Strictly Come Dancing has reached its penultimate week and Amber Davies, Balvinder Sopal, George Clarke and Karen Carney took to the dance floor to fight for their space in the 2025 final of the BBC competition.
The four remaining celebrities performed two new routines following last week’s elimination of former Emmerdale star Lewis Cope and his professional partner Katya Jones after they were beaten in a tense dance off by Love Island star Davies.
It proved to be an emotional evening as the celebrities, their professional partners and even the judges shed a few tears.
Sopal’s pro partner Julian Callion broke down as he revealed his mum had surprised him by flying over from Australia to be in the audience for the semi-final. Later, Carney and her partner Gu both burst into tears after finishing their first dance, a poignant waltz to Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time”.
Recap Saturday night’s semi-final as it happened below...
Strictly updates
- BBC's 10-person shortlist for Claudia and Tess's replacement 'leaked' by insider
- Nikita Kuzmin surprises fans as he reveals his sister's reality TV past
- Craig Revel Horwood brands other judges 'unnecessarily harsh'
- Karen Carney and Carlos Gu in floods of tears after emotional waltz
- Nikita Kuzmin makes plea over 'hate' Amber Davies has received
BBC's 10-person shortlist for Claudia and Tess's replacement 'leaked' by insider
13:31 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottBradley Walsh, Alex Jones, and Alan Carr are rumoured to be in the running to take over Claudia and Tess’s roles as Strictly Come Dancing presenters.
An insider reportedly claimed that there’s a shortlist of 10 stars who’re being considered by BBC bosses.
Rylan Clark, Zoe Ball, Rob Rinder, Holly Willoughby, Amanda Holden, Alison Hammond, and Angela Scanlon have also allegedly secured spots.
"They will go to a studio and be put into different pairs to see who works together best. It could be two mix. They will ultimately choose whoever has the best chemistry in each partnership,” the source told The Sun.
The BBC has declined to comment on the claims.
Strictly odds: Will Paddy McGuinness replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman?
Bookies name George Clarke as shock frontrunner of the competition
13:34 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottAlthough Karen Carney was previously tipped by bookies to lift the Glitterball trophy, the footballer has now been overtaken by YouTuber George Clarke, who has emerged as the new frontrunner with odds of 5/6.
Carney, Meanwhile is in second place at 11/10, with Sopal in third position with odds of 20/1. This shift in the bookmakers' predictions suggests that Love Island star Amber Davies, who was in the dance-off last week, will have to graft to reach the final. But it’s still all to play for.
Read more about George Clarke below:
George Clarke: Influencer swapping YouTube for the dancefloor on Strictly
Nikita Kuzmin surprises fans as he reveals his sister's reality TV past
13:41 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottAhead of tonight’s semi-final, Strictly pro Nikita Kuzmin has surprised fans of the show with his sister’s reality TV past.
Anastasia, the star’s older sibling, who is also a pro dancer, has appeared on the Italian version of the BBC Dance Competition since 2012.
But the 32-year-old also took part in the Italian edition of Race Across the World and went on to win the reality travel show over a decade ago.
'Seeing her travel through India has inspired me to go there 10 years years later, which is still up to today the favorite solo travel trip I've ever done,” Kuzmin said.
Sweet!
Shirley Ballas breaks silence on Johannes Radebe rumoured exit
13:42 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottWhat time is Strictly on tonight?
14:00 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottTonight’s semi-final kicks off at 6.35pm and the remaining couples must dance twice to secure a place in the grand final.
Tomorrow’s results show will air at 7.45pm.
What songs are the semi-finalists dancing to?
