This week, the action seemed to get straight underway, and I was glad of it because had started watching the show late and didn’t want it to go on all night! Nick was back on the dancefloor after a flurry of injuries, and so we get a bit of bonus movie week in a non-theme weekend. Let’s go!

Shayne & Nancy - Cha Cha

Meh, not bothered by this one. It was a bit boring for a cha cha. Also, the bowling ball bounced which isn’t really supposed to happen! He seemed more relaxed than previously, but I still don’t buy them as a partnership. Judges seemed to like it.

Sarah & Vito - Foxtrot

Nice song, sweet dance, really seemed to mean a lot to her and she was smiling massively the whole time! Until the end when she was crying. Great spins in the middle. Vito’s explanations at the end, oof, even Sarah looked embarrassed.

Nick & Luba - Charleston

Kinda cute dance, but there’s no energy in it, even if his knee is hurting, there are other body parts. But considering he is injured, it was pretty good and the character much better than I was expecting. Out of context movie week feels odd though.

Jamie & Michelle - Salsa

“The salsa is a bit of me.” Love how much he’s loving it. The first lift was great, went slightly wonky at the end, but pretty good. Followed by many more lifts! Great performance, probably not perfect technique and could use more hips, but so much energy and joy!

Wynne & Katya - Tango

Pretty good dance, nice song and great theme to go with it. He had a good character to get stuck into and did it well, particularly as he’s normally so happy. Interesting choreo, quite separate for a Tango, but done well. Katya was screaming at the end, she was happy with it!

Punam & Gorka - Jive

It wasn’t great, but nice energy and lots of smiling, a real tune. Not bouncy enough. Went really wrong in the middle, but she got back into it well, didn’t put her off too much. Craig really didn’t like it!

Paul & Karen - Quickstep

This looks really good, he looks the part, he’s pulling it off! Weight might have been in the wrong places at certain points but how is this the same guy that was sitting on a horse last week? Totally watchable, a lot of fun actually!

JB & Amy - Rumba

Absolute tune! How is it Amy hasn’t done a rumba before?? Very good dance, not cringe and he seemed to take all the advice on board! Mixed comments from the judges, but pretty accurate.

Chris & Dianne - Salsa

Just fantastic! They absolutely levelled up the lifts, and there were a lot of steps and great movement and style about it. Maybe more hips if you’re being picky, but it was outrageously good. “Mate, thought it was bonza!”

Montell & Johannes - Viennese Waltz

Jojo in a Gladiators uniform is the gift we didn’t know we needed! Good dance, better connection between them I think, the partnership is starting to work. More graceful than I was expecting, given that in the VT she said she was ‘waiting for a bus’. Flowy and just nice.

Sam & Nikita - Samba

She’s putting on a great show but it’s obviously not coming naturally, it’s a bit awkward in places, but so bravo for giving it everything. Good hips and moves, overall solid, but not really a long-lasting favourite. “Officially, Vito is catching.”

Pete & Jowita - Quickstep

Love his script technique. “I’m going full feather duster.” And hating his friend coming to visit. So funny. When in hold, it got really good! He had the great swagger. Bit hoppy in places but really enjoyed it overall. A lot of fun.

Tasha & Aljaž - Charleston

I was dubious about the selfie stick but they had actual footage! Intriguing! Very good, not hugely funny, but great steps and lots of personality. Incredible lifts. Nice work! “Can’t fault it,” said Shirley. 3 tens!!

I can’t believe we’ve had the tens out already, but at least we’re still waiting on Craig to do the bizzo. At the top of the leaderboard, obviously it was Tasha with Jamie and Wynne close behind. I was disappointed how low Sarah & Vito were, but not quite bottom three. That was Paul Nick and Punam.

I predicted Nick and Punam in the bottom two with Nick to go, so it was a bit of a surprise to see Shayne in there alongside Nick. Going first and being mid-table can be very dangerous, plus I’ve made no secret he’s not a favourite of mine so perhaps others feel the same. Nick was the one to leave the competition though, which is the right result. He said on It Takes Two that you could see the progression of all the other couples so much after only missing a week.

And so we move on to see who can top the table next weekend and if the ten paddles will be out again!