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Judges\u2019 comments: Craig says \u201ca right little bobby-dazzler, incredible, could\u2019ve done more swivel and lifts got sticky but your energy was amazing\u201d. Motsi says \u201cdynamic and on-top, naturally expressive, I love you\u201d. Shirley says \u201cfast-paced and difficult but swivelling was a little missing and off-balance in places but lots to like\u201d. Anton concludes \u201ccongratulations to Carlos for keeping up, lindhop part tremendous\u201d. Eights and nines?<\/p>\n
Share<\/a>Karen and Carlos\u2019 Charleston<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been looking forward to this. Former Lioness Karen Carney, riding high after scorting her first 10s for last week\u2019s Peaky Blinders-capped Argentine tango, should have the sporty stamina and fast feet required here. Her pro partner Carlos Gu\u2019s previous Charlestons have scored 35 and 38 points. No pressure. Gimmicky upside-down opening, then into a quirky, happy dance packed with lifts, tricks, flicks and kicks. Loads of steps and bounce. Cute outfits, with Karen in \u201cskorts\u201d, braces and blouse. Craig \u201cSweivel\u201d Horwood will have a beady eye on those ankles. Out of sync at times and a little messy in the upper body. Giving it welly, fast as hell but not quite gellling for me.<\/p>\n Song: Upside Down\/Think by Diana Ross\/Aretha Franklin. A funky mash-up of the Niles Rodgers-produced 1980 disco classic and the 1968 soul anthem which was famously featured on The Blues Brothers soundtrack.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.46 EST<\/p>\n Judges\u2019 scores: 8, 9, 9, 9 for a total of 35 points. Setting a high bar for the next eight couples.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Judges\u2019 comments: Shirley says \u201cI like it like that, well-balanced, did a grand job\u201d. Anton says \u201che\u2019s barely out of breath and barely dressed, timing and fluidity brilliant, a little bit hard in the base\u201d. Craig says \u201ca little try-hard and hit the shapes too hard but insane rhythm and hips on fire\u201d. Motsi concludes \u201cI loved it like that, cool Cuban vibe\u201d. Nines ahoy?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Lewis and Katya\u2019s cha cha cha<\/p>\n Vest-clad actor Lewis Cope goes from Hartlepool to Havana. Last week\u2019s triumphant Couple\u2019 Choice scored a perfect 40 (only the second ever maximum for pro partner Katya Jones) and was hailed as one of the best dances in Strictly history. A lot to live up to, so the technically tricky Cuban party dance could see Lewis come crashing back to earth \u2013 or perhaps not. Lots of exposing solo work which he handles with style. Low, deep and grounded down below. More fluid and free in the upper body. Cheeky, flirty feel with wiggling hip action. A large helping of Cuban sauce. Man, he\u2019s good. Katya clearly loving having a great partner. Phew, a spicy start to the show.<\/p>\n Song: I Like It Like That by Pete Rodriguez. The 1967 boogaloo hit was covered in the 90s by Latin supergroup The Blackout All-Stars version. Its use in a Burger King ad also contributed to its resurgence in popularity, More recently, it was sampled by rapper Cardi B (full name: Cardigan Buttons).<\/p>\n Lewis Cope and Katya Jones. Photograph: Guy Levy\/BBC\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.37 EST<\/p>\n Our Strictly stars\u2122<\/p>\n Our couples come out for a staircase welcome wave. Nitro\u2019s got his pecs out. So has Aussie Julian. Some singalong air-punching to Bon Jovi, oddly.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Judges ahoy<\/p>\n We welcome the paddle-raisibng panel of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke. All in black, with Shirley\u2019s frock oddly matronly. They raised six 10s last week. Will we see any maximums tonight?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Frockwatch<\/p>\n Here\u2019s our presentational dream duo, so let\u2019s do the traditional frock-off. Tess Daly is a sparkly black halterneck frock. Claudia Winkleman is in a black sequinned shirt and trousers with white stilettoes. Claud wins, like a sort of couture Alan Carr.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.29 EST<\/p>\n Cue clapalong titles<\/p>\n Which of these grinning couples will be falling at the halfway hurdle?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Aaaaand we\u2019re off!<\/p>\n Roll the industry standard scene-setting VT. Split or shaft? Sorry, wrong show.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Close your curtains on any fireworks and concentrate on the dance pyrotechnics instead. We\u2019re about to be rocketed over live to Elstree Studios\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Amanda Holden-hosted quiz The Celebrity Inner Circle just wrapping up on BBC1. I\u2019ve been subjected to six episodes of this now and am still none the wiser about the rules. A mere five minutes to wait now\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>On your dance cards tonight<\/p>\n For the first time this series, there are no overlaps, so we\u2019ll be treated to nine different styles tonight, including a Charleston from Karen Carney and a Bollywood-flavoured Couple\u2019s Choice from Balvinder Sopal.