Krish Redeemer?
Ellie is hitting new lows on Betfair, matched at 1.59. So is this series a done deal already or might there be a few more twists and turns?
With Ellie awarded a series high 39 for last Saturday’s AS, she has built considerable momentum over the last three weeks. But she now faces the notoriously difficult rumba. If she lands 40 for it it could be all over. However, it doesn’t look a natural fit with her, it’s rare for the show to reveal its hand this early, and she is due a bump in the road.
TPTB usually want to create some competition rather than get behind a contestant so relentlessly the final ends up a foregone conclusion. Helen emerged from the pack late on last year to challenge Hamza, HRVY was marginal favourite over Bill Bailey going into the 2020 final and if you go back through all the past series, finals typically have some uncertainty attached probably bar Rose’s win in 2021.
TPTB usually want to create some competition rather than get behind a contestant so relentlessly the final ends up a foregone conclusion
This year’s Strictly could do with shaking things up a bit in what has been a ruthlessly managed series so far devoid of shocks or surprises, which has resulted in the show feeling flat and predictable.
If rumba does prove troublesome, Ellie’s main market rivals all look to have the chance of a good night. Nigel will play his CC card in what looks like being a freestyle ballroom number for him. Bobby was talking confidently on Wednesday night’s ITT regarding his AS. And Angela S has the perfect waltz song. She received 28 for her week 4 VW so if there is any chance of an Angela S journey it needs to start tomorrow with the onus on her ballroom improvement. And she is overdue a pimp slot.
Layton will dance his AT to the ESC 2023 winning song by Loreen. Similar to Bobby’s AT music last week it doesn’t look the most natural fit and when the music is not in the traditional AT mould it can easily miss the mark. But they will probably aim to keep Layton safe on the leaderboard once more.
If there is any chance of an Angela S journey it needs to start tomorrow with the onus on her ballroom improvement
The three who look most likely in the mix for 7th elimination are Angela R, Krishnan and Annabel. Angela R has just survived a dance-off so we know going into tomorrow she is struggling on the pv. But there has always been a sense of the show guiding her to Blackpool which is next week. Paso is usually impactful but it is an odd song choice in ‘Hung Up’.
Krishnan surprisingly enjoyed the pimp last week and his CC was a very underwhelming effort which left him third from bottom on the leaderboard.
Week 7 – judges’ leaderboard:
Ellie and Vito: American Smooth – (7) – 9, 10, 10, 10 = 39
Layton and Nikita: Jive – (1) – 8, 10, 10, 8 = 36
Annabel and Johannes: Couple’s Choice – (5) – 8, 9, 9, 9 = 35
Nigel and Katya: Tango – (3) – 7, 9, 9, 8 = 33
Bobby and Dianne: Argentine Tango – (6) – 6, 8, 8, 8 = 30
Krishnan and Lauren: Couple’s Choice – (9) – 6, 8, 8, 7 = 29
Angela R and Kai: Waltz – (2) – 7, 8, 6, 7 = 28 – bottom 2
Angela S and Carlos: Samba – (4) – 6, 7, 7, 7 = 27
Adam and Luba: Rumba – (8) – 6, 7, 7, 7 = 27 – eliminated
He may well find himself opening the show tomorrow night but at least he has a classic samba tune to try and sell the routine with.
Annabel, along with Angela S, is still to enjoy the pimp slot. The Shakira track isn’t quite as good for samba but we can confidently speculate Annabel would have hauled in a big pv last week on the back of her emotive CC routine. She also did a respectable job with her week 1 CCC and week 4 jive.
It feels like the tough samba has been dealt to both Krishnan and Annabel following their CCs last Saturday with intent, and the express purpose of pointing one of them to the exit door. They look likely to end up last and second last on the leaderboard.
Unless scored extremely high Angela R could easily be dragged down into the dance-off again and find herself competing against whichever one polls worst out of Krishnan and Annabel.
Please do let us know who got your vote(s) when our exit poll opens during tomorrow night’s show.
Week 8 dances & songs:
Angela R and Kai: Paso Doble to Hung Up by Madonna
Angela S and Carlos: Waltz to With You I’m Born Again by Billy Preston & Syreeta
Annabel and Johannes: Samba to Whenever, Wherever by Shakira
Bobby and Dianne: American Smooth to Ghost of You by 5 Seconds of Summer
Ellie and Vito: Rumba to True Colours by Cyndi Lauper
Krishnan and Lauren: Samba to Bamboléo by Gipsy Kings
Layton and Nikita: Argentine Tango to Tattoo by Loreen
Nigel and Katya: Couple’s Choice to Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
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Hard to see how they drag AR through another week looking at the training footage. Awful dancing, awful staging, awful music. I think they are happy to let her go tonight.
Angela S is wearing a beautiful gown and Carlos is in tails. Positive sign (I say with fingers crossed)
Could be the pimp after all. I don’t see this being her break through, but she will surely make some ground up on Ellie.
Wow, some serious good signs given out in them comments tonight. Still fully behind the fact they are going to push Angela in the final weeks 🙂
Wow. Wasn’t expecting that! Rumba next week? Let’s hope so
She’s gonna drift in the week and I’m gonna gobble up the odds. They couldn’t have dropped any more hints of her journey progress if they tried!
Surely she’ll shorten slightly? Last time I looked a few days ago she drifted to 20/1
I didn’t like Angela Rs paso, didn’t deserve the scores she got imo and will land bottom 2 Krishnan I’m saying?
Yeah but Ellie is shortening into heavy odds on which naturally causes the rest to drift.
Krishnan looks to be toast tonight unless he can some how pull himself clear of the Dance off. He can consider himself unlucky because Angela R was the worst of the night for me undoubtedly polled last.
Rewatched again this morning sober. I still stand by what I say with regards to Angela’s comments. They were exactly what we would hope for as she starts to climb the leader board in the run in. There was positive comments from Motsi about her learning from what she has previously been told. Shirley said she produced some of the best footwork she has ever seen in the Waltz. Anton said she hasn’t peaked yet and set the path for her up ward trajectory which has surely now been set this weekend.
However, Ellie is starting to pull away from the pack, one thing with Antons comment was about people who peak and don’t go anywhere, I am hoping this is a subtle hint that the brakes are going to be applied to Ellie in the coming weeks, although this far it seems they are happy guiding her to victory.
Argentine Tango to Amy Winehouse for our girl next week.
Amazing! What Amy Winehouse song?
Back to black. Would have preferred the quickstep but I guess that’s likely to be her best dance so save that for the last few weeks.
What are your thoughts re the AT? She still has a few good dances left that will play to her strengths, particularly the quick step, rumba and couple choice although we don’t know what style her couples choice will be (assuming she gets the chance to)
I think the longer the Rhumba is left out the better. Would be utterly ridiculous to have mentioned that at the start of her journey as a dance to watch out for, then never let her dance it! But no more ridiculous that keeping AR in this long.
The Argentine Tango is traditionally one of the highest scoring dances, although the chemistry between Angela and Carlos could cause issues. The song choice is promising.
I still fully believe Nigel is topping the vote. They will look to get him in a dance off with Layton in the semi final.
Who do you envisage being in the semi and then the final? I think it’ll be Nigel, Bobby
Layton and Ellie in the SF with Bobby being knocked out, leaving Nigel, Ellie and Layton.
Would love for Angela S to be in it though!
Could easily see Bobby slipping into the dance off this weekend to be honest.
Me too! Along with Rippon. I’m expecting pimp slot for the AT, the only dramatic dance of the night
The leg flicks that the AT relies on will be right up her street. Definitely going to carry on the upward trajectory.