The moment of truth, dance off, and result

Ali & Brian through, so that’s my first prediction off the cards.

Chris & Ola also through which leaves my original prediction of Laila and Ricky as being correct!

Laila is definitely out now, unless Laila can pull off a flawless performance but I really don't think anything can save her.

Laila’s up first in the dance-off and she is definitely giving a much better, and thus far what appears to be a faultless performance but I don’t think it’ll be enough to save her.

Now for Ricky…and I would say a better performance too from Ricky. I’m seeing a 5-0 sending home for Laila.



We get to 3-0 and that’s all it takes.

Leaderboard

Final leaderboard is as follows:

1 95 points - Ricky Whittle & Natalie Lowe
2 86 points - Ali Bastian & Brian Fortuna
3 80 points - Chris Hollins & Ola Jordan
4 59 points - Laila Rouass & Anton Du Beke

I predicted to Emma last night that it would be a Laila and Ricky dance-off, but I’m going to change that to Ali & Laila as both have really underperformed tonight for my liking, and I think Chris and Ricky will have more (mostly female!) support.

Laila Rouass & Anton du Beke - Salsa

They’ve not impressed in the Latin so far this series, the training looks good but can they ‘bring it’ on the night?

Why Laila, why always the mistakes? Especially when you’re apart from Anton it just makes it so obvious.

Emma asked me yesterday my prediction for who was going out tonight, I predicted Laila last night and I stand by that tonight after seeing that performance.

Unfortunately Len’s right, they want to be in the final but they rarely manage a flawless performance and I can’t see them progressing further than tonight.

A real letdown and I’m going to have to say a 5 (possibly the lowest score I’ve given all series – I’ll have to go back and look!)

Laila Rouass & Anton du Beke - American Smooth

I was really enjoying the start, up until the slip in the spin. She really does have to watch those shoulders too. The dance does look like Anton is throwing her round quite a lot, and I don’t just mean in the lifts!

Started with lots of promise but I don’t think it delivered and I’m only going to give it a 7 I’m afraid.

Leaderboard

Well it appears I was the only one entertained enough by Laila and Anton, and I'd have had Natalie a little closer to Ricky, but otherwise the leaderboard is about right...

1. 37 points - Ali & Brian
2. 34 points - Chris & Ola
3. 31 points - Ricky & Natalie
4. 31 points - Laila & Anton
5. 26 points - Natalie & Vincent

Still the competition Viennese Waltz to go though...

Laila Rouass & Anton du Beke - Charlston

Well a dance that requires a major dose of character, shouldn't be a problem for Anton!



A great story and performance and the most enjoyable Charlston of the night, seeing as I've given an 8 and 9 I'll have to give this a 10!!!

The moment of truth, dance off, and result

Will my prediction of a Laila and Ricky dance off pan out?

Bottom three as expected, now who have the public gone for?

Yep Natalie & Vincent are saved by the audience, and Laila and Ricky are in the dance-off.

More importantly it's Erin versus Anton!

If Ricky can perform without making any mistakes then we could have a competition on our hands, otherwise I think he's going home.

Laila still stumbles in the same move near the end, which is a shame, and she looks very uncomforable during the final pivots. But not a bad performance, all down to Ricky now.

Looks like a much improved performance on earlier and I really don't know how to call this one.

I think Ricky has been more consistent, though Laila has scored highly in a few of her dances.

On that basis I think it will be Ricky going home.

Just waiting on Len to confirm whether it's 3 or 4-0...and Len confirms it would've been 4-0.

Do you agree with the outcome from tonight? Look out Natalie and Laila, there's no-one below you now!

Leaderboard

Finally they manage to fit the leaderboard on one page - makes it so much easier to quickly jot down!

1. 36 points - Ricky & Natalie
2. 35 points - Ali & Brian
3. 29 points - Chris & Ola
4. 29 points - Laila & Anton
5. 26 points - Natalie & Vincent
6. 22 points - Ricky & Erin

So with Jade gone things are going to get very tough for the 6 remaining couples. I think Laila will be in the bottom two, the other is too hard to call but I think Ricky's luck will have run out.

Laila Rouass & Anton du Beke - Waltz

Will Laila have recovered from her injury enough to cope with the demands of the rise and fall in the Waltz?



Just needs to make sure she keeps her core strong as still looks a little loose at times.

Shame about the glaring mistake at the end though, I don't think there's any dances this series that she's managed to complete without a mistake!

Even with the mistake, and the posture issues, I think she should achieve 8's.

Saturday night and Brucie's back in business

Unfortunately Jade has had to pull out of the competition.

Such a shame as they really looked like they had potential together. Oh well, that makes the final a two (rather than three) couple affair.

Let's see how everyone else performs tonight, and whether Laila has fully recovered.

Missed Saturday night's show - catch up on the clips here

Haven't got time to watch the full show on iplayer? Then see the short clips below:


Natalie Cassidy:



Ricky Groves:



Laila Rouass:



Phil Tufnell:



Ricky Whittle:



Ali Bastian:



Chris Hollins:



The Result:

The moment of truth, dance off, and result

I'm expecting Laila to be saved by public vote, and a Natalie Cassidy/Phil Tufnell dance-off - but how have the public voted?