<\/p>\n Not long now until the glitterball starts spinning\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Strictly alumnus Quentin Willson RIP<\/p>\n Sad news today that former Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson has died aged 68 after being diagnosed with lung cancer.<\/p>\n He occupies a place in Strictly history, of course, although not a terribly illustrious one. After being partnered with Hazel Newberry in the second series, he was eliminated first and his eight-point cha-cha still stands as the lowest score ever awarded by the judges. Perhaps dear departed Len Goodman can give him lessons up in dance heaven.<\/p>\n It\u2019s 10 minutes until the spangly curtain comes up\u2026.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Remember, remember, it\u2019s 8th November bingo<\/p>\n Tick them off when you spot them! Take a drink for each! Wind up handcuffed to a confused policeman in Amsterdam! Here\u2019s tonight\u2019s 10-point spotter\u2019s checklist:<\/p>\n The judges have no idea how to mark a Couple\u2019s Choice so make it up as they go along<\/p>\n Craig Revel Horwood insists that a Charleston isn\u2019t quirky or swivelly enough<\/p>\n Struggling celebrity plays the cute kid\/nanna card in their VT<\/p>\n Shirley Ballas mentions footwork details and \u201cfundamentals\u201d<\/p>\n Lewis Cope unconvincingly denies that scoring a perfect 40 last week raised pressure or expectations<\/p>\n Anton du Beke coos over a classic ballroom number and says it\u2019s the sort of routine he would\u2019ve loved to dance<\/p>\n Vicky Pattison\u2019s post-dance interview involves mention of her nerves\/an animal reference<\/p>\n Motsi Mabuse pretty much tells Craig to shut up and stop nitpicking<\/p>\n The newly eliminated Vito Coppola becomes chief cheerleader on the balcony<\/p>\n Dave Arch\u2019s band do well with a classic tune but make a right mess of a contemporary pop banger<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Get well soon, Amy<\/p>\n News this week that beloved Strictly pro Amy Dowden will sit out the rest of the series after undergoing a second mastectomy. The 35-year-old from Caerphilly was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 after discovering a lump in her breast during her honeymoon.<\/p>\n She has reassured fans that the latest operation wasn\u2019t related to a new diagnosis and that she\u2019s \u201clooking forward to rejoining the Strictly family\u201d when her health has improved. We wish her well with her recovery.<\/p>\n It\u2019s 20 minutes until that ba-ba-da theme tune\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>A Nitro vs Suki dance-off?<\/p>\n Perhaps unsurprisingly, Balvinder Sopal and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey are the bookies\u2019 tips for the bottom two this week, followed – slightly more surprisingly – by Amber Davies.<\/p>\n Can this endangered trio defy the odds? It\u2019s 25 minutes until we get our first choreographic clues\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Whose half-term report will say \u201csee me\u201d?<\/p>\n Someone won\u2019t make it past the midway mark. Good evening and welcome to the seventh live weekend of Strictly Come Dancing 2025. I\u2019m Michael, your virtual dance partner for tonight\u2019s mercifully non-themed live show. You are warmly invited to watch along with me as our nine remaining couples reach the halfway point of the contest.<\/p>\n Last week\u2019s Halloween Spooktacular saw some spookily high scoring. Lewis Cope got the first perfect 40 of the series for his stunning Couple\u2019s Choice and Karen Carney also scored two 10s for her Peaky Blinders-themed Argentine tango. Down the bottom Balvinder Sopal was consigned to her third dance-off but Ellie Goldstein was sadly eliminated.<\/p>\n Tonight the nine surviving pro-celebrity pairings take to the floor again, bidding to get past the midway point and enter Strictly\u2019s home stretch. Yes, it\u2019s all downhill from here until Christmas.<\/p>\n It\u2019s showtime at 6.25pm on BBC<\/a> One. I\u2019ll be liveblogging from 5.55pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction and ooh-aah verbal fireworks. So light a sparkler on the hob, get your teeth stuck in a toffee apple and I\u2019ll see you on the sofa.<\/p>\n As ever, 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 choreographic conversation. I\u2019ll samba-bounce down there whenever I can to see what you\u2019re all saying and quote your sage words up top. So please don\u2019t be shy about sharing your thoughts.<\/p>\n It\u2019s week seven and we\u2019re going to hoofing heaven. Nearly time to staaaart halfway dancing!<\/p>\n