Strictly Come Dancing: week seven – live

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Our Strictly stars™

Our couples come out for a staircase welcome wave. Nitro’s got his pecs out. So has Aussie Julian. Some singalong air-punching to Bon Jovi, oddly.

Judges ahoy

We welcome the paddle-raisibng panel of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke. All in black, with Shirley’s frock oddly matronly. They raised six 10s last week. Will we see any maximums tonight?

Frockwatch

Here’s our presentational dream duo, so let’s do the traditional frock-off. Tess Daly is a sparkly black halterneck frock. Claudia Winkleman is in a black sequinned shirt and trousers with white stilettoes. Claud wins, like a sort of couture Alan Carr.

Cue clapalong titles

Which of these grinning couples will be falling at the halfway hurdle?

Aaaaand we’re off!

Roll the industry standard scene-setting VT. Split or shaft? Sorry, wrong show.

Close your curtains on any fireworks and concentrate on the dance pyrotechnics instead. We’re about to be rocketed over live to Elstree Studios…

Amanda Holden-hosted quiz The Celebrity Inner Circle just wrapping up on BBC1. I’ve been subjected to six episodes of this now and am still none the wiser about the rules. A mere five minutes to wait now…

On your dance cards tonight

For the first time this series, there are no overlaps, so we’ll be treated to nine different styles tonight, including a Charleston from Karen Carney and a Bollywood-flavoured Couple’s Choice from Balvinder Sopal.

Not long now until the glitterball starts spinning…

Strictly alumnus Quentin Willson RIP

Sad news today that former Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson has died aged 68 after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

He occupies a place in Strictly history, of course, although not a terribly illustrious one. After being partnered with Hazel Newberry in the second series, he was eliminated first and his eight-point cha-cha still stands as the lowest score ever awarded by the judges. Perhaps dear departed Len Goodman can give him lessons up in dance heaven.

It’s 10 minutes until the spangly curtain comes up….

Remember, remember, it’s 8th November bingo

Tick them off when you spot them! Take a drink for each! Wind up handcuffed to a confused policeman in Amsterdam! Here’s tonight’s 10-point spotter’s checklist:

• The judges have no idea how to mark a Couple’s Choice so make it up as they go along

• Craig Revel Horwood insists that a Charleston isn’t quirky or swivelly enough

• Struggling celebrity plays the cute kid/nanna card in their VT

• Shirley Ballas mentions footwork details and “fundamentals”

• Lewis Cope unconvincingly denies that scoring a perfect 40 last week raised pressure or expectations

• Anton du Beke coos over a classic ballroom number and says it’s the sort of routine he would’ve loved to dance

• Vicky Pattison’s post-dance interview involves mention of her nerves/an animal reference

• Motsi Mabuse pretty much tells Craig to shut up and stop nitpicking

• The newly eliminated Vito Coppola becomes chief cheerleader on the balcony

• Dave Arch’s band do well with a classic tune but make a right mess of a contemporary pop banger

Get well soon, Amy

News this week that beloved Strictly pro Amy Dowden will sit out the rest of the series after undergoing a second mastectomy. The 35-year-old from Caerphilly was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 after discovering a lump in her breast during her honeymoon.

She has reassured fans that the latest operation wasn’t related to a new diagnosis and that she’s “looking forward to rejoining the Strictly family” when her health has improved. We wish her well with her recovery.

It’s 20 minutes until that ba-ba-da theme tune…

A Nitro vs Suki dance-off?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Balvinder Sopal and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey are the bookies’ tips for the bottom two this week, followed - slightly more surprisingly - by Amber Davies.

Can this endangered trio defy the odds? It’s 25 minutes until we get our first choreographic clues…

Whose half-term report will say “see me”?

Someone won’t make it past the midway mark. Good evening and welcome to the seventh live weekend of Strictly Come Dancing 2025. I’m Michael, your virtual dance partner for tonight’s mercifully non-themed live show. You are warmly invited to watch along with me as our nine remaining couples reach the halfway point of the contest.

Last week’s Halloween Spooktacular saw some spookily high scoring. Lewis Cope got the first perfect 40 of the series for his stunning Couple’s Choice and Karen Carney also scored two 10s for her Peaky Blinders-themed Argentine tango. Down the bottom Balvinder Sopal was consigned to her third dance-off but Ellie Goldstein was sadly eliminated.

Tonight the nine surviving pro-celebrity pairings take to the floor again, bidding to get past the midway point and enter Strictly’s home stretch. Yes, it’s all downhill from here until Christmas.

It’s showtime at 6.25pm on BBC One. I’ll be liveblogging from 5.55pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction and ooh-aah verbal fireworks. So light a sparkler on the hob, get your teeth stuck in a toffee apple and I’ll see you on the sofa.

As ever, I’d love to hear from you too. You can tweet me @michaelhogan, contact me on Bluesky or Threads @michaelhogan100, email me [email protected] and the comments section below is open for choreographic conversation. I’ll samba-bounce down there whenever I can to see what you’re all saying and quote your sage words up top. So please don’t be shy about sharing your thoughts.

It’s week seven and we’re going to hoofing heaven. Nearly time to staaaart halfway dancing!