LAUNCH SHOW

Blimey, it's that time of year again! Before we know it, it'll be the 'C' word (I refuse to type the whole word on the grounds that it's the beginning of September!).

"Rhinestone envy!"

I like the male pro dancers in their black tuxes!

Now they're in white tuxes. I think I prefer the black.

Aww, words about Bruce.

New head judge, Shirley Ballas.

Ooh, liking Chizzy's dress!

Joe McFadden in an interesting shirt.

I wish they'd cut the flannel and get on with it!

First lot of celebs for pairing up:-

GEMMA ATKINSON (Em****ale) - ALJAZ

DEBBIE McGEE (Wife of Paul Daniels) - GIOVANNI

CHIZZY AKODULU (Holby City) - PASHA

RUTH LANGSFORD (TV Presenter) - ANTON

More flannel, because we didn't have enough earlier!

Introducing Head Judge Shirley. Blimey, she's won loads of championships! It'll be interesting to see how she does.

Our arms are as long as our legs? Really?

Three new female pros - Amy, Diane and Nadia. Great dance number.

Next lot of celebs to be paired up:-

ASTON MERRYGOLD (from boyband JLS) - JEANETTE

REV RICHARD COLE (Vicar, broadcaster and former member of the Communards) - DIANE

DAVOOD GHIDAMI (EastEnders) - NADIA

SIMON RIMMER (Celebrity Chef) - KAREN

Musical guest - Shania Twain. Slightly random, having a musical guest in the middle of all the pairing of celebs and pros, but I do like Shania.

Last year's winners - ORE and JOANNE - Fast and furious recap of their jive!

Tribute to Bruce - Aww, so many great moments. Nice dance, but it would have been nice to use the Bruce version they just showed.

CHARLOTTE HAWKINS (Good Morning Britain) - BRENDAN

MOLLIE KING (from girl group the Saturdays) - AJ

SUSAN CALMAN (Comedienne) - KEVIN

ALEXANDRA BURKE (Singer/Musical Theatre Performer/X-Factor winner) - GORKA

Musical guest 2 - Rita Ora. There's a lot of red on the stage/in the lighting/in Rita's trousers! The song's a bit meh.

Celebs meeting Pros VT.

Last lot of celebs for pairing:-

JOE McFADDEN (Holby City) - KATYA

JOHNNY PEA**** (Paralympian) - OTI

BRIAN CONLEY (Comedian/TV star) - AMY

Phew! They're all paired up now!

The group dance - Footloose. The camerawork is making it hard to get a good look. Joe looks very smiley, Debbie is looking good, Johnny looks solid, Mollie looks good. Loved Rev Richard!

Thanks Jo great as usual looking forward to reading coming weeks

Thanks Jo, I'm waiting for the actual show next week to start watching so it's nice to see what couples will be dancing together.

WEEK 1

It's the first live Strictly show!

Interesting pro dance to start us off. Not sure about the ladies' pink dresses, but Oti looks pretty in her white one. Ooh, the pink dresses have changed to white ones! Very clever!

Tess has come as a Quality Street choc, and Claudia is a stick of Liquorice!

The judges!

Ooh, Ruth looks nice. Yay, Chizzy! Rev Richard's white suit! Joe looks like he's going bowling!

No public vote.

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Cha Cha Cha)
Gemma's dress looks like it's made of smoked salmon! Not bad for a first attempt, but needs more movement and fluidity!

BRIAN & AMY (Tango)
Blimey, a really tough dance to start with! A bit heavy footed. Needs more bounce and passion.

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Waltz)
A good effort. Graceful and light. Alex's dress is lovely.

SIMON & KAREN (Paso Doble)
Another tough dance to start! Stompy and a bit stiff.

CHARLOTTE & BRENDAN (Foxtrot)
A decent effort. A bit tentative in places, but Charlotte is light on her feet.

CHIZZY & PASHA (Cha Cha Cha)
Chizzy playing a doctor in her dance! Could do with a bit more movement, but energetic and fun nonetheless.

JONNIE & OTI (Waltz)
Watching Jonnie, you forget that he's missing a lower leg! A good first effort, needs to relax a bit, I think.

JOE & KATYA (Jive)
Blimey, another tough dance to start with! Joe's face when was told they're doing the jive! Lots of energy and bounce! Well done! Go, Go, Go Joe! Do you think they'll make him dance to something from 'Joseph' at some point?

SUSAN & KEVIN (Viennese Waltz)
Another really hard dance for week 1! That was lovely - she handled it well. Some nice spins!

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Paso Doble)
Very good! Debbie is very graceful and elegant, and has the passion of the dance down to a tee!

DAVOOD & NADYA (Cha Cha Cha)
Davood is very bendy! I liked that. Lots of smouldering and fluidity!

RUTH & ANTON (Waltz)
A nice effort. A bit tentative in places, but quite graceful and elegant.

REV RICHARD & DIANE (Cha Cha Cha)
Nice, subtle staging! That was so much fun to watch! Lots of energy!

MOLLIE & AJ (Jive)
AJ still looks about 16! This jive doesn't seem as fast or bouncy as Joe's. It needs more speed and less elegance.

ASTON & JANETTE (Foxtrot)
Nicely done - looks good to me. The only wobble was when Aston nearly fell off the bannister at the beginning. Apart from that, good job!

It's been a good show tonight. To say it was two and a half hours long, it went pretty quickly, which is always a good sign!

Blimey, week 2 Charlestons! That seems really early to be doing that!

It was a l-o-n-g show. I went to the loo when the started the recap at the end, and they still hadn't finished when I came back (sorry to lower the tone, ladies ).

I thought I would miss Len, but I really liked Shirley, the new judge. Her comments were constructive and fair.

Interesting that Shirley Ballas is a judge - her son, Mark Ballas, is a regular on the US Dancing With The Stars and also appeared in the US Tour of Jersey Boys when it was in L.A. last spring.

The "small world" of ballroom dancing.

It has taken me a while to catch up on all things "Strictly" and I have to say that I am loving this years line up.
Some movers and shakers. some surprises and lots of glitter.
I hope that we will see lot's of the Holby cast and crew in the audience supporting their friends and colleagues

WEEK 2

Slightly later than usual (and via iplayer), here are my thoughts on week 2. It's the first time this series that the public vote will come into play, and someone will leave the dancefloor!

Claudia has come as Morticia from the 'Addams Family'!

Loving Darcy's dress, but Craig's quiff is huge!

Anton looks like he's joined a Barbershop Quartet. Chizzy looks nice. Joe looks like he's about to play snooker...in 1977! Meanwhile, Johnny looks like he's about to do a line dance!

CHIZZY & PASHA (Foxtrot)
It took a while to get going, but a fun, entertaining dance.

ASTON & JANETTE (Salsa)
Blimey, that was energetic! Overall, good, but loads of lifts, and a couple looked a bit ungainly.

SUSAN & KEVIN (Charleston)
Loads of fun, but didn't have the bounce or swivel.

