Wash Out?

Oct 18, 2024 by Rob

It was another great week for Chris and Dianne while Wynne and Katya grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons for what was dubbed, ‘Grope Compare’.

As the incriminating clips started to go viral, there was a sense of, they doth protest too much during the fall-out with them immediately taking to social media to insist it was an in-joke.

Katya followed this up with her own Insta message, and then we got a very transparent, pre-scripted appearance on ITT on Monday with Katya further stressing she has a great relationship with Wynne. And yesterday, Wynne released a clip of him giving Katya a piggyback up a Welsh mountain, smiles all round.

The last thing the BBC needs, or wants, is another scandal engulfing the show and this has all had the feel of news management; a damage limitation exercise. Wynne appears to have had TPTB firmly on his side up to now and it will be fascinating to see if that remains the case moving forward.

Chris and Dianne earned a standing ovation at the Elstree studio and stole the show once more with their joyful, cleverly choreographed, Aussie-themed salsa.

Chris has been the making of Dianne in this series and their partnership is so endearing it’s hard to see how they get beaten and why the show would want them not to win.

Two of Chris’s main market rivals had an underwhelming night, Sarah earning her lowest score of the series for her foxtrot, and JB and Amy producing an unremarkable rumba.

Tasha enjoyed the pimp slot, the first 10s of the series, and the highest score of the series with 39.

Week 4 judges’ leaderboard:


Tasha & Aljaz – Charleston – (13) – 9, 10, 10, 10 = 39
Jamie & Michelle – Salsa – (4) – 8, 9, 9, 8 = 34
Wynne & Katya – Tango – (5) – 8, 9, 9, 8 = 34
Montell & Johannes – Viennese Waltz – (10) – 8, 8, 8, 9 = 33
JB & Amy – Rumba – (8) – 7, 8, 7, 8 = 30
Chris & Dianne – Salsa – (9) – 6, 8, 8, 8 = 30
Shayne & Nancy – CCC – (1) – 7, 8, 7, 8 = 30 – Bottom two
Pete & Jowita – Quickstep – (12) – 7, 7, 8, 7 = 29
Sam & Nikita – Samba – (11) – 7, 7, 7, 7 = 28
Sarah & Vito – Foxtrot – (2) – 6, 7, 7, 7 = 27
Paul & Karen – Quickstep – (7) – 4, 6, 6, 7 = 23
Nick & Luba – Charleston – (3) – 4, 6, 5, 6 = 21 – Eliminated
Punam & Gorka – Jive – (6) – 4, 5, 5, 6 = 20

Cries of ‘Ringer!’ don’t feel as damaging to Tasha’s chances as other gifted, attractive, younger women in previous series. No matter the naysayers, she could be renamed Teflon Tasha. Aljaz always comes across well and exudes good will which also helps a lot.

It may have been a surprise to some to see Shayne end up in the dance-off but he performed first, it was a middling score, his and Nancy’s yellow outfits were quite garish, and our exit poll suggested he would be joining Nick in the bottom two. He should at least be bouncing back strongly this week dancing an AS.

The show is doing its utmost to portray Jamie as the man to beat and his salsa definitely felt over-scored. He at least has the right piece of music tomorrow night to sell a dramatic paso.

Punam, as predicted, did come crashing back down to earth with a poor jive which left her last on the judges’ leaderboard. You sensed that would fuel a strong vote for Punam and help her escape the dance-off. A VW set to a fitting Billy Joel track looks much safer ground for her but her Bollywood CC routine is already starting to look like her series peak.

Pete has the dreaded rumba. Jowita may be able to work her magic in helping make it look passable but it is a dance that can easily fall flat and he is due an early r.o..

Paul earned his highest score of the series playing things straight with his QS. Him and Karen have started to build a journey of sorts which may have further to run, as much as samba looks a potential banana skin.

It could easily be the same early r.o. and killing with kindness scenario we have seen put away both Toyah and Nick. Or, it could be on later, be high on entertainment value, and the judges might encourage Paul’s survival. Lisa Riley danced to this back in 2012 and it was a triumph, though it’s unlikely we see Paul do the splits.

Sarah’s samba music is very camp and kitsch and probably her worst song choice of the series so far. This is her first fast Latin routine, it will be a serious test, and how well she does with it will be highly informative regarding her Outright chances. Who takes the earlier samba slot between her and Paul will also be telling.

Samba is always exposing and Sam had a fair stab at it last Saturday. The banter Nikita is providing in the Clauditorium is possibly starting to help this pairing earn more fans but Sam is going to need a stand out routine soon to get the audience more invested in her journey.

It will be informative to monitor which of her QS and Wynne’s is on earlier, and which routine is received better and scored higher.

While Montell received great feedback and a high score for her VW, you sense her and Johannes are struggling to gain traction with voters. This looks likely to be a triumphant week for them, and potential pimp slot, for their Afro-Caribbean-infused CC.

JB danced a jive when he won the Christmas Special back in 2012. Hey Ya! looks a decent track to sell a jive and this could also come under consideration for the pimp.

Chris continues to shorten and will be relieved to have a slower routine in waltz. Set to the Kop anthem his regional vote is going to fly this week and it’s hard to see this not going down well.

Please do let us know who got your vote(s) when our week 5 exit poll opens at the end of tomorrow night’s show.

Strictly 2024 Exit Poll – Week 5

Week 5 dances and songs:

Montell & Johannes Couple’s Choice to Skeleton Move by KG, Zanda Zakuza
Punam & Gorka Viennese Waltz to She’s Always A Woman To Me by Billy Joel
Sam & Nikita Quickstep to Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield
Sarah & Vito Samba to Do It Do It Again by Rafaella Carrà
Tasha & Aljaz Tango to Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine
Chris & Dianne Waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers
Jamie & Michelle Paso Doble to Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona
JB & Amy Jive to Hey Ya! by Outkast
Paul & Karen Samba to Car Wash by Rose Royce
Pete & Jowita Rumba to Don’t Look Back In Anger by Oasis
Shayne & Nancy American Smooth to Get Here by Sam Smith
Wynne & Katya Quickstep to Mr Blue Sky by ELO