Episode 35 Strictly - It Takes Two

You have been eliminated. Yes, I also come up to Blackpool. Did you

come alone? No, with Al-Yash. Who else? Susannah, Brendan. Loads of us

were on the train. We had a great time. Pretty much all the friends?

Yes, everybody in the competition? Yes, a lot of people still in the

competition. We don't let people who aren't in the competition sit with

us. We are definite definitely, we had a good time. Thank you. See you

later. Poor James. We'll see James later

on. Time for the first part of the Friday panel. Please welcome Jodie

Prenger, Jason Donovan and Ana Matronic. Give us a shimmy. Welcome,

you beautiful threesome. Jase, welcome back, we have missed

you in the glitter dome, former Strictly finalist. You have been to

Blackpool. How will the dancers be feeling right now? It's quite the

intimidating. We were at a different stage in the competition because it

was part of the final, but I think everyone is getting to know their

partners. I think there is a lot of tension. I think the stakes are

getting hotter and higher. It's a big stage. Ten times the other

studio. You know all about the importance of chemistry. Which

couple has the most of it? All the cupels have it. -- couples have it.

There is no way you can spend all the time together and no have a

rapport. I'm impressed with Abbey and Al-Yash. Abbey looks like a

proper professional dancer. It's exciting. Yes. Jodie, who have been

your favourites so far? Abbey's kind of grown every single week and she's

beautiful. Al-Yash! I always get his name wrong, but he's brilliant. I've

really enjoyed him. Very handsome as well. Sophie and Brendan are going

to do a quickstep in Blackpool. A lot of floor to cover. Jason, do you

think Sophie can impress with this? You know what is what. How did she

look? I was disappointed with her last weekend. The Argentine tango?

Yes, she hits and misses sometimes and I think it's got a lot to do

with her size. I also think Brendan is quite forward with his leading

that you tend to focus on him a little bit and sometimes not her. He

needs to stand back? Yes, he needs to let her shine a bit because he's

so busy with his stuff and he's like, yeah, come on. Do you know

what I mean, the like he needs to chill out. Dancing to the Lady Is A

Tramp. Classy. So good. Tradition. I like it. Susannah and Kevin are

doing the Paso Doble. It's all about fire and passion. Do you think that

she can put in a convincing performance from what you have seen

so far? She seems overwhelmed in a great way because this is something

so sqlout side her comfort zone and she's really competent at this

competition. -- so outside her comfort zone. I think she'll do

well. The beautiful waltz and beautiful dress last week were

great. What about that couple? Do you think they'll impress? They are

sufficient lovely people. I'm finding it hard seeing that passion

between them. I don't know actually. I'm hoping they will do well, but I

don't know. This will be the music, surely it

will help. Do you remember your paso? I do. And I forgot it just as

quickly, actually. It wasn't my greatest moment. I think she's got

to concentrate on the character because she comes across as herself

all the time, which is happy, Smiley and this is a very different

experience. A strong strong dance. Yes. Mark and itch Iveta, how are

they going to do this week? Mark is going to take the judges' comments

to heart. He's got a fantastic partner. They have a great rapport

and that comes through in the dancing. If he can pull it off with

two bad knees, he could do well. He's got really bad knees. He's done

amazing. They have this tune from Hairspray.

# You can't stop the beat... # It's amazing. Is this going to help

him, Jodie, because he's been in Hairspray? It's a phenomenal song.

He's my guilty pleasure, I love watching his face and everything so

I think he'll do really well in Blackpool. Come on, Mark! Natalie

and Artem missed last week but they are back this week with the

charleston. Here they are in training. Jason, this dance is just

as much about expression Aztec knee? It's so hard to fault her. I try

hard, but you know, she works so well with Artem and he's such a

strong dancer himself. It's hard to see them not being top of the

leaderboard. I also think what happened to her last week will help

the situation as well. She's going to come back in. She's dancing to

Will I A from the Great Gatsby. Great choice. Yes and a little bit

of thinking outside the box for the charleston. You say associationiate

it with the '20s. How can she concentrate with a scarf on her

head? ! A lot of acting in the charleston. Is that going to help

her? I'm sure she's danced many a time in the Rovers to that. She's

brilliant. Very, very strong. I hope not being their last week is not

going to stop the voters voting for her. That's the one thing I'm

worried about. We'll see. For now, Fiona and Anton are doing an

American smooth. How do you think they are looking? Jason, you know

Anton very well. How is he doing? I think she looks great in hold. She's

going to do well this week I think. Her arms and the length, the

stretches, you know, the lines, I've lost the terminology! It's in there

somewhere. Dancing to Frank Sinatra. Surely it's a win-win situation.

