The Strictly Come Dancing contestants delivered stunning performances as they fought for a place in the show's semi-final last night (Friday, December 2). Only five points separated the six remaining couples as they danced a day early to make way for World Cup football coverage.
Coronation Street actor Will Mellor and television presenter Helen Skelton jointly topped the leaderboard with 39 points in last night's show, which was moved to Friday from its normal Saturday spot because of the World Cup men's football. It was the second week at the top of the rankings for Mellor, 46, and partner Nancy Xu, who chose a foxtrot to Sun And Moon from Miss Saigon for Strictly's Musicals Week.
Head judge Shirley Ballas applauded the “heartfelt performance from the soul” along with his footwork. Anton Du Beke also said Mellor got a tricky dance move, the three-step, right which “no one does”.
After Skelton and her partner Gorka Marquez performed an energetic and fun couple’s choice – meaning they did not have to do a traditional dance – to Mein Herr from Cabaret, they received a standing ovation from Ballas.
She told Skelton, 39: “Am I looking at a mummy of three? Am I looking at a young lady that has grown from a timid shy girl from week one to this sensual performance? I’ve got goosebumps … it was a memory I’ll treasure forever.”
After surviving last week's dance-off, radio presenter Fleur East and her dance partner Vito Coppola returned to form with a fast quickstep to An American In Paris’s I Got Rhythm. The 35-year-old singer got standing ovations from Ballas and fellow judge Motsi Mabuse as Du Beke said of next week's semi-final: “As far as I’m concerned you’re in."
Both East and fellow singer Molly Rainford earned 38 points for their performances. Rainford, 22, and her partner Carlos Gu performed an upbeat Charleston to Hot Honey Rag from Chicago and also got a standing ovation from Ballas and Mabuse.
Ballas said: “What a way to open the show, I wasn’t expecting that … you looked like you were having a ball.” Rainford was criticised by judge Craig Revel Horwood for her “low elbow”, but he also praised her transformation as a dancer during the competition.
Meanwhile, wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin earned a score of 36 points for his samba to They Live In You from The Lion King with his professional partner Jowita Przystal. The 32-year-old got a standing ovation from Mabuse who said he made her “happy” as Du Beke said he was “a bit overwhelmed” by the performance.
Former Hear’Say singer and Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh, who returned to the dancefloor after she had to skip last week’s show following a positive Covid-19 test, found herself bottom on 34 points.
The 46-year-old performed an energetic Eighties-style cha-cha to the title song of Fame with her partner Graziano Di Prima. Mabuse said she was “shining all of the time” as she “came back with a bang”.
Strictly Come Dancing returns tonight for the results show on BBC One.
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