Sunday Service: Christmas Special

Blogging about the Christmas special is always really difficult. The dancers are always really good (Evander Holyfield aside), and the judges are always really soft and complimentary. Even Craig. Perhaps they give him mulled win backstage to warm his frosty heart!

This year's special started with Series 5 champions Alesha & Matthew. I always preferred Alesha's ballroom, and as usual they turned in a fine Viennese waltz performance. Alesha danced as though she'd just been a part of the show, not a year removed from it.

I loved the open and close of Lisa & Brendan's quickstep, but it was not up to their usual standard. I looked under-rehearsed, and the dreaded gapping was back. I don't blame them for not being so polished, as all their effort had been directed at the series.

It was brilliant to see Jill & Darren return to the floor together. Jill is even further removed from the competition. Aside from reprising that jive at the start of the series, Jill hadn't been on the Strictly floor for four years. It was great that they performed the American smooth, a dance that wasn't a part of Strictly in Series 2. I loved the change of time signature in the middle, and they switched from Viennese waltz to quickstep. I can't wait to see Jill on tour.

Rachel & Vincent's rumba was essentially a rehash of their Strictly series triumph, although it wasn't as good a performance. I liked the couple of lifts added at the end, but it wasn't as haunting or special as their final performance. Again, it's always tough for the couples that do the Christmas special at the end of the series.

Kelly's return to the floor was pretty convincing. I loved the lifts Brian put in the routine, and it was well performed. I think Kelly would have been even stronger had she had more rehearsal. It's always more difficult for couples that have not worked together in the past, and Kelly & Brian just lacked the chemistry that the other couples had.

Tom & Camilla's foxtrot was fun. Again, some of the routine was taken from their Strictly series routine, but it was different enough that it was still fun to watch. Tom is a great performer and it was a good routine.

It was interesting that they chose to break the tie in the judges leaderboard by having the judges rank them. I wonder if that is how they will break all ties going forward. I think it's a pretty good system, although the pre-recorded nature of the Christmas special allowed them to stop and think about it. How that would work during a live broadcast I'm not so sure.

It was great to see Jill & Darren lift the trophy. The dancers were all so good and so close, any of them could have been the winners (expect perhaps Lisa & Brendan who made noticeable mistakes). Perhaps this will prove once and for all that Jill is a better dancer than Aleshsa...

Here are the videos...

Alesha & Matthew



Lisa & Brendan



Jill & Darren



Rachel & Vincent



Kelly & Brian



Tom & Camilla



The moment of truth...

Congratulations, Tess!

Tess Daly has revealed (or finally admitted!) that she is pregnant with her second child.

Now past the critical 12-week point, Tess told The Sun: “We are over the moon at the prospect of a new addition to our family.”

The timing would leave Tess available to return to Strictly Come Dancing next Autumn if she wanted to. The presenter missed the first few weeks of Series 2 when daughter Phoebe was born, and Natasha Kaplinsky held the fort until she returned.

Dancing For Laughs

Strictly champion Tom Chambers would like to create a new comedy which combines laughs with dance.

He told the Daily Telegraph about his masterplan: "Without it being a cliché, and as Bruce Forsyth says, I really want to keep dancing. I want to put light-hearted entertainment with dancing on the screen. I could create a weekly TV series that had the feel of The Office or The Royle Family but with weekly dance sessions. If things don't come to you, you have to do the best to make them happen yourself."

I'm sure it will be a success. John spent half the series combining comedy and dancing...

Strictly Gets Polital

Strictly is now political, and I don't mean the John Sergeant affair, or another random quote from Vincent Cable.

This time, it's a Lib Dem peer, Lord Tyler, who believes the result of the phone vote should be revealed to the public. He's even written to the Director General to say so.

Lord Tyler told the Daily Mail: "Technology is available at the BBC's disposal to ensure license-payers know just how many votes each contestant got. After the debacle in the semi-final, Strictly Come Dancing must make sure that next time there are just two contestants for the final, or introduce the ability for voters to indicate a second preference. That way, the third-placed couple could be eliminated fairly and the final winner could be sure they had majority support among the public."

What's that rolling past? Oh look! It's a bandwagon...

Lisa's Dad Says She Was 'Fuming'

Lisa Snowdon's father Nigel has told the Daily Mail that his daughter was 'fuming' to have not made the final two.

He said: "There is something wrong if Lisa gets a perfect score and doesn't automatically go through like last week. It was the mother of all cock ups and Tom dodged the bullet big time. To be honest Lisa was fuming because she felt that she and Rachel should have been in the final outright. Something went wrong and it needs to be sorted for next year because some of the voting was bordering on farcical. The whole show was just one big popularity contest."