14:30 , Lydia Spencer-Elliott- Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon: Waltz to “At This Moment” by Michael Bublé and a Salsa to “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You / Get on Your Feet” by Gloria Estefan
- George Clarke and Alexis Warr: Charleston to “We No Speak Americano” by Yolanda Be Cool as well as a Samba to “Volare” by Gipsy Kings
- Karen Carney and Carlos Gu: Salsa to “Turn the Beat Around” by Vicki Sue Robinson and Waltz to One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston
- Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin: Couple's Choice to “Fly Me to the Moon” by Raye and Tango to “Higher” by Michael Bublé
Amber Davies says backlash over Lewis Cope's elimination has been 'tough'
15:00 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottAmber Davies has shared that the backlash online following Lewis Cope’s elimination has been “tough” for her to handle.
The Love Island star described the former Emmerdale star as her “rock” in the competition and said them facing each other in the dance off was “unfortunate”.
“I’d just like to remind everyone, I wasn’t meant to be here,” Davies told fans. “I am just doing my best.”
Balvinder's pro partner Julian Caillon reveals he almost gave up on Strictly
15:30 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottIn a Sliding Doors confession, Strictly newcomer Julian Caillon revealed he almost gave up on the BBC dance competition entirely after several failed auditions.
He told The Independent, "I just missed out and for me, I was like 'okay, it would have been cool, but that's alright'". Look at him now...
Fans share concern for Katya after Lewis Cope elimination
16:00 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottStrictly fans were left concerned for Katya Jones after she was eliminated from the competition alongside Lewis Cope last weekend.
Jones broke down in tears as she hailed Cope and said she blames herself for his premature exit, leaving fans worried that she was being too hard on herself.
Read more below:
Strictly viewers share concern for Katya Jones after Lewis Cope exit
Shirley Ballas admits sending Katya and Lewis home was 'emotional'
16:30 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottStrictly's Christmas special celebrity line-up unveiled
17:00 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottThe 2025 Strictly series might almost be over but fans can look forward to the Christmas special, which is set to air on Christmas Day at 5.30pm.
Meet the six celebrities who’ll dance under the watchful gaze of judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke:
Strictly Christmas line-up unveiled for Claudia and Tess’s emotional final episode
Claudia and Tess open up about 'emotional' final episode
17:30 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottThis year’s Strictly Christmas Special will mark hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly’s final episode.
However, both presenters have admitted the reality of their imminent departure is yet to fully sink in, with Daly saying she’s been too ‘absorbed’ in the currently series to think about it.
As the Christmas Special is pre-filmed, next week’s final will mark Winkleman and Daly’s last live show. Yet, they’ve banned themselves from crying.
"I think we will be emotional, but of course, it won’t be about us. It’ll be about the winners,” said Winkleman.
"But afterwards, we will hold each other very tight and cry. Because it’s a lot."
Read more below:
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman make confession about their final Strictly episode
Balvinder says she wants Strictly on her gravestone despite five dance offs
18:00 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottGeorge Clarke reveals surprising perk of being on Strictly
18:00 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottGeorge Clarke has said he’s enjoyed his time on Strictly because it’s given him a satisfactory reason to miss out on social plans.
“I am thinking about dance all the time,” the YouTube star said.
Not sure what he’s going to do after next week’s final...
Let's take a look back at last week's scores...
18:30 , Lydia Spencer-ElliottAhead of the show kicking off in five minutes (woo!), let’s take a look back at the remaining four contestants scores from Musicals Week where there was just one perfect score...
And we're off!
18:36 , Rachel McGrathIt’s semi-final time!
There are four couples taking to the floor tonight and for the first time in the series, they’ll each be performing two routines.
With Lewis out of the competition, it really does feel like the Glitterball trophy could be anyone’s...
Balvinder is up first and... she wasn't in the dance-off last weekend!
That will have been a huge relief for the EastEnders star, who now finds herself in the Strictly semi-final despite having been forced to fight for her place in the competition in *five* results shows.
As an extra touch tonight, each of the first dances is being preceded by a VT showing the couple sitting down with the judges.
Balvinder opens the show with a salsa
18:43 , Rachel McGrathBalvinder's first dance is a salsa to "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You/Get On Your Feet" by Gloria Estefan.
This is a really solid start to the show - the lifts are great and she looks a lot more confident on the dancefloor again. Hooray!
