Key events
Thank you and a glittery goodnight – until tomorrow
That’s not all the foxtrotting and footworking fun this weekend. This very liveblog will return for the first Strictly Sunday of the year.
The results show airs at 7.10pm on Sunday. Please rejoin me then to dissect the first dance-off and (sob) elimination of Strictly 2026. In the meantime, I’m @michaelhogan on Twitter and @michaelhogan100 elsewhere, so please do shoulder-shimmy past and say hi.
Thanks for watching along with me, glitterball gang, and for all your sage contributions. Hopefully see you tomorrow. In the meantime, you know the drill: keeeeeep dancing!
Finally, on Shaun Wright-Phillips, Lidoswimmer says: “Is Shaun wearing Shirl’s tiny shoes?”
diamondcat says: “Well, he needs his bottom tucked under for a start. It’s looking for its own postcode. And this really doesn’t seem to be a dance. Just lots of jumping around and some lifts.”
paperview says: “I do like Alexis. She must have read last week that Shaun was the bookies’ favourite to go and said to herself: ‘Nope. Not on my watch.’”
catalyst36 adds: “Hope Shaun doesn’t go. He’s going to be a classic ‘journey’. I am voting for him.”
Alexis Warr and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.36 EDT
On Lacey Turner, diamondcat says: “This is nice. We’ve got Vito and Lacey sprinting around the floor like a couple of nimble friesians. But it’s fun and probably going to be popular.”
YodaknowsAll adds: “Great coverage of the floor from Lacey in that quickstep and hardly any gapping. Posture needs improving a little bit but well, well done.”
Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.45 EDT
On Bethany Antonia, EdiSteve says: “The Wicked piece could’ve done with more dancing together. All that faffing at the start, then Nancy vamping while the harness was being fitted.”
Freeflyer55 says: “Lot of skirt-wafting, not much paso.”
Somersetlass adds: “Woohoo! Maybe there wasn’t a huge amount of dance content but the posing, swishing and power were all amazing, and Bethany was in character throughout.”
Bethany Antonia. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.40 EDT
On Tabby Stoecker, ReclinedPotato says: “Nice to see one of Mrs Slocombe’s old wigs come out of retirement for that dance.”
Lidoswimmer says: “Tabby has already become one of my favourites for the dancing. She seems lovely and looks fab in pink Also, the new Canadian pro’s chocolately lilt is very soothing.”
Irreverentnurse adds: “The deep voice of the young professional dancer is like a Garibo advert in reverse.”
Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.42 EDT
On Cach Mercer, ladyglencora says: “I’m warming to Danny Zucchini. That was a hoot.”
paperview says: “Thank goodness for the ringer-ish sleb this year. Cach just moved this up another level. He seemed like he was dancing in a totally different programme to everyone else tonight.”
bigflatfeet adds: “I loved that Grease number. He was fabulous. Honestly, I think this might be the first year that I love all the fellas! It’s week two! And the men aren’t just walking around feeling like spare parts.”
Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.46 EDT
On Melanie Walters, Phoebe says: “Ah, that was lovely. I would love it to have been me, wearing that gawjus dress, in Aljaz’s arms swirling around the dancefloor.”
ReclinedPotato says: “Edelweiss was the last song that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together. Could this be the last dance for our egg-bothering actress?”
ladyglencora adds: “Sadly the gawjus Aljaz von Trapp can’t make up for flappy arms and dodgy footwork.”
Aljaz Skorjanec and Melanie Walters. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.49 EDT
On Will Best, Poppiehen says: “Poor Will. After last week’s pleather horrors, they’ve dressed him in a shirt and Y-fronts.”
Heartticker says: “Strange song for a foxtrot but Dianne made that work somehow. I loved the nods to the film. That was difficult to choreograph to but I thought it was great fun.”
YodaknowsAll says: “Jaime Winston e’s legs were fantastic in that cha cha. Beautifully straight. Upper body was a bit weird and her arms were a bit throwaway.”
Somersetlass adds: “I think Jaime and Carlos could go a long way. Yeah, there were some mistakes, but she’s got the flirtiness and legs for a cha cha cha, and it had real party spirit.”
Will Best and Dianne Buswell Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.50 EDT
On Graeme the Godfather/Dogfather, ladyglencora says: “I adore Lauren. Shades of Argentine tango in that waltz. Loved it.”
ReclinedPotato says: “That Dogfather bloke was the dogs’ wotsits!”
IvanTiger says: “Graeme is still fab. Good posture, timing, elegance, acting. Who’d have thunk it? Excellent!”
whistledownthewind adds: “I found the Dogfather comedy VT almost funny. The booze is kicking in!”
Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.53 EDT
Heartticker says: “Sarah Storey was a lot better than last week. I thought she might have gone out this week but now I’m not so sure. Not one of my favourite Charlestons but it was entertaining.”
Sebnose adds: “Marvellous! Total commitment to the scary lifts and it needed acting skills, which she was very good at. Very much enjoyed.”
Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.54 EDT
G1adys says: “I think the judges are being harsh on Lawrence Robb’s posture. That height difference is quite significant. And Anton, you could dance with Jowita because you’re a professional.”
Pancake01 adds: “If Craig doesn’t make a spatula hands-related comment, I’ll eat my (chef’s) hat.”
Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystał. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.55 EDT
YodaknowsAll says: “Chris l seems to have no natural rhythm in his upper body which is a shame. Straighter legs needed but he looked like he was having a blast.”
diamondcat says: “Well, I thought that Chris’ trousers would be coming off a la Bucks Fizz, then some slow motion running carrying a float. Really, I don’t know what Strictly is coming to.”
MikeMoonlight says: “Apparently tonight’s show is so long because this Baywatch routine will be shown in slow motion.”
Updated at 16.57 EDT
Aine183 says: “Delta Goodrem is so elegant. She makes it look great even if she hasn’t completely mastered the technique yet. Also I LOVE her dress.”
ReclinedPotato says: “Really beautiful from The Kelta Quadrant there, made me quite weepy until I caught sight of her underwear (twice!) in that lift.”
Kai Widdrington and Delta Goodrem. Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC/PAShare
Updated at 16.58 EDT