Episode 29 Strictly - It Takes Two

Hello. Welcome to Thursday's It Takes Two. We are bursting at the

seams with guests today. They are kicking and flicking their way to

Wembley. Nicky and Karen are here. You may have noticed It Takes Two

to tango and these two are very good at it. We'll have a little

look at the frocks and a sneaky peek into the training rooms and

bringing his own joy to the studio Russell Grant is here.

This is It Takes Two. Oh, I could This is Strictly It Takes Two.

Please welcome your host, Zoe Ball. Hello. Welcome to It Takes Two.

There are just 48 hours to go until the big event. Our celebrities will

dance through the decades on the biggest dance floor they have ever

seen. No pressure then! Let's see This week, we're doing a samba,

live at Wembley. I'm going to throw myself into it -

it is bouncy, bishopy - that is what it -- it is boppy, that is

what I like to do most. It is lively. It is a carnival dance.

have to shake this week - it could be a good or a bad thing!

hardest thing is getting all the technical stuff in there. Samba

rolls - a bit of a miss. Move with your feet. I don't know

how to do them. Get the bend right - pushing me and pulling me.

your head go. I was throwing Lisa around like a rag doll for a bit.

Where I come from - samba - you eat it. This week I am doing the

American smooth. I can not wait for this dance. Three big lifts. There

are elements with the lifts - risky at times. If you miss it or get

your body in the wrong position, there are big problems and you

could get seriously injured. With the American smooth it is about 30%

in hold and the rest is out of hold. It is not easy. Me being on my own

a little bit in this American smooth. I want to try and produce a

stylish dance. Come on - this is Wembley, not a small studio any

more. It comes off, it could be my best. If it goes wrong, it could go

badly wrong. This week we have the jive. It will be fun. It is

extremely active. It's all about the kicks and flicks and the flare.

You look like you're kicking a ball. I have never, ever seen anybody

kick a ball like that! There is turning - the energy has to be as

high as possible. Kick and kick and kick and kick. It is so full on.

After one performance, you are out of breath. This is probably the

quickest I have ever thought, never Can they get everybody talking

about their jive? Please welcome Nicky and Karen.

I must say, anybody who didn't have a crush on you before Saturday

night, most surely has now. Were you giddy afterwards? It was great.

It was a fun song to do. The opening there - I was counting in

my head again - I had Shane in the front row. I thought, don't fall

down the stairs! It was a bit of Vegas. I am glad Bruno said Vegas.

That is what I was thinking. Having been in a boy band, that is you.

Look at me.... It could happen - don't laugh! What are you laughing

at!? Charming! Karen, the mic, when you talked last week you said about

the microphone during the routine and you threw it away. What

happened with the idea? We wanted to surprise you guys. I like it.

You are lying to us now! This is what happens though!

Brilliant! And you caught it every time and you did every time. It was

brilliant! Craig said "Vast improvement." Was that music to

your ears? Tess had said something about a standing ovation. I didn't

see that. I looked at the judges. Craig said, it wasn't an

improvement. I thought, "Not again. Please." And then he said "A vast

improvement." Then I did my golf swing - which I think they missed

on camera. We put so much effort into getting it right. You don't

know what will happen for that minute and 30 seconds. I love the

fact you didn't know there was a standing ovation until you watched

the show back. When I watched it back that is when I heard Tess say

it. You are relieved you got through it at that point as well.

Craig is known for his catty remarks, but we think this may be

rubbing off on you. Karen makes a hising sound when she is displeased

with me! It is cat like. HISING THAT MUST BE SLIGHTLY OFF-PUTTING!

Wembley this weekend, in case you had not realised, and you are doing

the jive. Is it going well? It is going well. I'll be honest. Day one

was OK, and then day two was a disaster. Tuesday - it is always

the way. Karen told me on Wednesday night, after we got it all through

Wednesday, she told me she sped the music up by 10%. Naughty Karen!

the hours of Monday night. Tuesday was horrible. I thought, what is

going on. She sped it up by 10% and didn't tell me... She's playing

with your mind! But it worked. It is probably good.

If you did not tell him he would carry on and not complain. She said,

we're doing it, we're doing it. Your music is cool.