There has almost always been an element of popularity contest in Strictly Come Dancing. Would Christoper Parker have made the final otherwise? I think not.

It doesn't matter how good you are if the public is not on your side. And for some reason the public didn't warm to Lisa. I've not really had a satisfactory reason as to why, but there it is.

Rachel Admits Disappointment

Rachel Stevens has admitted her disappointment at missing out on winning Strictly Come Dancing.

Rachel told The Sun: “Everything was too much. I bawled — I was a blubbering wreck... I was so elated to get through to the final two. But I did stand there just thinking, ‘Please say Rachel and Vincent!’. I had a sixth sense Tom would do it. He has a massive fan-base out there and people love him. He was always going to do it. But to win would have been the icing on the cake. I’d have been so proud. I adore Vincent and I’d have loved to have won it for him. He is an amazing guy and I knew how much he wanted it.”

Cha Cha Changes?

The mirrorball has barely ground to a halt after last night's final, yet the rumours are already flying out the future of the show.

On the plus side, there is already chatter of 'next year', which can only be a good thing, but the News Of The World has reported today that changes may be on the way.

The paper suggests that more of the 'longer serving' pros might follow Nicole Cutler out of the door.

They suggest that the BBC will recruit more younger, single stars and hope that romance blossoms with the pros. And they'll be on the lookout for younger pro dance talent, after the public embraced Brian and Kristina.

They also report that the results could return to Saturday to prevent the result spoilers (amen to that! I'm all for it).

Only time will tell, but the paper implies that producers are worried about the dominance of The X Factor, which has out-performed Strictly this year in the ratings.

I hope they don't make too many changes. Especially as it's many of the changes (dance off, Sunday results) that have not worked very well. Perhaps changing it back the way it was would be enough.

I would hate to see some of the pros go. Of course, everyone has their favourites, and I'd be gutted if mine were no longer a part of the show I love so much. New dancers are great if they are like Kristina, but not everyone would be as impressive. Kristina is unique.

Only 8 months or so until we know for certain what the future of Strictly Come Dancing will bring.

Brian Partners Kelly

Brian Fortuna obviously won his reported scrap with James the other week, because he has been partnered with Kelly Brook in this year's Christmas special.

According to the Daily Mail, Kelly & Brian will be performing a jive to Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree. I can't wait to see Kelly back on the floor, and it will be interesting to see how she gels with Brian.

Sunday Service: Week 14 - The Final

Apologies for the delay in blogging about the final. I was at a wedding yesterday (congratulations to Claire & Tim Ayers!), so I was unable to watch the final until this morning.

The final was exciting right to the end, as anyone could win, although it was apparent from last week's scores that Tom was the top with the viewers last week.

Ballroom

It was great that all three couples had to perform the foxtrot. It meant that they were all comparable. And all three couples were excellent.

Rachel & Vincent were simply magical. There was no way they weren't going to get another perfect 40.

Tom & Camilla did a brilliant job, and it was such a shame that Tom stumbled. I'm not sure why Craig only gave him 8. I think the others were correct with their 9s.

Lisa & Brendan's foxtrot was pure Hollywood. I'm glad Len commented on her footwork, as it had caught my eye too.

Latin

All three couples had generally done better in their ballroom, but all of their best latin performances were excellent.

I liked Rachel & Vincent's rumba better this time around. I loved the yearning and tenderness. Rachel has wonderful control of her body and such lovely poise.

Tom & Camilla did a nice reprise of the salsa. It was a great, fun, party dance after the control of the preceding rumba. Tom looked like he was having a great time on the floor.

I absolutely loved Lisa & Brendan's cha cha the first time around, and this time it was even better and totally deserved full marks.

Midway result

Based on the performances, Lisa was my favourite after the first two rounds. I knew that it was unlikely she would win, but of the three I thought she gave the best performances. Of course, Rachel was a close second place, but I think Lisa's foxtrot pipped Rachel's technically. Tom was the one I would have eliminated, at that point. I know it's much harder for the male celebrities, and Tom did well, but I liked the girls better.

Viennese Waltz

I agreed with the judges' comments about Rachel & Vincent's Viennese waltz being smoother. But the Viennese waltz is really just a time filler. No-one's opinions are going to be changed by that.

Show Dance

I'd been saying for a long time that this series would come down to the show dance. Going into the show dance, Rachel & Vincent were my top couple.

Rachel & Vincent's show dance was excellent. It had lovely lifts, a great balance of styles and steps and it was an excellent performance. I loved the little homage to Flashdance as Rachel dances past the judges' table. All round, it was everything a show dance should be. It was going to be tough to beat.

Tom & Camilla's show dance was a lot more theatrical, but theatrical is a strength of Camilla's (remember James Martin's Mein Herr tango?). The routine suited Tom perfectly. I love how Camilla left him out there on his own to do his Fred Astaire tap solo, and then joined him for a fantastic routine. I loved the little bit of tango, and the lifts were well executed.

The Result

I had been supporting the two girls for two or three weeks, but I was so blown away by Tom and Camilla's show dance, I was delighted to see them lift the glitterball. It was a brilliant performance, and with little else to split the final two, the show dance was going to be the clincher.

The John Sergeant affair aside, this has been a fantastic series of Strictly, and it has been a pleasure to watch. I don't think there have been as much drama as there has been in other series, but there were some excellent dances and some performances that will be remembered for a long time to come. It was a very close competition at the top, which has made it so compelling.

Thank-you to everybody who has read my musings over the past 3 months. As always, I'll be writing about the people and gossip all-year round. This blog does not die because the show is off the air! The tour is coming up, and don't forget the Christmas special on Christmas Day. Look out for a special bog about that.

So remember, keeeeeeeeeeeeep reading. And keeeeeeeeeep dancing!

Here are the videos.

Rachel & Vincent - foxtrot



Tom & Camilla - foxtrot



Lisa & Brendan - foxtrot



Rachel & Vincent - rumba



Tom & Camilla - salsa



Lisa & Brendan - cha cha



Viennese waltz



Rachel & Vincent - show dance



Tom & Camilla - show dance



The moment of truth...

Len Speaks

There was a great interview with Len in yesterday's Daily Telegraph.

He praised this year's participants: "It's been a fantastic series. Tears, traumas, tantrums. No tiaras – though we did have the Duchess of Kent in the studio audience last week. Because of my age, possibly, I get confused and I seem to think that each series is better than the last. But I truly think as an overall standard that this has been the best."

And he sums up how I felt about John Sergeant: "John's been around politicians for 40 years, and they're the greatest at spin. So John spun it and said, 'For the sake of the show – because I've got the potential to win – I think the honourable thing is to leave the competition.' He comes out smelling of roses, he gets out of a show he wants to get out of, and he's cruising round the Panama Canal giving after-dinner speeches. I'd call it crafty – a crafty geezer. That's my take – it could be totally wrong."

Brucie's Bonuses

The Daily Mirror reported Bruce's top 10 favourite Strictly moments yesterday. Funnily enough, the top three relate to him (singing with Bette Midler, dancing with Anton, hip swivelling with Tom Jones).

But I love No. 10: "No list would be complete without John Sergeant - the man who turned Strictly Come Dancing into The Generation Game!"

Another Arlene Interview

Barely a week goes by without an interview with Arlene Phillips.

This week she answers the same questions you've heard her answer before, this time for the The Guardian.

She says she'd have like to have seen Austin in the final and that the only participant she's really had a soft spot for was Mark.

One thing I didn't know was that she once babysat Ridley Scott's kids and he gave her a break: "I saw Molly Molloy teaching modern American jazz in London and that was it. I had no money, no job, no place to stay, and I went to work as a babysitter for Ridley Scott, because Molly knew him. She was choreographing commercials for him. She went to Paris to do a job and Ridley had a commercial to choreograph and he asked me to do it. I took to it like a duck to water."

You can listen to the interview here.

Ultimate Dance Off

Here's a nice time-waster from MSN.

You are served with two Strictly participants. You pick which one you like best. Easy, and a great way to while away the minutes.

Darren vs Dom
Matt Dawson vs Mark
Letitia vs Diarmuid
Esther vs Gethin
Jaye vs Peter

The possibilities are endless... and mindless.

Rachel Hurt

Rachel Stevens has been injured this week in training and it taking pain killers to get her through tomorrow's final.

A source told the Daily Telegraph: "Rachel is having emergency physio and is taking pain-killers. It couldn't have come at a worse time because she's desperate to be fully fit for the final. She has been struggling with her back and all the lifts haven't helped. However, she really jarred it after falling heavily. It's a real shame."

Rachel is favourite to win, while Lisa is favourite to exit first.

The Mail Asks The People

The Daily Mail has decided to poll online readers about all the controvertial things that have happened on this year's show.

Vote online, although at 10.30pm on Friday night, the article has probably been written as the results are due to appear in tomorrow's paper.

The Judges Speak

Bruno, Craig and Arlene have all comented to the Daily Telegraph about Saturday's result.



Arlene also commented to the Daily Star: “When dancers finish we press a button. None of us knows what anyone else gives.”

The Suits Speak

If you missed last night's It Takes Two, explaining what actually happened on Saturday night, you can watch it here.



If you wish to claim a refund on your votes, details about how to do so are on the BBC website.

Doddery He's Not

Bruce Forsyth is not ready to quit Strictly Come Dancing, but believes when it's time, he'll know.

He told the Sunday Mirror: "One day I think I am going to wake up, hopefully, and say to myself, 'Do I really want to do this any more?' I think that's how it will hit me. But looking at my tapes at the moment, I know myself. And I know in my heart that I'm working pretty well at the moment."

He says that he spends all of Sunday in bed getting over Saturday's 12 hour day. He also admits that he does make mistakes, but doing 90 minutes of live telly is not easy.

"OK, so I make a couple of mistakes. But you watch live television, you watch newsreaders - they make mistakes every day. I see them all the time. It's part of the job. If newsreaders make a mistake it's not even noticed. But if I make a mistake, it makes headlines."

Hmm...

Last night was interesting. I'm still a little flumoxed by it.

The BBC's official line is as follows:

"Due to the unprecedented outcome of the judges' vote (there was a tie between the top two couples - both scoring the maximum 3 points available) the audience vote could not have saved one of our couples from the dance off.

The vote opened just before the programme went off air, and we took the decision that all the votes cast on Saturday should stand and be carried through to next week's final.

So the audience has had the usual chance to vote on the performances of all our semi-finalists. All the votes cast on Saturday will be rolled over.

Saturday 13 December's vote has been independently verified."

The Sunday Mirror quotes a BBC spokesperson who tried to clarify: "We have had a lot of calls. It isn't that people are angry, more like confused. We found ourselves in a unique situation because of the way the voting system works. Because Tom Chambers could not be saved by the public vote we felt it wasn't fair because he couldn't be saved from the dance off. As far as we are aware this has not happened before and we didn't anticipate it."

Make of all that what you will...

Personally, I don't mind that there will be three next week. Tom had a unrepresentitive night last night, so I think it is good that he has the chance to dance again.

My other half, who normally doesn't give a toss about Strictly, was outraged by the outcome. "What if couple X is rubbish next week, and couple Y is brilliant? Your votes for couple X tonight will help couple X, and you'll get annoyed because you think couple Y is better next week. You'll change your mind, but you can't change your vote." He has a point, of course. But I don't care. I doubt I'll feel differently next week. Besides, I'm at a wedding next Saturday so I won't see the final live anyway.

Saturday Service: Week 13

Semi-final week. This has to be the closest Strictly in years.

Lisa & Brendan's Argentine tango has fantastic intensity. It was hot, with a brilliant lift at the end. Lisa's knees were a little on the bent side on the odd occasion, but that's mega picky. I loved the routine, I loved the performance.

Their quickstep was magical. It was all Hollywood. Wonderful choreography and bags of performance. It was much improved on their first quickstep.

Tom & Camilla took a risk with the jive. It wasn't Tom's strongest dance first time around, and while improved with a good performance, perhaps a ballroom dance would have given them a higher score. Tom's timing was out in a couple of places.

I loved the performance and storytelling in the Argentine tango. The choreography wasn't as packed as the other two couples, but that is not really the fault of Tom or Camilla, and they shouldn't really be penalised for that. It was always going to be more difficult for Tom than Brendan or Vincent, because the man has to lead the Argentine tango in a much stronger way than any other dance. They performed what they were given to the best of their ability.

Rachel & Vincent's Argentine tango was never going to disappoint. It had intricate footwork, and Rachel had that better than the other two. The lifts were excellent and it had good musicality. I agreed with Len that it could have had more intensity - I thought Lisa & Brendan's Argentine tango was far more smouldering.

The American smooth was slower than I anticipated, but it showed off the great control that Rachel has. It was beautiful and the choreography suited Rachel's personality.

I'm sorry to say that I think Tom should be in the dance off. Neither dance really suited Tom, and you simply cannot afford to make a mistake at this stage. However, I believe that the girls have been stronger than the boys for a few weeks. I don't think that the jive alone can be blamed here. The girls have just raised their game. Tom's mind seems to be with his wife and not with his partner, while the girls have been totally focused on their partnerships. He seems less focused generally.

You cannot split the girls, as we saw from their scores tonight. I just hope that the judges are not forced to choose between them tonight. I think they should both be in the final, and let the pressure of five dances sort the women from the girls.