Well that's one of my dance-off possibles saved by the public, could Laila be in trouble this week? Either way I think they'll save her till the bottom three.

As expected!

Out of these two I think Phil will be the one going home, assuming Ricky can make the Viennese a little smoother this time.

A nice performance from Phil & Katya, let's see Ricky's response.

Seems smoother this time, but still too skippy. Not quite as dynamic this time and I think Ricky could be in trouble.

It'll be a close call and I imagine it will be a Len decider tonight.

2-1 to Phil, then Len votes for Ricky so Phil gets sent home, the right decision I feel.

Do you agree with the decision?

Leaderboard

So with Ian and Jade not dancing the leaderboard is a little shorter than expected:

1. 35 points - Ricky & Natalie
1. 35 points - Ali & Brian
3. 34 points - Natalie & Vincent
4. 31 points - Phil & Katya
5. 30 points - Chris & Ola
6. 29 points - Ricky & Erin
7. 22 points - Laila & Anton

A week where I'd have marked the top two quite a bit lower than they received from the judges, and personally really didn't like Natalie & Vincent's Foxtrot.

My bottom two would be Phil & Natalie (I think Laila will get the sympathy vote), but I think there could be a surprise in store this week!

What do you think?

Laila Rouass & Anton du Beke - Rumba

I thought their Paso last week was very good, and deserved higher marks than it received. Anton's Latin choreography has been a bit weak this series so i'm hoping we see some improvement in the content.

That foot/ankle injury is obviously causing Laila serious problems and the dance has definitely suffered.

I think they might let Anton get away with that lift this week!

The main problem is that Laila couldn't generate any hip action as it requires pushing into the floor.

So difficult to have any opinion on a score and there have to be a lot of generosity to get anything higher than a 6, unfortunately.

The moment of truth, dance off, and result

Who stays, and who has to dance again?

Well done Ian for getting through!

So Phil gets public support, how about CK?

Out of those bottom 3 (Laila, Ricky Groves, Craig) I think Laila will be through...

Sorry CK but I think your time is definitely up now!

Good to see Ricky gets the arms correct this time, and dances better than earlier.

A better performance too from Craig but no question that it's his swan song and i'm predicting a 4-0 form the judges.

4-0 it is. Craig got his dream of getting to Blackpool but it would've been a travesty if he had got any further.

Laila Rouass & Anton du Beke - Paso Doble

This should actually be a Latin American dance that Laila can cope with!

Smouldering start...but wait was that a lift?!!!

Excellent performance, not sure how the judges will feel about the lifts, though it did seem to lose drive as the dance progressed.

For me it would easily be a 9, if I ignore the lifts!

Judges scores: CRH 7, LG 7, AD 8, BT 8.

Anton, Anton, Anton...why did you do the lifts? You're not Brendan Cole!

Laila Rouass & Anton du Beke - Viennese Waltz

Back to ballroom, and Anton's forte, we should see significant improvement this week

The training mid-week for this looked excellent, let's hope she can perform tonight.

There's something just not quite right with her frame, it doesn't look like she's quite standing up from her core, which is resulting in a slight chin protusion.

That slip right in front of the judges won't do them any favours.

Anton felt this had the potential to be 10's, but it hasn't quite lived up to it on the night, could well get 8's though.

Laila Rouass & Anton du Beke - Samba

An awful Jive last week could well have seen them leaving, but the public saved them - rightly so I think. How will the Samba compare?

Anton's very much a Ballroom boy so I wouldn't be surprised if he haad to pick up a few things from Laila.

A very funky routine and looking really good, up to the first travelling voltas that Laila unfortunately made a slight hash of.

Not their best dance, but not even close to their worst. I think it will get 7's.

The moment of truth!

Will Craig be in another dance-off, will the two Jo(e)s be saved again?

Well that's one of the Jo(e)s through!

Craig manages to escape the dance-off, bet they're relieved. Out of those three Zoe surely has to be through, could this be the week Joe finally takes a bow?

Now that's a shock, but definitely going to be Joe going home this time!

Leaderboard

All the celeb's have danced, how does the leaderboard look?

1. 36 points - Ricky & Natalie
2. 35 points - Jade & Ian
3. 30 points - Zoe & James
4. 29 points - Ali & Brian
5. 27 points - Natalie & Vincent
6. 27 points - Phil & Katya
7. 25 points - Ricky & Erin
8. 23 points - Jo & Brendan
9. 22 points - Laila & Anton
10. 22 points - Chris & Ola
11. 21 points - Joe & Kristina
12. 20 points - Craig & Flavia

Well Joe managed to lift himself from the bottom, though didn't expect Craig to be at the bottom. Would've personally put Jade & Ian at the top but maybe I'm biased!

I think it'll be a Laila and Craig dance-off.