It’s week 4 of Strictly Come Dancing 2022, and this year’s race for the glitterball trophy is starting to heat up.
Last week saw BBC Radio 2 presenter Richie Anderson make a shock departure in Movie Week, as he and his partner Giovanni Pernice lost the dance-off to Fleur East and Vito Coppola.
Tonight our 13 remaining celebrities and their professional partners were all back in the ballroom, hoping to wow the four judges – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke (who picked up a National Television Award earlier this week!) and head judge Shirley Ballas – and keep their place in the competition. Meanwhile, presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were on hand to guide the viewers and contestants through the show
So who dazzled on the dancefloor, and whose shine has started to wear off? Read on to find out…
Ellie Simmonds and Nikita Kuzmin
After two weeks of Ballroom routines, tonight it was back to Latin for Ellie and Nikita, who performed a dentist-set Salsa (yes really) to Shanice’s ‘I Love Your Smile’ to kick off this week’s show. In their VT Ellie and Nikita received a surprise visit from former Strictly contestant and friend Lauren Steadman, who gave her some tips on performing on the night. Ellie also spoke about wanting to tell a story with her dance – would it be a happy ending?
The dance: Sassy Ellie is back! I loved the energy and complete sense of joy she brought to this routine, and she had lovely synchronisation with Nikita in the side-by-side sections. She also coped well with some incredible lifts and tricks – including one particularly spectacular sequence midway through where she practically flew through the air – and was just so much fun to watch (especially when she went for it in her solo sections). If I had a criticism it would be that it was slightly bouncy in hold, but at least that bodes well for her Samba! It was a really entertaining performance and a great way to open the show.
The comments: Shirley praised the amount of Salsa confidence and the lifts, but wanted Ellie to get over her nerves and rotate rather than twist. Anton liked that Ellie always gets the right atmosphere for the dance. Craig thought the forward and back basic needed work and Ellie should have more of a figure of eight hip action, but loved the tricks and called it a ‘rhythmical performance’. Motsi felt Ellie controlled her nerves and liked her body movement and cheekiness.
The scores: 7, 8, 7, 8 – 30 out of 40
Will Mellor and Nancy Xu
Will and Nancy won praise for their ‘sexy’ American Smooth last week, but tonight they were slowing things down with a Rumba to ‘The Joker And The Queen’ by Ed Sheeran featuring Taylor Swift. In their VT Will spoke about enjoying their performance last week, but also suffering with illness through the week. He also described wanting to tell a story with the dance around men’s mental health and the importance of reaching out.
The dance: Well that was gorgeous. I thought Will acted the opening of the dance really well and did a great job leading Nancy throughout. He also had some lovely arm shapes and nice control in his spins, and the two of them felt really connected all the way through the erformance. There were a couple of stumbles towards then end and I’d have liked a bit more hip action in places, but overall it was another great routine from him.
The comments: Anton praised Will’s ‘marvellous’ storytelling skills, but there were some technical problems and it was a little statuesque. Craig said Will needs to sort out his leg action and iron out the transitions, and his balance was a little off, but the sentiment was wonderful. Motsi liked the spark between Will and Nancy but thought he needed to focus on his spine and posture. Shirley agreed – the mood was divine and Will’s upper body was impressive, but he should work on his foot position and flow.
The scores: 4, 7, 5, 7 – 23 out of 40
Matt Goss and Nadiya Bychkova
After a big improvement with their Viennese Waltz last week, tonight Matt and Nadiya performed a Jive to Paul McCartney’s version of ‘All Shook Up’. In their VT Matt spoke about finally feeling like a dancer and wanting to have fun on the dancefloor, but also found this week’s routine challenging in terms of the timing – although his regular boxing practice seemed to be helping!
The dance: Honestly this was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved Matt’s Elvis-esque opening section and thought he really threw himself into the performance. He also handled the tricks well and had good energy throughout. However, it felt a bit flat-footed and heavy throughout and I would have liked to see him point his toes more. Whilst it wasn’t a dreadful performance by any means, it definitely wasn’t his best and I feel he could be facing the dance-off tomorrow.
