Strictly Come Dancing 2015 continued tonight with the show’s annual Halloween special, which delivered plenty of creative routines and fantastic costumes.
Last weekend TV chef Ainsley Harriott and his partner Natalie Lowe left the competition after losing the dance-off to singer/presenter Jamelia and Tristan MacManus. It was the second time both couples had been in the bottom two but honestly it was neither of their times to go.
Tonight the remaining 11 couples danced as if their lives depended on it as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman oversaw the show. Judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Darcey Bussell, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli offered their usual mix of trick or treat critique after each couple performed.
How did everyone get on? Keep reading our recap to find out.
Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke
Last week Katie Derham had a tough week and finished just one away from the bottom of the leaderboard. In the VT Katie was visited by the ghosts of Anton’s past dancers. This week they needed to put in a big performance to progress to the next round.
The dance: The pair danced a Paso to Phantom Of The Opera by Steve Harley and Sarah Brightman. They gave a good performance with plenty of twirls and a couple of lifts. Katie looked to struggle a little on some of the moves.
The comments: Len said the dance didn’t really suit Katie’s personality. Bruno said she needed to dominate more. Craig had plenty of complaints as usual and said it wasn’t great. Darcey said Katie had improved commented on how stunning she looked as well as giving her some tips for the future.
The score: 21 out of 40
Kirsty Gallacher and Brendan Cole
In her VT Kirsty said how pleased she was last week after finishing in the top half of the leaderboard. This week Kirsty is dancing as a vampire at her VT poked fun at that.
The dance: The pair danced a Charleston to Bad Romance by Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox. Brendan danced as a vampire who bit Kirsty near the start of the dance after flying around on wires. It was a fast and fun performance with some tough moves that Kirsty did really well with despite a few mistakes.
The comments: Bruno said it was a mess but they managed to save it. Craig said Kirsty’s timing was out. Darcey said Kirsty had no fear and pointed out that professionals make mistakes too. Len said despite the mistakes he though she coped really well.
The score: 17 out of 40
Jeremy Vine and Karen Clifton
Jeremy Vine had a really tough week last week finishing at the bottom of the leaderboard. This week he’s been working hard but he’s been feeling a bit like a zombie thanks to all the training.
The dance: The pair danced a Salsa to Thriller by Michael Jackson. As always Jeremy looked like he was having the time of his life. He managed to keep up pretty well with Karen but his timing was a little off at times. It was definitely a really fun performance.
The comments: Craig continued to find faults with Jeremy but felt his zombie attire helped. Darcey said his characterisation was spectacular and on the whole a good improvement. Len felt he had a better week and his dancing has an ‘awkward charm’. Bruno felt it was ‘monstrous fun’.
The score: 22 out of 40
Anita Rani and Gleb Savchenko
Last week with her Tango Anita Rani had her best week yet with a 32. This week Anita is dancing as Maleficent and will be on wires at the start.
The dance: The pair danced a Waltz to Once Upon A Dream by Lana Del Rey. It was a slow and beautiful performance packed with emotion that had the audience on their feet.
The comments: Darcey said it was an incredibly enjoyable performance. Len said he struggled to understand the story but their Waltz was fabulous. Bruno thought it was magnificent. Craig felt it lacked grace and flow but liked the story.
The score: 29 out of 40
Jamelia and Tristan MacManus
Last week Jamelia was in the bottom half of the leaderboard and ended up in the dance off. Getting in the spirit of Halloween Tristan had Jamelia help make a scary movie during training.
The dance: The pair danced a Jive to The Time Warp from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The story of the dance was set in a haunted house and the routine was full of fun and really quick. There was definitely some timing issues between the pair during the performance.
The comments: Len felt the pair needed to rehearse a little more. Bruno felt it was fun and full of energy but needed some work on the footwork. Craig had some minor complaints and felt it had lots of energy. Darcey said it was very fast and incredibly enjoyable.
