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Judges\u2019 comments: Motsi says \u201cyou gave us rhythm and more, loved your fearless attitude, soft and strong, you\u2019re fighter\u201d. Shirley says \u201cI\u2019m in shock, outstanding foot positions, immaculate precision and timing\u201d. Anton says \u201cyou\u2019ve set the benchmark and will take some beating\u201d. Craig concludes \u201cstop-start transitions, lacked fluidity in and out of lifts but you gave it your all, my darling\u201d. An eight and three nines, do we reckon?<\/p>\n
Share<\/a>Balvinder and Julian\u2019s salsa<\/p>\n EastEnders actor Balvinder Sopal lets loose for a Cuban party dance. Bal should have grown in confidence after that personal best score and dodging the dreaded red light last week. Despite the salsa\u2019s speed, she needs to keep her technique precise and stay on rhythm. Neon palm trees and lovely skirt, looking a bit like a blancmange. Loads of energy, with Bal taking centre stage right from the start. Rhythmic, powerful and fiery. Being thrown around in the lifts. Too much walking and fltying through the air, perhaps. Not earthy enough and lacking a little spicy sauce, perhaps, but bags of Miami disco fun and lovely connection with partner Julian Caillon. Upside down to finish.<\/p>\n Song: Rhythm Is Gonna Get You \/ Get on Your Feet by Gloria Estefan. A medley of two of the Latina pop queen\u2019s late 80s hits.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Our Strictly stars\u2122<\/p>\n Our first sight of the four semi-finalist couple. Relatively restrained on the fancy dress front but Julian\u2019s got his abs out. Nikita, surprisingly, hasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>By jove, it\u2019s the judges<\/p>\n A rare chance to see their legs as we welcome the paddle-raising panel. Motsi Mabuse is in shimmery lilac. Shirley Ballas in sparkly pewter, Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood in their customary black tie. Anton\u2019s floral affair looks like your nan\u2019s curtains.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Frockwatch<\/p>\n Our presenting duo sashay into view, so time for the regular gown rundown. Tess Daly is in a red floor-slength frock with a slit. Claudia Winkleman is in a golden glittery, rouched wrap dress. Unusual colour for her and we approve. Both fab-u-lous.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Cue clap-along credits<\/p>\n Tommy Bosh! Ross King! Rugby Chris! Other people we\u2019d kind of forgotten were ever in the contest!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>And we\u2019re off!<\/p>\n Roll moody black-and-white VT to crank up the jeopardy. Nobody wants to fall agonisingly short of the final, naturally.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Do some light stretching from your seated sofa position. We\u2019re about to go over live to the Elstree Studios ballroom\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Alan Carr\u2019s Picturewang just drawing to a close on BBC1. I am, and have always been\u2026 a Traitor *bursts into tears, steals all the money, pops open another bottle of ros\u00e9*.<\/p>\n A mere five minutes to wait now\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.30 EST<\/p>\n Justice for Ginger Neil<\/p>\n Cheering news from sister show Strictly: It Takes Two this week when Neil Jones not only won this year\u2019s Pro Challenge but set a new world record in the process. He performed an impressive 58 samba whisks in 30 seconds to take the crown.<\/p>\n After twice finishing runner-up in the annual contest, our strawberry blond cult hero was endearingly thrilled to finally claim the trophy. As host Janette Manrara said: \u201cThe bridesmaid has become the bride.\u201d<\/p>\n Now everyone\u2019s got to keep up with the Jones. It\u2019s a mere 10 minutes until the clock strikes sequins\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>On your dance cards tonight<\/p>\n Of this evening\u2019s eight routines, there are two overlaps, with Karen and Balvinder both performing a waltz and a salsa. A strange quirk of the dance roster.