Many in the ballroom in Blackpool! He performed there once, Frank

Sinatra. All the greats have performed there. We'll get the

trolley out and brink a drink and talk to the panel again later. Ana,

Jason and Jodie. Frank Sinatra in Blackpool, really? ! James Jr. Sudan

is back to see what -- James Jordan is back to show us what mischief he

created in the tower. This next person I'm going to speak

to I haven't seen nearly enough of in the past few weeks and it's

breaking my heart. It's Ashley and Ola! We are in Blackpool, the Mecca

of dance. How does it feel? It's amazing.

Salute incredible. I saw the ballroom, walked in there and was

like wow -- salute incredible -- absolutely incredible. We haven't

danced in it yet so it's going to be incredible. Have you spaced it out

correctly do you think or are you waiting to see when you go there?

I'm going to pray we'll be OK. I leave that in your capable hands.

You are dancing the paso doble. How has it been going? Good. Monday

Tuesday I was worried because I don't think Ashley's dance was there

yet. Wednesday Thursday he turned it around and I was very pleased. When

I started this week, I thought after doing a few dances I knew the moves

and the posture got it right. Then I started and it was a new Langs wadge

completely and I didn't have a clue. It really scared me, to be fair. The

Paso Doble is different to all the other Latin dances. Posture and

everything. It's aggressive and Ola said to me last week, Ashley's such

a nice guy, I think he's going to struggle with the position do

believe lay. Do you think -- paso doble. Do you think being an actor

can help you? He smile all the time. She's like "be serious! " And I am

like "I am! " But in the night I get in character. I enjoy that about

this dance. It's so strong and passionate. I can't do that a lot of

the time, only when I really have to. Does he look masculine? Yes. I

heard you have got a cowboy theme to this? Yes. It's a cowboy theme in a

saloon. I don't want to say too much about it. It's going to be a big

surprise but Ashley is a bad cowboy. Last week, you danced the quickstep.

You got 35 points from the judges, your highest so far. Do you think

you can top that? I don't know. I hope we can top

that. We are going to do everything possible to top it. I'm really

worried that I might go backwards now, that's the thing with getting a

high score. We got 31 three weeks in a row, then 33, 35, so it makes

sense really to get maybe 37 this yike? Maybe, yes. 37. That would be

good. If you can bank 37 now, bank it, that's what I say. I want to go

up! 36 will do. When you are involved in the show, I understand

each week you want to improve, but that's not necessarily always shown

by the scores because you might not suit that dance as much as you

suited the quick step. I haven't seen it yet, I'm excited to see your

dance. I'm excited for you to see it. I wish you all the best. How

mentally are you going to prepare for tomorrow night now? I think we

are prepared mentally. We are ready to go. Yes, we can do it!

We can do it! We are mentally prepared, yes! Good luck. I can't

call you Quasimodo any more because you have fixed fixedture posture.

I'll think of a new name for you. Good luck -- you have fixed your

posture. Get a room, Jordan. He's a bit good!

I might take the week off next week. James managed to check in with ah

tome see how his neck was holding up.

Artem, we are in Blackpool, the Tower Ballroom. You made it, I

didn't. How is your neck? It's OK. OK or is it... ? No, it's OK, but

apparently I'm the curse of Blackpool. Every time I dance in

Blackpool my neck is injured. Let me do the test. Stay there. Artem. It's

still not great though is it? Let's be honest? ! You're dancing a

charleston? Yes. Which is pretty full on. Actually it's the first

time the charleston ever been done in Blackpool. Really? Yes. That's

quite amazing isn't it? Yes. You are going to be in the Strictly history

booked? Dwre, pretty much. I think I was the first person to dance the

charleston? Wembley. Just saying! I got three 10s and one 9, no

pressure. Anyway, moving on, it's not about me, it's about you. I'm

slightly concerned that when you dance the charleston, you are going

to be like this, "it's fine, it's fine", then if anything has to move

to the side, are we going to be turning like this? Can you just do

that for me and delay the head? Yes. Go on then. Hold on, which way do I

go - this way. Amazing! Listen, I hope you get a speedy recovery by

tomorrow because we need you on top form. Good luck. Thank you.