The comments: Craig thought the top half of Matt’s body was not speaking to the bottom half and there was no retraction in the kicks. Motsi felt Matt was giving something through the whole dance but needed to get everything co-ordinated. Shirley liked Matt’s commitment and determination to improve, but wanted him to focus on the beat and the rhythm. Anton said Matt had great energy and really connected with the dance.
The scores: 3, 6, 5, 6 – 20 out of 40
Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer
Jayde and Karen produced a joyous routine to close the show last week, and tonight they were changing direction completely with an American Smooth to Bette Midler’s ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’. In their VT Jayde spoke about wanting to do lifts as well as the song being special to her and her late sister, and wanting to do the routine justice.
The dance: Looking like a vision in her sparkly grey dress, Jayde pulled off a beautiful performance. She moved across the floor really nicely and I loved the romantic, caring quality she brought to the dance, as well as her posture in hold. The lifts looked smooth and easy and she had some great lines in her arms and hands too. It was a really moving dance – I’m not ashamed to say I had a little cry – and I think she’s fast becoming one of my favourites in this whole competition.
The comments: Motsi said it was beautiful and praised Jayde’s arms and hands. Shirley was overwhelmed, and called it ‘graceful’ with ‘beautiful’ lifts. Anton thought it was a powerful moment with beautiful choreography and presentation, and said Jayde’s hold and leading was ‘gorgeous’. Craig thought Jayde’s arms went limp before the lifts rather than dancing into them and her thumb stuck out in hold, but the routine was full of elegance and grace.
The scores: 7, 8, 8, 8 – 31 out of 40
Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu
Molly and Carlos have rapidly established themselves as potential Strictly Come Dancing 2022 winners, coming second on the leaderboard last week, and were hoping to continue that with their Cha-Cha-Cha to Lady Bri’s ‘Do What I Do’. In their VT Molly spoke about the challenge of picking up the speed of the routine, and also took a break to hang out with her friends and Carlos playing mini golf (as you do).
The dance: Molly kicked the dance off with a sassy solo opening section before getting into the routine. I thought she had good hip action and (mostly) straight legs throughout, as well as really sharp clean lines in her arms and hands. It was really fun to see a different side of her and I thought she performed the dance very well and kept her character throughout. By far the best Cha-Cha-Cha of Strictly Come Dancing 2022 and another strong, confident routine that should see her safely through to next week.
The comments: Shirley said it was one of the best Cha-Chas she’s seen in a long time. Anton thought Molly had sass and style and praised her clean lines, but wanted her to keep her weight forwards in her spins. Craig called it refreshing but wasn’t sure it was exactly a Cha-Cha-Cha. Motsi praised the quality of the dance and the difficulty of the choreography – it was ‘magnificent’.
The scores: 8, 9, 9, 9 – 35 out of 40
James Bye and Amy Dowden
James struggled with his Cha-Cha-Cha last week, but tonight he and Amy had a chance to redeem themselves with their Quickstep, dancing to ‘Don’t Get Me Wrong’ by The Pretenders. In their VT James’ partner and children surprised him and Amy in the training room, and also got to watch some of their performance – as well as teaching them some dance moves of their own!
The dance: I thought James did a good job of leading Amy around the dancefloor, and his frame and posture in hold was nice too. He also coped well with the speed of the routine. Although there were a couple of wobbles and his open mouth is somewhat distracting, I felt this was a much more confident routine than he’s delivered in recent weeks and it’s really nice to see him growing throughout the competition.
The comments: Anton saw an improvement, with a ‘dreamy’ lock step and terrific body line, but wanted sharper arms. Craig felt James could drive it a little bit more but it was his best dance to date. Motsi agreed – James has a pureness and enthusiasm about his energy. Shirley thought James brought the personality and his vertical spine was a lot better, and wanted him to keep improving from the floor upwards.
The scores: 8, 8, 8, 8 – 32 out of 40
Fleur East and Vito Coppola
Fleur and Vito found themselves in the dreaded dance-off last week – could they avoid danger this time with the first Argentine Tango of the series, dancing to ‘Paint It Black’ by Ciara? In their VT Fleur spoke of how much she enjoyed last week’s dance and excitement at learning the Argentine Tango, but also her despair at being in the dance-off and her need to focus on the details. She and Vito also went to watch professionals performing the Argentine Tango to help them get into the spirit of the dance.
