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Alex and Jojo\u2019s foxtrot<\/p>\n
Time for last week\u2019s leaderboard toppers, actor Alex Kingston and her pro partner Johannes Radebe. High expectations now. She\u2019s swapping her rumba queen crown for a Dolly wig and flowing floral prairie dress. Starts sitting outside a Tennessee-style diner set, then into hold for a sweet, floaty foxtrot. Alex is always great at characterisation and storytelling, so themed weeks suit her. The judges will be hoping for gliding movement and no gapping. Not sure they\u2019ll be entirely happy but otherwise lovely. Her scores have ranged from four to 10. That\u2019s surely at the upper end.<\/p>\n
Song: Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton. The 1977 single became Dolly\u2019s first big pop crossover hit but she insisted steel guitar was added to keep her country credibility.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Judges\u2019 scores: 6, 8, 7, 7 for a total of 28 points. Emma \u201cBaby Spice\u201d Bunton sends her a sweet video message, telling Ellie she\u2019s a \u201csuperstar\u201d. Also, I\u2019d quite like her ring light.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Judges\u2019 comments: Craig says \u201cloved the energy but needed more hip rotation and smoother transitions, otherwise incredible\u201d. Motsi says \u201cpersonality and connection, improving so much, you are a force\u201d. Shirley says \u201cloved the solo opening and execution of lifts, you never make mistakes\u201d. Anton concludes \u201cso much to enjoy, nailing your timing and lit up the whole place, keep going\u201d. Sevens? Maybe an eight?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Ellie and Vito\u2019s salsa<\/p>\n After last week\u2019s joyous Couple\u2019s Choice, it\u2019s an equally upbeat number for Ellie Goldstein and her partner Vito Coppola. She\u2019s playing Baby Spice for this energetic party dance. Green screen with Ellie as the other four Spicies, which is a neat gimmick. Splits, dips, drops. Packed with tricks and lifts. Floor spins and shoulder shimmies. Fun and sparkly. Lacking a little Cuban spice and salsa flavour, maybe, but bags of fun and you can\u2019t fault her performance levels. Turning into a dancer before our eyes. Brilliant. Zig-a-zig-ah!<\/p>\n Song: Spice Girls Medley. Who Do You Think You Are, which features highly here, was the song that opened the 1997 Brit Awards with Geri Halliwell in that now-legendary Union Jack dress.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Judges\u2019 scores: 7, 7, 7, 7 for a total of 28 points. Poor Kaz is \u201ca bit gutted\u201d but happier now. Claudia doing a band-up job cheering her up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Judges\u2019 comments: Shirley says \u201cexecuted the walks very well, went wobbly in the middle, point your toes and add details but enjoyed it\u201d. Anton says \u201cdanced very well but you got a bit tense and off-balance, just lacked breathing\u201d. Craig says \u201csmooth it out, lacked fluidity and free arm placement but lovely straight legs\u201d. Motsi concludes \u201cused leg action well, be confident and let your body go\u201d. Sevens, are we saying?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Karen and Carlos\u2019 rumba<\/p>\n Former Lioness Karen Carney has excelled at high-energy dances. This is the first time she\u2019s slowed it down. She\u2019s been working hard on fluidity, hip movement and foot control. The rumba is partner Carlos Gu\u2019s favourite dance and Karen has surprised herself by loving it too. Wind machine on and a floor drag. Looking leggy in a beaded black dress with flouncy chiffon black cape. Rhythmic and romantic but not quite grounded and rotational enough. Still, did well with a difficult dance style.<\/p>\n Song: Think Twice by C\u00e9line Dion.The 1994 soft rock smash won an Ivor Novello Award and topped the chart for seven weeks, selling over 1m copies in the UK alone.<\/p>\n Carlos Gu and Karen Carney. Photograph: Guy Levy\/BBC\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.44 EDT<\/p>\n Judges\u2019 scores: 9, 9, 8, 8 for a total of 34 points. Setting a high bar.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Judges\u2019 comments: Motsi says \u201con top, worked with the music and changes of pace, perfect start\u201d. Shirley says \u201ca little back-weighted\u201d, coordinate all body parts but I was pleased with that\u201d. Anton says \u201cgreat, just smarten your form and the sky is the limit\u201d. Craig concludes \u201ctiny bit of gapping and topline needs sorting out\u201d. Eights and maybe a nine incoming?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Lewis and Katya\u2019s quickstep<\/p>\n \u201cPing\u201d has been this week\u2019s word in training as partner Katya Jones encouraged actor Lewis Cope to pull up his spine and lengthen his posture. A guitar-wielding impression at the top of the routine \u2013 he\u2019s a huge Johnny Cash fan, so will have relished that \u2013 before launching into a fast, furious and playful routine, with Katya playing Johnny\u2019s second wife, June Carter Cash. Clean footwork, great synchronisation and non-stop frothy fun. Lewis is the highest scoring celebrity of the series so far but still hadn\u2019t got a 10 for a ballroom number. Just saying. Air riff to finish.<\/p>\n Song: Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash. The Man In Black\u2019s 1963 hit was co-written by his later wife June, who was inspired by seeing the line \u201cLove is like a burning ring of fire\u201d underlined in ha book of Elizabethan poetry owned by her uncle. It had a resurgence in popularity after appearing in a 1993 Levi\u2019s ad.<\/p>\n Katya Jones and Lewis Cope. Photograph: Guy Levy\/BBC\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n A fleeting but bittersweet mention at the top of the show for Tess and Claud\u2019s Christmas departure but they wisely didn\u2019t dwell and kept the focus on tonight\u2019s show. Plenty of time for that later.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Our Strictly stars\u2122<\/p>\n Our couples come out for a welcome wave and it\u2019s a veritable fancy dress party! Stetsons! Wigs! Purple suits! Stick-on ponytails! Military caps! Bacofoil trousers!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Paddle-raising panel in the house<\/p>\n The judges make their big entrance. Fancy dress for them too. Craig Revel Horwood is John Lennon, Motsi Mabuse is Grace, Shirley Ballas is Elvis Presley and Anton Du Beke is David Bowie. Although somehow he always ends up looking like Claudia\u2019s Auntie Joan at Christmas. Don\u2019t go changing, Claud.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Frockwatch<\/p>\n Our hosts arrive after a big week \u2013 no more taking them for granted, let\u2019s appreciate them while we can \u2013 so let\u2019s do our weekly frock-off. Tess Daly is in a halterneck blue satin dress. Claudia Winkleman is white silk shirt and black dress. A rare win for Tess?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Cue clapalong credits<\/p>\n Four male celebs have left us so far. Thomas Skinner, Ross King and Chris Robshaw were knocked out, then Stefan Dennis was stretchered off. Who\u2019s next?<\/p>\n