Stay up to date with notifications from TheĀ Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

JB Gill and Lauren Oakley kick off Strictly final with perfect score

The show will reveal who lifts the Glitterball trophy on Saturday,

Charlotte McLaughlin
Saturday 14 December 2024 18:58 GMT
JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, during the live show (Guy Levy/BBC)
JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, during the live show (Guy Levy/BBC) (PA Media)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

JB Gill and Lauren Oakley have kicked off the Strictly Come Dancing final by getting a perfect score from the judges.

Viewers will find out on Saturday which of the four finalists ā€“ comedian Chris McCausland, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and Gill ā€“ will lift the glitterball trophy following a public vote.

Oakley and Gill were also told that them receiving 40 points was the 100th perfect 10 score given by judge Craig Revel Horwood.

The pair, who received help from Anton Du Beke during training this week were told by the judge they were ā€œamazingā€, as he also hailed himself as a teacher.

They recreated their quarter-final Viennese waltz to Letā€™s Go Fly A Kite from Mary Poppins as their judges pick.

ā€œI know youā€™ve got three dances tonight, I would like to see that three times,ā€ Du Beke said.

Judge Motsi Mabuse told the pair ā€œthatā€™s how you start a Strictly finalā€.

Oakley replaced Amy Dowden in early November after the Welsh dancer had to withdraw due to an injury.

Ghouri and dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec, and Hadland and Vito Coppola received 39 points from the judges after their routines.

Head judge Shirley Ballas praised Ghouri for getting ā€œon topā€ of her emotion, and getting that to come through in the routine, while Du Beke said ā€œare you the best dancer on Strictly Come Dancing? Quite possiblyā€.

McCausland also recreated his viral ā€œblackout momentā€ for his coupleā€™s choice routine to Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon.

Mabuse said ā€œwatching you dance is so, so incredibleā€, noting that he does not have the ā€œorientationā€ to see that he is spinning partner Dianne Buswell around on his shoulders in the dark.

In the routine, McCausland can be seen placing his hands over Buswellā€™s eyes as the room faded to black, before the ballroom went dark and then the light comes back on with pyrotechnics flaring in the background.

They received a score of 38 points from the judges.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in