Michelle Visage thanked for ‘always fighting for the LGBT+ community’ after Strictly Come Dancing elimination

Michelle Visage dressed in Madonna's 1990 MTV Awards costume

The elimination of Michelle Visage from Strictly Come Dancing was followed by an outpouring of love from the LGBT+ community.

Visage was eliminated during Strictly‘s Blackpool week after performing her “couple’s choice” dance to Madonna’s ‘Vogue’.

She dedicated the routine to the LGBT+ community, later taking to Instagram to explain how proud she was “to bring a part of the underground gay ballroom scene to a massive show like Strictly“.

“I’ve learned in this life you must take big risks in order to affect change,” she wrote.

The Drag Race judge explained that voguing on Strictly wasn’t about winning high scores, but was “about shedding light on a group of people who deserve recognition and would otherwise not get it”.

“I owe my life to the LGBTQIA+ community so as an ally, I try to bring attention to them, their love, their struggles, in any way the I am able to,” she wrote.

“Sometimes in life things matter more than winning and in this case, being an ally and bringing a part of queer culture to 14 million viewers on the BBC is just as good as lifting that glitter ball.”

In return, LGBT+ Twitter users paid tribute to Visage’s exemplary allyship.

Drag Race UK queen Cheryl Hole joined in with her own message, claiming that Visage, like herself, had been “robbed”.

Sadly, not all viewers had positive things to say.


James Jordan, a former Strictly pro, claimed in a series of tweets that voguing is “not dancing, just posing” and accused Michelle Visage of crying “fake tears” during her emotional introduction to the performance.

“Obviously needs the LGBTQIA community’s vote after being in the dance off,” he wrote.

Michelle Visage replied by saying: “The only way to change the world is by taking risks. I’m SOOOOOO proud of this dance and going out on this one.”

WordPress Ads