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Strictly Come Dancing delivered another week of standout performances with phenomenal lifts winning two couples high praise as Tasha Ghouri landed the first 10s of the series.
The former Love Island contestant has topped the leaderboard for the past three weeks, and did so yet again thanks to her charleston to “Unhealthy” by Anne-Marie and Shania Twain.
Ghouri and professional partner Aljaž Škorjanec took on a series of challenging lifts and the risk paid off, winning them 10s from Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton du Beke. The pair missed out on a clean sweep as Craig Revel Horwood reached for his nine paddle.
Ghouri and Škorjanec weren’t the only ones to impressive with gravity-defying moves. Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell also showcased a series of lifts in their salsa to “Down Under” by Men at Work. Their moves left head judge Ballas temporarily speechless.
She then said: “I can’t even imagine how you managed to do that so flawlessly when you can’t see. On top of that, you kept to your music, you didn’t miss a beat. I’m telling you from my heart, that is absolutely impressive.”
Elsewhere, DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles made his return to the programme after being forced to pull out of Movie Week due to a leg injury.
“When I signed up to Strictly I never thought for a moment that I would love dancing they way that I do and I well and truly have caught the dancing bug so I am absolutely delighted to be back tomorrow,” Knowles told fans on Instagram.
He added: “I am so grateful to all the physios and the medical team at the BBC for getting me back on my feet. See you tomorrow night.”
The Strictly stars with previous dance experience, from Tasha Ghouri to JB Gill
As many of the celebrities competing on Strictly are actors, singers and performers, a large number of them will have trained in dance or theatrical performance.
Those contestants are often subject to backlash from viewers at home who argue that they have an unfair advantage compared to the other contestants.
So, who has come to the show with previous training? Find out below.
All of the Strictly stars with dance experience, from Tasha Ghouri to JB Gill
Featuring a professionally-trained commercial dancer and theatre school graduate
Chris McCausland responds to Toyah Willcox’s It Takes Two blunder
Chris McCausland has addressed the backlash surrounding comments made by eliminated Strictly Come Dancing star Toyah Willcox.
Willcox, who was the second contestant to be knocked out of the competition said her words of wisdom for the celebrities still on the show were: “If you don’t wanna do a dance off, get rid of Chris!”
While it’s clear that Willcox was aiming to complement McCausland for his dancing skills and popularity among Strictly fans, the comments backfired among viewers who said the remark was “uncalled for” and “mean”. However, McCausland has since defended Willcox online, saying that the singer has been “nothing but beautiful and supportive” during their few weeks together on the dancing competition.
“What she said on It Takes Two was funny and an incredible bloody compliment,” he said.
Read more below:
Chris McCausland responds to Toyah Willcox’s It Takes Two blunder
Viewers branded singer’s comments as ‘uncalled for’
Nick Knowles to return to Strictly dancefloor after double injury
A BBC spokesperson has confirmed DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles will return to Strictly Come Dancing for week four of the competition.
“We are all delighted that Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk will be dancing in this Saturday’s show. Nick has been cleared to dance by the medical and physio teams following his injury last week,” they said.
“Due to time taken out of training this week, they will be performing their Movies Week charleston to ‘Rain On The Roof’ from Paddington 2.”
Read more about Knowles’ injury below:
Nick Knowles forced to pull out of Strictly Come Dancing after second injury
The DIY SOS star will be absent from Movie Week due to a shock fall
Anton Du Beke reveals why he never got angry with ‘awful’ Strictly partners
Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has said he never got angry with his celebrity dance partners while he was a professional on the show.
While reflecting on the results of the investigation into a rehearsal room scandal involving Amanda Abbington and former pro Giovanni Pernice, the show’s judge explained why he never lost his temper as a contestant.
Throughout his time as a professional, Du Beke often found himself paired with celebrities who either failed to make it far in the competition including, Anne Widdecombe, Gillian Taylforth, Lesley Joseph and Susannah Constantine.
“I say this in the nicest way but none of them are 25. They are wonderful, interesting, fabulous, brilliant, funny, intelligent women who I enjoyed every second with, but it is what it is,” he said.