JAILHOUSE ROCK. A bit of Elvis for you. Can you do

an Elvis impression for you. Oh, look at that! Are we going to have

some Elvis pelvis movement? Is that incorporated into a jive? It is

there. It is mostly about the legs. What about the quiff? I have been

asked could I go with one. I will probably have to have extra stuck

in there but I don't want a Jedward. A weave like Vincent had. This is

catching on this week. I am finding it worrying. It will be your first

time at Wembley, Karen. Are you excited? I am scared. I am excited,

but I am scared. We're not doing the stadium - it's the arena.

the arena. The stadium would be truly terrifying. You have your

hands there. You have played there loads - there's the Nicky Bar -

probably named after you. Is it like going home for you? We played

there a lot with Westlife over the years. Our hands are in concrete

outside. If I get a moment I will try and see if my hand is still the

same size! Do hands grow? This is a discussion for later? Who knows!

Good luck with your jive on Saturday. Hopefully you'll be the

king and not the heartbreak hotel! It's Nicky and car raen.

-- Karen. Noses and ears keep growing. And nails. And hair. Over

This week, we're doing the samba. I really love the samba. It is such a

fun, baup beat dance, with loads -- up beat dance, with loads of energy.

It is a dizzy routine. A lot is going on. A lot of shaking.

I do feel a lot more comfortable in this style of dance though. I am

enjoying shaking it a bit. The little slide will be exciting.

The only thing is, I need to make sure that I land on two feet.

After last week, I feel like I really need to go through this one

and make sure that everybody realises how much I want to stay in

this competition. We have the charleston - it is a

bit of a tricky one. The one thing I want from Denise is the swive vel

in the feet. You have to swivvel both feet at the same time. Women

are good at multi--tasking - but that's not my bag. It is like she

had lead in her pockets. There is so much to think about, lots of

arms and legs. I am struggling to learn it a bit. At the moment, I

look like I have two birds talking to me.

If I don't get the Egyptian arms right, then this dance will look

We have a great dance for the arena - it's the American smooth. That

means we can do some lifts and tricks, which on a big floor will

be good fun. I am nervous about dropping Flavia and doing different

lifts. I have been out of the gym for a bit. I may get a workout

lifting Flavia. I am not saying she is heavy or anything! We have been

doing this for five or six weeks now. You is to dance with the pain.

You have to push yourself. She is used to it. She has built up a

tolerance. This is new to me. I am in pain. You can go home and have a

bath. I cannot go home and have a Two? Time to talk to Vicky Gill.

Head of wardrobe. We're going to Wembley this week. I am imagining a

huge task for you. It is massive this week. We are hanging on in

there. How many costumes do you have to make? 100. 100! You are

making all of them. Myself, obviously!

It is a team of you in wardrobe. How many all together? There are

about 30 people that are core to creating Strictly every Saturday

night. It is not a few - it is a lot of hard-working people. In

terms of dancers and skaters - we have loads of people that are

kicking about in the background. We think, where did that extra person

come from? They need a frock. have heard men in trunks. Yes.

roller-skaters. I cannot go backwards, but I can go forward. If

anyone drops out, I'm in. Lisa is doing a samba this weekend. It is

Dancing Through the Decades - hers is Rose Royce. Very bright. We have

orange and pink upper body. We have crystal stones all over the top

half, so she will sparkle. A lot of movement, obviously with the car

wash theme. Robin is well again. He is back in the rehearsal room today.

That is good news. Victoria is doing a paso doble. She may appear

on a bicycle. What she will do, we are not sure. Obviously riding it,

but how, we are not sure. You have a Team GB theme. Because the bike

was playing part, we thought we should reference it. It has been

exciting. A lot of pattern-cutting skills in this number. So the red,

white and blue dress is an over- dress, split down the centre, like

the cape effect, like Denise. does she have underneath that?

white cat suit underneath. I like the sound of this. Excellent! Which

dress has taken the most work, time and effort and energy? Collectively

Kimberley's dress has taken the most time. We have spoken to a lot

of departments, from lighting, to projection. Speaking to lighting

about Kimberley's dress. It sound exciting. Apparently it is huge.

