It’s week three on Strictly Come Dancing 2022 and now the competition is getting serious.
Last week saw TV presenter Kaye Adams become the first celebrity to leave the show, as she and her partner Kai Widdrington lost the dance-off to Matt Goss and Nadiya Bychkova.
Tonight the 14 remaining couples were all back for the first themed week of the series – Movie Week. Presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were there to guide us through all the action, whilst judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke (who featured in a daring open sequence with a cunning plan to steal the glitterball trophy) and head judge Shirley Ballas all gave their thoughts on the couples’ routines. There was also a brilliant ‘Encanto’-themed opening performance from Strictly’s troupe of professional dancers.
So who gave an Oscar-worthy performance – and who ended up on the cutting room floor? Read on to find out…
Richie Anderson and Giovanni Pernice
Richie wowed with his high-energy Quickstep last week – could he and Giovanni keep things going with their Samba to ‘Hakuna Matata’ from ‘The Lion King’? In their VT (which featured Giovanni singing!), the duo returned to Richie’s primary school to meet some of the students and show off some of their routine.
The dance: Dressed as Timon and Pumbaa, Richie and Giovanni opened their routine dancing behind the judges before stepping out onto the floor. It was a little heavy on the ‘messing about’ (to quote Len Goodman), but Richie certainly had plenty of hip action and good footwork. I’d have liked a little more of that Samba bounce and his arms did go all over the place at times, but he’s improved at leading Giovanni and that bounless energy is definitely still there. Not the most technically proficient routine but a fun way to open the show and he should be around for a few weeks yet.
The comments: Shirley praised the amount of content and Richie’s stationary Samba runs, walks and pivots, as well as his ‘lovely’ bounce – it was ‘one of his best numbers so far’. Anton agreed it was ‘absolutely wonderful’ and liked that Richie is more able to control his energy. Craig said it lacked fluidity and needed more bounce, but loved the characterisation. Motsi thought it was fun and entertaining.
The scores: 5, 7, 8, 7 – 27 out of 40
Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu
After topping the leaderboard last week with their Quickstep, tonight Molly and Carlos slowed things down with a Waltz to ‘One Hand, One Heart’ from ‘West Side Story’. In their VT Molly spoke about the pressure of staying on top of the leaderboard after last week’s success – could she make it two weeks in a row?
The dance: Well that was just beautiful. Molly gave the dance a gorgeous romantic quality, with lovely lines through her hands and arms and great control in the spins. I felt she performed it really well, with a megawatt smile going on throughout, and simply glided across the floor. It was a mesmerising and emotional performance and showed why she’s one of the frontrunners for the glitterball already (sorry Anton).
The comments: Anton liked Molly’s frame and footwork but wanted to see more in hold in future weeks. Craig called it ‘absolutely magnificent’ and loved Molly’s grace and elegance. Motsi agreed – Molly and Carlos made it look simple, with beautiful quality. Shirley said ‘there is magic in the air’ and that Molly and Carlos have a partnership ‘made in heaven’.
The scores: 8, 9, 9, 8 – 34 out of 40
Kym Marsh and Graziano Di Prima
This week, Kym and Graziano performed a Charleston to ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now’ from ‘Sweet Charity’. It’s a song that produced one of the most iconic Strictly Come Dancing routines – Tom Chambers’ showdance back in 2008 – so could they live up to that performance? In their VT Kym spoke about how pleased she was with last week’s Viennese Waltz and enjoying playing a character in the dance, but also her nerves about the lifts and props in the routine.
The dance: For me this was Kym’s best dance yet. She had fantastic energy from the off, coped brilliantly in her solo sections and had a real sense of playfulness and fun. I felt she handled the lifts well and her side-by-side work with Graziano was great too. Someone cast her in a West End revival of ‘Sweet Charity’ already! She’s truly come into her own this week and I hope she goes from strength to strength now.
The comments: Craig thought Kym needed to energise each move to make the routine live better, and wanted her to spot better in her turns, but it was her best dance yet. Motsi called Kym a ‘shining star’ and praised her energy and spinning. Shirley disagreed with Craig – the spotting was ‘perfect’ and Kym did ‘exquisitely’. Anton loved every second and thought the lifts and timing were amazing, calling it the dance of the series.