<\/p>\n There are also not one but two appearances on Dave Arch\u2019s playlist from Michael Bubl\u00e9, aka Mickey Bubbles. Well, I suppose it is nearly Christmas. Fifteen minutes until semi-final o\u2019clock\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Eyes down for Strictly semi-final bingo<\/p>\n Tick them off when you spot them on screen! Take a drink for each! End up stoving into the Christmas Bailey\u2019s and Babychams too early! Here\u2019s your 10-point spotter\u2019s guide for tonight\u2019s proceedings\u2026<\/p>\n Claudia gets everyone on the balcony to say the word \u201ctablets\u201d during the voting details<\/p>\n Mention of Lewis Cope\u2019s departure last week gets sorrowful \u201cawws\u201d from the crowd<\/p>\n Celebrity insists \u201cI never dreamt I\u2019d make it this far in the competition\u201d<\/p>\n Craig is roundly booed for raising his \u201cnine\u201d paddle<\/p>\n Mention of blister plasters\/Epsom salts due to hard week\u2019s training<\/p>\n Celebrity is told they have \u201cturned-in toes\u201d or \u201csickled feet\u201d<\/p>\n Male pro refers to his partner as \u201cthis girl\u201d or \u201cthis woman\u201d<\/p>\n Tess Daly\u2019s frock has some kind of superfluous asymmetry or strange neck detail<\/p>\n A pro is thrilled when one of their celebrity partner\u2019s ballroom steps was appreciated by Anton<\/p>\n The glitterball trophy is in the studio and greeted with audience \u201coohs\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Tight at the top and bottom<\/p>\n It probably won\u2019t surprise you to learn that Balvinder Sopal is bookies\u2019 hot tip for elimination this week, with Amber Davies as second favourite.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Karen Carney and George Clarke have drawn level as favourites to win the glitterball. It\u2019s 25 minutes until ballroom blast-off\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Twice the workload, twice the pressure<\/p>\n A hectic week in the training studios this week, with our couples dividing their time between two routines. They\u2019re wisely mixing up the pace with one slower ballroom dance and one Latin or speciality number – except for George Clarke, who has two fast, full-on styles. As the youngest semi-finalist, though, he should have the energy and stamina.<\/p>\n Half an hour until semi showtime\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Whose double dancing will earn them a place in the final?<\/p>\n Two more routines, one more public vote and you\u2019re a finalist. It\u2019s choreographic crunch time and the glitterball trophy is tantalisingly within grasp. Good evening and welcome to the semi-final weekend of Strictly Come Dancing 2025. I\u2019m Michael, your cyber dance partner. I\u2019d love you to watch along with me as our four remaining couples bid to reach this year\u2019s grand final.<\/p>\n For the first time tonight, our pro-celebrity pairings tackle two full routines apiece, so it\u2019s been a hectic week in the training rooms. Faced with this extra challenge, who will thrive and who will wilt? The judges have their last chance to influence proceedings this weekend. In next Saturday\u2019s final, their scores will be for guidance only and it\u2019s all down to viewer votes.<\/p>\n People\u2019s favourite Karen Carney and the strongly supported George Clarke, neither of whom have ever been in the bottom two, look likely tips for the final. Amber Davies prevailed in last week\u2019s dance-off, her second, and Balvinder Sopal has survived a record-breaking five, so they seem most in danger. However, Lewis Cope\u2019s shock exit last week was a reminder that anything could happen.<\/p>\n It\u2019s showtime at 6.35pm on BBC<\/a> One. I\u2019ll be liveblogging from 6.05pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction and semi-sarky asides. So get cosy under the festive fairylights and I\u2019ll see you on the sofa.<\/p>\n As always, I\u2019d love to hear from you too. You can tweet me @michaelhogan, contact me on Bluesky or Threads @michaelhogan100, email me michael.hogan.freelance@guardian.co.uk<\/a> and the comments section below is open for dance discourse. I\u2019ll waltz and waft down there to see what you\u2019re all saying and report some of your comments up top.<\/p>\n We\u2019re into the last week and it\u2019s time to peak. Nearly time to staaaaart double-dancing!<\/p>\n