Strictly Come Dancing – as it happened: Halloween Week sees two couples top the leaderboard
Strictly Come Dancing's annual Halloween special saw the ballroom was covered in cobwebs, sparkly pumpkins and as much dry ice as they could get through the double doors at Elstree studios.
Bruno Tonioli was back after his week off and even more exuberant than ever. Claudia Winkleman brushed up on her seasonal puns. Fang-tastic!
Last week Stacey Dooley's samba wowed them even though she admitted on It Takes Two that she was "pretending to be a drag queen in Palm Springs". This week, the Glitterball favourite threatened to steal the spotlight as she performed a tango to the Doctor Who theme tune, dressed as Jodie Whittaker while Kevin Clifton played a Cyberman. Judge Bruno Tolioni thought it was an impressive routine, Craig called it a very strong performance and said they were an "unstoppable couple". Darcey loved it too. Stacey and Kevin can do no wrong, and we'll be shocked if they're not in the final.
Also getting into the Halloween spirit, Graeme Swann and Oti Mabuse paid homage to Michael Jackson with their cha cha to "Thriller" and Dr Ranj and Janette jived to "Monster Mash"… a brilliantly classic Halloween concept, or a demonstration of the producers’ lack of imagination depending on your point of view.
"I think the kids at home would love it but I didn't," Craig said of Dr Ranj's jive – calling it a "stompy routine". He agreed that the costume was hiding a multitude of sins. Darcey said the mistakes were "so clear'" but she was desperate to cuddle him. Too much character, not enough technique.
Kate and Aljaz, aka the Ice King and Queen of the ballroom, did a rumba to "Human" by Rag'n'Bone Man. Darcey took the easy route by just telling them how gorgeous they looked. Shirley was unimpressed and demanded more from a week six routine.
Ashley and Pasha received acclaim (and three 10s!) for their Charleston. Bruno called it "magnificent" and "spellbinding". Ashley and Pasha danced the Charleston, one of the technically "easier" dances. Bruno called it a "magically spell-binding, action-packed, musical comedy of a Charleston" and "one of the best moments of the Strictly season.
Last Sunday, the enfant terrible of Strictly 2018, Sean(n) Walsh found himself in the bottom two, but the judges saved him and sent Vick Hope home instead. He and Katya danced the Viennese Waltz this week, with the comedian as a toymaker and his dance partner as a porcelain doll. Craig was extremely critical, calling Seann out for his poor timing. Darcey, Bruno and Shirley all agreed. Will Seann end up in the dance-off a second time?
Graeme and Oti dance to 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson for Halloween Week on Strictly Come Dancing (BBC)
Meanwhile Charles finally got a reprieve after two weeks in the bottom two. But SCD aficionados will tell you they’ve seen it all before: the pattern tends to be two dance-offs, a sympathy save and then elimination the next weekend. Unfortunately, he disappointed the judges this week with a jive to "Time Warp", scoring a lowly 25...
Faye and Giovanni blew the judges away with their Couple's Choice routine – a Fosse-inspired jazz/theatre number to Peggy Lee's "Fever". They got an a-ma-zing from Craig and a total score of 39, putting them at the top of the leaderboard with Ashley and Pasha.
Joe and Dianne impressed with a foxtrot, with Darcey dropping the "f" word as she congratulated Joe for his improvements week-on-week. The judges awarded the couple their highest score so far, with a total of 35
It's one of the best Strictly episodes of the series – tonight, it's Halloween week! Emma Bullimore will be your guide to all the tangos and tantrums taking place on the dance floor.
Claudia has posted a photo of her and Tess in a lift on the way down to the studio. Disappointed they have to walk like humans, thought Anton and Aljaz would carry them in on a sedan chair.
'Boo this is Strictly Come Dancing!' And so it begins. Tess makes an awkward comment about the pro dance raising both the roof and the dead. It's going to be a long night if you carry on like that, Tess... Craig and Bruno look exceptional though. They need their own ITV2 show 'Living with Bruno and Craig'...
Graeme and Oti are opening the show with a cha cha to Michael Jackson’s Thriller – a brilliantly classic Halloween concept, or a demonstration of the producers’ lack of imagination depending on your point of view. Graeme is doing unexpectedly well, he’s really gaining momentum and the judges seem to have a soft spot for him. It’s a real vote of confidence to let them kick off such a big episode, let’s see what they can do…
This is an assured performance from Graeme, a proper homage to MJ with nods to the Thriller video and even a moonwalk in there! The actual cha cha basic is there but he's clearly much happier when he's not doing proper dancing. A lot of 'faffing around' as Len would say. Yet again.
Shirley agrees - 'Anything not in hold was outstanding but the cha cha itself needs work'. So once again Graeme seems to have charmed his way out of learning the actual dance. Bruno says it was more Michael Flatfeet than Michael Jackson. Tonioli's back!
Difficult to see past Craig's carefully contoured cheek bones, but he and Darcey are both underwhelmed. Cha cha is causing nightmares for every couple this year.
Here come Stacey and Kevin, surprised this is so early in tonight’s line-up. Stacey can do no wrong with the judges at the moment, last week her samba wowed them even though she admitted on It Takes Two that she was ‘pretending to be a drag queen in Palm Springs’. Tonight it’s a tango to the Doctor Who theme tune with Stacey kitted out like Jodie Whittaker and Kevin as a Cyberman. Naturally.
Really helpful that Kevin told us all there's a new female Doctor. As if we didn't know.
Lauren and AJ closed the show after an underwhelming contemporary routine last week, with a paso doble to a Nicole Scherzinger song: Lauren starred as an evil queen and AJ was the huntsman. They scored a respectable 29, including two eights from Bruno and Shirley.