Du Beke said the most he could ask of his partner was that they “try their best”, adding: “That is as much as you can do.”
Read more below:
Anton Du Beke shares harsh reason he never got angry with Strictly celebrity partners
‘I say this in the nicest way,’ professional-turned-judge stated
Who is topping the leaderboard after Movie Week?
Hours away from Strictly Come Dancing week four, here’s a reminder of how the celebrity contestants fared last Saturday...
Strictly 2024 leaderboard: All of the scores from week three of the competition
Scores were close this week as the show celebrated a first in its history
Nick Knowles journey from DIY SOS to Strictly Come Dancing
Award-winning TV presenter Nick Knowles has quickly become the most injured celebrity on this season of Strictly Come Dancing.
Having already sustained a shoulder injury while changing a tyre on the side of the motorway, Knowles wound up on crutches after falling to his knees during a dress rehearsal at the start of October.
As he makes his return to the competition after pulling out of Movie Week, here’s a look at the TV titan’s journey from DIY SOS to the dancefloor...
Nick Knowles: The TV titan’s journey from DIY SOS to Strictly injury woe
Knowles has lent his hand to numerous types of TV formats during a long career
What is the line-up for tonight?
Week four of Strictly Come Dancing will see a mix of ballroom and latin performances, soundtracked by everything from ABBA to Fred Astaire. Here’s who is performing what tonight...
- Montell & Johannes - Viennese Waltz to “Nobody Gets Me” by SZA
- Punam & Gorka - Jive to “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)” by Lizzo
- Sam & Nikita - Samba to “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira
- Sarah & Vito - Foxtrot to “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish
- Tasha & Aljaž - Charleston to “Unhealthy” by Anne-Marie, Shania Twain
- Chris & Dianne - Salsa to “Down Under” by Men at Work
- Jamie & Michelle - Salsa to “Danza Kuduro” by Don Omar, Lucenzo
- JB & Amy - Rumba to “You Might Need Somebody” by Kara Marni
- Paul & Karen - Quickstep to “I Won’t Dance” by Fred Astaire
- Pete & Jowita - Quickstep to “Town Called Malice” by The Jam
- Shayne & Nancy - Cha Cha to “Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)” by Sub Sub feat Melanie Williams
- Wynne & Katya - Tango to “Money, Money, Money” by ABBA
- Nick & Luba - Charleston to “Rain On The Roof” from Paddington 2
Tasha Ghouri’s journey from being Love Island’s first ever deaf contestant to Strictly Come Dancing
Having flown to the top of the Strictly leaderboard for the past two weeks, Tasha Ghouri is the dancer to beat going into week four of the competition.
Ghouri, who trained as a dancer at Creative Academy, has previously defended her background in dance and told The Independent: “It’s like a whole new world. Commercial dance is very different to ballroom dance and latin. I’m still having to strip down and relearn, even walking in cha cha step is weird to me.”
She continued: “Turning your feet out and leading with your hips, I’m having to relearn muscle memory so that’s the hard part. Even letting a man take the lead is a lot.”
As the reality star returns to the dancefloor for another weeks, here’s a look at her journey from Love Island to top of the leaderboard...
Tasha Ghouri, from being Love Island’s first deaf contestant to Strictly
Ghouri fell in love with dance when she felt the ‘bass and vibrations’ through the huge speakers in her home
And we’re off!
With salsas, quicksteps and charlestons coming up, there’s plenty to look forward to this evening - especially if (like me) you prefer the faster dances.
Despite the lovely Toyah’s exit last Sunday, we will still have 13 couples taking to the floor as Nick Knowles is back.
He and Luba will be doing the charleston they were due to perform for Movie Week, so if their costumes look a little out of place, that’s why!
Shayne and Nancy open the show
These two were in joint second place last week and have certainly looked like they’ll be in with a shot at the Glitterball trophy in December.
This is a great Cha Cha but I’m mostly stunned by how good they both look in this garish shade of yellow. How?
