Leaderboard: Blackpool

Once again the Strictly Blackpool spectacular lived up to all of its hype and did not disappoint as our couples upped their game, and took the competition to a new level.

The Show was opened by Frankie and Kevin with a Quickstep to the Jam’s ‘A Town Called Malice’. They rocked the Blackpool Tower Ballroom with their energetic performance, with Len declaring that it was “light and bright like the illuminations” and Bruno stating that Frankie “didn’t put a foot wrong”. They totalled a massive 37 points, with both Len and Bruno handing out 10s.

Their score was equalled by the final dance of the night, as Caroline and Pasha Jived to Elton John’s ‘Crocodile Rock’. Craig thought “it was sharp and clean and executed with precision”, whilst Darcey said that it was “very impressive”.

But the two stand out dances of the night came from Simon and Kristina and Pixie and Trent.

The boy from Blue performed the first Argentine Tango of the series. The routine was sultry, sexy intense and had the audience on their feet. Darcey was so enthusiastic that she admitted that she “couldn’t shut up”, and Bruno roared “that climax at the end was really spectacular!”. They went straight to the top of the Leaderboard with the highest score of the series of 38, with Darcey, Len and Bruno all giving 10 points.

Pixie and Trent’s gladiatorial Paso Doble to Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’ was fierce, feisty and fabulous. Craig proclaimed that Pixie was “an indomitable force on that dance floor, you are almost invincible” and Len said that” If you were a stick of Blackpool rock you’d have talent written right through the middle of you!” Both Len and Bruno gave 10s again, Craig and Darcey nines.

Unfortunately not all the couples were reaching the giddy heights at the top of the Blackpool Tower.

Sunetra and Brendan found themselves perilously close to the bottom, despite scoring a respectable 30 points. Craig thought their Samba to the Scissor Sisters ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancing’ was “disconnected, loose, all over the shop”.

And for a fourth successive week Judy and Anton were rock bottom of the Leaderboard, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the couple. They received 24, their highest score of the series, for their Viennese Waltz to ‘Let’s Go Fly a Kite'. Bruno said that he could “actually recognise the dance” and Craig admitted it was the Scot’s “best dance so far”.