The dance: Well Fleur certainly brought the drama to the Strictly dancefloor! It was a clean, sharp, powerful routine with plenty of tension, and I thought she had great control throughout. She handled the lifts well and oozed sensuality, especially in hold with Vito, and there was a real strength about her performance too. This was certainly a confident comeback and hopefully should see her avoiding the dance-off this week.
The comments: Craig called it ‘the dance to beat’. Motsi agreed, saying ‘wow, wow, wow, wow, wow’ (and breaking her chair in the process!) – it was strong, powerful and controlled. Shirley thought it was sizzling and effortless, and that Fleur plays her own body beautifully. Anton felt it was ‘so brilliant’ and that Fleur put all her strengths into the routine, as well as praising her refinement and intensity.
The scores: 9, 10, 9, 10 – 38 out of 40
Kym Marsh and Graziano Di Prima
Kym really came into her own with her Charleston last week – could she and Graziano build on that tonight with their aeroplane-set Samba to ‘Volare’ by Gypsy Kings? In their VT Kym spoke about the challenges of finding time to find in training alongside work, so brought Graziano to the brand new set of ‘Waterloo Road’ to squeeze in some more rehearsal time. They also danced in front of her co-stars – but would they be top of the class?
The dance: I thought Kym had really good bounce action throughout and really got into the character of the dance, with a nice energy about her performance. She handled the fast footwork well and had good synchronisation with Graziano as well. For me it was a bit skippy in parts and her arms were slightly unfinished, so maybe not quite as strong as last week, but overall another good performance that should see her avoiding the dance-off tomorrow.
The comments: Motsi was impressed – Kym was elegant and coped with the rhythm changes well. Shirley liked Kym’s timing and called it ‘absolutely divine’. Anton thought it was brilliant, singling out Kym’s shadow reverse roll for praise and telling her to keep it up. Craig felt the arms were slightly undefined and wanted more resistance, but agreed it was fantastic.
The scores: 7, 8, 8, 9 – 32 out of 40
Tony Adams and Katya Jones
Despite finding themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard again last week, Tony and Katya survived to dance another day. This week, they performed an American Smooth, dancing to Joe Cocker’s version of ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’. In their VT Tony spoke about feeling more confident in his dancing, but also found the lifts difficult. His former teammates Lee Dixon and David Seaman also paid him and Katya a visit in training.
The dance: This felt like a big step up for Tony. I thought he managed the lifts reasonably well (although the last one looked a little tricky), and had some nice acting throughout the routine as well as more confidence in leading Katya. His posture in hold is improving and I really liked the storytelling he put into the performance as well. Overall it was a definite improvement and a dance that he can be very proud of.
The comments: Shirley thought Tony stepped outside his comfort zone and had some beautiful footwork – he did ‘amazingly well’. Anton loved the fleckerl, whilst Craig simply said, ‘Better’ (to Tony and the audience’s delight!). Motsi said it was ‘brilliant’.
The scores: 5, 7, 7, 7 – 26 out of 40
Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal
After the slow pace of last week’s Jurassic Park-themed Rumba, tonight Hamza and Jowita went to the other extreme, dancing a Salsa to ‘Ecuador’ by Sash! featuring Rodriguez. In their VT Hamza spoke about how much he loved last week’s routine, as well as wanting to bring out the fun of the performance. But could he handle the speed of the dance – and the lifts?
The dance: Hamza had bags of attitude and a fantastic shimmy. I felt like he really took control of the dance, handling the armography well, delivering on the tricks and lifts (particularly the final one – his strength is incredible!) and with some nice hip action. It was a little bit ‘walky’ in places and did get wild in parts, but for sheer energy and enthusiasm you absolutely couldn’t fault him. He always puts everything into his performances and I’m really hoping he’ll be back next week because he’s just so fun to watch.
The comments: Anton liked it, praising Hamza’s lifts, whilst Craig called it ‘a-ma-zing’. Motsi loved Hamza’s rhythm, particularly in the transitions, whilst Shirley called him ‘Daddy Cool’ and said it was ‘perfect’.
The scores: 9, 10, 10, 10 – 39 out of 40
Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez
Helen and Gorka wowed the judges with their Viennese Waltz last week – could they make it two in a row with tonight’s Paso Doble to ‘Tamacun’ by Rodrigo y Gabriela? In their VT Helen spoke about trying to keep up with all the elements of the routine, particularly mastering the footwork in the flamenco section. She also wanted to channel a ‘fiery, fierce woman’.
The dance: Well there was certainly plenty of drama in that routine. I loved Helen’s speed of movement across the floor and the sharpness of her moves in the opening section, as well as her graceful flamenco hands. It felt like a clean, powerful performance that was full of character and fire, and the finale footwork was great! She really does keep improving week after week and it’s so lovely watching her grow as a dancer.
The comments: Craig enjoyed it – it was a bit too polite and needed more power, but Helen did a fantastic job. Motsi thought Helen made difficult things look easy and praised her transitions, as well as the character of the dance, but wanted more fire and energy. Shirley loved the timing and clean styling, but wanted Helen to have more self-belief. Anton agreed – Helen has great quality and he loved the flamenco section.
The scores: 6, 8, 7, 8 – 29 out of 40
Ellie Taylor and Johannes Radebe
Ellie and Johannes got mixed reviews for their Cha-Cha-Cha last week, so tonight they were hoping to bounce back with a Viennese Waltz to ‘Boom Bang A Bang’ by Lulu. In their VT Johannes spoke about wanting Ellie to focus on her footwork, whilst the two of them visited a farm to get into character for the routine (again, as you do).
The dance: I really enjoyed the humour Ellie brought to this routine, and her technical skill seems to have come on leaps and bounds from last week. Her posture and frame in hold were very good, she flowed across the floor nicely, and I felt she had nice lines in her arms. There was still a couple of toe leads, but overall this felt like a step forward form last week and I thought the playful quality definitely added something different.
The comments: Motsi liked how Ellie brought out the character of the dance. Shirley loved the improvement and said Ellie had some lovely footwork, but wanted her to lengthen her neck. Anton was pleased with the fleckerl and Ellie’s ‘tremendous’ natural turns, and praised her for pulling off a difficult routine. Craig thought the dance really suited her and she looked more comfortable in hold.
The scores: 7, 8, 7, 8 – 30 out of 40
Tyler West and Dianne Buswell
Tyler and Dianne scored the first 10s of Strictly Come Dancing 2022 last week to find themselves at the top of the leaderboard, and this week they closed the show with another series first, dancing their Couple’s Choice routine to a Garage Megamix. In their VT Tyler spoke about growing up and the support he and his brother received from his mum, whilst he and Dianne shared some family memories with them – including watching Strictly together!
The dance: Starting their routine on a giant turntable, Tyler and Dianne delivered an energetic and entertaining routine. I felt it was really sharp with nice synchronisation, and he made the lifts look effortless. But what particularly stood out for me was his smile; you could tell he was having a brilliant time throughout the whole performance. The one thing that was missing for me was a touch more swagger and a bit more punch – something about it felt slightly subdued – but overall this was another great dance and a strong way to finish a brilliant evening.
The comments: Shirley thought Tyler’s movements were fantastic. Anton called it ‘spectacular’, praising Tyler’s clean lines and timing. Craig wanted the arms to be tightened up more and said it needed to be more earthed, with Tyler dancing into the floor, but absolutely loved it. Motsi called it ‘the cherry on top of the icing’.
The scores: 8, 9, 10, 10 – 37 out of 40
The leaderboard for the evening was:
Hamza and Jowita – 39
Fleur and Vito – 38
Tyler and Dianne – 37
Molly and Carlos – 35
James and Amy – 32
Kym and Graziano – 32
Jayde and Karen – 31
Ellie S and Nikita – 30
Ellie T and Johannes – 30
Helen and Gorka – 29
Tony and Katya – 26
Will and Nancy – 23
Matt and Nadiya – 20
Strictly Come Dancing 2022 will return with the Results Show on Sunday 16th October at 7.20 PM on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