I'd love to see Lee do a Charleston - I could imagine him dancing to 'Ole Bamboo'!

CHARLOTTE & BRENDAN (Cha Cha Cha)
She's tall and slim and looks great in that dress. Brendan seemed to be channelling John Travolta! Was hesitant a couple of times and almost fell over when she was doing the crouching spin thing.

JOE & KATYA (Tango)
Another dance with a lot of faff at the beginning (not keen on the music for a tango, either), but when it got going, it was fast and furious. Joe can certainly move!

BRIAN & AMY (Cha Cha Cha)
Stompy and was out of time on a couple of occasions, but overall, it was fun.

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Waltz)
Lovely and graceful. Not sure if she went slightly wrong at one point, but overall, really nicely done.

I love that piece of music (originally from a film version of Romeo & Juliet, I believe, but it also used to be the music pla*** in the 'Our Tune' segment of Simon Bates' radio show). Imagine Lee singing that...in Italian! *THUD!!!*

Ahem...back to the show!

REV RICHARD & DIANE (American Smooth)
I love the Rev! He's just so...Vickery! A fun dance, which veered into 'Dad Dancing' territory!

RUTH & ANTON (Charleston)
Not quite fast or frenetic enough for the music, but a good stab at it, nonetheless.

SIMON & KAREN (Waltz)
Seemed a bit stuttery in places, but quite touching.

MOLLIE & AJ (Tango)
Good, but again, not keen on the music and my mind wondered a bit.

JONNIE & OTI (Jive)
He's dancing on a blade (for the bounce, obviously). Wow, good job!

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Viennese Waltz)
Very good! Lovely and graceful!

DAVOOD & NADYA (Quickstep)
Great fun with lots of speed and bounce! Davood can dance!

ALEXANRA & GORKA (Paso Doble)
Great stuff! Like Debbie last week, Alex 'gets' this dance! Love the attitude and the sharpness of the movements!

I don't want anyone to leave this week!

Top for me tonight were Alex/Gorka, Davood/Nadya, Debbie/Giovanni and Joe/Katya!

Bottom Two could be anyone from the bottom four or five couples, I think.

WEEK 2 - RESULTS

Lively and energetic pro dance. The projections of the bowling alleys on the floor look fab! I wonder where that ball went at the end?

The front part of Claudia's skirt is missing, and the top part of Tess' dress looks like it was cut out and sewn up in the dark!

Recap. The celebs are just realising that someone has to go home tonight.

Jonnie's Jive. My mum's comment on it this morning - "I couldn't do that with two legs!"

RESULTS Pt 1

The 'tense' music reminds me of ADWD, when Lee was standing on the stairs, all clenchy jawed and anxious as he awaited his fate!

First couple in the dance-off - Chizzy & Pasha

Not 100% surprised, as they were near the bottom of the judges' leader board, and that's a danger area.

Guest Performer - Emilie Sande. She seems to be going overboard on the vibrato. Not overly keen on the song.

Len's Lens (except that it isn't called that now)

Simon's frame and spin slip up
Debbie makes it look effortless
Charlestons
Alexandra & Gorka - highest score of the evening

RESULTS Pt 2

Second couple in the dance-off - Brian & Amy

Again, a couple in the danger area near the bottom of the judges' leader board.

Next week is Movie Week!

DANCE-OFF

CHIZZY & PASHA
That seemed pretty much as she did it the first time - feisty and fun.

BRIAN & AMY
A couple of stutters, but fun, nonetheless.

Couple leaving - CHIZZY & PASHA

Aww, that's a shame (though I didn't want Brian & Amy to leave, either).

I wonder if the two Holby stars split the Holby fan vote? A bit odd, having two on the show.

I don't like seeing people upset.

She was desperately upset, wasn't she? Always a shame when the bottom two are not the worst performers, but that's the way of the vote.

I would have kept her. I read somewhere that BC's fee was very high so maybe someone somewhere wanted their money's worth ....... as I said, just something I read.

WEEK 3 - MOVIE WEEK

Pro dance (with celebs) based on La La Land.

Tess looks like a Christmas cracker.

Shirley looks like she's wearing armbands!

Blimey, some ropey costumes tonight! Rev Richard as Flash Gordon!

SIMON & KAREN (Quick Step)
Not much finesse - Simon looks like he's running rather then dancing at some points.

RUTH & ANTON (Rumba)
Not a fan of the Rumba (which I might have mentioned once or twice before ). Lacking in fluidity and sensuality. BTW - why was Anton not wearing a white shirt and bowtie? Seems a bit odd.

MOLLIE & AJ (American Smooth)
Not sure the music choice (Climb Every Mountain) really works for an AS. Mostly graceful (apart from the 'legs akimbo' moment! ). Good job.

REV RICHARD & DIANNE (Paso Double)
Shades of John Sergeant! Stompy, but fun.

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Quick Step)
Light and bouncy. Good job!

BRIAN & AMY (American Smooth)
Sweet, with some nice scarecrow acting from Brian. Though I do keep getting Fiyero flashbacks when I see that scarecrow outfit!

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Charleston)
Aww, cute Giraffes! Could have done with a bit more bounce from Gemma, but otherwise, entertaining and well done.

CHARLOTTE & BRENDAN (Tango)
Much better than last week. Seemed OK to me. Could perhaps have been slightly sharper in the movements.

JONNIE & OTI (Paso Double)
Perhaps not as forceful in his movements as he could have been, but energetic and fun. Liked that!

SUSAN & KEVIN (Samba)
Lots of energy and fun. Good job.

JOE & KATYA (Viennese Waltz)
Loved that. Lots of spins and drama. Not sure about that 'tache, though. It makes him look like Super Mario (from the computer game)!

ASTON & JANETTE (Cha Cha Cha)
Lots of flexibility, bounce and speed. Excellent!

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (American Smooth)
Seemed 'Loverly' to me! No obvious mistakes, light and graceful.

DAVOOD & NADIYA (Samba)
Wow, loads of energy and speed. I think Bruno looks as if he's about to expire!
Really well done!

I'd say that the last four couples were the top ones of the night for me! Bottom two - Rev Richard & Dianne and Ruth & Anton.

WEEK 3 - MOVIE WEEK - RESULTS

A Disney themed pro dance. Great stuff!

Tess is missing the bottom half of her dress and Claudia is wearing Shirley's armbands from last night!

The recap.

Results Pt 1

First couple in the DO is SIMON & KAREN

Not one of the bottom two couples on the judges' leaderboard

Guest performer - Sheridan Smith. Good performance.

DANCE DEBRIEF (FORMERLY LEN'S LENS)

Susan's Samba
Mollie's American Smooth - core strength
The 10 Second Rule
Joe's Viennese Waltz - never feel interrupted

Results Pt 2

Second couple in the DO is REV RICHARD & DIANNE

Bottom of the leaderboard, so not a shock.

Did they used to have each couple's light going out as they were told they were through? I'm sure they did!

THE DANCE-OFF

SIMON & KAREN
Better than in the main show.

