Key events
Alan Carr’s Numberwang just wrapping up on BBC1. Say what you see. It’s good but it’s not right. Say goodbye, Mr Chips. He’s waving.
Join me in some gentle stretches. Glutes and calves, darlings. Just five minutes to wait now…
Running time tonight is 105 minutes, finishing at 8.25pm – just in time to flip to ITV1 for most of the Rugby World Cup semi-final, if that’s your bag.
First lifts for two couples
Both Angela Rippon and Layton Williams will be performing their first lifts tonight. Just the half-century between them but who’ll pull them off best?
Ten minutes until we get our first choreographic clues…
Last week’s show in summary
A quick reminder of last week’s action. Layton Williams scored a series high of 37 points for his “million dollar” cha cha cha, topping the leaderboard by a four-point margin. He was followed by Nigel Harman and Adam Thomas in an all-male top three.
Eddie Kadi’s rollercoaster contest continued as he went from scoring a perfect 10 to appearing in the dreaded dance-off. However, it was Jody Cundy (and reigning pro champion Jowita Przystal) who departed.
Now we’ve done our revision, it’s 15 minutes until the sparkly curtain comes up….
Glittery game on, it’s week four bingo
Cross them off when you spot them on-screen! Take a drink for each! Make a right old show of yourself and wake up full of shame! Here’s your 10-strong spotter’s guide for tonight:
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Judge says “it’s week five, so we’re looking for technical detail”
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Claudia makes mischievous mention of Krishnan Guru-Murthy’s teenage son Jay
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Talk of “gapping” or “head placement” during a critique of ballroom dance
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Shirley or Craig get snappy with the studio audience
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Mention of Motsi’s home nation on “Super Saffa Sporting Saturday”
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Tess Daly makes the first of many Halloween puns, fully 10 days early
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Distracting audience member pulls faces behind the judges or screams in the VIP seats
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Camera cuts to hilariously deadpan Craig Revel Horwood during the “voting is open” mayhem
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Slightly weepy VT before Adam Thomas’ Couple’s Choice routine
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Anton refers to some of his less twinkle-toed celebrity partners (he mainly means Ann Widdecombe, obv)
On your dance cards tonight
We’ve got another Couple’s Choice, this one a streetdance from Adam Thomas, set to a Backstreet Boys medley. Listen carefully and you might hear dear old Len Goodman turning in his grave.
We’ll also see American smooths from both Zara McDermott and Angela Scanlon. Most excitingly, Angela Rippon dances the first Argentine tango of the series. Not long now until curtain up…
Fourth elimination hoves into view
One of our 11 fit-and-well pairs will miss out on the competitiont’s next landmark: next Saturday’s Halloween special. Eddie Kadi and Zara McDermott are the bookies’ tip for the bottom two, both having survived a dance-off already.
But will it go according to form? Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Adam Thomas have a lower average score than Eddie, so might be in danger too. It’s 20 minutes until that ba-ba-da theme tune…
Amanda isn’t the only patient in the Strictly sickbay
Adam Thomas has also been suffering with the flu and has been told to miss rehearsals, so as not to spread the bug. Producers are reportedly being extra careful, fearing the winter flu virus could sweep through the cast. Adam is well enough to dance tonight, fortunately. It’s 35 minutes until glittery go-time…
Amanda Abbington missing show “for medical reasons”
The big ballroom news is that we’re one couple short tonight. Janette Manrara announced on last night’s It Takes Two: “Unfortunately, due to medical reasons, Amanda will not be taking part this weekend. Strictly protocols mean that all being well, Amanda and Giovanni will return the following week.”
She gets a bye through to next weekend but if she has to miss another show, Strictly rules say she’ll be eliminated.
It also means tonight’s show has been shortened by five minutes, with the start time bumped back from 6.35pm to 6.40pm. Amanda and her pro partner Giovanni Pernice were due to dance a cha cha cha to Jamiroquai tonight. Get well soon, Amanda.
Week five goes live
It might be soggy outside but it’s sparkly indoors. Good evening and welcome to the fifth weekend of Strictly Come Dancing 2023. I’m Michael, your digital dance partner for another non-themed show. You’re cordially invited to watch along with me as the BBC’s ballroom behemoth laces up its dancing shoes once again.
Last weekend, pace-setter Layton Williams notched the highest score of the series so far and Jody Cundy salsa-shimmied his way home, his yellow shirt still gaping open. Now our surviving pro-celebrity pairs take to the Elstree Studios dancefloor again, bidding to get through to the feast of fancy dress which is the annual Halloween spooktacular.
Tonight’s scores will be combined with viewer votes and the bottom two pairings will dance for survival on Sunday night. Who’ll become the fourth couple to bow out of the ballroom?
It’s showtime at 6.40pm on BBC One (five minutes later than advertised, for reasons I’ll explain shortly). I’ll be liveblogging from 6.10pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction and puerile gags. So stay in the dry, pour yourself a warming drink and see you on the sofa.
As always, I’d love to hear from you too. You can tweet me @michaelhogan, email me [email protected] and the comments section below is yours to enjoy. I’ll foxtrot down there from time-to-time to report on your opinions.
Somebody won’t clinch a place in the pumpkin-shaped special. Nearly time to staaaaaart dancing!
