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When a host says to one contestant that they are no longer part of the show, what verb do you use?
Obviously, you can't say 'fire' because it's not that they are the host's employee. The same goes for 'sack'. 'Give the boot'? Maybe. But what is a neutral way to say that? 'Exclude'? No. 'Expel'? I don't think so. I can't figure it out myself, please assist.
Seriously, to eliminate is the one which springs to my mind:
to remove from further competition by defeating
// the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs
(source: Merriam-Webster)
"You've been eliminated." would be a normal phrase to say to such a candidate. It's as neutral as far as can be in this situation.
It's pretty common to say someone or a team is "eliminated" when they are removed from a competition before the final event.
For example a basketball team that loses in an early round of a multi-round tournament is "eliminated". (And we even call this kind of tournament a "single-elimination" tournament)
This can also apply in a game show if contestants are removed at intermediate points in the competition.