REV RICHARD & DIANNE
Entertaining, but not well executed from a technical perspective.

Couple leaving - REV RICHARD & DIANNE

The right decision, I think.

A happier ending than last week, which is nice.

WEEK 4

"I have so much more to give!" I can't believe Joe said that!

Brendan looks like he's dressed for Panto (last year's Palladium one!)

Tess is wearing wallpaper while Claudia is dressed as an armchair!

Simon looks like he's auditioning for the role of Joseph, while Brian looks like he's auditioning for the role of Pharoah!

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Cha Cha Cha)
Giovanni looks like the UPS man from 'Legally Blonde'!
Good job. Debbie knows how to sell a dance.

Is this the first series where we've been introduced to the singers? Usually, we just hear them.

BRIAN & AMY (Paso Double)
A bit flat-footed, and could have done with the movements in places to be a bit sharper, but a decent stab at it.

MOLLIE & AJ (Salsa)
Looks good, but Mollie seems a bit mannered in her movements.

DAVOOD & NADYA (Viennese Waltz)
A combination of elegance and passion. I liked that.

Incidentally, I wonder what they would do if someone had serious issues with motion sickness/dizziness, which meant that they couldn't do the VW? Would they be allowed to swap to another dance? Would the audience be allowed to vote without them doing the dance?

CHARLOTTE & BRENDAN (Jive)
Like Mollie, Charlotte is a bit tense and stiff. Needs more bounce.

JOE & KATYA (Cha Cha Cha)
Lots of energy and suppleness. Good to see a celeb being a bit more relaxed and natural in their movements.

RUTH & ANTON (Tango)
Not bad. Ruth could do with a bit more attack in her movements.

ASTON & JANETTE (Quickstep)
Wow, some really high jumps, there. Loads of energy, but could have done with a bit more elegance.

SIMON & KAREN (Samba)
Cheesetastic song choice! A bit stiff and flat-footed.

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Paso Double)
Some good attack and attitude there. I think there was one moment when Gemma was slightly out of time, but other than that, good effort.

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Jive)
Great job! Fierce and with attitude!

JONNIE & OTI (American Smooth)
Blimey that opening lift (or was it a drop) looked dangerous! Very dramatic. I enjo*** that!

SUSAN & KEVIN (Quickstep)
Loving the Unicorn eyemask! Brings back memories of a certain person's 'Grumpy But Gorgeous' eyemask! Aah, that dance was loads of fun!

Bottom two tonight - Simon/Karen and Brian/Amy, I think, though Debbie/Giovanni could be in danger (I can't see them not being saved in a DO at this stage, though).

WEEK 4 - RESULTS

The pro dance - at first I thought they were about to re-enact the CED scene from 'Joseph', when they dragged that dancer and threw him into a cell!
A bit of an odd dance, this.

Claudia has come as a humbug!

Darcy has taken Tess' wallpaper dress from last night and turned it into a trouser suit!

Recap.

I like that Jonnie's childhood surgeon was in the audience!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - DAVOOD & NADYA

Blimey, our first shock bottom 2 couple of the series!

Guest performer - Gregory Porter. Lovely voice. Effortless.

I'd love to hear Lee sing this song!

Dance Debrief

Shirley and Bruno chair dancing!
Alexandra's jive
Aston's feet
Charlotte's jive
Ruth & Anton's Tango

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - CHARLOTTE & BRENDAN

Not a shocker!

Is it me, or did the results announcement seem really long tonight, especially the second part?

DANCE-OFF

DAVOOD & NADYA
That seemed pretty much on a par with the main show version. Good job!

CHARLOTTE & BRENDAN
Still a bit stiff and inhibited.

Couple leaving - CHARLOTTE & BRENDAN

Yep, right choice. Davood and Nadya were streets ahead, both in the competition and in the DO.

WEEK 5

These "I Love Being On Strictly So Much!" VTs amuse me. I'd love someone to say "Actually, I'm finding being on Strictly extremely tedious!"

Claudia is wearing a 1970s frilly shirt!

Ooh, only thee judges! The scores will be low tonight, then.

Blimey, Joe's getting his chest out...and that's just for the couples' intro bit!

DAVOOD & NADIYA (Jive)
The chest showing is catching! That shirt is very tight! Not as bouncy as it could have been - a bit heavy footed (as Craig has just said). Fun start to the show, though.

MOLLIE & AJ (Viennese Waltz)
Lovely and graceful. Messed up slightly om the footwork during one of the spins. I thought Mollie was going to fall over when she walked away at the end! Luckily, she didn't! As a side note, I love Mollie's dress!

SIMON & KAREN (Charleston)
Simon is quite stiff legged. He needs more bounce, and, of course, swivel.

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Rumba)
Debbie is lithe limbed and elegant, but her movements need more fluidity and to be less mannered, I think.

I wish they'd stop doing these 'comedy' bits - my dog has better comic timing than Tess!

BRIAN & AMY (Jive)
Brian looks like a Banana! Some bounce and lots of fun, as expected. The 'flicks & Kicks' are a bit lacking.

SUSAN & KEVIN (Cha Cha Cha)
Was that a pic of Craig that Susan tore up? She's doing well. Lots of bounce and light on her feet.

ASTON & JANETTE (Waltz)
Graceful and elegant, though took a while to get into hold at the beginning. Nicely done. Blimey, more 'Chestoutitis'! It definitely seems to be catching!

RUTH & ANTON (Samba)
I love that there's a 'training plane' for cabin crew! Blimey, what's Anton wearing? He looks like a Flamingo! Ruth needs to relax a bit. The footwork needs...er...work.

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Foxtrot)
Good job. No major error that I can see. She managed the spins and seemed pretty confident.

JOE & KATYA (Paso Double)
Some nice moves from Joe. He hits (I mistyped 'hots' at first ) them well. A good effort from him. It shows what a difference proper paso music makes!

Incidentally...I'm now thinking of Lee doing a Paso with his chest out and striking those poses...*THUD*

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Samba)
Looking good again. She is a natural mover.

JONNIE & OTI (Quick Step)
It must be difficult for people who don't come from acting/performing backgrounds to act a dance. Nice and bouncy and lots of fun. Not quite at Aston levels of jumping (he was like a Gazelle!) and could have been a bit faster.

Alexandra/Gorka and Joe/Katya were my top two tonight. Bottom two - Simon/Karen and Ruth/Anton.

Blimey, a four way tie! This is what happens when there are only three judges!

Lee would do a mean Paso if he got the chance! I don't actually see the point of Tess and Claudia, they're really not amusing at all. I liked the 'Fit As A Fiddle' routine and Susan was lovely as usual. There's something about Ruth that annoys me but I do like Gemma more every week.

WEEK 5 - RESULTS

Pro dance - 60s speed dating! Did they have speed dating in the 60s? The mens' trousers are very tight - a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen!

Tess and Claudia's dresses were cut out in the dark!

I like Darcy's dress.

The recap...or as I like to call it, 'padding'!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - Simon & Karen

Not a surprise there.

