Strictly Come Dancing: week 10 – live

The double dance-off survivors go back to ballroom for the first time in three weeks, since that Whitney waltz in Icons Week. The song lyrics seem all too apt. Can Montell Douglas forget her troubles and dance her cares away? Fast dances tend to suit the former sprinter. As she flies across the floor, she needs to keep her feet light and her frame strong. Jazzy opening, then into a smooth, elegant and energetic quickstep. Charleston flicks and kicks, lovely leaps, up on the toes and balls of her feet. Big smiles, bags of style. Joyous.

Song: Get Happy by Ella Fitzgerald. The jazz queen’s version of the song written in 1930 and made famous by Judy Garland. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga performed it in recent film Joker: Folie à Deux. It has soundtracked Strictly quicksteps by Kimberley Walsh and Pasha Kovalev in 2012, and Nicola Adams and Katya Jones in 2020 – as well as Frankie Bridge and Kevin Clifton’s showdance in the 2014 final.

Dianne Buswell’s jet-lagged parents have arrived in the UK from Bunbury, Perth and are in the studio tonight, giving her an adorable intro. She’ll want to wow them. It’s off with the Blackpool tailcoat and on with the bull-fighting bolero jacket for her partner Chris McCausland. However, Chris admits he’s been having trouble with the paso all week in training. He needs to play the powerful and serious matador but says “That’s not me, I’m a child in a man’s body”. He’s also been finding the paso’s curved body positions and unnatural posture tough to master. Traditional red outfits. Dramatic and intense attitude but not sure he’s got the footwork and frame. Straining at times, visibly counting and hurrying to keep up. Good knee-walks and aggressive stamps but lacking Spanish line. Improved as it went on and strong finish but for me, not his best. Raucous reception in the studio. Olé!

Song: El Gato Montes by Manuel Panella. A song from the Spanish opera whose title translates as “The Wild Cat”. A big favourite of tenor Plácido Domingo. It has soundtracked previous Strictly pasos by Caroline Quentin and Natalie Gumede.

What no giant sparkly ketchup bottle? It’s been four weeks since Jamie Borthwick did ballroom and he’s enjoyed being back in hold with Michelle Tsiakkas in training this week. The storytelling for this classic foxtrot is a tribute to the couple’s support from their nearest and dearest, hence the song choice. The judges will be picky about details (and they tend to be tough on his anyway), so he needs to keep the footwork clean with heel leads on the slow steps. Vintage cinema styling. Nice posture and long neck. A bit safe, maybe. id I detect a couple of balance wobbles and a mid-routine footwork fluff? Graceful glide around the floor and otherwise gaw-jus.

Song: Stand By Me by Ben E. King. The gospel-influenced 60s soul song became a hit again in the 80s when it featured in the coming-of-age film of the same title and soundtracked a Levi’s black denim ad – the one where handsome stuntman Eddie Kidd beat the bouncers by getting into a nightclub with a “No blue jeans” policy.

JB Gill’s form dipped slightly with the last week’s Blackpool quickstep, falling to mid-table after two weeks of being joint top. This Roaring Twenties-style Charleston is ideal to bounce back. With dapper art deco-style styling, it’s pretty traditional Charleston fare, packed with content. Fast and physical, with bags of musicality and characterisation. Entertaining lifts and tricks. High-energy and keeping up the pace well. Nice pendulum swing of the arms and plenty of that all-important swivel. A clunky lift but solid synchronisation. Swagger and style. He looks understandably shattered by the end. Did it well.

Song: Yes Sir! That’s My Baby by Firehouse Five Plus Two. The 1950s Dixieland version of the 1925 standard. The band comprised members of Disney’s animation department who discovered a love of jazz and began jamming during their lunch break.