Key events
Strictly zoo dancing
We kick off with a movie-themed group routine from the pros. This Zootropolis number is soundtracked by a medley of Shakira’s Try Everything and Zoo.
Jowita is playing Officer Judy Hopps and Julian is Nick Wilde. Animal fancy-dress all round, like a children’s party with an over-enthusiastic face-painter. Ginger Neil klaxon!
ShareCue titles!
Still adjusting to the new-look title sequence. Lawrence Robb gives Jowita a piggy back! John Nellis flexes his bicep! Turkey hand from Will Best! Glittery gobble gobble!
ShareAnd we’re off!
Roll the traditional movie-themed VT. A Top Gun spoof this time. I feel the need. The need for speed.
Salt or sugar your popcorn. Switch your phones to silent. Pop open that “sharing” box of Maltesers. We’re about to go live to Elstree Studios…
ShareCraig was in a meaner than usual mood
He’s statistically the harshest judge, of course, and Craig Revel Horwood’s average paddle-raise last Saturday was just 4.6 points – his lowest week one scoring since 2020.
Something tells me that totals will be higher all round tonight. They usually are in a theme week. It’s just five minutes until the director calls “Action”…
The Celebrity Inner Circle is just finishing up on BBC1. By the magic of prerecorded TV, contestants include Strictly’s very own Will Best. Hope he’s got his dance shoes on and a taxi waiting.
Talk about running time bloat. Tonight’s show clocks in at an epic 155 minutes – five minutes longer than last Saturday’s opening live show. Assume that extra time will be filled with film-themed fluff. It’s like a choreographic Chrisopher Nolan film.
Not long now until the Pearl & Dean tune…
ShareOn your dance cards tonight
The 15 Movie Week routines include the first Charleston and Couple’s Choice of the series. Too soon? Quite possibly.
There’s also much more ballroom tonight, with nine traditional numbers to please the purists. A mere 15 minutes until spangly showtime…
ShareEyes down for Movie Week bingo
Tick them off as you spot them! Take a drink for each! End up tearily texting your ex! Here’s your 10-point spotter’s checklist for Movie Week:
Repeated, verging-on-criminal misuse of the word “iconic”
Awkwardly long pause when presenter on balcony hands back to the studio floor
Celebrity unconvincingly claims they’re paying homage to their all-time favourite film. (Ratatouille? Really?)
Emma Willis inhabits Tess Daly by saying “The crowd are on their feet!”
Anton Du Beke harks back to his own Movie Week routines of yore
Film-themed VT with Craig playing the villain/Shirley as the fairy godmother
Judges have no literally no clue how to mark Couple’s Choice, so dish out random high scores
Celebrity is damned with faint praise as “having fun”, “telling a story” or “embracing the character”
Craig isn’t happy with the ankle swivel during this year’s first Charleston
First theme of the series is flogged to within an inch of its life
SharePublic get to have their say
There was no viewer vote last time out, so this is the first chance for the Strictly audience to back their favourites – and the first couple will be cruelly voted off.
Last Saturday’s judgely scores will be carried over, then combined with tonight’s totals and the public vote. The bottom two will be consigned to this year’s first dreaded dance-off and somebody will be sent home with the sparkly-handled wooden spoon.
Any predictions? Shaun Wright-Phillips is the hot bookies’ tip but Dame Sarah Storey, Melanie Walters and Chris Appleton could also be in the danger zone. Stock up on “concessions”, it’s 25 minutes to screening time…
ShareDoes it take three hosts to tango?
Last week saw the live debut of all-new presenting trio Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe – and safe to say it didn’t go entirely smoothly.
There were some satellite delay-style pauses in the handovers. Jojo could barely be heard above the balcony crowd. Poor “Joshy” got a critical mauling in the press, with claims that he looks like a spare part.
It’s by no means a crisis yet. Give them a chance to settle in. But BBC bigwigs will certainly be hoping that things are slicker and snappier tonight.
Buckle up, Barry Norman. Clunk-click, Pauline Kael. It’s less than half an hour until the film cameras start rolling…
ShareStrictly shakes up Movie Week
Lights, camera, ballroom action! Yes, Strictly Come Dancing has surprised us all by shifting Movie Week to the contest’s first full weekend. As if this series hadn’t featured enough changes, they’ve switched up the dancefloor diary too.
Evening all and welcome to the second live show of the series. I’m Michael, your torch-wielding, ice cream-selling usherette for tonight’s show. You are cordially invited to watch along with me as the red carpet is rolled out for the premiere theme week of 2026.
Last week’s inaugural live show saw John Nellis foxtrot to the top and a three-way tie down the bottom. Now, for the first time in Strictly history, all 15 pro-celebrity couples will get their Movie Week close-up because the themed special has been brought forward from its traditional week three slot. They’ll be performing routines inspired by Hollywood films in their bid to avoid this year’s first elimination, so expect a feast of fancy dress and novelty props.
On Sunday night, their scores will be combined with last Saturday’s, plus the first public vote of the series, before the credits roll on one couple’s competition. So whose routine will be a box office blockbuster? And which flop will go straight to the Blu-ray bargain bin?
It’s showtime at 6.15pm on BBC One. I’ll be liveblogging from 5.45pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction and heckles from the back row of the cinema. So stock up on exorbitantly priced pick ’n’ mix and I’ll see you on the front row of the cinema.
As ever, I’d 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 and the comments section below is back open for your Movie Week musings. I’ll foxtrot down where from time to time to gauge your reaction and report it up top, so please do share your thoughts.
Saturday night at the movies, anyone? It’s nearly time to staaaaaart cinematic dancing!