Strictly Come Dancing latest: Chris McCausland sparks tears as Jamie and Montell top leaderboard
All the updates from week five of the BBC dancing competition
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Strictly Come Dancing was back on BBC One for week five of the competition after a rollercoaster few days on and off the screen for the show.
Liverpudlian Chris McCausland delivered the most emotional moment of the night with a Waltz to “You’ll Never Walk Alone” that left head judge Shirley Ballas in tears. He landed a score of 35, putting him third on the leaderboard.
While last Saturday saw former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri awarded the first 10s of the series so far and top the leaderboard yet again, this week she fell to fourth as two other celebrities shared first place. The honour went to Jamie Borthwick, who performed a Pasodoble with Michelle Tsiakkas, and Montell Douglas, who together with Johannes Rabede closed the show with a Couple’s Choice. Both pairs scored 39, with all judges apart from Craig Revel Horwood giving them 10s.
Last week’s episode was not without controversy — but it went unaddressed in tonight’s show. Towards the end of last Saturday’s programme, the celebrities and their professional partners gathered in the “Clauditorium” – the upstairs area where host Claudia Winkleman chats to the contestants in between performances – before the voting lines opened, just as they do every week.
Dancer Katya Jones was captured on camera as she appeared to move opera singer Wynne Evans’s hand off her midriff and onto her hip. Earlier in the show, she seemed to reject a high five from her partner. Seeing these two incidents in quick succession moved viewers to start speculating about whether Jones was feeling uneasy.
The pair quickly moved to shut down the rumour mill, sharing an Instagram video in which they said they were “just messing around”. In his post, Evans wrote the high fives were a “running joke” between them. Jones, a Strictly veteran of eight years, later doubled down with another video on Sunday, describing the row as “quite absurd” and asking fans to focus their attention on Evans’s “amazing” progress in the competition.
Fans had speculated about whether the pair would mention the controversy during the live show, but they decided against it.
Pete Wicks cozies up to dance partner Jowita Przystal as she admits he looks ‘handsome’
Pete Wicks cozied up to dance partner Jowita Przystal as she admitted he looked “handsome” during their latest dance.
The couple, who have been at the centre of romance rumours since the start of the competition, appeared on the Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two on 17 October, with the professional dancer quick to praise her partner.
As the reality star sat with his arm around her, Jowita said Pete continues to get “better and better”.
As host Janette Manrara told Pete he looked “handsome” with his hair slicked back for his Quickstep in last week’s live show, Jowita was quick to agree.
Wynne Evans says he’s ‘feeling the love’ following return to dancefloor after touching controversy
Opera singer Wynne Evans has thanked his fans for showing him love after the Katya Jones touching controversy.
On his Instagram account, the Welsh singer, best known for starring in the Go Compare adverts, shared a selfie of himself smiling.
In the caption he wrote: “Here we go it’s nearly showtime. Thanks for all the wonderful messages I’m certainly feeling love.”
He added: “Don’t forget to vote vote vote.”
Evans signed off the post by saying “love you all you’re amazing.”
And we're off!
I’m back for what will surely be another interesting evening in the Strictly ballroom.
We have a Pasodoble, a Couple’s Choice and what is sure to be an emotional Waltz among tonight’s 12 performances. But it’s fair to say all eyes will be on Wynne and Katya, and whether they address the fallout from last week. Buckle up...
JB and Amy open the show
They’ve kickstarted the evening (quite literally) with a Jive to Outkast’s “Hey Ya!”. It’s yet another solid performance from JB and a total joy... but I am dizzy from the camerawork.
JB’s scores are in...
Two 7s and two 8s give the JLS singer a solid 30, the same score as last week.
He received mixed reviews from the judges. Anton started by labelling the routine “clean [but] a little heavy and a little stompy” — and Craig agreed with him.
Things got a little better when Motsi shared her thoughts, as she said: “There were plenty of good things going for you in that Jive, do keep up the good work”.
“Every week, you’re bringing something new to your dancing,” added Shirley. “What a divine performane to start the show.”
Punam and Gorka perform a Waltz
Punam has had the full spectrum of Strictly experiences, delivering the dance of the night in Movie Week with her Bollywood routine, only to find herself bottom of the leaderboard last week.
Viewers’ votes saved her from the dreaded dance-off, but she really needed to pull something great out of the bag this week. That was a beautiful Waltz and she certainly looked less nervous than last week, but will it be enough?
Punam’s scores are in...
It’s a four from Craig! Ouch. A 6 from Motsi, 5 from Shirley, and 6 from Anton give her a total of 21.
It’s just point more than last week, when she ended up bottom of the leaderboard...
Can Jamie deliver a ‘wow’ moment?
Jamie and Michelle landed in joint second on the leaderboard last week with a score of 34, including two 9s. Will their Pasodoble get them any 10s?
The EastEnders star is a solid contender but he hasn’t so far had a ‘wow’ moments on the dancefloor.
Jamie wins over the judges
With Ian Beale (well, Adam Woodyatt) cheering him on, Jamie won high praise from the judges.
Craig said: “In my best East End darling, Paso bleedin’ tastic, darling!”
“All that intension, intensity, beintg alive with your dance partner... brilliant,” added Motsi, before Shirley praised Michelle for her “outstanding” choeography. “That was an absolutely remarkable Pasodoble,” the head judge continued.
Rounding things off, Anton praised Jamie’s eight ‘fregolinas’ (yes, I had to google how to spell that) and said: “You will never dance a better dance than that.” High praise indeed!
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