This weekend sees the 2013 Strictly Come Dancing semi-final and weāre nearly at the end of the current series. There are five couples left in the competition and they are going to have to battle it out to ensure they clinch a spot in the final.
Thereās everything to dance for and itās going to be a tough but very close weekend we think. Itās definitely too close to call the competition at this point.
We caught up with Robin Windsor to talk about how the couples performed during the quarter finals, discuss the possibility of an all-female final and find out what heās been doing whilst recovering from his back injury.
Ashley and Ola left the competition after being in the bottom two for the second week. Do you think the public made the right choice?
The standard of last weekās competition was so high it could have been anyone that went home. Unfortunately it fell to Ashley and Ola. I think everyone deserves to stay in the competition but unfortunately someone has to go and it was a shame to see them leave.
It was a shock to see Patrick and Anya in the bottom two as they topped the leaderboard last week. It really could be anyone in there this weekend couldnāt it?
Patrick did finish top of the leaderboard but it just goes to show that being top of the leaderboard isnāt going to save you. Itās all down to the public vote so youāve got to be voting for your favourite. This weekend is the semi-final and itās going to be an incredibly tough weekend. Anything goes!
We saw the return of the swing-a-thon last week. Just how gruelling is that for the couples?
Doing the swing-a-thon is a really, really tough ask as itās a 3-minute number. If youāre the last couple standing like Artem and Natalie were, theyād had all 3 minutes of the routine plus their own couple routine to do. They worked extremely hard to make that happen and I was extremely proud of both of them.
Throughout the swing-a-thon they didnāt even look to be breaking a sweat. They just took it all in their strideā¦
I think they did fall in a heap at the end and I think they were like āoh my gosh, weāve just got through it!ā
The couples were incredibly emotional during the results show last week, especially Kevin and Susanna. Is that mostly due to the pressure theyāre all under?
I think at this stage of the competition everyone is exhausted. When it comes to that results show youāve given blood, sweat and tears all week and youāre so close to the end that you just want to keep going. I think the thought of going home at this stage is really tough for anybody. Itās all about keeping themselves positive and believing that they are going to get through to that amazing final thatās going to happen next week.
The competition is going to be tougher than ever this weekend with all of the couples doing two dances during the live showā¦
Last year in the competition I made it to the semi-final with Lisa Riley so I know exactly what itās like to have to do two dances in one week; itās painful and excruciating. Instead of having four days for one dance youāve only got two days for each dance. Itās absolutely insane. The celebrities are going to be working round the clock to make this happen. Itās a tough ask but you know what itās a competition and weāll see who can keep their cool for the longest.
The two dances are going to be new dances for the couples too arenāt they? They are routines they havenāt yet performed on the series.
Yes! Itās two brand new dances that they havenāt performed yet this series. Itās a big ask! The five couples left in the competition are all capable of doing that and I think youāre in for a great show on Saturday night.
It really is going to be about doing the best possible dance and winning over the public isnāt it?
Itās down to the public. The judges will have their say but as you saw last week Patrick managed to end up in the bottom two despite being at the top. Everybody needs to be at the top of their game this week to pull it out of the bag.
Thereās a strong possibility that it could be an all-female final this yearā¦
Well thereās only one man ā Patrick ā left in the competition so if he left this week there could be an all-female final which we havenāt seen before. It would also mean our first female winner since Kara Tointon in 2010. Iāve said it on Twitter this week but one of the biggest things for me is Susanna Reid who has three children all at school, sheās working at BBC Breakfast, sheās getting these two dances sorted for this week and for someone whoās never danced really sheās doing extremely well. I take my hat off to her because I think sheās done absolutely fantastic.
Is there any sense of relief that the end is in sight for the celebrities?
I donāt think thereās a sense of relief for any of the celebrities that itās coming to an end yet. Theyāve still got the job in hand to do and they just have to keep pushing. The day after the final theyāre just going to be able to sit at home and relax and not have to worry about dancing. They can just relax and enjoy Christmas. In the meantime they have to keep dancing!
Quite a few of the celebs still in the competition will be on the Strictly tour so theyāre not going to get too much chance to relax are they?
When it comes to Christmas I hope they have a lovely relaxation period because a lot of them will be doing it all over again when it comes to the tour in January.
This week you attended the Millie Awards. Tell us what thatās all about.
Finally my back is on the mend. Iāve had some nasty injections into the discs in my back to help relieve the pain and help the muscles improve. Theyāre working a treat so far. I got to go out for the first time in a while with Kristina Rihanoff and Deborah Meaden to the Millie Awards. It was absolutely amazing. The courage and bravery of everybody thatās in the military is incredible and itās a shame they could only select a few to be awarded. What surprised me the most was how humble they all were saying, āitās just a jobā and āweāre just doing our jobā. They didnāt seem to think they warranted the credit they got. To be there was absolutely incredible and thereāll be highlights on ITV on Monday at 9pm.
Have you finally started your Christmas shopping yet? Itās less than two weeks until the day now!
Still no Christmas shopping started yet. Iāve been a little bit busy! Iām going to the Nutcracker which will be my first time at the ballet so itāll be really interesting. Then Iāll have to crack on and get some Christmas shopping done.
Weāre getting the feeling that youāre quite the last minute shopperā¦
I am quite a last minute shopper! Every year it seems to be exactly the same story. However thereās still a couple of days to purchase my calendar which will make a good Christmas stocking filler (laughs).
Just donāt do what Karen Hauer did this week! She was tweeting that sheād gone Christmas shopping and ended up buying stuff for herselfā¦
When I go Christmas shopping I have a job to do. I just have to get in there, get the stuff and get out. Iāll save the stuff for myself until the sales.
The Strictly Come Dancing semi-final takes place tomorrow night on BBC One and BBC One HD at 6.40pm. Watch the swing-a-thon from last weekās quarter final: