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Could bullfight spell danger for Balvinder?
Stats say that the paso doble has led to the most week four eliminations in Strictly history. And tonight, dance-off survivor Balvinder Sopal is tackling it. An ominous sign?
Just five minutes until the glittery gong strikes…
On your dance cards tonight
An eclectic menu this week with 11 different dance styles. The only overlaps are a pair of rumbas and a couple of, er, Couple’s Choices. Heaven help us.
A mere 10 minutes to wait now…
Amanda Holden-hosted quiz The Celebrity Inner Circle just winding up on BBC1 now. Still no idea of the rules but Strictly alumni Montell Douglas and Colin Jackson were competing in this episode, so it’s not all bad.
Icons Week beckons
The couples are bidding to get through to Strictly’s second ever Icons Week next Saturday, with dances inspired by musical legends. Last year it happened in week seven and involved Chris McCausland in KISS make-up, Sarah Hadland in a Madonna cone bra and Shayne Ward dressed as a Beatle. Halycon days.
Fifteen minutes until the glittery curtain comes up….
Eyes down for week four bingo
Tick them off with a flourish when you spot them on-screen! Take a drink for each! End up asleep with a half-eaten kebab on your face! Here’s tonight’s 10-point spotter’s checklist:
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Misty-eyed reference to Cynthia Erivo’s guest judging turn last week
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Tess Daly exclaims “They’re on their feet!”, even though we can clearly see that everyone is on their feet
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Celebrity’s family member in the front row glances up at the monitor, then gives a sheepish wave
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Anton says “That was the sort of routine I’d have loved to dance”
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After last week’s nines and 10s, the judges clamp down and get stingy with their scores
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Motsi Mabuse looking fabulous in a wig and sculptural frock
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A mention of Icons Week is followed by “ooooh!”
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Anton stands up and borrows Dame Shirley to demonstrate the finer points of ballroom hold
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Main character energy from Ginger Neil in the Clauditorium
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Judge says “It’s week four now, so we’re looking for footwork, technique and details”
Third elimination looms
Will we lose another male celebrity this weekend? Well, Chris Robshaw and Stefan Dennis are bookies’ strong favourites for the chop. Next in the betting are Balvinder Sopal and La Voix.
Twenty minutes until we get our first choreographic clues…
Stefan Dennis is back from the sickbay
Paul Robinson off of Neighbours had “a bit of a turn” and suffered vertigo last week but is now fully recovered and will return to the dancefloor tonight. Good news all round. After two injury withdrawals before the series even started, nobody wanted a dropout due to illness.
It’s 25 minutes until spraytan-and-Spanx time…
Back to ballroom business as usual
The fancy dress has been packed away. Now it’s all about the footwork. Yes, the credits have rolled on Movie Week and there are no more novelty costumes for our couples to hide behind.
Good evening and welcome to the latest live weekend of Strictly Come Dancing 2025. I’m Michael, your virtual dance partner for tonight’s mercifully non-themed show. You are warmly invited to watch along with me as our 13 surviving pro-celebrity pairs hit the Elstree dancefloor once again.
After last week’s cinematic silliness saw the first nines and 10s of the series, while Ross King joined Thomas Skinner on the sparkly scrapheap, our unlucky 13 will become a dancefloor dozen. Tonight’s scores will be combined with the public vote and the bottom two duos will hoof for survival on Sunday night.
Stefan “Sicknote” Dennis is back after getting a bye through to this week but will it prove a short-lived stay? Everyone is tipping him and Chris Robshaw for the dance-off.
It’s showtime at 6.30pm on BBC One. I’ll be liveblogging from 6pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction, ballroom backchat and Latin lip. So pop on the central heating (treat yourself, it’s autumn) and I’ll see you on the sofa.
As always, 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 back open for ballroom business. I’ll shoulder-shimmy down there every now and again to gauge your reaction and report on your choice comments. So please don’t be shy about sharing your thoughts.
It’s week four on the teak floor. Nearly time to staaaart dancing!
