This week’s Strictly Come Dancing saw the contestants vying for a spot in next week’s all-important Blackpool edition.
Love Island star Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin topped the leaderboard with a near-perfect score of 38 for their dramatic Paso Doble to “Dream On” by Aerosmith – with Kuzmin catching viewers’ attention wearing a shirtless ensemble. Judge Anton du Beke said the dance was “thrilling to watch, very exciting” while Moti Mabuse commented on the “drama, presentation and timing”.
Other high scorers were Lewis Cope and Katya Jones for their Tango to “12 to 12” by sombr, receiving a score of 37.
Meanwhile, Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe scored a strong 35 for their Waltz to “Weekend in New England” by Barry Manilow. Judge Shirley Ballas said Kingston was “much more comfortable, classy and feminine, beautiful footwork, got a bit too forward but goosebump-inducing and fantastic”. Anton Du Beke added that their footwork was in complete “harmony”.
EastEnders actor Balvinder Sopal and her pro partner saw themselves in dance-off territory for their American smooth to “My Guy” by Mary Wells, which received low marks from the judges, placing them at the bottom of the leaderboard. Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington, who were at the top of the leaderboard last week for a near-perfect score of 39, dropped down the bottom with a score of 27 for their jive to “Sound of the Underground” by Girls Aloud.
Last week saw the athlete Harry Aikines-Aryeetey become the sixth celebrity to be eliminated from the competition last Sunday, alongside his pro partner Karen Hauer.
The 36-year-old was voted off after appearing in a dance-off against RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec.
See below the marks and total scores from week seven, from judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke:
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin: 9 + 10 + 9 + 10 = 38
Lewis Cope and Katya Jones: 9 + 10 + 9 + 9 = 37
Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe: 8 + 9 + 9 + 9 = 35
La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec: 7 + 8 + 9 + 9 = 33
Karen Carney and Carlos Gu: 7 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 31
George Clarke and Alexis Warr: 6 + 7 + 8 + 8 = 29
Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington: 6 + 7 + 7 + 7 = 27
Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon: 6 + 7 + 7 + 7 = 27
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