Strictly Come Dancing – as it happened: Halloween Week sees two couples top the leaderboard
Final 11 couples get spooky in the Halloween special
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Your support makes all the difference.Strictly Come Dancing's annual Halloween special saw the ballroom was covered in cobwebs, sparkly pumpkins and as much dry ice as they could get through the double doors at Elstree studios.
Bruno Tonioli was back after his week off and even more exuberant than ever. Claudia Winkleman brushed up on her seasonal puns. Fang-tastic!
Last week Stacey Dooley's samba wowed them even though she admitted on It Takes Two that she was "pretending to be a drag queen in Palm Springs". This week, the Glitterball favourite threatened to steal the spotlight as she performed a tango to the Doctor Who theme tune, dressed as Jodie Whittaker while Kevin Clifton played a Cyberman. Judge Bruno Tolioni thought it was an impressive routine, Craig called it a very strong performance and said they were an "unstoppable couple". Darcey loved it too. Stacey and Kevin can do no wrong, and we'll be shocked if they're not in the final.
Also getting into the Halloween spirit, Graeme Swann and Oti Mabuse paid homage to Michael Jackson with their cha cha to "Thriller" and Dr Ranj and Janette jived to "Monster Mash"… a brilliantly classic Halloween concept, or a demonstration of the producers’ lack of imagination depending on your point of view.
"I think the kids at home would love it but I didn't," Craig said of Dr Ranj's jive – calling it a "stompy routine". He agreed that the costume was hiding a multitude of sins. Darcey said the mistakes were "so clear'" but she was desperate to cuddle him. Too much character, not enough technique.
Kate and Aljaz, aka the Ice King and Queen of the ballroom, did a rumba to "Human" by Rag'n'Bone Man. Darcey took the easy route by just telling them how gorgeous they looked. Shirley was unimpressed and demanded more from a week six routine.
Ashley and Pasha received acclaim (and three 10s!) for their Charleston. Bruno called it "magnificent" and "spellbinding". Ashley and Pasha danced the Charleston, one of the technically "easier" dances. Bruno called it a "magically spell-binding, action-packed, musical comedy of a Charleston" and "one of the best moments of the Strictly season.
Last Sunday, the enfant terrible of Strictly 2018, Sean(n) Walsh found himself in the bottom two, but the judges saved him and sent Vick Hope home instead. He and Katya danced the Viennese Waltz this week, with the comedian as a toymaker and his dance partner as a porcelain doll. Craig was extremely critical, calling Seann out for his poor timing. Darcey, Bruno and Shirley all agreed. Will Seann end up in the dance-off a second time?
Meanwhile Charles finally got a reprieve after two weeks in the bottom two. But SCD aficionados will tell you they’ve seen it all before: the pattern tends to be two dance-offs, a sympathy save and then elimination the next weekend. Unfortunately, he disappointed the judges this week with a jive to "Time Warp", scoring a lowly 25...
Faye and Giovanni blew the judges away with their Couple's Choice routine – a Fosse-inspired jazz/theatre number to Peggy Lee's "Fever". They got an a-ma-zing from Craig and a total score of 39, putting them at the top of the leaderboard with Ashley and Pasha.
Joe and Dianne impressed with a foxtrot, with Darcey dropping the "f" word as she congratulated Joe for his improvements week-on-week. The judges awarded the couple their highest score so far, with a total of 35
The liveblog is now closed
Lauren and AJ closed the show after an underwhelming contemporary routine last week, with a paso doble to a Nicole Scherzinger song: Lauren starred as an evil queen and AJ was the huntsman. They scored a respectable 29, including two eights from Bruno and Shirley.
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Darcey says it was a really strong start but timing slipped, Shirley agrees. Too many mistakes for them. Brrrrrrrruuuuno is bouncing around in excitement, he liked it a lot more, says there was 'infectious appeal' about the dance.
Craig and Bruno having a little spat. I could watch that all day.
Charles and Karen: Jive scores
Craig: 6
Darcey: 6
Shirley: 6
Bruno: 7
Total: 25
AGAIN. Seriously?!
I am so excited for Faye and Giovanni's Couple Choice routine! It's a Fosse-inspired theatre/jazz routine and we're promised it's packed full of content. Craig says it should be fearless...
Erm you're still Faye from Steps. 'From Steps' will always be your surname, own it Faye!
This is a mesmerising routine, very difficult to work out which one is the professional dancer. It's all a bit tricky to judge with theatre dance being much closer to the kind of routines Faye is well accustomed to performing as a pop star, but if you take that out of the equation it was a perfectly pitched, accomplished and skilful routine. Wow.
Weird that Faye probably has more experience of this style than Shirley. Craig calls it a-ma-zing! Could this be a 40?
Faye and Giovanni: Theatre/jazz scores
Craig: 9
Darcey: 10
Shirley: 10
Bruno: 10
Total: 39
Oh Craig, you had to spoil the party! Faye and Ashley joint top of the leaderboard...
The penultimate couple of the night, time for Joe and Dianne! Dancing to a song called Youngblood, just another reminder that Joe is young. In case you hadn't worked that one out...
It's a foxtrot set at the fairground and Joe's playing a camp vampire. Joe's improving every week and apart from having slightly crazed eyes, this is a strong performance. He's paying real attention to the footwork, always keen to impress Shirley.
Brrrrrrruno says Joe has exceeded expectations, Craig loved it and Darcey (remembering it's Halloween) announces the routine was 'spookily good'.
Faye and Ashley have too much previous dance experience to win the glitterball. At the moment it's Stacey's to lose but I really think Joe could clinch it if he carries on like this...
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