There is 30 metres in her dress. That is like half of the Wembley

floor. We are talking a big dress. Will she do the whole dance in this

dress? I hope not. I have not been told yet. I will see this evening,

when I am told, it is not working. Mind boggling! It will be a

spectacle. OK, who is under the dress this week? Who is under the

dress - you know what I mean! I say! There's not much to that dress,

is there? What can you tell us? is an Egyptian theme. The couple,

they are always having lots of fun and pulling pranks on others or on

themselves. Spectacular. I think this week could be your best work

yet. Good luck to you and all your angels and evils who are helping

you. -- elvess who are helping you.

Back to the training room. Move on. This week at Wembley we will dance

the paso doble. There'll be some individual dancing.

I can't turn that way. At least I can have a mean, moody face of

concentration while I am doing it. I think that will be the only thing

I cling to. No, no, no, no. I want Victoria to get better at doing

things on her own. This could be the week it happens. The paso

requires a lot of strength internally and externally. Victoria

is good at that. I find being stern and serious a lot easier to do.

so powerful. I am confident it will be a good one. It is all about the

performance. We are doing a salsa. We'll have a party in front of

6,000 people. We are at Wembley - which is brilliant. You want to do

the dance justice. Richard has struggled this week, just coming to

grips with the salsa. It has been an uphill struggle. No two ways

about it. This is a nightmare. is keeping the rhythm of the dance

Richard is finding the hardest. is the Latin dance which is most in

character. There is a party going in my head. You cannot go around

shouting Wembley, unless you have the feet right. Richard can salsa.

He has to focus on it. Complete his This week, we are going to be

dancing at Wembley. We'll dance to the quickstep. You get a lot of

travelling. I picture myself and Dani running around Wembley Arena.

I am only five foot one. I am confused as to whether people will

see me. I talked to the BBC. They'll have binoculars - all 6,000

people! I feel overwhelmed this week. The quickstep is a dance I

was dreading. I am getting confused. We've done it every which way now.

This is the first time I have seen Dani panicking. It will be OK! It

will be OK! I believe in her and that she can do it. I will not get

any sleep tonight. I will run the quickstep over and over and over

The little munchkins are going to Wembley. Please welcome Dani and

Vincent. What a tango it was! It was truly

terrific at the weekend. Were you pleased with your performance?

was chuffed. It is by far my favourite dance. I loved every

second of it. I want to do the tango every week. What a teacher

you have! What a teacher I am. Come on!

highest score, you are creeping nicely up the leaderboard. I mean,

34, that is an amazing score. a huge score. I was not expecting

that at all. I loved it so much. I really liked being aggressive and

passionate. The actress in you came out in that performance. Vincent,

Len picked up on the light and the shade of your choreography. Is it

great to be praised for your brilliance? Everything happens by

magic on this show. If I think about it, there's no way - it just

happens, obviously you give me inspiration. Inspirations!

Myself and even at the end, even the public - massive standing

ovation at the end. You are just priceless!

Also, Vincent, you have been prepared to a sausage sandwich and

"finger licking good" you were called on Saturday. How delicious

are you, Vincent? How long have you got? It is impossible!. There's no

words! Darcey did say a strange thing on Saturday. She said there

was a moody teenager - what did you make of that remark? It was

interesting, seeing I was a teenager not too long ago. I took

it as a compliment in a way. I played tracey Beaker for 11 years.

Maybe she made an appearance on Saturday. You are more than a woman

to me! He has all the comments today!

I'm in love. She's in love! Craig commented that your dance

finished a little bit before the music ended. There has been a bit

of a problem for you two with speed, generally, in the training room.

Look at this. Little people are very powerful. Very fast.

Too fast. I'm going to push Dani to the limit. The Strictly speed limit.

Preparation. Come on!

We're little, but fast and furious. I want it to look like you have

little wheels rather than legs. Just little wheels.

We are very, very speedy. I'm a little Ferrari!