Here are the videos...

Lisa & Brendan - Argentine tango



Lisa & Brendan - quickstep



Tom & Camilla - jive



Tom & Camilla - Argentine tango



Rachel & Vincent - Argentine tango



Rachel & Vincent - American smooth

Going Up!

Before being knocked out of the competition, Austin said that he would choose Erin to be stuck in a lift with.

He told The Mirror: "If I could be stuck in a lift with anyone, it would be Erin. We have become very good friends. And we could practise our Strictly moves. It would be a very small dancefloor but I still think we could learn the steps that way."

I'd like to be a fly on the wall to watch that rehearsal!

Strictly's Biggest Secrets

The Mirror has published a list of 50 Strictly secrets.

Some are not that secret, some are probably not true. But it's amusing reading nonetheless. These are my favourites...

19 The Chuckle Brothers have enquired about taking part but have, so far, been politely turned down.

38 Craig is usually the last judge standing at the bar when the show is finished.

47 Heather Small had her shoes made from Teflon because as a strict vegan she refused to wear the leather ones.

Anton: "I Really Want To Win"

Anton du Beke is already looking forward to the next series of Strictly, after his early exit this year.

He told the Sunday Mercury: “I really want to win and, after six years, I feel like I’m always the bridesmaid, never the bride."

He did have a small taster of winning with Tess on Children In Need, but didn't get a whiff of a trophy: “Tess was off with it like a flash! I’m going to demand joint custody and have it every second weekend. I’ve built a special plinth for it.”

He's angling for a 'best dressed' award for his sence of style. Although he won't win for his silver lycra number on Hole In The Wall: “Initially I thought ‘what?!’ when they approached me, but I tried it and found myself laughing through the whole thing. It’s just one gag but it’s huge fun.”

Jill Is Looking Forward To The Tour

Former Strictly champion Jill Halfpenny is looking forward to hitting the road with the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour, but she doesn't think it will be quite as competitive as the series.

She told the Northern Echo: “I realise that people will be able to vote there and then by text and there will be a winner each night, but I really think that the performance is more about the celebration of the TV show and the fun. We will be as competitive as we always are, but it’s not the same as the TV series. It’s much more like ‘come on let’s have all have fun together and go for it’”.

Jill will also be taking on Alesha Dixon in the Christmas special this year. That's a match-up I'm quite excited to see. I believe that Jill is better than Alesha, or at least she was when she won the series. I guess we'll find out on Boxing Day.

Brawl Over Brook

James Jordan and Brian Fortuna have been scrapping backstage at Strictly Come Dancing over who will partner Kelly Brook in this year's Christmas special.

Her former partner Brendan will partner Lisa, so Kelly needs someone new.

A source told The Sun that Brian and James put on quite a display: “Even though both men were deadly serious, it was hilarious, like that scene from Bridget Jones’s Diary where Hugh Grant fights Colin Firth. They were pulling each other all over the place. I don’t think a proper punch was thrown.”

Vincent: "Rachel Is The Lucky One... She Gets To Dance With Me"

I love Vincent. He's so unashamedly cocksure. But he does have a softer side too. Not that you'd know it from his recent interview with the Sunday Mirror.

I can see how some people would get the wrong idea about him: "I love being surrounded by mirrors in the dance studio. Mirrors love me. Every time I look at my reflection, I think, 'Oh, I love my eyes', or, 'My lips are beautiful'. I always focus on the positive."

Rachel's success on the show is all Vincent's own work: "When we started dancing, Rachel couldn't even count the beat in the music. She was very stiff. But I've made her supple."

No woman is immune: "There are always embarrassing incidents. The worst was two weeks ago when Rachel and I were rehearsing our rumba. We were looking at each other and things started to get very passionate. Rachel had that look in her eye. Something seemed to come over her. I felt really embarrassed and I had to walk away to cool off for a few minutes."

Comments like these always make me chuckle. I don't think everyone 'gets' Vincent. He's very funny. He likes having his bravado stroked. But there is a softer side, and if you get a glimpse of that side, even if just for a second, it's very special.

I'm so glad Vincent has bounced back in recent months. He's been on top form lately.

Arlene: "We’re Going To Take On The World, Bruno And I”

Every year, you can count on there being an inetrview showing the softer side of the 'queen of mean'.

This time it's The Times picking up the mantle.

It's the usual gubbins about growing up, Hot Gossip and her personal life. There's only a little bit of Strictly chatter, and nothing too revealing. She says: “Len can be grumpy when he’s tired. Last year he was very ‘I’m head judge and you’ll stay in your place, Mrs Phillips’. I won’t stand for that.”