Guest Performers - The Script. A nice song, but Danny needs to turn his mic up a bit.

DANCE DEBRIEF

A chassee (a collection of steps in threes)
Gemma stretching her neck
Joe's Paso piroettes
Craig's impression of Bruno

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - Brian & Amy

Again, not a surprise.

THE DANCE-OFF

SIMON & KAREN
Still a bit stiff and lacking in swivel.

BRIAN & AMY
The hip swivelling bit makes me Not great - there were a couple of moments where they lost synchronisation.

Couple leaving - Brian & Amy

I think I'd have saved Brian & Amy. Brian is able to sell a dance much better than Simon.

Apologies for being a bit late with my comments on this Saturday's ep.

WEEK 6 - HALLOWEEN WEEK

Blimey, when Anton spoke then, I thought it was Bruce! That'll teach me to keep my eyes on the TV!

Wouldn't Len be amongst the skelatial (is that a word?) judges?

Spooktacular pro/celeb group dance!

Blimey, Tess and Claudia actually look normal (as opposed to looking as if their dresses were cut out/sewn together in the dark)! Ironic, given that it's Halloween week!

Davood has his chest out already, and it's only the intro section! At this rate, he'll be down to his underpants by the time he does his dance!

JONNIE & OTI (Cha Cha Cha)
Odd theme for Halloween. Good fun though, with some great hip actions. Jonnie is so much more relaxed now, both in his dancing and generally. Good to see.

RUTH & ANTON (Quick Step)
It looks like Ruth has half the ITV Daytime presenting bods supporting her tonight! Aww, cute little rabbit in the VT! Anton with a fluffy tail! Nicely done. Much better than last week. Anton's rabbit ears look more like donkey ears! I'm now reminded of Lofty in the Holby ep where Dom made him don the rabbit ears!

SIMON & KAREN (American Smooth)
Tentative and stutter. This could have been fantastic in the hands of one of the stronger couples (or even Brian - pity he left last week). Incidentally, Simon's wig keeps distracting me - from a distance, it reminds me of Lee!

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Jive)
Could do with a bit more bounce. It was a bit heavy footed in parts.

JOE & KATYA (Foxtrot)
Loving the spider dog! Smoothly done. Lovely spins!

MOLLIE & AJ (Cha Cha Cha)
Slight stutter on the bit where AJ puts Mollie's arm around his neck, but otherwise was a good job.

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Tango)
Great stuff, though she's always great, and hasn't come into Strictly as a beginner (my mum just said "Of course she's good, she's been doing it all her life!" ).

DAVOOD & NADYA (Rumba)
Lots of chest from Davood. As Rumbas go, not too bad. Some nice moves. Was the projected pattern on the floor at the end supposed to be Davood's abs?

SUSAN & KEVIN (Foxtrot)
The Dragon has 'Chitty' wings! Has Kevin borrowed Simon's wig? Fun dance. Susan struggled a bit to keep up in the spins at the end. Otherwise, very entertaining.

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Charleston)
Well done. Lots of energy and bounce. Brilliant!

ASTON & JANETTE (Paso Double)
Another very good performance. I did prefer Joe's last week, though, simply because of the lovely shapes he made with his body, and the great music. Aston and Janette were lumbered with an odd song choice!

My top two - Alex/Gorka, Debbie/Gio (with Aston/Janette and Joe/Katya as third and fourth)

My bottom two - Simon/Karen and Ruth/Anton

WEEK 6 - HALLOWEEN WEEK - RESULTS

A suitably creepy pro dance to start with.

Claudia looks like her dress was made from a pair of d*** lace curtains, whilst Tess looks like she's wearing a sequinned bin bag!

The recap. Apparently, Scott was supposed to be Sweeney Todd! I'd never have guessed that.

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - Mollie & AJ

Ooh, a bit of a shocker there!

Guest Performers - Steps. Love this song, though it reminds me (especially the intro) of Abba!

DANCE DEBRIEF

Alex's core
Debbie & Giovanni - praise for their Charleston
Joe & Katya - storytelling in dance
Aston's Flamenco moves

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second cpuple in the DO - Simon & Karen

Not a surprise.

DANCE-OFF

SIMON & KAREN
Still stiff and tentative, but better than last night.

MOLLIE & AJ
Looking OK, if little mannered in places.

Couple leaving - SIMON & KAREN

Agree with that. It was a bit of a one sided DO, to be honest. Mollie and/or AJ would have to have fallen over and sta*** down to lose that DO!

I THOUGHT that was meant to be Sweeney Todd. They should have danced to 'A Little Priest' but maybe it was too controversial for a Saturday night!

WEEK 7

It's the half-way point! (In ADWD, wasn't the half-way point where Daniel went out? Blimey! )

Claudia is wearing a star chart, whilst Tess has no sleeves!

Davood's chest is covered up! Blimey, Aston's afro!

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Cha Cha Cha)
Fast and furious with lots of flexibility. Good job.

I wish Alex would calm down a bit. It's one thing to be happy/excited, but she's practically hysterical!

MOLLIE & AJ (Foxtrot)
Graceful and elegant. A slight stumble during one of the spins, but otherwise, lovely.

JOE & KATYA (Charleston)
Great stuff! Lots of bounce and swivel!

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Salsa)
OK. That first lift was a bit ungainly. Not bad, though.

ASTON & JANETTE (Viennese Waltz)
Nicely done. Lovely to watch, though the 70s clothing was a bit distracting!

Blimey, that 4 from Craig was a bit harsh!

RUTH & ANTON (Paso Double)
Great fun and lots of energy!

So Craig scored Aston and Ruth the same?

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Tango)
Sharp and precise - really well done.

JONNIE & OTI (Salsa)
Jonnie's got his chest out! The lifts are making me nervous, but they all went off without incident (or a trip to A & E!). Lots of fun!

SUSAN & KEVIN (Jive)
Aww, Susan's wife seems nice! A bouncy, energetic and fun jive!

DAVOOD & NADIYA (American Smooth)
Nice to see Davood doing a sweet dance that isn't all hot and steamy. Nicely done, and that lift was lovely (and solid...not a wobble in sight!).

My top 2 - Debbie/Gio and Joe/Katya

My bottom two - Should be Ruth/Anton and Susan/Kevin, but I enjo*** both, and I can see Mollie/AJ and Gemma/Aljaz being in danger (Aston's po****rity with the public could also be tested).

Some odd scoring tonight from Craig!

WEEK 7 - RESULTS

Pro dance - a Prince medley. Umbrellas in 'Purple Rain'! Shouldn't the pyrotechnics have gone up rather than down?

Claudia has come in her nightie, whilst Tess is wearing a bed sheet!

The recap.

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - ASTON & JANETTE

Blimey! What a shocker!

Guest performers - Stereophonics. I like the song, and the accompanying dance is lovely.

DANCE DEBRIEF

Davood & Nadiya's dance. That 'bum lift' was solid!
Gemma & Aljaz - how not to do a lift!
Craig on Debbie. Technically great dance
Alexandra & Gorka. Alex was a goddess
Ruth & Anton's comedy stumble

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - MOLLIE & AJ

MOLLIE & AJ
Nicely done. Corrected mistakes from the first time.