Balvinder 'sets the benchmark' with her salsa
18:48 , Rachel McGrathHere are the judges’ comments for Balvinder...
Motsi: “She gave us rhythm and more! Balvinder, whatever happens, I love your attitude - fearless and strong. She gave us some softness but also strong.”
Shirley: “I’m a little bit in shock. The bevels and the foot positions were outstanding. It was real, authentic... those lifts! You trust completely. Well done.”
Anton: “Wow. What a start. You’ve set the benchmark right there. That’s going to take some beating. That was amazing. Thank you very much.”
Craig: “The transitions were a little bit stop-and-start for me. In and out of lifts lacked fluidity. But my goodness, you gave that dance your all, my darling.”
Balvinder’s score for her first dance is... 8, 9, 9 and another 9 - a total of 35.
Amber tangos into the semi-final
18:53 , Rachel McGrathIt's been a rough week for Amber, who just about held on to her place in the competition last weekend by beating Lewis Cope in the dance-off.
That itself is tough to bounce back from (especially so close to the final) but it's been made even worse by the barrage of comments Amber has received online, which left her asking fans to "be kind" earlier this week.
Now she’s dancing a Tango to "Higher" by Michael Bublé. Whether you're annoyed about Amber's West End past or not, there is no denying that the former Love Islander is the most skilled dancer of the four celebs left in the competition. This is, unsurprisingly, fantastic.
Craig brands other judges 'unnecessarily harsh'
18:58 , Rachel McGrathHere are the judges’ comments for Amber...
Shirley: “Beautiful balance, would have liked a bit of passion. Your frame is getting better, overall, you did exactly well in this extremely flat, staccato dance. Well done.”
Anton: “It was a tale of two halves really. When you did your open work, it was so brilliant. But I found a disconnect between the upper body and the lower body. It was a bit hesitant, really. I know it’s nitpicking but we are at that point in the competition.”
Craig: “Unnecessarily harsh you two, actually. There wasn’t that much wrong with it. I would have liked more of a wide frame but it was clean, passionate and full of purpose. You are brilliant.”
Motsi: “I agree with Craig. You are marvellous. You have improved your ballroom. This line [on your shoulders] was magnificent. You kept the passion, you kept that centre. After the week you’ve had, I think you came back with a bang, girl.”
Amber’s scores are... 9, 10 (hooray!), 9 and 9 - a total of 37.
Karen is up now and interestingly, the ex-footbaler and Balvinder have been given the same two styles of dance to perform - meaning we'll essentially get a direct comparison between them in tonight's scores.
Karen's first dance is the one I've been looking forward to most (even though, yes, I find waltzes boring usually).
This is being performed to Whitney Houston's "One Moment in Time" and they certainly both look the part. It’s a really lovely routine too! Complete with fireworks at the end! And now tears. I love them both so much.
Karen and Carlos in floods of tears after emotional waltz
19:10 , Rachel McGrathAwww, Carlos and Karen are both in floods of tears.
“I just love this guy and I looked at him then I crumbled,” Karen says. “And then he went, mid-dance.”
Here are the judges’ comments...
Anton: “I got a bit emotional. I mean this in the nicest possible way, and I never thought you could dance like that. That softness, that sensitivity. Look at the state of me, I’m an emotional wreck. This is your journey, being able to produce this quality of dancing.”
Craig: “I thought the left elbow was a tad low. Your head placement needed to be more defined. But it had flow, it had elegance, all the way through. It was very, very beautiful.”
Motsi: “I couldn’t recognise you anymore. This time, you let go. This growth for me is one of the biggest in this whole competition. You have faced your challenges with such courage.”
Shirley: “I find it so overwhelming. To bring this kind of performance is absolutely fantastic. [now Shirley is nearly crying!] Your sensitivity with Carlos was where it needed to be for a semi-final. We never thought we would see that so thank you for showing us what you can do.”