Thank you. It will be OK. He's Russian, he's tough!

Thanks,shippy Jimmy. Vicky Gill and her team have understandably gone

into overdrive. All right, Jase? Thanks. She couldn't be with us in

the studio, but luckily, James was able to catch up with her earlier on

in Blackpool. Put another shrimp on the barbie.

Promise you won't tell anyone if I try it on? Somebody will find out if

you try it on. Oh, hi, Zoe, I'm here with my most favourite person in the

world, Vicky Gill. What have you made for me this week? That is the

most important question? Nothing, you are out. Go on. You are not in

any more. OK. Have you got anything nice to show me because it's

Blackpool week? Yes, but not yours. Whose is this one because I like

that one? This is Anya's. They are doing a Samba, a Copacabana number

so it's really show time, feathers, lots of gold. The skirt's not been

trimmed because we haven't had anyone in forfeitings yet. It will

be slightly different by tomorrow. Might be a bit shorter? Yes. Not a

lot of it already. I know. I like the back. It's nice. Very

Samba-like. Very nice. And this one? This one, for me, I don't know

anything about dress-making, but I can see that every one of these has

been sown on individually. They have. Who is the poor person that

has to do that the? Not many personally. I help out when needed.

A lovely man named Ash is the chief embellishment officer. He works very

hardlet, they have been put on individually. The beads have been

sown on the strips at the bottom, very time-consuming. So I can't even

sew a button on. This is going to pop tomorrow night once we are in

show time. This also caught my eye. If I was, for example, to be into

dresses, this would make my eyes pop because it's blue. This is for one

of the ballrooms? Yes, all pros and celebs have the same shape and

silhouette. As you can see, if you look behind you... That's nice as

well. Everybody is going to have a net sticky-out skirt. So pro-girls

and celebrity girls wearing something similar to this? Yes.

That's cool. That will be an exciting number because there are

lots of things going on. Yes, there is. But not you. We have moved on

from there! This week in particular being Blackpool, have you found it

more stressful? Tiring, not necessarily more stressful.

Stressed? Never. Only with you, of course. What is this? It's pick on

James day! Out of all these, think very quickly, which is your

favourite one? I think my favourite one is just because it's quite

simple and I think that will be Sophie's. What dance is she doing?

The quickstep. Brendan would be very happy with

that. She's going to look gorgeous in that. I think so. Zoe, from us

back to you! Bye!

Love those two. Oi, say nothing. Last week, we sent Jeanette up north

to find out what makes the Blackpool Tower so special. Really, I thought

I paid my dues. I've come to the hottest seaside in

the whole of the UK. It's just a little bit different from what I'm

used to back home in Miami, but hey, this is Blackpool!

This year for the sixth time, the dancers will be performing in one of

the oldest, most historic ballrooms of all-time, the Tower Ballroom.

This isn't just any ballroom. Oh, no, this has tonnes to talk about.

The Tower Ballroom opened to the public in 1899 as a place for ladies

and gents to socialise. This dance space would have been

packed full of cupels waltzing and foxtrotting the night away --

couples. Gentlemen could not dance without a lady and disorderly

conduct meant immediate expulsion. Better not let James in. Over 30,000

individual blocks of mahogany, oak and walnut would make up this

incredible 120 foot dance floor. In 1959, the entire dance floor was

destroyed in a fire and it took two years and ?500,000 to bring the

damage back to its original state. We all love Strictly for its

sparkle, but this place was dazzling its guests way before glitter was

invented. These 14 beautiful chandeliers have over 80 bulbs each

and once a year, they are lowered to the ground and the lights are

inspected and cleaned by hand. Every inch of this ballroom is a

work of art. There is even even an inscription by William Shakespeare

meaning "let me speak and I'll tell you something interesting". I'm

listening! With over 100 years of history, the

Tower Ballroom still proves to be just as popular today as it was in

1899. Every day, the ballroom opens its doors for a tea dance, whether

it's a waltz or a cup of tea and a slice of cake, these people come and

experience the charm of this fantastic dance space.