ASTON & JANETTE
Pretty much the same as in the main show.

Couple leaving - ASTON & JANETTE

When I mentioned the infamous ADWD Daniel shock boot in my Saturday show post, I didn't think we'd get something almost as shocking in this week's SCD! Blimey!


Incidentally, 10 years on, Lewis being saved over Daniel still baffles me!

It baffled me how Lewis managed to get so far in the competition and seeing as it was the public vote that sent him home, it does make me wonder what ALW had been planning.
The funny thing is that not everybody likes an obvious winner. I'm feeling it very much with Debbie at the moment. She's a good dancer but for me has the personality of a robot. (Not that Lee was ever like a robot, I hasten to add.)

The time was right for a shock result. It always happens a few weeks in, just when people are getting a bit complacent. The "comedy" and truly awful ones get the sympathy vote, the brilliant ones sail through, and the ones in the middle, or who haven't done anything to draw attention to themselves either way, get forgotten about by the voters.

I agree. If ALW had made the final decision we'd have never seen Lee wear that dreamcoat. Although he would have soon found work elsewhere because he has the talent.

Remember 'it's a puppet'? When Craig bowed to Debbie I went "It's a robot." I can be so mean at times.

WEEK 8

Aah, it's the "I'd sell my own Granny to make it through to Blackpool!" VT!

Tess is wearing some bandages and bedsheets (borrowed from 'Casualty'?) while Claudia looks like a stick of liquorice!

I'm sure that Craig's quiff is getting larger every week!

Davood is dressed as Caractacus Potts!

Alex is wearing a black lace curtain!

SUSAN & KEVIN (Tango)
A bit tentative at first. Seems to be OK, but perhaps lacks a bit of the sultriness and sharpness that the tango needs.

JOE & KATYA (Rumba)
Seems OK, but the Rumba baffles me. It seems to be a lot of walking about and looking intense (so should be right up Lee's alley, if he decides to do Strictly! ). Decent stab at it by J & K.

RUTH & ANTON (Foxtrot)
Mack The Knife! Memories of Lee tapdancing down the stairs! OK from R & A, but a bit pedestrian. Ruth seems a bit stiff and she lacks the performance skills to sell a 'straight' dance. I have to say, though, Anton looks good in his black tie/tails combo!

DAVOOD & NADIYA (Charleston)
Fun and bouncy, with lots of Nadiya being thrown around! Loving that over the shoulder lift/throw at the end!

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Viennese Waltz)
Gemma seems to be struggling a bit to keep up with the speed. Recovered well, though, and a nice long and fast spin at the end.

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Argentine Tango)
Looks very good, but a bit ungainly. Also, it took a while to get going - the 'coming down the steps' bit took a long time.

MOLLIE & AJ (Pasa Double)
Looks good. Perhaps could do with more attitude from Mollie - she seems a bit mannered.

JONNIE & OTI (Foxtrot)
Nice and graceful. Footwork slightly stuttery in places, but as my mum keeps pointing out "HE ONLY HAS ONE LEG!"

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Salsa)
Looking good. Like Mollie, Debbie is a bit mannered. Blimey, they did a headbanger! Impressive!

My top two would be Alex and Davood. Bottom two should be Ruth and either Jonnie or Mollie.

WEEK 8 - RESULTS

Opening pro dance - a 'Remembrance' themed dance.

Tess and Claudia are dressed ien black.

The recap.

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - JONNIE & OTI

Not a surprise as they were bottom 2 with the judges.

Poppy Selling VT

Guest Performer - Seal. Lovely voice, but the mic seems turned down again. Lovely accompanying dance.

DANCE DEBRIEF

Joe's rumba
Davood's Charleston - great lifts
Alex's AT
Debbie
Blackpool - Biggest venue in the world?

RESULTS PT 2 - Second couple in the DO - Ruth & Anton

Not a surprise again, as they were dead bottom with the judges.

Blackpool VT

DANCE-OFF

RUTH & ANTON
Oops, a mistake from Ruth at the beginning. Tentative, and she's still not selling the dance.

JONNIE & OTI
Again, a bit tentative, but seems OK. Some lovely graceful moments.

Couple going home - RUTH & ANTON

I agree with that. Ruth is easily the weakest dancer left, so it's right that she left.

Why do the saved celebs always talk about the leaving celeb as if they've died?

WEEK 9 - BLACKPOOL

The Tower Ballroom does look lovely!

I like the B&W into colour thing. Now it's very colourful!

'Let Me Entertain You' reminds me of Keith in ADWD!:laughing:

Tess is rocking the 'Mustard Plaster' look, while Claudia is wearing a green curtain, complete with pelmet!:laughing:

Blimey, there's some serious echo going on!

Debbie looks...er...interesting! Joe looks like a kids' TV presenter!:laughing:

MOLLIE & AJ (Charleston)
A Nana!:grin: A bit mannered (again!). Mollie needs to 'let go' a bit. Oops, that lift was a bit of a 'lifting a sack of spuds' moment!

Blimey, Graham Norton in the audience! Actually, I think he'd make a fab 'Strictly' presenter, with just the right amount of snark!:laughing:

Peter Kay!:laughing:

SUSAN & KEVIN (Paso Double)
Kevin has his chest out! A fun, entertaining dance, as expected! It made me:relaxed: I was slightly disappointed that we didn't get Craig leaping out of his seat and shouting "YOU'RE DISQUALIFIED!" as in the film!:laughing:

Incidentally, if Lee ever does Strictly, and does a paso with his chest out (like Kevin), I think I may pass out!:dizzy_face:

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Samba)
Blimey, that wig is seriously scary!:astonished: Looks good. Nice fluid spins.

Lennie Henry in the audience! Blimey, it's a celeb fest!

JONNIE & OTI (Tango)
Blackpool Tower looking very pink! Some nice moves. Could be crisper and sharper.

GEMMA & ALJAZ (American Smooth)
Looks OK. Could have been a bit lighter footed, but nicely done.

DAVOOD & NADIYA (Paso Double)
Indoor skydiving! Blimey! Ooh, good body shapes and athleticism! Good job!

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Quick Step)
Very good! Fast paced and bouncy, though seemed more like a Charleston at times. Great to watch, though! Incidentally, Alex suits that look!

JOE & KATYA (Salsa)
The chest pump! I could swear Lee did that in a ADWD VT (I think?)! Riding on a clock? That's a bit literal! Good job they're not doing 'I'll Make Love To You' by Boyz II Men!:laughing: Lots of energy and totally lift-tastic!

The second half of the show was definitely better than the first, but overall, a fun and engaging show!

Blimey, Joe's top is green! I think that's what you call 'Radioactive Kermit'!:laughing:

WEEK 9 - BLACKPOOL - RESULTS

Ooh, Northern Soul pro dance! Oh dear, Anton trying to be down with the (1970s) kids!:laughing:

Claudia has raided Bet Lynch's wardrobe, while Tess looks like she's been tarmac'd!:laughing:

Part of Darcey's skirt is missing!