Karen’s scores are... 9, 10 (yay!), 10 (I’m going to cry), 10 (Carlos is going to cry) - that’s 39, top of the leaderboard.
George takes on the dreaded samba
19:14 , Rachel McGrathGeorge and Alexis are up now with their first dance.
They've arrived at the semi-final in a very strong position. George performed (by far) his best dance yet in Musicals Week, an Argentine Tango to "The Point of No Return" from The Phantom of the Opera. But he's yet to get a 40, so there is room for improvement.
He’s starting with the dreaded samba. Praise be that he's been able to balance it out with a Charleston, eh? This routine is set to "Volare" by Gipsy Kings and he definitely looks the part - the costume team has done a fab job this evening.
George is another of the celebs who has truly transformed over the course of the competition. Who would have guessed he could pull this off?
George leaves the panel speechless with his samba
19:19 , Rachel McGrathGeorge’s comments from the judges are...
Craig: “You certainly let loose, darling. And I’ve never seen tighter trousers to be honest, I was losing all sense of focus. There were a few problems within the dance. What it lacked in technique, it made up for in entertainment. Congratulations.”
Motsi: “It was just perfect in the entertainment sense and somebody told you, ‘whatever goes wrong, shake those hips’.”
Shirley: “My one tiny negative is the posture got too out of line. But you did some rolls we’ve not seen on the show, that was spectacular. Your hips were going ten to the dozen. You really embraced the full samba. This choreography was not easy.”
Anton: “I hardly recognise you, that was tremendous. You had a lovely twinkly bottom action. It was magnificent to behold, just like you in that outfit. Great job.”
George’s scores are in... 8, 9, 9 and 9 - a total of 35.
Balvinder and Julian are dancing a waltz to "At This Moment" by Michael Bublé.
They'll surely have been feeling good about this as they landed 35 - their highest score yet - for their Viennese Waltz just last week. FYI, the difference between the two is that the Viennese is faster and involves a lot more spins.
This is great, but it’s not on the same level as Karen’s, which was so emotional that I’m pretty much still crying. A solid routine, though.
Craig spots a slip-up in Balvinder's waltz
19:30 , Rachel McGrathHere are the judges’ comments for Balvinder...
Shirley: “It was lovely and I’m really happy that your mum gets to see you, Jules. Balvinder, you set the most beautiful mood, it was really stunning. Very sincere in everything you did. Lovely sense of line. Thank you for that.”
Anton: “I completely agree. There’s a naturalness about the way you dance. Your timing and your general feel of the dance is of the highest quality and I enjoy it enormously.”
Craig: “It lacked a little bit of finesse and I thought the footwork needed to be fine-tuned. Getting up from the floor was disheveled. What I love is the chemistry you both have. You have now formed a solid partnership, so congratulations.”
Motsi: “I’m impressed with your spine. Because there was a slip on the skirt, the way you used your body to get up was impressive. This was so beautiful and detailed. Well done.”
Balvinder’s scores are in... 8, 9, 9 and 9 - a total of 35.
Watch: Julian bursts into tears over special surprise
19:31 , Rachel McGrathIt’s been an emotional episode! Karen and Carlos aren’t the only ones who have shed a tear...
Strictly’s Julian Caillon breaks down in tears during semi-final
Amber performs her Couple's Choice
19:36 , Rachel McGrathI’ve had such high hopes for this too - Amber and Nikita are performing their Couple's Choice.
This couldn't have come at a better time for Amber, who last weekend managed the incredibly rare feat of landing a 40 *and* ending up in the dance-off.
In her VT, Amber and her family are reflecting on her time in the spotlight so far, with her mum saying she “lost her way with what her dream was” after she left Love Island.
Set to “Fly Me to the Moon”, this routine is as action-packed as you’d expect and a total joy. The lifts are ambitious and being pulled off effortlessly. Bravo!
Amber lands another 40 after Couple's Choice
19:40 , Rachel McGrathMotsi and Shirley are on their feet! Amber is on the verge of tears too.
Here are the judges’ comments...
