Frozen Out?

Oct 28, 2022 by Rob

The overwhelming verdict of ‘BBC 100 Week’? A massive damp squib. It served more as a self-congratulatory backslap for the Beeb than anything else. Theme music that didn’t suit, dances crowbarred in… and combined with some shocking make-overs it fell largely flat. It was especially disappointing following up what was a vintage week 4.

Jayde departed on a Charleston, as did Kaye in week 2. James, now tasked with Charleston, will be glad to have the Strictly stats on his side – only one male celeb has gone out on a Charleston dating back to 2014 (Greg Wallace, series 12, week 2) and never in the 20-year history of the show has there been successive Charlestons exit the show.

It did appear as if TPTB had James in their sights last Saturday, harsh appraisals and low scores following his foxtrot, on early in the 4 slot, and preceded by the comparative excellence of all of Helen, Tyler and Fleur.

Was placing Kym one point higher than James on the judges’ leaderboard and conveniently having a run of 26-27-28-29, with all those ties neatly created above, pure coincidence or done with the intention of making it harder for James to avoid the dance-off?

Week 5: BBC 100 Week – judges’ leaderboard:

Helen and Gorka: Charleston – (1) – 8, 9, 9, 9 = 35
Hamza and Jowita: Quickstep – (7) – 8, 9, 9, 9 = 35
Fleur and Vito: Jive – (3) – 7, 8, 9, 8 = 32
Tyler and Dianne: Tango – (2) – 8, 8, 8, 8 = 32
Will and Nancy: Viennese Waltz – (10) – 8, 8, 8, 8 = 32
Ellie S and Nikita: Paso Doble – (5) – 6, 8, 8, 8 = 30
Molly and Carlos: Couples’ Choice (Street/Commercial) – (6) – 6, 8, 8, 8 = 30 – bottom 2
Ellie T and Johannes: Tango – (8) – 7, 7, 7, 8 = 29
Jayde and Karen: Charleston – (9) – 6, 7, 7, 8 = 28 – eliminated
Kym and Graziano: Quickstep – (12) – 7, 7, 6, 7 = 27
James and Amy: Foxtrot – (4) – 6, 7, 6, 7 = 26
Tony and Katya: Cha Cha Cha – (11) – 3, 6, 4, 6 = 19

As it was, he did manage to escape and it was Molly who fell into the bottom 2, with James now granted what usually equates to a means of survival on the show. So if not James for 5th elimination then who?

Intriguingly, Ellie T appears to have also been handed a lifeline in CC, and a routine which could see her excellent acting skills to the fore.

It will be a theatre/jazz routine and the most energetic one Ellie T has tackled so far. If it involves Bette Middler ‘Hocus Pocus’ styling then keep an eye out for a potentially unflattering make-over on a night renowned for wardrobe stitch ups.

Tony, like Ellie T, is due an early running order – neither of them has appeared earlier than the 5 slot so far – and envisaging Tony in a red devil costume doesn’t scream vote winner. But there is no doubt it is a fantastic tune for a QS so if he can nail the footwork, this year’s comedy duffer/slow improver could well live to fight another day.

At the top of the judges’ leaderboard it seems logical to anticipate Molly’s name appearing, with her AT set to what has become an iconic track used in ’Stranger Things’. Production should be big for this and it seems the perfect canvas to create drama.

Fleur, granted another fast Latin, will be delighted, along with Vito, to escape the ludicrous Abba ‘Waterloo’ clobber – how can anyone look light on their feet trying to pull off the jive’s kicks and flicks in boots like that? Salsa is firmly in Fleur’s wheelhouse and should see her close enough to the top of the leaderboard to be safe.

Another potential standout tomorrow night looks to be Helen, who is returning to ballroom for the first time since her week 3, 31-scoring VW. It’s a track that lends itself to storyboarding an impactful routine, though again costumes could be distracting with presumably Little Red Riding Hood attire for Helen and Gorka as the wolf.

Helen’s excellence could throw some shade over Ellie S who also has foxtrot but to a much less appealing song in the Scooby Doo theme. Nikita as Shaggy and Ellie S as Velma hints at Ellie S potentially finding herself in a vulnerable spot on the leaderboard.

Tyler and Will also go head-to-head on the night trying to pull off successful CCCs. Of the two, Tyler seems to have the more suitable, vote-winning track.

Will and Nancy are going to be dressed as mummies, which only makes vague sense via the tenuous Halloween Week link, and play on words, of the track title ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’.

After last week’s 35-scoring and joint-leaderboard-topping QS, Hamza has shortened further as favourite to win Strictly 2022, currently trading around the 1.91 mark on Betfair.

‘Wicked Game’ is an awesome track though it doesn’t seem an obvious tango track. Jowita has been extremely reliable with her choreo series-long, however, and should find a way to make it work.

Which leaves us with Kym and her being given rumba on the back of that thoroughly deflating treatment she endured last week, dancing her pimp-slotted QS. It looked a good routine watching live but then came the crushing verdict of the judges, with a lot made of Kym’s crisis of confidence throughout the day.

After being in the week 4 dance-off and then being scored so low for that QS has to leave you concerned for Kym going into tomorrow evening, with an early running order slot potentially offering further ammunition to unsubtly ease her out of the competition.

Kym has the natural grace and dance ability to pull off the elegant lines and fluidity of movement required to sell the sensuous rumba, and training footage has looked promising. We also know it’s a dance the judges can very easily go into nitpicking mode with, and score down. Did last week’s deramp tee up what’s to come tomorrow?

If Kym is not frozen out, then any of James, Tony and the two Ellies could enter the 5th elimination picture on what looks an intriguing Halloween Week. Just keep a close eye on costumes and make-overs for early pointers when they are introduced at the top of the staircase at show start.

Please do let us know who got your vote(s) on our Halloween Week (week 6) exit poll which will open at the end of tomorrow night’s show and can be found here:

Strictly 2022 Exit Poll – Week 6

Week 6 – Halloween Week dances & songs:

Ellie and Nikita: Foxtrot to Scooby Doo, Where Are You? by David Mook, Ben Raleigh
Ellie and Johannes: Couple’s Choice (Theatre/Jazz) to I Put A Spell On You by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker & Kathy Najimy
Fleur and Vito: Salsa to Break My Soul by Beyoncé
Helen and Gorka: Foxtrot to Lil’ Red Riding Hood by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
Kym and Graziano: Rumba to Frozen by Madonna
Molly and Carlos: Argentine Tango to Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) by Kate Bush
Hamza and Jowita: Tango to Wicked Game by Chris Isaak
James and Amy: Charleston to Bumble Bee by LaVern Baker
Tony and Katya: Quickstep to The Devil Went Down To Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band
Tyler and Dianne: CCC to Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) by Tanz Orchester Klaus Hallen
Will and Nancy: CCC to Mama Told Me Not To Come by Tom Jones and Stereophonics