The recap!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - Debbie & Giovanni

Ooh, a shocker!

Blimey, Davood might as well have not bothered wearing that 'shirt' - you can see everything!:astonished:

Guest Performers (1) Tears For Fears. I remember them first time around! The mics need turning up. Great song, though.

DANCE DE-BRIEF

Davood's 'Twist Turns'
Alexandra's 'spring'
Susan's skirt
Gemma's first 10s

Paso Double-thon - Oh God!:grimacing:

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - JONNIE & OTI

Not a shocker.

I wonder if Graham Norton was having flashbacks to the Casting Shows during the results?:laughing:

Guest Performers 2 - Michael Ball & Alfie Boe. Oooh, NYNY! Wonder if Graham is having another flashback?:laughing: Blimey, Lee's ADWD version was better than this! Sorry, but Ball and Boe's voices just don't blend, and the beginning sounded too low for Michael.

DANCE-OFF

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI
A bit hectic. Not sure about those Samba rolls, but the dance is pretty much on par with what they did in the main show.

JONNIE & OTI
Again, on a par with what they did in the main show.

Couple leaving - Jonnie & Oti

Predictable, really. I just wish the judges had stopped going on about Jonnie's bum/balance. He wears a prosthetic, so will always be slightly unbalanced no matter what he does!

Sometimes it's not always the most professional singers who give the best performance and I felt that was true of Michael and Alfie. I switched on a little late and was thrilled to bits that Debbie might be going. I loathed that last song she danced to. Oh Johnny if only you could have pulled your bum in a little more! Never mind, lovely Mollie's still there.

The sad thing is, Jonnie wouldn't have been able to pull his bum in more, because he's an amputee, and wearing a prosthetic means he'll always be slightly off balance (and have a slightly sticky out bum!).

Debbie's song, outfit and wig were all terrible. I felt for her, though it was fascinating to see her in the DO. There was a point in the DO dance when Giovanni looked as if he was hefting around a sack of spuds - I think that's what they call a 'Samba roll' but it looked more like dragging than rolling!

Ooh, the forum's gone weird! :upside_down_face: As have the emojis!

Something of a discrepancy in judges' decisions over the last few weeks. When Aston was voted off, they were told in no uncertain terms by Tess to judge the dancers purely on the dance-off, so he went. Yet in Debbie's case, it was decided to keep her because she had been the better dancer overall so far. Hmm.

I know that really, but the judges should have allowed for it a little more. I do know that I'd rather see Jonnie's bottom than Debbie's face. Not that she's ugly - her face would be quite acceptable in a nice 'goodbye Strictly' photo! I just can't warm to the woman.

WEEK 10

Oh God, tonight it's the Paso Double-thon!:grimacing:

Tess looks very...pink, while Claudia is wearing Tess' tarmac dress from last week!:laughing:

Mollie is wearing a mosaic, while Joe is channeling Caractacus Potts this week!

JOE & KATYA (Quick Step)
Lots of bounce and energy. Well done.

Why is there so much noise and movement whenever Claudia is going through the terms and conditions? Very odd.

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Rumba)
Technically looks good, but not getting the emotion. Then again, I find it hard to 'get' the rumba - it always looks to me like lots of posing and walking around on tiptoes!

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Samba)
Looks OK - not as fast and furious as some Sambas I've seen, but some nice moments, and the Samba rolls looked better than Debbie's last week.

Blimey, those 6s were a bit harsh!

Claudia has really overdone it with the fake tan this week!:grimacing:

MOLLIE & AJ (Quick Step)
Aww, Mollie's nephew is soooo cute!:smile: Some nice moments, but I think Mollie seemed to struggle to keep up on a couple of occasions.

DAVOOD & NADIYA (Waltz)
Graceful and elegant. Nicely done.

Davood looks great in his tails and Nadiya's dress is gorgeous!:grinning:

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Argentine Tango)
Looks really good. Well done.

SUSAN & KEVIN (American Smooth)
Blimey, I thought Kevin was going to put his back out then, when he picked Susan up and sort of swung her round! Sweet, but lacking a bit of elegance and grace.

THE PASO DOUBLE-THON

This is going to be...interesting!

It's already looking a bit of a mess. I'm struggling to follow all the couples. A nice shape there from Joe and both Alex and Debbie are doing well. Glad everyone got to do the whole dance. They used to eliminate couples during the -athons!:grimacing:

Looking at those scores, it doesn't seem as if the Paso Double-thon has changed the order much.

OK, now, I really want to see Lee do a Paso!:grinning:

My top two - Joe/Katya and Debbie/Giovanni My bottom two - Susan/Kevin and Gemma/Aljaz

WEEK 10 - RESULTS

Fashion-based pro dance. Oti has incredible legs! Anton in a purple fur coat!:laughing:

Tess looks tubular, while Claudia appears to be wearing a nighty!

The recap!

The Paso Double-thon looks even odder in the recap!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - ALEXANDRA & GORKA

A shocker - though saying that, she was in a precarious place on the leader board.

Guest performer - Kelly Clarkson. Good voice. I remember her from 'American Idol' years ago (she won her series).

DANCE DE-BRIEF

Joe & Katya - hands behind back move (that was impressive, to be fair, as was the 'back to back' move)
Davood & Nadiya - Acting and becoming a true artist
Debbie needed a floppier leg
Mollie & AJ - light and bright

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - SUSAN & KEVIN

Not a shocker, though it pretty much renders the DO a pointless exercise.

Ooh, Davood doing Argentine Tango next week - looking forward to that!:grin:

THE DANCE-OFF

ALEXANDRA & GORKA
As with the first time they did it, well executed, but lacking emotion. I think that was better, though.

SUSAN & KEVIN
Sweet, but lacking technique. Blimey, I thought Susan was going to fall off the bench, then!:grimacing:

Couple leaving - SUSAN & KEVIN

It was their time to go. The others are so far ahead. That being said, Susan has done really well, and Kevin has been great with her!:relaxed:

Oooh, Musicals Week next week!:grinning: If Joe needs any advice, a certain Holby co-star knows all about Musicals!:grinning:

I love Susan as a person but do feel she's done very well to get this far. Looking forward to Musicals Week very much.

WEEK 11 - MUSICALS WEEK

Pro/Celeb dance to songs from 'Oliver!'

Someone's ripped Claudia's trousers, and Tess is wearing a blue satin bag!

The same person who ripped Claudia's trousers has also attacked Darcy's skirt!

Joe's got his arms out! Gorka looks like a stick of rock! Gemma looks like the long toffee from Quality Street! Mollie looks like she forgot to get ready and is still in her normal clothes/hair/make-up!

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Quick Step)
Gemma struggling to keep up in a couple of the faster bits. Some nice footwork, though. I think Gemma has a tendency towards being a bit heavy footed.

