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Strictly Come Dancing has returned to our screens for the first live show of the series.
The new season kicked off last week with a dazzling pre-recorded show to mark the beginning of its 20th anniversary series after months of scandal surrounding the programme’s professional dancers.
However, the pressure will rise this week as the 15 celebrity contestants perform live for the first time before the voting – and first elimination of the series – happens next weekend.
This week’s routines include three cha chas, two foxtrots, two tangos, two sambas and a Viennese waltz.
Comedian Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell will perform a cha cha to “Twist and Shout”’ by The Beatles, with TV doctor Punam Krishnan and Gorka Márquez performing the same style to Kylie Minogue’s “Love at First Sight”.
Former Love Island contestant Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec will also dance a cha cha to Sabrina Carpenter’s summer anthem, “Espresso”.
As announced last week, former Arsenal/England player Paul Merson will be paying homage to his sport by performing the intriguing combination of an American Smooth to the popular football chant song “Vindaloo” by Fat Les.
Gladiators star Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe will be foxtrotting to “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?” by Dinah Washington, while Olympic Hockey player Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin are also performing a foxtrot to The Supremes’ hit “Where Did Our Love Go”.
Tango-ing this week are Olympic swimmer Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova dancing to Harry Styles’s “Golden”, while Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones perform to Madonna’s “Ray of Light”.
In the samba corner are Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu, dancing to Stevie Wonder’s “Do I Do”, and Wynne Evans and Katya Jones performing Tom Jones’s “Help Yourself”.
TOWIE’s Pete Wicks and his partner Jowita Przystał will be performing what will likely be a fiery paso doble to “Breathe” by The Prodigy.
EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas will dance a Viennese Waltz to Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” and JLS’s JB Gill and Amy Dowden will perform a classic waltz to “When I Need You” by Leo Sayer.
Jamie and Michelle’s scores are in
6, 6, 5 and 6 for Jamie and Michelle… plus some glowing praise from Craig!
Katie Rosseinsky21 September 2024 20:55
Paul and Karen’s scores are in
2, 4, 5 and 6 for Paul and Karen, totting up to 17 in total. The highest score, inevitably, came from Anton, who can always be counted on to be a bit of a wild card in the scoring stakes.
Katie Rosseinsky21 September 2024 20:47
That was one for the Strictly history books to place alongside Ed Balls’ rendition of “Gangnam Style”. That was an American Smooth that was neither American nor smooth.
Katie Rosseinsky21 September 2024 20:44
Punam and Gorka’s scores are in
That’s 4, 5, 5, and 5 from the judges, giving Punam and Gorka a total of 19 and placing them towards the middle of the scoreboard.
Katie Rosseinsky21 September 2024 20:38
Another week, another oh so casually undone shirt from Gorka. Dare I say he’s channeling heyday era JLS – has he been comparing wardrobe notes with JB Gill?
Katie Rosseinsky21 September 2024 20:36
Gorka and Dr Punam take on Kylie
Will it be “Love at First Sight” for the judges? This is your weekly reminder that Dr Punam is carrying on working as a GP while training for Strictly.
Katie Rosseinsky21 September 2024 20:32
Tom and Nadiya’s scores are in
It’s 5, 6, 6 and 6 for this “Golden” couple.
Katie Rosseinsky21 September 2024 20:30