The scores: 7, 9, 8, 9 – 33 out of 40
Hamza Yassin and Jowita Pryzstal
After a slight stumble in their Jive last week, tonight Hamza and Jowita were hoping to get back to winning ways with the first Rumba of Strictly Come Dancing 2022, dancing to the Theme from ‘Jurassic Park. In their VT Hamza and Jowita visited the Jurassic World Experience before rehearsing in dinosaur costumes – but could Hamza nail the footwork?
The dance: Hamza is back on form! He had great hip action throughout as well as fab lines in his arms, and showed off Jowita beautifully. I loved the caring feel he brought to the routine and his smile just lit up the dancefloor. It’s testament to how hard he’s worked – he’s such a joy to watch and the whole routine actually made me a little bit emotional! I think he’s got potential to go a long way in this competion and can’t wait to se him back next week.
The comments: Motsi praised how Hamza finished his arms but wanted little more resistance. Shirley thought it was simple and loved Hamza’s ease of movement, but wanted more body action. Anton enjoyed it – Hamza looked in control and the footwork was nice, but wanted more sway in the upper body. Craig felt it was too placed and need more flow in the transitions.
The scores: 5, 7, 6, 7 – 25 out of 40
Ellie Taylor and Johannes Radebe
Ellie and Johannes got mixed reviews for their Paso Doble last week – could they get back on track this week with a Cha-Cha-Cha to ‘The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)’ from ‘Mermaids’. In their VT Ellie and Johannes spoke about the unique language they’ve created for learning the dance, while Ellie worried about feeling ‘scatty’ – could she pull it off on the night?
The dance: I loved the humour Ellie brought to the routine and felt she did well in her solo section. There was certainly lots of sass and her side-by-side work with Johannes was good. Her knees were a little too bent but I liked her hip action and she hit some good sharp lines, as well as looking like she was enjoying herself immensely. Not the most technically accomplished routine perhaps, but very enjoyable and should see her safely through to week four.
The comments: Shirley said Ellie’s personality was ‘infectious’, but wanted more isolation and no heel leads. Anton thought the characterisation was ‘brilliant’ and liked Ellie’s swivels, but wanted her to shift her weight forward. Craig felt it looked stompy but praised Ellie’s storytelling. Motsi agreed – it was heavy, but Ellie’s confidence is improving.
The scores: 4, 6, 5, 6 – 21 out of 40
Matt Goss and Nadiya Bychkova
After finding themselves in the dance-off last week, Matt and Nadiya were hoping to make a comeback with their Viennese Waltz to ‘Hold My Hand’ from ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. In their VT Matt spoke about the struggle of being in the dance-off and his determination to come back stronger this week, whilst he and Nadiya visited the RAF Museum to get into character.
The dance: Well you can’t fault Matt for trying. I thought he had lovely expression throughout and moved across the floor really nicely, as well as leading Nadiya well and comfortably handling the spins. His hands were a bit throwaway in places and the hold is still a bit gappy, but overall this was a solid routine with lots of drama and I can definitely see an improvement from last week.
The comments: Anton thought there was a huge improvement – Matt had a lovely body line and great footwork, but wanted his arms to be firmer. Craig felt Matt’s frame needed work and it was awkward in places, but loved the story and energy. Motsi said Matt’s spine was better and he was letting go more. Shirley thought it was flat-footed but the frame has improved, and wanted Matt to have more consistency.
The scores: 3, 6, 5, 7 – 21 out of 40
Tyler West and Dianne Buswell
Tyler and Dianne wowed with their Jive last week – could they continue to improve with their Charleston to ‘Flash, Bang, Wallop!’ from ‘Half A Sixpence’ tonight? In their VT Dianne surprised Tyler as he ran the London Marathon, whilst in rehearsals Tyler struggled with the pressure of the routine, particularly the lifts, but was determined to do his best.
The dance: Wow! Tyler brought bags of energy to this routine, and his whole performance was sheer joy. He and Dianne were perfectly in sync, his humour was fantastic, he had great footwork throughout and he handled the lifts brilliantly. It was full of entertainment from start to finish and showed that he could be a dark horse to lift the glitterball trophy come December.
The comments: Craig simply said, “Fab-u-lous!”. Motsi called it ‘amazing’ and ‘perfect’. Shirley said Tyler is still the real deal and it was a brilliant performance on every single level. Anton said it was brilliant.
The scores: 9, 10, 10, 9 – 38 out of 40
Fleur East and Vito Coppola
Fleur showed her softer side in her Viennese Waltz last week, and this week she and Vito looked set to continue in a similar vein with their American Smooth to ‘Part Of Your World’ from ‘The Little Mermaid’. In their VT Fleur and Vito watched the trailer for the new live-action version of the film, whilst Fleur spoke about being moved to see Ariel being played by a woman of colour, as well as dealing with the challenges of the footwork.
The dance: Opening the routine sitting inside a giant shell, Fleur had plenty of confidence and hit some beautiful lines. I felt she moved across the floor really well and her posture in hold was great, as well as handling the lifts nicely. It’s lovely watching her grow as a dancer week after week and I think she’s going to be with us for a while yet.
The comments: Motsi enjoyed it – Fleur engaged her core well and liked the lines through her hands, but wanted her to work on the transitions and flow. Shirley liked Fleur’s femininity and grace and praised her chemistry with Vito. Anton thought Fleur had a beautiful serenity and her line in the lifts was gorgeous, but wanted her to slide her feet backwards rather than picking them up. Craig felt it was haphazard and needed more flow, but Fleur’s facial expressions and arms were great.
The scores: 6, 8, 7, 8 – 29 out of 40
James Bye and Amy Dowden
James and Amy received mixed feedback for their Tango last week, but could they come back with their Cha-Cha-Cha to ‘Hooked On A Feeling’ from ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’? In their VT James and Amy visited Secret Cinema to watch the film and get into character, whilst James spoke about building his confidence and wanting to do his kids proud.
The dance: James had plenty of swagger in his opening sequence (I’m looking forward to seeing his Quickstep based on that!), and moved across the floor nicely. He had good co-ordination with Amy in the side-by-side sections and some nice straight legs and sharp lines, but it was a little stompy in places. That said, he certainly seemed to be enjoying himself and I think he definitely captured the spirit of the character, so points for that!
The comments: Shirly was impressed by James’ central body line and effort to get his weight over his feet. Anton liked how James got into the dance but wanted him to focus on his timing. Craig thought it was flat-footed and lacked fluidity, whilst the hip action was non-existent, but James does have rhythm. Motsi appreciated James was having fun and is improving, but needs more time.
The scores: 4, 6, 6, 6 – 22 out of 40
Ellie Simmonds and Nikita Kuzmin
After wowing with their gorgeous Waltz last week, tonight Ellie and Nikita took on the Quickstep, dancing to ‘Peppy and George’ from ‘The Artist’. In their VT Ellie spoke about how she would ‘never forget’ their last dance, whilst in training she and Nikita worked on their heel leads and the energy of the dance. Could they deliver a perfect performance?
The dance: That was so fun! Ellie had great timing in her opening side-by-side section with Nikita, and they absolutely flew across the floor in hold. I thought she had some lovely rise and fall, great bounce in the Charleston sections, and coped with the tricks well. She’s rapidly becoming one of my favourites to watch and her enthusiasm and love of dance is absolutely infectious – I can see her going a very long way in this competition.
The comments: Anton thought it was pure showbiz and loved Ellie’s character and the running section, but the footwork wasn’t great. Craig felt the timing was out at the beginning and the middle and there were a few mistakes, but loved the choreography. Motsi agreed – the setup was great and Ellie’s personality shone through, but she needed to calm her nerves. Shirley praised her light footwork in the middle and was impressed with the highlight step, as well as Ellie and Nikita’s partnership.
The scores: 6, 7, 7, 7 – 27 out of 40
Will Mellor and Nancy Xu
Will and Nancy stumbled a little with their Salsa last week, but had a chance to redeem themselves tonight with their American Smooth to ‘Cry To Me’ from ‘Dirty Dancing’. In their VT Will spoke about wanting to bring out the emotion of the song and the challenges of leading the dance, while his friend Keith Lemon joined them in training to watch the routine (and attempt the iconic lift!).
The dance: Will certainly brought plenty of hip action to this routine, as well as swagger and sex appeal, and led Nancy brilliantly. It was a sensual, slinky American Smooth, with beautiful flow across the floor and some lovely lifts to boot. For me I’d have liked a little less gapping in hold and slightly cleaner hands, but it was definitely a different take on this dance and another strong performance from Will in his first Ballroom routine.
The comments: Craig said it was brilliant and Will made Ballroom look sexy. Motsi praised Will’s little details and partnering skills. Shirley liked the style and sensual chemistry. Anton called it ‘terrific’.
The scores: 8, 9, 8, 8 – 33 out of 40
Tony Adams and Katya Jones
Despite ending up at the bottom of the leaderboard last week, Tony and Katya were able to escape the dance-off. Could they do it again with their Samba to ‘You Sexy Thing’ from ‘The Full Monty’? In their VT Tony spoke about how much he enjoyed last week’s Charleston and determination to keep improving, but found the bounce of the Samba a challenge. He and Katya also watched the film together to get into character.
The dance: Tony definitely brought plenty of personality to this routine, as well as decent amount of hip action. I thought his arms were good and he led Katya well too. It did need more bounce and there was a bit of dodgy footwork, as well as looking a little skippy in places, but you can’t fault his enthusiasm. Although the sparkly shorts were… quite something!
The comments: Motsi wanted to watch it again – there was a lot of Samba content and the entertainment value was a 10. Shirley thought Tony had a good pelvic roll and did a decent zigzag. Anton loved it – it was everything Strictly Come Dancing is. Craig just said, “O-M-G”.
The scores: 2, 6, 4, 6 – 18 out of 40
Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez
Last week Helen showed us that she’s a great all-rounder with her Cha-Cha-Cha, but tonight she and Gorka went back to Ballroom, dancing a Viennese Waltz to ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ from ‘Grease’. In their VT Helen spoke about finding acting the routine difficult and wanting to pay tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John, whilst she and Gorka rewatched the movie to help her get into character.
The dance: I loved the bittersweeet feeling Helen brought to this dance. She performed it really well and had lovely light movement across the floor, coping well with the spins and some lovely lines in her arms and hands. Her posture in hold was great too. It was another strong routine from her and I feel like she’s getting more comfortable as the weeks go on – tonight was a real step up.
The comments: Shirley said Helen’s fleckerl was divine and she had the best improvement to date. Anton really enjoyed it and Helen nailed the fleckerl, but wanted her to angle her body more in hold. Craig agreed she needed to pull up and finesse her finishes, but it was a beautiful routine. Motsi liked how comfortably Helen moved on the floor and called the dance ‘simple and beautiful’.
The scores: 7, 8, 8, 8 – 31 out of 40
Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer
Jayde and Karen impressed with their powerful Tango last week – yet tonight was a complete change of pace as they danced a Cha-Cha-Cha to ‘What A Feeling’ from ‘Flashdance’ to close the show. In their VT Jayde spoke of how much she’s enjoying her time on Strictly Come Dancing, but found the rhythm of the dance challenging. She also spoke about wanting to show how dance is for everybody, regardless of shape or size.
The dance: Mission accomplished! Looking fantastic in their sparkly bodysuits, Jayde and Karen provided a fitting ending to Movie Week. I felt Jayde’s hip action was great and she had some good straight legs, with nice movement across the floor and well-finished hands and arms . She is just so much fun to watch and it brought a tear to my eyes. I loved the inclusion of the classic dance moves from the film too. If had one small criticism, it would be that some of the synchronisation was off, but it was a wonderful way to finish the show and she’s fast becoming one of my favourites this year.
The comments: Anton thought it was brilliant. Craig felt the walks needed more hip action but loved the quotations from the movie. Motsi loved it and said Jayde made her proud. Shirley thought Jayde captured the playful nature of the dance and kept up with Karen, but wanted more work on the rotation.
The scores: 7, 8, 7, 7 – 27 out of 40
The leaderboard for the evening was:
Tyler and Dianne – 38
Molly and Carlos – 34
Kym and Graziano – 33
Will and Nancy – 33
Helen and Gorka – 31
Fleur and Vito – 29
Richie and Giovanni – 27
Ellie S and Nikita – 27
Jayde and Karen – 27
Hamza and Jowita – 25
James and Amy – 22
Ellie T and Johannes – 21
Matt and Nadiya – 21
Tony and Katya – 18
Strictly Come Dancing will return for the Results Show at 7.20 PM on Sunday 9th October on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