Russell Grant as a genie!:laughing:

MOLLIE & AJ (Rumba)
Mollie seems a bit flat-footed. Not much rumba movement. A bit of a weird song, this. It's actually a song of heartbreak and yearning, but Mollie is grinning all the way through.

Blimey, those 9s were a bit generous!

JOE & KATYA (Samba)
An odd choice of dance for Musicals week, but that looked good. The samba rolls didn't look like Joe was hefting around a bag of spuds, which I was relieved about.

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (American Smooth)
Lovely and graceful. A slight wobble on the first pivot. Otherwise, really good!

DAVOOD & NADIYA (Argentine Tango)
Davood as the Phantom! Needs more attitude and the moves could be cleaner. That being said, POTO is a really odd song choice for an AT!

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Charleston)
Not as light on her feet as I expected (those boots don't help) and seemed, at times, to be a bit ungainly, but good swivel! Incidentally, what on earth was going on with that dress - awful!

A grumble from me about tonight's songs. All good songs, but some really don't fit the dances they're for! Debbie and Alex had good/appropriate song choices, but Gemma's was too slow for a QS, Davood's wasn't an AT and Joe got stuffed on both dance and song choice! I just wish everyone could have a decent song choice for their dance (and in Joe's case, a decent dance choice for the theme - he hasn't done an AS, Waltz or AT yet, all of which would have been more suitable for Musicals week).

My bottom two - Mollie/AJ and Gemma/Aljaz.

WEEK 11 - MUSICALS WEEK - RESULTS

Pro dance - Dreamgirls. The singers of this are the actual Dreamgirls (from the WE show). Lovely!:relaxed:

Claudia is wearing wrapping paper, while someone has painted a white line across Tess.

The recap! "Everyone looks amazing!" Hmmmm!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO is - DAVOOD & NADIYA

An AT to POTO was never going to end well!

Guest Performers - The Leading Ladies 'Beverly Knight, Amber Riley & Cassedy Janssen. Excellent!:relaxed:

DANCE DE-BRIEF

Debbie's dismount!
Gemma & Aljaz - Darcy wanted more!
Alex and Gorka - where's Craig's '10' paddle?
Joe's characterisation
Ed's dance-floor invasion!:laughing:

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - ALEX & GORKA

It really should have been a Gemma V Mollie DO in my opinion.

THE DANCE-OFF

DAVOOD & NADIYA
Still a bit clunky in places, but seems better than the first time.

ALEX & GORKA
About the same as the first time. Good, but ungainly.

Couple leaving - DAVOOD & NADIYA

Right decision based on the DO, but I don't think either couple should have been there!

Loving Davood's farewell song - I'm getting HDYSAPLM flashbacks! Nice to see a fun song as the farewell song.

Alex doesn't seem to be connecting with the public. It's like she read the 'how to connect with the public' handbook, then did the opposite of what it said! She needs to dial it back a bit. I much prefer contestants who don't feel the need to be 'front & centre' or gush all the time. I think that's one reason I took to Lee in ADWD - there was a quiet dignity about him, and an air of mystery.

Oh blimey, Alex just said (of Davood) "He's like a brother to me!" Just...no!:grimacing:

As somebody who doesn't know much about the technical side of dancing but know what I like, I have to say I was delighted that both Gemma and Mollie were saved. They're such lovely people. I do think though that Hello Dolly doesn't work out of the context of the musical - she's a widow who's suddenly decided to rejoin the human race again and there wasn't really time to put that over.

WEEK 12 - SEMI-FINAL

So...each couple this week does two dances.

Moody, pretentious VT to start!:laughing:

There are several people in the opening credits that I keep forgetting were in this year's series!

Tess has come as the Strawberry Cream Quality Street chocolate, while Claudia is wearing a lot of fringing!

Shirley is also dressed as a Quality Street chocolate (the coconut one?).

Blimey, Mollie is also dressed as a Quality Street chocolate (toffee?).

JOE & KATYA (American Smooth)
Smooth and elegant. Nice lifts (and not too many). Well done!:relaxed:

Blimey, Kevin's shirt is open to his navel!:laughing:

Last year's winner, Ore, showing us his enormous...glitterball!:laughing:

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Viennese Waltz)
Looks good, and the spins are well executed. No errors that I could see. Again, well done!:relaxed: Love Alex's dress!

Danny Mac and Judge Rinder (from last year's series) in the audience! It's hard to believe that Danny once pla*** Boq in 'Wicked'! He's way too good looking!:grin:

MOLLIE & AJ (Samba)
Not bad. The Samba Rolls are a bit stiff. She definitely needs to loosen up a bit!

Craig gave them a 4! Blimey!:astonished:

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Rumba)
"Do this for the North!" Oh dear...and I say that as someone from the North!:disappointed: Needs to be smoother in her movements. A bit stuttery in places.

Bruno nearly took Shirley out then when he was demonstrating the swaying motion!:laughing:

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Jive)
Walking down the stairs as they light up. Didn't Lee do that in ADWD?:grin: Debbie was flinging her legs about, but she looked a bit ungainly at times. Fast and energetic though.

JOE & KATYA (Argentine Tango)
Great stuff! Moody and sharp!:relaxed: Loved the 'Katya lifting Joe with her legs' bit at the end!:grin:

Ooh, Mr Hanssen in the audience! Nice to see him being so supportive of his staff!

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Salsa)
Lots of energy! Looking good!:relaxed:

Blimey, I wish ALex would calm down a bit. Ditto Gorka. He shouldn't be grabbing Claudia like that either - it's the second time he's done it.

MOLLIE & AJ (Waltz)
Nice and graceful.

Good job those aren't real candles, or that dress would have gone up in smoke when Mollie sat down!

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Tango)
Looks good. Solid and purposful. A bit of a slip when Aljaz moved her around.

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Foxtrot)
Looks good. Elegant and she moved well.:relaxed:

Ooh, I like Oti's dress. Very pretty!:relaxed:

It should really be Alex/Joe/Debbie and one of Gemma/Mollie in the final, but the way the voting's gone so far, goodness knows who'll be in the DO tonight.

Aaah, the 'I really, really, really want to get through to the final' VT!

I'm sad. I love Mollie and can't abide Debbie but I've a feeling Mollie might be going home tomorrow. I'm not sure who I want to win as long as it's not Debbie.

WEEK 12 - SEMI-FINAL - RESULTS

A break-dancing Pro dance to start - are we back in the 80s?:laughing: It's very good, though!

Tess is missing half her top and Claudia is wearing her nightie!

"These creatures"? That's not a nice way to talk about the judges!:laughing:

The recap!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO is - Gemma & Aljaz

Not a great surprise.

Blimey, the other two couples have to wait to find out their fate? Why not just put them out of their misery now?

Loving the reactions of the couples who are safely through - I'm reminded of Lee when he was told he was through to the ADWD final, and he jumped off the stairs, startling Graham!:laughing:

Guest Performer - Craig David. Nice voice, but sounds like the mic needs turning up a bit.

