Nicky Byrne 'devastated and disappointed' by Strictly axe

Nicky Byrne is "devastated and disappointed" to have been axed from Strictly Come Dancing this weekend and is convinced he was "undermarked".

The Westlife star failed to impress the judges with his samba/foxtrot fusion and landed at the bottom of the leader board with just 27 points following his performance on Saturday.

Craig Revel Horwood gave him five points, and the singer was subsequently booted from the competition after losing the dance-off to Denise van Outen.

Now, Byrne has taken aim at the judge over his low mark, insisting he gave the dance his all.

He tells The Sun, "I'm really devastated and disappointed I couldn't take it any further and get to the semi-final. I'm gutted. I watched it myself this morning and I do feel I was undermarked. I gave it 100 per cent every time."

However, Byrne is happy to have been part of what he is convinced is the most talent-packed series ever.

He adds, "It's a high standard, possibly the toughest year yet. I've watched previous years and the way I was critiqued was pernickety. I'm not sure everyone has been criticised as badly as that in any other year.

"It just seemed to be just a thing with me, with Craig wanting to critique me like that, and you just smile and get through it and think, 'He obviously doesn't rate me as a dancer...'"

The star reveals his dance partner Karen Hauer was moved to tears by the low mark - but he insists he had a great time on Strictly.

Byrne adds, "Karen was in tears afterwards. She said, 'I'm not sure what to say to you. You danced it brilliantly, you couldn't have danced it better.' Karen thought that from the beginning of the series we were undermarked. We've never worked out why that was though, but that's life.

"There are inconsistencies there with Craig saying one thing and the other three saying something else. But you put yourself up there to be judged and you take it on the chin.

"I don't hold grudges. I never worked out why Craig chose me as the one to go for during the entire series but I made so many nice friends and had so many messages from the public that it's been positive all the way for me.

"I've loved it. Everybody on the show has made friends for life now. Except for Craig, of course."