And she recalls the first time she met Bruno, when she took one of her classes: “I was leading: ‘Feet apart, stomachs in, stretch to the right ...’ Bruno puts his hand up and says: ‘Explain? Stretch to the right?’ Nobody stopped my classes! We became very close; we’re going to take on the world, Bruno and I.”

O'Donnell Won't O'Dance

Irish crooner Daniel O'Donnell has revealed that he doesn't think he's be any good on Strictly Come Dancing or Dancing On Ice.

He told STV: "I can dance a wee bit but I don’t know if I’m able to learn the proper dancing. I wouldn’t know if I’d be any good. It’s very nerve wracking. I couldn’t take the criticism; I’d be off on the first week crying!”

I didn't even know he was still performing. If anyone under the age of 30 actually knows who Daniel O'Donnell is, I'd be impressed. I only remember him because his never-ending tours always seemed to come to my local theatre in Catford...

Strictly Sugababe

The latest celebrity to throw their hat into the Strictly arena is Sugababe Heidi Range.

Heidi told New! magazine: "I only watch Strictly Come Dancing. I really liked John Sergeant. He was really good fun."

But it was Keisha who spilled the beans: "Heidi wants to be on Strictly Come Dancing next year. She actually loves it."

Kristina's Blog

Kristina Rihanoff has a blog.

Worth a look. You can find out what Kristina is up to, and how 'life after John' is treating her.

Strictly Come Drinking

Frankly, I care too much about Strictly to have more than a glass of wine or two while watching te show, but if you feel the need to entertain yourself further (or need something to keep your other half entertained while you're trying to watch), DigitalSpy have the answer. The Strictly Come Dancing Drinking Game.

Looking at the rules, you'd get very drunk very quickly!

Rule One - Have one shot for every budget BBC celeb you see in the audience that has managed to blag themselves free tickets.

Rule Two - Drink two fingers of beer each time Len Goodman cries "Seeeeverrrn!"

Rule Three - Drink another two fingers whenever Len snaps at Craig/Bruno/Arlene and does his best stern headmaster look.

Rule Four - If Arlene uses alliteration ("That was Strictly, sausages, sternly, sensationally, sideways, slippery, snowman, superb...etc") knock back a G&T.

Rule Five - Have a second G&T if Bruno uses a nonsensical metaphor ("Your Paso was like a tasty lasagna!")

Rule Six - Each time Craig Revel Horwood gets booed by the studio audience chug some beer.

Rule Seven - Help yourself to a double & mixer of your choice if Brucie stumbles over his words or gets someone's name wrong etc.

Rule Eight - Down a pint if any contestant says "no one is safe this week" during their intro tape.

Rule Nine - Quaff some spirits if Tess Daly makes a sexually suggestive comment about Austin's pecs/guns/chest.

Rule Ten - Sup some cider each time a celeb claims that they "don't want their Strictly journey to end" followed by a clip of them looking teary in rehearsals.

Rule Eleven - Have a shot if Brendan Cole throws a strop or Vincent Simone makes a comment about sex or his good looks.

Rule Twelve - Finish off whatever's left over when Arlene suggests that she has been aroused by Austin Healey or Tom Chambers's performance.

But remember: DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The Other Cherie

Cherie Blair has told the Daily Telegraph this week that she was approached to participate in Strictly Come Dancing.

She turned it down because she felt it wouldn't be appropriate.

Can't say I'm that disappointed.

Fun With The Judges

The Sunday Mirror has been asking the judges some fun questions.

Read the article to find out who they would like to dance with, which pros they like, how they would score each other, and who would win in a drinking competition.

Sunday Service: Week 12

I can't believe we're at the quarter-finals of Strictly Come Dancing already. It's funny watching the opening credits and seeing all those names we'd almost forgotten about.

This has to be the most exciting Strictly ever. And that's not just a Tess Daly opening monologue. It's actually true.

Austin & Erin's American smooth was a great start to the show. If there's one thing Austin does well, it's ballroom. The lifts were great. I'm afraid I had to agree with the judges though, it could have had more pizazz, but technically it was good and Austin's arms have improved. Erin has worked very hard.

Any pizazz that was lacking in the smooth was totally made up for in the salsa. It was hot, it was fun, it was fast, it was exciting. I loved it.

Lisa & Brendan's waltz was wonderful. Brendan has really excelled with his choreography at times this year, and I have never seen Brendan do such a beautiful waltz on Strictly. It is wonderful to see Brendan have such an amazing partnership. Lisa has just been phenomenal over the past couple of weeks. She had beautiful rise and fall and glided across the floor. Absolute class.

Their jive was good. Lisa controlled her long limbs well, and the choreography was lovely. It didn't have quite as much wow factor as her cha cha last week, but it was a good job on what was always going to be a difficult dance for long-limbed Lisa. She looked far more comfortable than her first latin performance.

I loved the Hollywood feel of Tom & Camilla's foxtrot. It was warm and smooth. They covered the floor well, and Tom had plenty of performance. It was fabulous.

Tom & Camilla's rumba lacked something for me. I liked the choreography, and I liked the way Tom danced, but I didn't buy the relationship between them. There was no storytelling, no connection. Tom seems to abandon his acting skills when he is on the floor. He could have also had more hip action, which was lacking too. He has lovely lines, though. I agreed with Len and Bruno's comments about it.

Right from the opening, I was drawn in by Rachel & Vincent. I loved the little Argentine elements that Vincent threw into the tango. Rachel had all the staccato rhythms so sharp and clipped, it was brilliant. I loved the musicality. Fantastic.

I really liked the cha cha. It was fun and cheeky. And Rachel has upped her game so much in the performance stakes. I would love to see her go back and do the jive again, because I think she could nail it now. She has beautiful technique, and now she has the performance to match. She should be proud.

It's so painful to choose the bottom two now. As Lisa said, there is a 50/50 chance of being in the dance-off, and they are all so good.

For me, the girls are now edging the boys. I would have to grudgingly put Austin and Tom in the bottom two. I'm convinced that the only reason Lisa wasn't ahead of Tom was because she had the jive, which was always going to be a challenge. And I liked her jive better than Tom's unconvincing rumba.

I can't wait for the results show. I have a feeling my heart will be pounding when it comes to the dance-off.

Here are the videos...

Austin & Erin - American smooth



Austin & Erin - salsa



Lisa & Brendan - waltz



Lisa & Brendan - jive



Tom & Camilla - foxtrot



Tom & Camilla - rumba



Rachel & Vincent - tango



Rachel & Vincent - cha cha

Saturday Suppositions: Week 11

Week 11, and it's time for the couples to perform two dances each. Perhaps it is taking on two routines that will start to break the pack apart.

My heart was pounding from the moment Rachel & Vincent started their waltz. It was simply divine. The most emotional waltz since Alesha & Matthew last year. It made my eyes glaze over - a rare occurrence for me. I loved the opening with Rachel behind Vincent, it was as sweet and tender as their Viennese waltz. Like the foxtrot, I don't have a bad word to say. I have been so impressed with Rachel in recent weeks, even if I didn't think the rumba was a 10.

Rachel seemed to find her stride in the paso about halfway through. When she did it was amazing. At the start, while her feet and body were excellent, she lacked expression on her face. That is exactly the sort of thing that let her down at the start of the competition. Suddenly, her face came to life in the middle, and from that point on it was excellent. As much as I love Vincent, I could have lived without so much cape work at the start, and would have preferred Rachel to be more involved from the beginning.

Lisa had the most engaging smile when she stepped out from behind the curtain. She lit up the room. She truly loves this programme. I loved Lisa & Brendan's foxtrot. It was quite American smoothy in feel, with some lovely choreography - especially in the opening and close. Lisa is elegant and dances so well in the ballroom. I agree with Len that it was her best dance so far.

I thought the cha cha was absolutely brilliant on all counts. Great song, brilliant choreography with plenty of basic and more complex choreography. Lisa was fantastic. Her turns have all the control that was lacking at the start of the competition, and she has brilliant control of her long legs now. She straightens her legs, and uses her feet giving her great hip action. And a smile that could light up a small town. Her best latin dance so far in my mind. In fact, one of the best latin dances of the entire series.

Personally, I think Christine would have benefited from dancing to traditional tango music. A poppy classic like Addicted To Love will not evoke the same kind of passion as a typical tango piece. There wasn't much drama. I'm sure she must have taken on board what Felicity had said, but it didn't have a Gethin-style effect on her. It was not in the same league as Rachel and Lisa. And I think Matthew missed a trick on the line "Your body shakes", where he could have put in that move where the shoulders shake and the leg drags in (sorry, it's a long time since I've done it and I can't remember what it's called - Anton always does them).

The salsa was better for Christine than the tango, and Christine looked much more comfortable with it. It was a nice performance, but not a wowing performance. Performance can make up for a lack of dance talent, but I think it is clear that Christine's time in the competition is now up.

