Strictly Come Dancing dwell: Pete Wicks appeals for help forward of present’s semi-final tonight
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The Strictly Come Dancing final is now just days away and the remaining five contestants are battling it out in the show’s semi-final.
JB Gill and Lauren Oakley are among the couples performing tonight, having topped the leaderboard in the last love show for the second week running thanks to their Viennese Waltz to “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” from Mary Poppins.
Second place was tied, with both Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, and Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, landing 38 points for their routines, and they’re also both through to this week.
Gladiators star Montell Douglas and her dance partner Johannes Radebe were eliminated from the competition. The controversial result led Towie’s Pete Wicks to wonder if viewers were playing a “cruel joke” on him and partner Jowita Przystal.
Wicks has reached out to fans on social media for their support after mounting backlash about him still being in the competition despite being at the bottom of the leaderboard.
In a post on his Instagram, Wicks and Przystal are seen looking forlorn along with the caption: “Today is semi-finals day. It’s been 12 weeks of hard work, ups and downs…can we do the unthinkable? We would love your support tonight.”
Meanwhile, audiences were left frustrated after feeling that comedian Chris McCausland and partner Dianne Buswell had been under-marked.
Another celebrity will leave the competition on Sunday (8 December) night’s results show, which airs on BBC One at 7.20pm.
Judge tells JB: ‘You brought everything’
Here’s what the judges had to say about JB’s Paso Doble.
Motsi: “That dance was absolutely amazing. I loved the momentum, I loved the strength. You have gained leading and partnership skills and you delivered.”
“You brought everything to that,” Shirley said. “You went up a gear.”
“I got a little emotional at the end there…” admitted Anton.
And Craig? He struggled to find faults, but this is Craig we’re talking about, so he did manage to. “You need to point your foot… some of the steps I thought were overstepped as well, but I’ve got to say, full of content, powerful, dramatic, the cape exchanges [were] absolutely brilliant, darling.”
JB delivers a dramatic Paso Doble
JB’s Mary Poppins-themed waltz last Saturday really showed off his skills and his place at the top of the leaderboard was very well-deserved… but can he hold onto it this week?
His and Lauren’s first dance is a Paso Doble, and they certainly look the part. JB is definitely bringing that Paso energy too. What a way for his semi-final to begin!
Tasha’s scores are in…
She’s off to a flying start, with an 8, a 9, another 9 and yet another 9, for a total of 35.
Tasha opens the show in style with many (many) lifts
A Salsa to “Something New” by Girls Aloud? I’m in.
Tasha looks stunning and their routine has kicked off with a beautiful jump into Aljaz’s arms. I do think Tasha has taken the judges comment on board! She looks like she’s having a blast and there is absolutely no room for error in this fast-paced routine.
Those lifts! I was nervous watching them and Tasha pulled them off well, though as Shirley has just pointed out, some of the transitions weren’t too smooth.
Tasha and Aljaz are dancing first
Each VT has an extra special section this week, with each couple sitting down with the judges to receive comments and help for the semi-final.
Ahead of her salsa, Tasha has been advised to “loosen up a bit” during Latin performance.
Here we go…
It’s semi-final time! This year’s Strictly has flown by, hasn’t it?
Tonight, the remaining five couples are dancing two routines each with the hopes of impressing the judges (and viewers), and landing a spot in next week’s grand final. Almost every dance style the show features will be performed, with just the Rumba and Samba (both notoriously difficult and possibly cursed) missing. But who’ll come out on top?
The Strictly stars with previous dance experience, from Tasha Ghouri to JB Gill
Half of the semi-finalists have some previous dancing experience.
As many of the celebrities competing on Strictly are actors, singers and performers, a large number of them will have trained in dance or theatrical performance.
Strictly’s Chris McCausland opens up about ‘shame’ and admits other couples are ‘better’
Comedian said being blind was “never a sad thing”.
Comparing the experience of gradually losing his eyesight to being a “frog in boiling water”, the star opened up about his initial disbelief at his diagnosis, refusing to use aids such as a cane.