The score: 26 out of 40
Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani
Last week Jay McGuiness had a great week finishing third. Their theme this week is Little Red Riding Hood.
The dance: The pair danced the American Smooth to Lil Red Riding Hood by Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs. The pair looked fantastic, Jay was dressed up as a wolf while Aliona was Little Red Riding Hood. It was an excellent performance that saw Jay tackling some difficult moved including his first lifts.
The comments: Bruno loved Jay’s lines with his arms and movement. Craig was also happy and loved it. Darcey felt it was smooth, stylish and impressive. Len said it was a lovely routine and very well done.
The score: 34 out of 40
Kellie Bright and Kevin Clifton
Last week Kellie Bright finished tied for first. This week they have put together a Harry Potter themed routine.
The dance: The pair danced a Paso to Schools Out by Glee Cast and Hedwig’s Theme by John Williams. It was a quick routine that really took advantange of the Harry Potter theme with magic wands and explosions.
The comments: Craig felt the concept worked and said Kellie was a wonderful dancer. Darcey said Kellie was fabulous. Bruno said the energy was fantastic but they needed to balance it a little bit more with the dancing. Len loved it.
The score: 28 out of 40
Carol Kirkwood and Pasha Kovalev
Last week Carol Kirkwood finished near the bottom of the leaderboard. This week they are dancing to the theme of the Bride of Frankenstein.
The dance: The pair danced a Rumba to I Think I Love You by The Partridge Family. They looked fantastic in costume with Carol as the Bride and Pasha dressed as Frankenstein.
The comments: Darcey felt the dance didn’t suit them. Len was disappointed and pointed out some mistakes. Bruno agreed with Len. Craig didn’t have anything positive to say.
The score: 13 out of 40
Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice
Last week Georgia May Foote finished around the middle of the table. This week they are dancing to a Ghostbusters theme.
The dance: The pair danced a Tango to Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Junior. They looked great decked out with Ghostbusters proton packs. It was a fast and confident performance that had the audience on their feet.
The comments: Len said Georgia was the Queen of Halloween, fabulous. Bruno loved it. Craig thought it was a sharp performance and didn’t pick any faults. Darcey felt their performance was beautiful.
The score: 35 out of 40
Peter Andre and Janette Manrara
Last week Peter Andre finished around the middle of the leaderboard. In between training the pair went camping at night and poked fun at the Blair Witch Project.
The dance: The pair danced a Foxtrot to Ghost by Ella Henderson. They gave a beautiful performance with sunning choreography. Peter’s was perfectly in sync with Janette.
The comments: Bruno gave advice that Peter needed to push himself more. Craig found a couple of minor faults but said it was a very good job. Darcey said Peter was a natural performer and working really hard. Len loved Peter’s footwork and gave a few pointers.
The score: 28 out of 40
Helen George and Aljaž Skorjanec
Last week Helen George finished joint top. This week she’s dancing to an Egyptian theme.
The dance: The pair danced a Samba to Take Your Mama by Scissor Sisters. Dressed as mummies the pair looked brilliant. There was plenty of quick footwork and Helen kept up really well. She looked to be having so much fun.
The comments: Craig loved it and said the whole routine was spectacular. Darcey was impressed and said Helen looked natural. Len said Helen had delivered again. Bruno said it was lively, inventive and beautiful.
The score: 34 out of 40
The leaderboard for the evening is:
Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice – 35
Helen George and Aljaž Skorjanec – 34
Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani – 34
Anita Rani and Gleb Savchenko – 29
Kellie Bright and Kevin Clifton – 28
Peter Andre and Janette Manrara – 28
Jamelia and Tristan MacManus – 26
Jeremy Vine and Karen Clifton – 22
Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke – 21
Kirsty Gallacher and Brendan Cole – 17
Carol Kirkwood and Pasha Kovalev – 13
Strictly Come Dancing 2015 continues tomorrow night at 7.15pm. Check out all the action from today’s dress rehearsal in our gallery below:
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