Hi. Would you like to dance? Of course. Thank you.

Blackpool is always a highlight in the Strictly calendar, so when you

are sat at home on Saturday night, take a minute to appreciate the

beauty of the Tower Ballroom and all of the history it holds. With 100

years of ballroom under one roof, here is so many, many more. Keep

dancing. Thank you Jeanette. My nan and

grandad used to dance there, Jodie used to say. We are getting

emotional. Let 's talk to our panel again, Ana Matronic, Jason Donovan

sand Jodie Prenger. Let's talk about these two. Do you

think he can snatch back the male crown? He's a good actor. He's so

strong, his face is so serious. You like that? Who's the man. I think he

can do well. One thing to remember with a paso doble, if you remember,

Jason? Well, it wasn't my greatest moment, in fact it was my lowest

score but there needs to be a lot of strength and you need to be very

harp. -- sharp. He's overworked at the moment and Ola's probably put

this dance at a poignant place to get it out of the way, you know. So

he can move on? Yes. Dancing to Bon Jovi.

# Shot through the heart # And you are to blame

# You give love a bad name... # How do you think that will go down

in Blackpool What will the crowd make of it there, Ana? Strictly Come

Dancing is a little different than a Scissor Sisters crowd but you never

know and it's sometimes the most unexpected choices can be the best

because it just defies logic and really throws people through a loop

so they really look at the dancing and how they interpret it. Fingers

crossed. Ben and Kristina are doing an American smooth. Let us look

back. Hey, Jason you got 37 for your American smooth with Kristina. It's

all about the lifts. Can Ben lift her? He's progressed a lot and she's

such a great choreographer. You know, I think this is going to be

very interesting for these two. They are going to play very much to the

whole lifting. We'll see, you know. It's a tough one when you have

someone like Patrick in the mould doing the Samba which we'll talk

about. Yes. This is what they are dancing to. A bit of Alisha Keys.

The Viennese waltz in there. # I keep falling in and out of love

with you... # Craig said last week, because he's

so built, he'll find it hard doing the elegant arms and stuff like

that. Easy hope he does, he's an athlete and fingers crossed. Patrick

and Anya and their Samba. They are dance dancing to Barry Manilow. We

are all Fanilows here. These are on the way up, you know. I think it's

about character and personality and he's been in the background. He

hasn't scored as well as we thought and all of a sudden he's scored

well, they have chosen a great dance this week and I think he's going to

shine. I think that is twirking. I don't know what that is? . It's

shaking the bum and the hips. I was really impressed by his performance

last week. He was leading her and she's the celebrity and not the

professional and he absolutely looked like he was leading that

dance. He's got the command. "Command" I like that. These two are

best friends. Abbey and Al-Yash are doing a quick step. Will they do

well this week? I think she's obviously, you know, doing extremely

well. I think she moves well. I think the partnership there is good.

I would like her to concentrate on the dancing sometimes than looking

at the hair and all the other things that are going on. She's a little

girl. I like that as well, it's part of her charm but it's about your

personality as well. They are dancing to this.

# I'm walking on sunshine... # Everybody will be bopping with this

one. I think there is a great connection with them so that song

will be going well in Blackpool. Who would you like to see lift the

glitterball Torode any, Ana, one name. Come on? I'll go for the dark

horse and say Ben because he's my buddy. Jason? I would like to say

Ben but Patrick. Jodie? Abbey. Thank you so much, Jason, Ana and Jodie.

Thank you to my guests and to James and to Janet, don't forget to tune

in tomorrow, 6. 6.30, BBC One, Strictly Come Dancing from

Blackpool. I'm back on Monday, I'll be joined by the next couple to

leave and I'll see you later on when I join Terry for Children In Need.