Strictly Come Dancing: Chris McCausland opens Blackpool extravaganza with ‘phenomenal’ American Smooth in 100th celebrity dance at the Tower Ballroom

It is a whole of 35 (8,9,9,9)for Montell and Johannes.

Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe are getting scorching with the Salsa to Thelma Houston’s Do not Depart Me This Means.

It finishes with Montell coated in streamers and the viewers on their ft.

Motsi praises her ‘constant’ enchancment.

Shirley calls the previous Olympian a ‘pure born performer’.

Craig is of course much less form, choosing out ‘sticky moments’ and the necessity for Montell to ‘have interaction her physique a bit extra’.

The primary scores are in and Dianne is crying after the pair get two tens from Shirley and Anton (did not take too lengthy for them to come back out)

Chris and Dianne get 37 (8,9,10,10)

It is a massive opener to an enormous band quantity – Paul Anka’s Leap.

Tess reveals Chris is the one hundredth movie star to take to the Tower Ballroom ground.

‘Your ft have been the perfect ft I’ve seen in a very long time’, gushes Shirley who manufacturers it ‘phenomenal’.

Anton has set the bar excessive already; ‘If something can beat this tonight, I will be amazed’, he declares.

Craig has some grumbles about arm extensions and swing or sway to pour chilly water on an awesome efficiency.

First on the ground are Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell with the American Clean.

We’re simply seeing them in coaching – Chris is proven training together with his lack of ‘level of reference’ – fairly exceptional

Properly what a begin! Tess and Claudia are on (Tess in pink and Claudia in a shiny outfit)

Plus Craig has donned a mustard-colour jacket for the event.

And simply to show he has one, he has revealed us his ten paddle! Phew!

The acquainted theme music is enjoying and we’re underway on the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

To begin we’re being handled to the stay efficiency by Pet Store Boys – a medley of their hits together with What Have I Accomplished To Deserve This and their new single All The Younger Dudes.

Full with a energetic routine from the Strictly professionals after all.

Legendary pop duo Pet Store Boys are tonight’s particular company in Blackpool.

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe will open the present with a medley of a few of their biggest hits whereas Strictly professional dancers carry out a routine.

Throughout Sunday night time’s outcomes present, which is recorded tonight, the pair will debut their new single All The Younger Dudes (initially written by David Bowie for rock band Mott the Hoople in 1972)

The BBC has launched some info and figures forward of Strictly Come Dancing’s return to Blackpool Tower following a two-year absence:

52 – Skilled dancers to carry out within the ballroom99 – Celebrities to have featured on the venue107 – Good ten scores awarded by judges for routines with Bruno Tonioli handing out 31 of them

The dance kinds which have obtained essentially the most ‘tens’ at Blackpool are:

Quickstep – 22 American Clean – 15 Charleston – 13

Six {couples} have obtained an ideal 40 at Blackpool:

Danny & Oti – Charleston, Sequence 14Ashley & Pasha – Jive, Sequence 16Fleur & Vito – Couple’s Selection, Sequence 20Harry & Aliona – Quickstep, Sequence 9 (Remaining)Harry & Aliona – Argentine Tango, Sequence 9Jason & Kristina – Present Dance, Sequence 9

The bookies have Wynne Evans because the favorite to drop out of the present this weekend, adopted by Pete Wicks. The Welsh tenor was within the backside two final week however was saved by the judges within the dance-off.

Behind them are Montell Douglas and Jamie Borthwick.

To not lengthy to attend to see which {couples} come out robust…

Jamie and Michelle training their strikes on Blackpool seafront

Strictly’s remaining eight celebrities have had their say on taking to the dance ground on the Blackpool Tower Ballroom in one of many greatest nights of the collection to this point.

Requested by the BBC why the Lancashire seaside city holds such standing on this planet of dance and Strictly Come Dancing, this 12 months’s cohort gave the next solutions:

I feel simply because the venue is so iconic, and the manufacturing is a lot grander.

Everybody will get actually pumped up for Blackpool – it simply feels a lot extra particular. You hear in regards to the historic ballroom competitions held there, and it’s such a revered area in dance, which is why everybody loves it a lot.

It is a synonymous place, is not it? I consider it is the Wembley for ballroom dancers, and two months in, possibly I am a ballroom dancer now!? I knew nothing about ballroom dancing eight weeks in the past.

I perceive it’s the house of ballroom dancing so it’s the religious dwelling.

So many unbelievable individuals have danced on the long-lasting Blackpool ballroom ground. World Championships have been gained there. I’ve carried out there as a part of JLS as effectively so it will be good to be again there dancing as a substitute of singing and taking in that unbelievable ambiance.