DANCE DEBRIEF

Alex & Gorka - outstanding
Joe & Katya - balance issues, not playing it safe
Mollie & AJ - Waltz
Debbie & Gio - Foxtrot, beautiful
Dance Debrief - Judges' best bits

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO is - MOLLIE & AJ

Again, not unexpected. The right two couples in the DO, I think.

DANCE-OFF

MOLLIE & AJ
Not quite as graceful in the turns as last time, but not bad.

GEMMA & ALJAZ
Looks good. Lots of attitude and sharp moves.

Couple going home - MOLLIE & AJ

Right decision, I think, but always sad when someone goes out in the semi-final.

Ooh, Mollie & AJ's 'best bits'!

A genteel 'goodbye scrum'.

Sooo.....on to the Final!:grin:

WEEK 13 - THE FINAL!!!

The last four couples standing are going head-to-head for the Glitterball Trophy!

Joe in his vest in the intro VT!

Yet another intro VT! This time showing all the couples, not just the finalists.

Pro dance. Lots of hip wiggling...and ladies doing the splits! If I tried that, I'd end up in Casualty...and I'm not talking about the TV show!:laughing:

Cheesy intro for the finalists!

Tess is looking very pink, whilst the bottom of Claudia's dress has gone missing and has been replaced with some netting!

Three dances for each finalist tonight!

Ooh, Darcy's dress is gorgeous!

Judges' scores tonight are for 'guidence', so the result is decided by the public!

DANCE 1 - JUDGES' CHOICE

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (American Smooth)
Graceful and elegant. I liked this dance the first time around, and it's just as nice (or should that be 'loverly') this time around.

I just spotted Chizzy standing behind Alex and Gorka in the Clauditorium.

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Salsa)
The optician dance! It's a bit mannered, but pretty good. I'm not overly keen on the lifts. The headbanger scares me! Lively and fun, though.

GEMMA & ALJAZ (Paso Doble)
Good, strong movements. Looked to be well executed. I enjo*** that.

JOE & KATYA (Viennese Waltz)
I wonder what Joe is writing on that piece of paper? Lovely and graceful with some nice spins. I love that song.:relaxed:

The phonelines (and online) are now OPEN!!!

Recap of all the dances so far.

DANCE 2 - SHOWDANCE

Has Claudia just been spray tanned? She's suddenly sporting the ronseal look!:laughing:

ALEXANDRA & GORKA
Fast and furious. Lots of lifts and tricks. Well done, but it did feel a bit like everything but the kitchen sink had been included.

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI
Lovely and graceful. Lots of lifts, but a bit less 'everything but the kitchen sink' about it, which was nice.

GEMMA & ALJAZ
Good job Gemma's doing this dance, and not Alexandra - her name wouldn't fit on the dancefloor!:laughing: Another fast and furious one. As with Debbie's Salsa, not sure about the lifts, but an enjoyable routine, nontheless.

Incidentally, I can't help thinking that Gemma's song would be better suited to a Charleston. The same with Alexandra's.

JOE & KATYA
"He's dancing alone...with a shoe!":laughing: Wow, love the dress moment!:grin: Great fun and lots of bounce! Love the 'flip' lift at the end!

Just spotted Jonnie Pea**** - he's had a haircut! It looks good!

Recap of dances so far.

DANCE 3 - COUPLES' CHOICE

ALEXANDRA & GORKA (Jive)
Fast and furious once again. A lively and sparky jive.

DEBBIE & GIOVANNI (Argentine Tango)
Clean, sharp movements. Well done. Looked as good as the last time they did it.

GEMMA & ALJAZ (American Smooth)
Looks good. Graceful and smooth.

JOE & KATYA (Charleston)
Aww, Joe's nephews are so cute!:heart_eyes: I loved this dance first time around. Lots of bounce, energy and swivel. Well done.

Aww, Chizzy getting emotional for Joe.:relaxed:

VT featuring the Great British Public!

Ooh,Fletch and Serena from Holby!:grin:

Phone lines closing in 5 mins. I remember the clamour to vote in the ADWD final well...and the nerves, waiting for the result!:grimacing: I also remember Lee's voice on the vote line - he talked really fast!:laughing:

Guest Performer - Ed Sheeran. Good voice.

The phone lines are now CLOSED!!!

The Strictly contestants' VT. Brian's impression of the Voice Over Man!:laughing:

Strictly Contestants' group dance. Rev Richard on his cottom wool cloud!:laughing: Aston backflipping! A fun dance and nice to see everyone again!:relaxed:

Trailer for the Christmas Special...which was filmed weeks ago!:laughing:

Shout out for Jonnie's SPOTY nomination!:grin:

RESULT

The Winning Couple Are.................................................................JOE & KATYA!!!!!!!

Yay! I threw a vote their way tonight!:grin:

Well done to all the finalists! It has been a really good final!

A Lee-style hoist onto the other contestants' shoulders!:grin:

Great stuff!:relaxed:

Very happy with the result. I would have been happy with anybody but Debbie but Joe's worked really hard. I like that Ed Sheeran song. Talking of music, if anybody knows the name of that Argentine Tango I'd be very grateful. It almost made me like Debbie for five minutes. Then sanity took over again.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Merry Christmas everyone!:grin:

A group of celebs from Strictlys past...with completely different pro partners!

ROBBIE SAVAGE & DIANNE (American Smooth)
A bit clunky in places. Needs to be smoother.

Ooh, Joe (aka Strictly 2017 Winner) in the audience!

Christmas Tree shaped score paddles!:laughing:

Debbie, Brian, Gemma and Charlotte (?) from this year's series also in the audience!

JUDY MURRAY & NEIL (Charleston)
Judy's a bit stiff. She needs to loosen up and get a bit of bounce (and swivel).

COLIN JACKSON & AMY (Rumba)
Nice and graceful. Wow that lift/spin was fab! Good job!:relaxed:

Rev Richard from this year's series just spotted in the audience! Are they all there? Just spotted Jonnie P, so I guess they must be!

Blimey, a 9 from Craig! Has he been at the sherry?:laughing:

JEREMY VINE & KAREN (Quick Step)
Jeremy at the top of the Christmas tree!:laughing: Could have done with more bounce and speed, but a lot of fun. That 'lying on the floor and moving round in a circle' move was a bit random!:laughing:

Just spotted Davood in the audience.

Craig waving a 2 paddle, then changing it to a 7!:laughing:

KATIE DERHAM & BRENDAN (Viennese Waltz)
Graceful and elegant. Nice spins. Well done.:relaxed:

KIMBERLEY WALSH & PASHA (Jive)
Aww, cute little boys and adorable reindeer!:relaxed: Lots of energy and bounce. Great stuff!:grin:

Guest Performers - The Keiser Chiefs. Good fun, complete with Anton and Oti doing a Jive!

Strictly at THE Palace (the one where the queen lives!).

The Winning Couple is........................................KATIE & BRENDAN!!!

Right choice, I think. It was a lovely dance!:relaxed:

Final group dance! Bruno 'playing' the drums!:laughing: