Strictly Come Dancing LIVE: Chris McCausland’s salsa blows audience away as Tasha Ghouri scores first 10s
All the updates from week four of the BBC dancing competition
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Strictly Come Dancing delivered another week of standout performances with phenomenal lifts winning two couples high praise as Tasha Ghouri landed the first 10s of the series.
The former Love Island contestant has topped the leaderboard for the past three weeks, and did so yet again thanks to her charleston to “Unhealthy” by Anne-Marie and Shania Twain.
Ghouri and professional partner Aljaž Škorjanec took on a series of challenging lifts and the risk paid off, winning them 10s from Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton du Beke. The pair missed out on a clean sweep as Craig Revel Horwood reached for his nine paddle.
Ghouri and Škorjanec weren’t the only ones to impressive with gravity-defying moves. Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell also showcased a series of lifts in their salsa to “Down Under” by Men at Work. Their moves left head judge Ballas temporarily speechless.
She then said: “I can’t even imagine how you managed to do that so flawlessly when you can’t see. On top of that, you kept to your music, you didn’t miss a beat. I’m telling you from my heart, that is absolutely impressive.”
Elsewhere, DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles made his return to the programme after being forced to pull out of Movie Week due to a leg injury.
“When I signed up to Strictly I never thought for a moment that I would love dancing they way that I do and I well and truly have caught the dancing bug so I am absolutely delighted to be back tomorrow,” Knowles told fans on Instagram.
He added: “I am so grateful to all the physios and the medical team at the BBC for getting me back on my feet. See you tomorrow night.”
Wynne’s scores are in...
And he’s done incredibly well!
Two eights and two nines give Wynne and Katya their highest score yet and they go joint top of the leaderboard, with 34.
Shall we watch Punam’s Bollywood routine again?
Punam delivered the dance of the night last Saturday and I think I’ve watched it at least twice a day since. Remind yourself of it here...
Punam in pink
Stunning! I would like to know if the BBC have plans for her wig after today, because I would very much like to have it.
Punam smiles through the pain
Oh no, the critiques were unforgiving.
Motsi pointed out “a lot of mistakes” and Shirley agreed with her, adding: “Everybody makes mistakes, it’s no big deal, but it was there.”
And that was before we got to Craig. He labelled it “sloppy, messy [with] a lot of mistakes.”
“Not your night I’m afraid, darling,” he concluded, before a slightly awkward moment as Tess Daly asked him to repeat his final comment as she hadn’t heard it.
She did her best to smile but at one point, Punam’s face during the judges’ comments said it all...
.
Punam’s scores are in...
She’s landed a total of 20, with a partciularly tough 4 from Craig and - working down the rest of the panel - a 5, 5 and a 6.
Paul gives the quickstep a go
That wasn’t bad at all! Paul - who is the latest in a long line of Strictly sportsmen who have lacked skills but made up for it with enthusiasm - certainly looks the part in his Fred Astaire get-up. And he’s no longer larking around either.
“Thre was no irony, you did it seriously, you did it straight and danced the dance,” said Anton. “I have to tell you... yes!”
Even Craig - after listing some errors - conceded: “We have progression. I’m loving the serious side. You are moving forward.”
“I see the effort, I see you trying to change the story,” said Motsi. “Keep on going with what you are doing.”
Paul’s scores are in...
Despite a 4 from Craig, he’s ended up with a total of 23 - his highest score yet!
Fingers crossed, the fan favourite isn’t heading for another dance off.
JB and Amy do the Rumba
Look... I know JB is the celeb but can we take a second for Amy, please?
In their VT, she revealed she’s never danced a Rumba on a Strictly live show before and well, what a way to start. It really is such a joy seeing her back on the dancefloor and the choreography was lovely.
It was also refreshing to see a Rumba that wasn’t all barefeet, floating gowns and dry ice. Oh and you were great too, JB.
Shirley’s a fan...
When it comes to the rumba, there’s only one judge who matters: the Queen of the Rumba herself, Shirley Ballas.
And JB’s routine won her approval. Disagreeing with Craig’s claim the dance lacked “connection” between JB and Amy, she said: “It was a sultry Rumba. It didn’t need to be over the top.”
She also praised his “lovely figure eight” and concluded: “I rather enjoyed it.”
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