fans think they have predicted who will leave the show this week after being allegedly "sabotaged" by bosses.

The dance show returned to screens on Saturday for the eighth week in the competition, and the celebrities and their professional partners hit the dance floor again, hoping to secure a place in Blackpool following Sam Quek's elimination last week.

During Saturday's show, when Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu performed, viewers were convinced that he would be the next to leave the show.

Fans noted that Shayne had been put second in the dance order, which has notoriously become known as the "death slot".

One fan tweeted: "Shayne has got the rumba and he's second on," alongside a GIF which said: "Sabotage!"

Another said: "So Shayne has both the rumba *and* the death slot. Never have I been more confused by someone's time on #Strictly."

A third echoed: "Dare I talk about how they've definitely set Shayne up to fail: worst performance slot, hardest dance, sandwiched between two front runners ... #Strictly."

And a fourth wrote: "Dancing second in the running order. Doing a rumba. 100 percent Shayne will be in the bottom two after that. #Strictly."

Shayne and Nancy danced a Rumba to Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time and received mixed comments from the judges. Motsi praised the routine's "light and shade" but said the "timing was off", Anton criticised Shayne's foot speed while Shirley liked Shayne and Nancy's chemistry.

Craig concluded with a cutting critique: "Dead space in your chest, lacked connection and stretch but hip action good and masculine."

They were scored 7, 8, 7, 8 for a total of 30 points, leaving them at the lower end of the leaderboard.

Shayne has survived two dance-offs and remains bookies' favourite to be voted off.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: "As far as the odds and punters are concerned, it looks like Shayne Ward's Strictly journey will come to an end this weekend."

Strictly Come Dancing: The Results airs Sunday at 7.20pm on BBC One.