BBC - Strictly Come Dancing 2009 - Ricky Groves & Erin Boag: Video and bios of the Strictly contestants

Ricky and Erin

Ricky's progress

Week 10: Tango - 22 / 40. Then in the dance-off with Laila Rouass and Anton du Beke, and left the show.
Week 9: Viennese Waltz - 29 / 40. Then in the dance-off with Phil Tufnell and Katya Virshilas, but saved by the judges.
Week 8: Salsa - 25 / 40. In the dance-off with Craig Kelly and Flavia Cacace, but saved by the judges.
Week 7: Rumba - 24 / 40
Week 6: American Smooth - 29 / 40
Week 5: Jive - 25 / 40
Week 4: Foxtrot - 28 / 40
Week 3: Paso Doble - 29 / 40
Week 2 - Show 2: Rumba - 26 / 40
Week 2 - Show 2: Waltz - 21 / 40

On leaving the show Ricky Groves said: "I’ve had the most wonderful time, and please give it up for Erin".

View our weekly scoreboards gallery to see where Ricky was placed.

You can join our Message Board to discuss Ricky's departure too. GillianBM said: "I will miss Ricky Groves. He has summed up what Strictly is about and has given some great performances. I was really hoping he would be in the final."

Watch clips

Week 10: Judges' comments

High point

"You came out with intent determination and you really tried to sell the dance."

Low point

"It ended up very very badly"

Ricky Groves

The charming and chirpy Ricky Groves is much loved for his portrayal of cheeky Cockney Garry Hobbs in the nation’s favourite soap - EastEnders.

Nine million viewers regularly tune in to see what fate has in store for Garry, who has experienced marriages, engagements, divorces, affairs, paternity tests… Albert Square has been quite the emotional rollercoaster!

Ricky is now fulfilling an ambition that began when he first saw Saturday Night Fever and dreamed of becoming John Travolta’s character!

I enjoy a boogie or two at a wedding or birthday bash...

Ricky Groves

Ricky was born in London in 1968. As a youngster, he enjoyed amateur dramatics and in 1997 he joined the Poor School in London where he began training and acted in classical plays. He graduated in 1999.

In 2006 Ricky married his EastEnders co-star Hannah Waterman. In doing so he married into the Waterman acting dynasty and became the son-in-law of Dennis Waterman and Patricia Maynard.

Erin Boag

Erin's professional partner is fellow Strictly dancer, Anton Du Beke. They have been dancing together since 1997 and turned professional in 2002. She's 34 years old, 5'6" tall, and a vivacious Kiwi.

At 15 she travelled to Australia to watch a big competition and decided right there that she wanted to be a serious dancer. She has never looked back - by 18 she was the New Zealand 10 Dance Amateur champion.

She moved to London to continue her training and in 1997 she met Anton. Within a year of meeting and deciding to become a partnership, Erin and Anton danced at the Royal Albert Hall and were placed in the top 50.

From that time they moved up through the Amateur rankings before turning professional in 2002. Their first Professional competition was the British National Dance Championships at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, where they came third.