Austin & Erin also had a very smoothy feel to their foxtrot. Their routine was excellent, although perhaps Austin could have had a teeny weeny bit more drive. I'm being very picky though. It was an excellent performance. It's always difficult for the guys, and he is in complete control.

Erin was very brave to put in all the shouting, especially without music at the top of the routine, but it worked brilliantly. Austin totally got into the character of the paso. As always, Erin's choice of traditional music worked a treat. Austin needs to watch his timing in places when he's not in hold. And although paso walks are odd for the men with the hips pushed forward, I thought Austin looked a little mincy. But that is just my opinion and I'm being picky again.

Tom & Camilla's waltz was simple but effective. It was lovely. Tom appears to be a little flat footed at times, and needs to watch his shoulders, which come up ever so slightly, but again, I'm being very picky here. Seven from Craig? That was very, very, very harsh!! Unfair, in fact.

I loved their samba. It really did feel like the party dance. Bags of energy and enthusiasm. I loved the routine with plenty of basic. Tom's voltres could have had more hip action, but that was my only criticism of an excellent routine.

Bottom two. Well, Chritsine without a doubt, but it's impossible to pick anyone else. I'm dreading tonight's show. It's going to be heartbreaking to see anyone else leave.

Here are the videos...

Rachel & Vincent - waltz



Rachel & Vincent - paso doble



Lisa & Brendan - foxtrot



Lisa & Brendan - cha cha



Christine & Matthew - tango



Christine & Matthew - salsa



Austin & Erin - foxtrot



Austin & Erin - paso doble



Tom & Camilla - waltz



Tom & Camilla - samba

Final Celebrities Added To Tour

Jodie Kidd and Rachel Stevens are the final celebrities to be added to the live tour line-up.

So the couples are:

Jodie & Ian
Rachel & Vincent
Cherie & James
Tom & Camilla
Jill & Darren
Julian & Lilia
Gethin & Flavia
Kenny & Ola

I can't wait!

Thoughts On A Friday: Week 10

I'm back online, and ready to go. What's been going on while I've been away??

Here are my thoughts on Week 10 of the competition. I would like to point out that at the time of writing, I do not know the Week 1o or Week 11 results.

So, here goes with Week 10. And as the standard is so high, I might start to get a little picky.

Lisa & Brendan's quickstep was a bit hit and miss for me. Lisa is a great performer, and she gave it everything. The routine had nice musicality. There was quite a bit of gapping between them which let them down. And something about it didn't move me. Competent, well presented but lacking something.

Latin is really not Christine's strong suit, and the cha cha wasn't her best dance. And with Matthew's Beyonce cha cha with Alesha still in everybody's minds, it was always going to be difficult for Christine to really shine. In my opinion, there wasn't enough basic cha cha steps and rhythm in the dance. It didn't feel cha cha-y enough for me. Christine always performs with lots of character and energy, but this dance was all a bit 'placed' and 'nice'.

The jive was probably the one that everyone was holding their breath for when it came to Jodie & Ian. And I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe Ian learned from being with Penny, because kicks and flicks while included were kept to a minimum. I would have liked to see a little more basic basic jive, but all in all Jodie performed what was always going to be a difficult dance as well as she could.

I loved Tom & Camilla's tango routine. The choreography was really nice. Tom dances very well. But I just didn't buy him as a gaucho. Maybe it's just me, but I found the whole thing ever so slightly camp. They just didn't connect with the fire that other couples have demonstrated. These 'darker' dances just don't suit Tom at all. That's not to take anything away from the dance, because I loved it.

I don't think I could say one bad thing about Rachel & Vincent's foxtrot. It was magical and elegant. It was beautifully understated. This dance proved how routines don't have to be flashy or gimmicky. Pure dance ability shines through. It totally deserved four 10s.

It looked to me that Austin & Erin were off pretty much until they got to the first chorus. At least, that's how it appeared to me. Perhaps it was just me... Once they were on it, it was excellent. I loved the routine. It had plenty of basic, whilst still being exciting to watch. I especially liked the ending position. And I just loved Erin's minidress. Stunning.

It's so hard to choose a bottom two. Christine & Matthew. And maybe Lisa & Brendan?? Or Jodie & Ian?? Too hard to choose. And it's only going to get more difficult...

Can someone please explain to me why we had to watch John & Kristina's waltz again? We all know he can dance that well. I didn't need to see it again. Total cop-out.

Kristina is a legend. Absolute class. I can't wait to see her paired with someone with more courage next time.

Videos to follow.