Strictly Come Dancing live: Blackpool week sees Sarah Hadland wow with powerful Couple’s Choice
Only eight couples remain in the BBC dance competition
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Your support makes all the difference.Strictly Come Dancing‘s eight remaining couples headed to the legendary Blackpool Tower ballroom for week nine of the series.
The show is usually held in the Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. But for one week each year, the show moves up north to the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool – an iconic and historical dancing venue.
The episode featured a number of impressive routines with Sarah Hadland performing a powerful Couple’s Choice and Tasha Ghouri taking on the Paso Doble. Both dances received totals of 39 from the judges and the two stars are sharing the top spot on the leaderboard.
While he didn’t score too well, Pete Wicks certainly delivered a dose of entertainment with his “I’m Too Sexy” Cha Cha. Another star who struggled was Wynne Evans, who performed a Charleston with his partner Katya Jones.
Blackpool Week followed last Sunday’s elimination of X Factor star Shayne Ward and his partner Nancy Xu, who faced singer Wynne Evans and pro partner Katya Jones in the dance-off.
Pete’s too sexy for his shirt
Pete’s Couple’s Choice impressed the judges and saw him land joint third place on the leaderboard last week (by far his best finish). And now, after such an emotional performance last week, he’s doing a Cha Cha to “I’m Too Sexy”. God, I love this show.
This routine is quite simple fo this stage in the competition but you know what, it is one of the campest things I’ve ever seen and that surely deserves some extra points. Also, what are they doing with the pink fur coat after this week because I would quite like to own it.
Shirley is lost for words
She’s in stitches. “You had a very clean neckline,” she told Pete, struggling for words. “Your hips were swinging from left to right... It was very entertainining, I don’t think I’m going to forget this evening for as long as I live.”
Pete’s scores are in...
He’s received a 4 from Craig. Ouch! A 7 and two 8s give Pete a total of 27 — meaning he’s now bottom of the leaderboard.
Emotional meaning behind Sarah’s Couple’s Choice
The Miranda actress became tearful as she explained the meaning behind her (phenomenal) Couple’s Choice in her VT.
Here’s what she said...
Strictly’s Sarah Hadland in tears as she explains meaning behind Couples Choice dance
‘I didn’t know this is what I needed,’ the ‘Miranda’ star said
JB’s Quickstepping
He’s making this look easy!
The extra dancers really do up the level, and JB looks totally at ease while Quickstepping across the ballroom with Lauren and four backing dancers.
JB’s scores are in...
He’s landed an 8 and three 9s, for a total of 35.
Anton labelled the routine a “super performance” but both he and Craig had problems with JB’s posture.
Craig did have something positive to say though. “I loved the fact you moved all around this humungous floor with ease,” he added.
Tasha brings the drama with a Paso Doble
That was stunning.
Tasha has very strong ‘Paso face’, which I very much enjoyed. The lifts were beautiful and seamlessly pullled off, and she looked totally confident dancing out of hold. That will be really tough for Jamie (who is the last celeb left) to follow.
‘Dance of the night’
The judges are loving Tasha’s Paso.
“I would have liked to have seen it danced a little bit more into the ground,” Craig said. “But I’ve got to say, ah-may-zing.”
Motsi added: “I loved that you wre so fine and controlled with your movements. For me, the dance of the night.”
“It was the most beautiful, interpretive Paso Doble I’ve seen in a long time,” said Shirley.
“Absolutely top draw,” said Anton.
Tasha’s scores are in...
A 9 from Craig and three 10s give Tasha a score of 39, putting her joint top of the leaderboard.
Jamie closes the show
He’s descended from the ceiling on a sparkly bottle of ketchup because why not? And the backing dancers to this “Ketchup Song” Jive are also dressed as condiments, which is amazing.
It looked like there was a small mistake at the end but that was pretty good!
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