets ‘very entertaining’ for that.”

Another said: “Shirley losing all credibility as a judge.”

And someone else srote: “No matter what Pete does Shirley praises him.”