Dan Walker responds to Strictly Come Dancing 'fix' claims

BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker has responded to social media users who claim Strictly Come Dancing is fixed because he's still in the competition.

The presenter has become the dark horse of this year's series, with him and his professional partner Nadiya Bychkova advancing to the next stage week on week without facing the dreaded dance-off.

After they went through during the Sunday results show, many users took to Twitter to express their shock at them getting further in the competition than Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin, who were eliminated, and claim that it was a fix.

Dan responded on Twitter on Sunday night by writing, "Thank you to everyone who is sending lovely messages & enjoying us having fun on #Strictly and to the few who say… 'Just leave' 'Aren’t you ashamed?' 'You’re a disgrace' 'It’s a fix' (which I don’t get) or 'Who is voting for them?' IT’S A TV SHOW! See you in the 1/4 finals (crying with laughter emoji)."

In a separate tweet, he told his Twitter followers that the negative messages he receives "don't bother" him but he is surprised by how angry some Strictly viewers get over "a gameshow".

On Monday, BBC Radio presenter Rachel Burden tweeted, "So many people tell me they love this guy and it's all about the joy of seeing someone COMPLETELY out of their comfort zone," and the 44-year-old responded, "Thank you Rachel and don’t worry… we intend to enjoy every second of it. I thought I’d be off in week 2 or 3 and here we are in the QFs (quarter finals)... Very thankful for the support."

Dan will compete against Rose Ayling-Ellis, John Whaite, Rhys Stephenson and AJ Odudu for a place in the semi-finals next weekend.

Watch: Who is Strictly's Dan Walker?