Strictly leaderboard: Sunday dance off confirmed as Alex Kingston comes top earning kiss from judge Shirley Ballas
As usual, Saturday night’s Strictly was full of highs and lows - both literally and figuratively. Here’s whose dancing fell short and is now facing tonight’s dance off…
This week’s Strictly Come Dancing saw one couple bring a judge to their feet in applause. Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston, partnered with Johannes Radebe, earned a 10 and a kiss from judge Shirley Ballas as she became the latest celebrity to top the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard.
The 62-year-old performed the rumba on the BBC’s dancing show, to Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car on Saturday (October 18) scoring 36. After the performance, Shirley said: “I have to tell you, in all my time on Strictly, I have never seen a pair of legs work like that.”
Just behind them with 34 points was former Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope and his partner Katya Jones with their foxtrot to L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole, which judge Anton Du Beke called “super duper”.
The judge said: “Beautiful movement, beautiful, the feel was gorgeous, smooth, all the beautiful things you want from a foxtrot. I love the musicality, stylisation, characterisation, great.”
In third was former Love Island winner Amber Davies and her professional partner Nikita Kuzmin, who scored 33 for their Argentine tango to Angel Of My Dreams by Jade, which judge Motsi Mabuse said featured lifts that were “on a whole different level”.
At the other end of the table in last place, and facing the threat of Sunday’s dance off, was drag artist La Voix and their professional partner Aljaz Skorjanec, who scored just 14 for their cha cha to Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar. Judge Craig Revel Horwood said “so much went wrong” in the dance, while Ballas described it as “one of those days”.
Also facing the threat of the dance off was former England rugby player Chris Robshaw and his professional partner Nadiya Bychkova, who scored 24 for their Salsa to Ricky Martin’s Maria, which Revel Horwood said “lacked any rotation” but featured “extraordinary” lifts.
Strictly Come Dancing will return on Sunday at 7.15pm on BBC One for its results show, where its latest elimination will be revealed after a dance off, with Revel Horwood having this week’s casting vote.