Craig: “Hollywood all the way. Glam. Gorg. All that jazz, darling. Unbelievable. You’re just ah-may-zing.”
Motsi: “We have to appreciate every single thing you did on that dance. This dance was phenomenal, out of this world.”
Shirley: “We’ve seen you work really, really hard. Even if you have a dance here and there, it’s nothing like ballroom and Latin. It’s absolutely beautiful in every way.”
Anton: “You remind me of an actress in White Christmas. You were spectacular. I thought last week was good but I even prefer this one.”
Amber’s scores are in... it’s four 10s, another 40 in the bag!
Nikita makes emotional plea to viewers
19:43 , Rachel McGrathEach of the remaining pros is being asked why their partner deserves to win and Nikita has given an emotional answer.
He told Amber: “You had so much hate from the moment you joined. You’ve had so much hate this week, but you come into the training room every day and you give so much love.
“You’re so kind, you’re so caring. You’re such a lovely, positive person.”
Addressing viewers, he continued: “I think sometimes, and I speak to the audience at home, please, please be kind because it costs nothing.”
Karen gives it her all in the salsa
19:45 , Rachel McGrathKaren's finishing on a nerve-wracking dance out of the way first - a salsa to "Turn the Beat Around" by Vicki Sue Robinson.
One of the former England player's huge strengths in this competition has been the fact she throws herself into everything with so much energy and she’s doing exactly that with this.
I’m sure the judges will have something to say about her hips but her effort levels can’t be knocked.
Karen praised for 'magical performance'
19:50 , Rachel McGrathHere are the judges’ comments for Karen...
Motsi: “I wish I could jump and join you. It feels like the final and it feels like you’re saying, ‘I’m not going home’. All those spins here! You were fabulous, fabulous, fabulous!”
Shirley: “You have to ask yourself what makes a magical performance. You’ve got grit, you’ve got determination. I loved it.”
Anton: “You have laid it all out there, you have not saved anything for the potential final. You’ve said, ‘This is it, I’m going to treat it like the final’.”
Craig: “For me, it was a little bit skippy. There was also a little hiatus getting up from the floor spin. Also, you do tend to dance ahead but it was clean, it was crisp, it was flashy, darling.”
Karen’s scores are in... 9, 10, 10, and another 10 - a total of 39.
George pulls of an 'Inbetweeners'-inspired Charleston
19:55 , Rachel McGrathGeorge's second dance is a Charleston (my fave) to "We Speak No Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool.
George teased in his VT that it’s inspired by The Inbetweeners, which has to be a Strictly first.
This is a style that really does suit George’s silly and goofy side. And the lifts are *incredible*. Everyone is really bringing their A-game tonight, eh?
George's partnering skills praised by panel
20:00 , Rachel McGrathGeorge’s comments from the judges are in...
Anton: “Oh man alive! [he’s now trying to reneact the lifts] It was the most incredible thing. You were so brilliant. You were underneath the desks and in perfect harmony. This dance was you, and the best of you.”
Craig: “I thought, personally, it was a little heavy-footed. Just a little. I loved all the lifts, they were incredible. And your swivel was brilliant.”
Motsi: “It was tidy, compact and fast. But your best is that you’re a great partner. You have an eye for her and she can trust you’re there for her, and nobody can teach that to you.”
Shirley: “Listen to mummy here, ok? This had hundreds and hundreds of small details. And the dynamic was the highlight. For me, personally, I think this is your best number yet.”
George’s scores are in... 8, 9, 10 and 10 - a total of 37.
Voting is open!
20:02 , Rachel McGrathWell, that was a whirlwind, wasn’t it?
The vote closes at 8.30pm tonight so there is not long at all to have your say on who deserves to be in the final.
That's a wrap!
20:05 , Rachel McGrathTess and Claudia have revealed which of the judges will have the casting vote after tomorrow’s dance-off... it’s Craig!
Tune in to BBC One tomorrow at 7.45pm to see who leaves the competition.
