2 min read
Phew, that was close!
Hands up who didn't feel the tiniest bit nervous as Lesley Joseph and partner Anton du Beke waited to hear their fate as one of the last two couples facing the dance-off.
Thankfully for them, presenter Tess Daly announced it would be Tameka and Gorka having to take to the floor again to save their Strictly lives.
Lesley lived to dance another day, although the stress of the moment left her momentarily unsure, demanding of Anton: "Are we out or are we through?"
Week three was Movie Week, that perennial Strictly Come Dancing favourite.
Lesley and Anton had opted for the quickstep to A Couple of Swells, from Easter Parade. You know - Fred Astaire and Judy Garland "walking up the avenue" in shabby top hat and tails.
Fred and Judy are, it goes without saying, a tough act to follow but Lesley and Anton weren’t far off, spicing up their performance with an appealing, quirky humour that played to Lesley’s strengths as an actress.
Craig Revel Horwood loved her energy.” I hope, darling, when I’m your age, 70, I can whirl round the floor like that,” he gushed. Tess and judge Darcey Bussell complimented her on being incredibly fit.
Lesley, gasping for breath at the end, didn’t look so sure.
Daisy Lowe and pro partner Aljaz Skorjanec opened the show with their version of the quickstep, performed to A Spoonful of Sugar from Mary Poppins.
Daisy, in prim blouse and skirt, floated around the floor, led by Aljaz in Dick van Dyke mode. At times, it looked as if she was – almost, could it have been? - flying.
The couple clearly enjoyed their performance, and so did the audience, clapping and cheering along from the start, and giving it a standing ovation at the end.
But did the judges think it practically perfect in every way?
Well, close enough.
Len Goodman praised Daisy for lovely hold, great posture and gorgeous movement – the three cornerstones of a successful quickstep – while Bruno Tonioli declared it “supercalifragilisticexpialidaisy!”
Chim,, chim, cheree, indeed, and with a score of 31, and a thumbs-up via the public vote, they were safely through.
There’s a growing feeling Ms Lowe could go a long way in this competition.
One of the real pleasures of the first two weeks of Strictly has been the banter developing between Judge Revel Horwood and Judge Rinder.
Craig takes exception to Robert’s extravagant facial expressions – the ghastly gurning, as he terms it.
Robert takes exception to Craig taking exception, and pleasingly bitchy exchanges ensue.
This week, however, not so much.
There was so shortage of face-related contortions as the judge and partner Oksana attempted the charleston as Fred and Wilma from The Flintstones movie. But this time, Craig approved.
“The ghastly gawping facial expressions actually came into their own”, he told the disbelieving Rinder, whose chin dropped and eyebrows lifted in yet another gurn-moment.
Craig also “loved the handspring” – which certainly was eye-catching. Quite the physical specimen, that Judge Rinder - something Darcey obviously appreciates.
“You’re very cute as a caveman,” she told him, provoking yet more facial gymnastics.
Truth to tell, the routine was the couple's least successful so far, with Len and Bruno pointing out flaws involving timing. But a score of 27, and approval from the viewers meant the judge made it to next week's show.
Yabba dabba do!