Strictly: Royal Marines Veteran JJ Chalmers Misses Out On Semi-Final

Former Royal Marine and TV presenter JJ Chalmers has become the latest person to leave Strictly Come Dancing 2020 during Sunday's results show.

The veteran, who is due to have shrapnel removed from his leg in January next year, faced Made In Chelsea's Jamie Laing in the dance-off after landing at the bottom of the leader board for the weekend's musicals-themed show.

JJ and his professional partner Amy Dowden performed their Charleston to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for a second time in an effort to remain in the competition but were voted off by the judges.

Despite missing out on the semi finals, he praised his partner for "the way you built me up, you could never let me down", and talked about her constant daily battle with Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel condition.

Asked about his time on the show after his departure, JJ said that he was "unbelievably proud".

"I never thought I would make it this far," he said.

"I've gotten half-decent, maybe, at something which I had no clue about to begin with, and I've enjoyed every second of it, it has just been an absolute blast.

"It's just a privilege to be in this long.

"This competition is insane! To be counted among that cast at this stage, in particular, means the world to me. It's meant everything.

"It's been an unbelievable challenge, well outside my comfort zone but I've had this one to just keep me in it and I can't quite express what she means to me," he added.

Injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011, the ex-serviceman admitted that the strenuous practice for the show exacerbated the discomfort felt from the leftover shrapnel inside his body.

In a blast that killed two of his comrades, JJ broke his neck, lost two fingers and his right elbow was shattered.

He suffered numerous holes blown in his leg as well as a crushed eye socket and burst eardrums.

Cover image: JJ Chalmers and his professional partner Amy Dowden during the competition (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy).