Not to get too “spooky season” before September is even over, but nobody is safe from the red-lit horror of the Sunday results show. Someone’s going home this weekend.
Last week’s judges’ scores will be combined with tonight’s and viewers get their first chance to vote – three votes as usual – so get ready to fire up the BBC Strictly homepage during the voting window and protect your favourites.
Things look promising for JB and Amy, who topped the leaderboard last week with their 31-point waltz, with Tasha and Aljaž, and Sarah and Vito close behind on 30 points each. At the other end, Toyah and Neil’s 12-point tango was the lowest-scoring first dance, with Paul and Karen, and Pete and Jowita both on 17.
Last week Vindaloo, this week, Parklife. Exactly what has the American Smooth done that Strictly is trying to box it in with the quirkiest English songs of the past 30 years? Will future weeks see the poor dance paired up with Three Lions, Tubthumping or Ebeneezer Goode?
Still, the prospect of singers Tommy Blaize and Lance Ellington tonight getting to stretch themselves from the blues of Bill Withers to the booming of Phil Daniels on a Blur hit is delightful.
It’s also a big night for bald musicians, with dances to songs from Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Teddy Swims and Post Malone – the last two of these barely five months old, if not big summer hits. Dr Ranj and Janette did a cracking samba in 2018 to the same Pitbull song, Fireball, a routine so hot that Janette’s dress came unstuck.
Here is this week’s line-up:
Montell and Johannes: Samba – Fuego (Eleni Foureira)
Punam and Gorka: Foxtrot – Man! I Feel Like a Woman! (Shania Twain)
Sam and Nikita: Charleston – Bob Wilson and his Varsity Rhythm Boys
Sarah and Vito: Paso Doble – Freed From Desire (Gala)
Tasha and Aljaž: Viennese Waltz – Misty Blue (Dorothy Moore)
Toyah and Neil: Jive – Nutbush City Limits (Ike & Tina Turner)
Chris and Dianne: Foxtrot – Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy (The Tams)
Jamie and Michelle: Rumba – Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
JB and Amy: Cha Cha – Closer (Ne-Yo)
Nick and Luba: American Smooth – Parklife (Blur)
Paul and Karen: Salsa to Fireball – (Pitbull)
Pete and Jowita: American Smooth – I Had Some Help (Post Malone)
Shayne and Nancy: Tango – The Door (Teddy Swims)
Tom and Nadiya: Cha Cha – Boogie Wonderland (Earth, Wind & Fire)
Wynne and Katya: Viennese Waltz – The Blue Danube (Strauss)
Join me for live updates of tonight’s show from 6.15pm