Run like the wind. Only professionals are allowed to

do this. Very good! I think that you should do

motivational cassettes for people to listen to, your voice talking in

their ears. Wembley this weekend then - the quickstep for you and it

is a fast one. How are you coping? I am all right now. At the

beginning of the week it was horrible. Our terrible Tuesday was

probably the worst terrible Tuesday I have ever had. It is really quick.

There a -- are a lot of steps. It is called the quickstep for a

reason. We had the ped of metre. We counted how many steps. 206 she's

doing. Which is apparently a step-and-a-

half a second. So, it is quite quick. Are you feeling more

confident about the weekend? I am. I cannot wait to get to Wembley.

You have never been there before?Vy Never been there in my life -- I

have never been there in my life. You must be excited about the whole

thing? I can not wait to see the audience. All the women. Let's list

on the your music for the weekend. YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE

Please tell me what you'll be wearing? I don't know if I can cope

with a wig! And has it been tricky to

choreograph - a big place, two tiny people? I don't know how many steps

I can fit in. We have managed to do knit the studio. We need to find

out soon really. We need to find out soon. Good luck this weekend.

Tomorrow sees the return of Strictly icons Russell Grant and

Ann Widdecombe to the floor for a Children In Need special - very

special. I will cht with statistics with -- chat with statistics with

Russell in a moment. Here is some behind-the-scenes footage. Today

we're doing a Children In Need Strictly. I am nervous. I didn't

think I would be! Getting close to Christmas, so you want to think

about tidings of great joy. I am not sure it will be great joy to

the judges to have me back on the dance floor, but here I am, in an

gel lick form. Ann-jel-ic!

I have never been happier than I am right now. I am dancing with Ann.

It is the sunshine of my life. We are being harnessed because we

are angels. Ann doesn't want to go very high. I want to go very high.

Two Queens will be flying in - I don't mean Bruno and Craig!

It is wonderful to be back, so long as Anton remembers not to look at

the audience, but to keep telling me what to do!

Please welcome Russell Grant. Hello, my darling. You have been

very busy, as we saw there, with Children In Need, dancing back in

the arms of Flavia. It was so good and against Ann Widdecombe and

Anton du Beke. I mean, what competitive spirit! Don't reveal

what will happen. We will watch it tomorrow night. You have been very

busy. What can you tell us about training hours so far? Training

hours - can I stress this is up until the end of play yesterday. Up

at the top now - look who has zoomed - dean neez, 26 hours.

Michael, he is still up there. He was -- Denise. 26 hours. Michael,

It is tricky. It is hard. What does this mean for training hours

overall? Overall, this is up until the end of play yesterday - please

note. Michael couldn't be shifted out of the wicket, when he played

for England. He cannot be shifted from the top of Strictly. 254-and-

a-half hours and Denise is not far Come on, Byrne! Pull your finger

out. What other things you have discovered in your investigations?

This series is called Strictly Come Dancing. I had a brain wave. It was

a ping, a ping came over my head. It said, ee Check out the -- "check

out the dancers, Rusty." I like that name. That is what Holly

called me. Any way, 906 competitive dances. 906! That is a lot of

dancing. That is over the past nine series. Want to see the top five.

Cha-cha-cha, is at the top. You are our fairy godmother. You can see

the rest. That was my Venus coming out of the shell. You were very

good at it as well. They are the top-performed dances. What else?

This has been unpredictable. Who would have thought Al would have

gone out last week! I think we should look at what our couples are

All the show-stoppers. How do these dances fare? I have been doing some

digging and I found... Here are the average scores of dances over the

past nine series. Up the top, the American smooth, good for Michael

-- Louis. So, what does this mean if you add

it all together? If you add it all together can work out how unlucky a

dance is. We take the number of times it has been performed and

look at how many people have been eliminated after it. Then you can

work out the elimination percentage. I am glad you've done this. Show

your working out, everybody, please!

nation rates of dancers and look - charleston and samba.

charleston, I am surprised about that. Wembley is huge. It is six

times bigger than the usual studio. That is another amazing fact.

have got to cover all of this. Down here, the luckiest, unlucky dance

is the quickstep. 6.3%. That is a tiny elimb nation percentage.

look -- elimination percentage. So looking at it - who will be here?

Dani's quickstep. This could well be looking at our winner.