Strictly Come Dancing week 8: Ellie and Vito bring the romance to their Rumba

Virgin Radio

12 Nov 2023, 09:59

Strictly Come Dancing week 8 with Angela and Kai (left), Layton and Nikita (top right) and Ellie and Vito (bottom right).

Credit: BBC

Strictly Come Dancing is turning up the heat as the remaining couples set their eyes on Blackpool.

We’re over halfway through the competition, and the pressure is on, but it’s fair to say our dancers are stepping up their game.

So, here’s what happened in week 8 of Strictly Come Dancing:

Krishnan Guru-Murthy and his partner Lauren Oakley open the show with a party-starting Samba. Despite comments that it was “horribly flat-footed” by judge Craig Revel Horwood, Krishan was praised for “the joy he brings” by Anton Du Beke and scored a respectable 25.

Next up was Bobby and Dianne, who danced a dreamy American Smooth that bagged them 32 points. It impressed the judges, with Anton Du Beke calling it “the nicest thing you’ve ever done…exquisite.”

Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington took to the floor with a dynamic Paso Doble that proved Angela is one to watch. She even managed to impress Craig, who said: “I love that leg extension. I can’t see enough of it, darling”, while Motsi Mabuse hinted it had solidified her place in Blackpool. The pair ended up scoring 32 points.

It’s always interesting to see what couples will do for their Couple’s Choice dance, and Nigel Harman and Katya Jones decided to bring a blend of modern dance, ballet, and theatre to theirs. Nigel also revealed there was an emotional meaning to the dance and shared a story about losing his parents and what his family means to him. Despite Craig saying it didn’t “blow [him] away,” the pair scored 34 points.

Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola were up next and brought the romance to their rumba. The intimate dance ended with Vito kissing Ellie on her face, which has only fuelled the dating rumours. It certainly impressed Motsi, who said: “This is on an extra level. This is quality.” and they bagged 35 points.

Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe switched things up with Samba this week, and all the judges agreed it was fabulous to see her let loose. Craig said: "I was a bit nervous. I thought you would never in a million years be able to pull this off, but you have finally given yourself permission to go wild." They scored an impressive 31 points.

After being in the bottom last week, Virgin Radio’s Angela Scanlon and her partner Carlos Gu were determined to impress with their Waltz. It managed to win over head judge Shirley Ballas, who said it was “some of the best footwork” she had seen in a Waltz, but Craig said there was some “unforgivable gapping.” Despite that, the pair scored a respectable 33 points.

Last but definitely not least, Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin blew the judges away with their Argentine Tango. Motsi and Shirley gave it a standing ovation, with the head judge calling it “breathtaking” and Craig adding it was: “A.Maz.Ing.” However, it wasn’t enough to bag them a perfect score, as the pair ended up on top of the leaderboard with 39 points.