I feel that Blackpool holds such a really iconic area and particular second for everyone within the Ballroom and Latin world as a result of it is simply the place to be. It is the place the place dancers aspire to go to it’s the Olympics for an athlete.

When any of the professional dancers speak about Blackpool they get this type of reverence of their voice. When Vito talks about it, a glitter mist comes over him and he talks about successful there when he was youthful. It looks like it is the Oscars of ballroom.

Blackpool is the place that each one the skilled dancers speak about, the place they’ve had their greatest successes and I feel that type of storytelling rubs off on the movie star companions. I do know Katya had so many successes at Blackpool, she’s gained a number of world titles and I’m excited to go and share the expertise of Strictly along with her.

With simply 20 minutes to go earlier than kickoff, listed below are dances we will sit up for tonight. Observe that {couples} could not seem on this order.

Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe will convey the warmth with a Salsa to Do not Depart Me This Means by Thelma HoustonSarah Hadland and Vito Coppola will ship a {Couples}’ Selection routine to Padam Padam by Kylie Minogue. Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Skorjanec will convey the drama in a Paso Doble to Torn by Nathan LanierChris McCausland and Dianne Buswell will tackle the American Clean to Leap by Paul Anka. Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas will energise the ballroom with a Jive to The Ketchup Music (Aserejé) by Las Ketchup.JB Gill and Lauren Oakley will carry out a Quickstep to By no means Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał will add some cheekiness with a Cha Cha to I am Too Attractive by Proper Mentioned FredWynne Evans and Katya Jones will carry out a Charleston to Carmen Suite No. 1: 5. Les Toréadors by Georges Bizet.

Strictly sometimes heads to Blackpool every collection in every week in November, though it missed out on the journey to the Tower Ballroom for the final two collection, and on three events the ultimate was held there.

However there was a logistical motive for heading to the nation’s premiere dance vacation spot half manner by means of the collection.

It dates from when the present was filmed at Tv Centre in west London – which additionally hosted the BBC’s annual Youngsters in Want present in November, giving Strictly the right excuse to decant from its common dwelling and head North for the week.

TV centre has since closed and common Strictly episodes at the moment are broadcast from Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, however the mid-November pitstop caught round.

Strictly celebrities have been pictured in Blackpool all through the week because the present strikes to the city’s legendary Tower Ballroom.

Alijaz Skorjanec and Tasha Ghouri arrive in Blackpool armed with coffees

JB poses for an image with a fan exterior the city’s Primark retailer

Jamie and Michelle dance on the promenade with a bag of chips

Wynne and Katya arrive on the town after narrowly avoiding elimination final week

Learn extra about how celebrities spent the week in Blackpool right here

Earlier than we look forward to tonight’s dances, let’s recap final week’s leaderboard to remind you who’s waltzing into Blackpool in excessive spirits and who’s searching for a flip of fortune.

This is how issues stood final week:

Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec (8+10+10+9) = 37JB Gill and Lauren Oakley (9+9+9+10) = 37Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał (8+9+10+9) = 36Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe (9+9+9+9) = 36Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola (8+8+8+9) = 33Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell (7+8+9+9) = 33Wynne Evans and Katya Jones (7+8+8+9) = 32Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu (pictured) (7+8+7+8) = 30 – eliminatedJamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas (7+8+7+8) = 30

Nancy Xu has stated she is ‘gutted’ that she and companion Shayne Ward is not going to being dancing at Blackpool as she opened up about their Strictly exit on Instagram on Sunday.

The skilled dancer, stated it’s unfair that the X Issue singer obtained criticism all through the BBC collection as a result of he had by no means danced earlier than the present.

Shayne turned the seventh movie star contestant to be eradicated after a tense dance off with Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans, after failing to impress on Saturday together with his rumba.

Learn the total story by Bethan Edwards right here:

Final week Shayne Ward’s journey on Strictly Come Dancing got here to an finish after he narrowly misplaced a dance-off in opposition to Wynne Jones. This is the second judges made their determination.

Whose street will come to an finish this weekend?

Whats up and welcome to MailOnline’s stay protection of Strictly Come Dancing week 9 because the present strikes to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

The collection is returning to the venue after a two-year absence.

The standard pitstop comes often across the halfway level of the collection with eight {couples} within the working for the Glitterball Trophy.

Final week, Shayne and Nancy waved farewell to the category of 2024 after the X-Issue singer and actor misplaced a dance off with Wynne Evans.

Two pairs, Tasha and Aljaž and JB and Lauren, topped the leaderboard final week however who will steal the limelight this week?

Be part of our stay protection for the newest developments all through the night plus the perfect photos, movies and response from viewers at dwelling.