Tearful Suzy Cato shares the most devastating thing about leaving DWTS NZ

The nation is in an uproar following beloved TV presenter Suzy Cato's shock departure from Dancing With The Stars NZ last night.

Recalling the tense elimination, Suzy admits, "We didn't want to be there. We heard the news, and it was like: 'What? Nah?!"

The response on Twitter was much the same.

In fact, fans have started a petition titled: 'GET SUZY CATO BACK ON DANCING WITH THE STARS NZ', which at the time of writing is quickly nearing its goal of 2500 signatures.

'It feels fantastic. It isn't going happen, but it's fantastic to think that people want you back," Suzy says.

Unfortunately, it's too little, too late.

There wasn't a dry eye in the house during Suzy's final moments in the ball room, and she's still emotional.

"I cried - thinking about how much effort this guy's put in, and how well you want to do for him, she says, leaning on her dance partner Matt.

Choking back tears, she adds, "and for everybody else - for the charity and your family, and for yourself."

"[But] to do as well as I have done, I am stoked."

Matt teases that we hadn't seen anything yet. "They should have voted us in because we had some huge numbers ramped up for the end of the competition."

Suzy reveals that the pair had a foxtrot planned next week, set to her new single 'Sprinkle A Little Sunshine'. There were also plans to include her classic tune, 'It's Our Time'.

The revelation of what could have been feels, frankly, like a devastating blow to the generation who grew up watching You and Me and Suzy's World.

And while she was still the sweet Suzy we knew and loved, our pre-school perceptions of her were certainly challenged.

During her final booty shaking samba - complete with bustle of tail-feathers - she was a fiery phoenix rising from the ashes of our collective childhoods.

First we got Sassy Suzy, then Stroppy Suzy, followed by Sexy Suzy and even, as Judge Rachel put it, "Dominatrix Suzy."

"I was a bit surprised that it was said in front of everybody…" she says of Rachel's comment, adding "Oh, I don't know!" before ducking behind Matt in embarrassment.

She might be blushing now, but she fully embraced her new persona on-stage.

"I must be a method actor, because as they started putting the eye make-up on, the shoulders came back, I sat up straighter [and said] 'Go get me a drink!'”

"I went and got her a drink," Matt nods.

And what about the fact that David Seymour lives to twerk another day while Suzy's booty was booted?

"He got the vote," she says. "He's been growing.

"Okay, it's the not the way everybody necessarily wants to see him grow, but he's got the vote!" 

Happily, as promised in the lyrics of her iconic hit 'See Ya See Ya Later', Suzy says: "I'll be back again".

She's still on the airwaves with her kids radio show, but she's also planning to release more music, keep on dancing and continue to champion the Mental Health Foundation.

So while our hearts break for her, Suzy is drying her tears and preparing for world dominatrix-ism. I mean domination.

Viewers can help keep their favourite dancer in the competition by texting their first name to 3333 - each text costs 99c and net proceeds go to that star's chosen charity.

DWTS NZ airs Sundays 7pm and Mondays 7.30pm on Three, and all episodes can be viewed again on ThreeNow.

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