Episode 26 Strictly - It Takes Two

Tonight we have the Thriller zombies of Halloween, Jeremy and Karen.

The corpse bride herself, Natalie Lowe.

And the ghosts of Strictly past, Kirsty and Brendan.

Live from London, this is Strictly: It Takes Two. Please welcome your

post, Zoe Ball. Hello and welcome to It Takes Two.

Our Halloween weekend came to a frosty finish last night as the grim

reaper swooped in and stole away our beloved Kirsty and Brendan.

Luckily, their afterlife begins right here.

Plus the enchanting Natalie Lowe is here and ready to scrutinise

Now, unfortunately Kirsty and Brendan are unable to join us

live this evening but I did catch up with them earlier today to discuss

# This place is coming like a ghost town.

# Bands won't play no more. I know, it's like a you're here, but

boo. How are feeling? I feel really sad. I kind of wasn't ready to go,

to be honest. But I do feel that Jamelia was better in the dance-off.

So I didn't want to send anyone else out but it's sad. You feel quite

deflated. For three months now, we have been hard at it, training,

trying to be the best we can, and then it comes to your time and as

much as you think, philosophically, it's our time, you still go, oh!

Disappointing, but throughout the run, I think a great job and

something to be really proud of. It is not an easy show to do. Did you

enjoy the Charleston? It was a cheeky number. I loved it. I thought

it was fun. I enjoyed all cheeky number. I loved it. I thought

components of the left and cheeky number. I loved it. I thought

music. But we did make cheeky number. I loved it. I thought

the first run. I made a mistake because I crossed my hands over. I

have never done that ever before. Don't ask me what went on, I just

won't like that and he could clearly not pick me up. So I did that, and

we made the best of it, I did get back into it. Lots of praise from

the judges about how you recovered. A lot of people would have just

gone, I'm out of here. Well, I was used to the thought process because

Brendan had said to me with the Charleston you have got to keep the

energy high, because you start to lose it a little bit because it is a

tiring dance. So I just thought, you have to get back into it and get on

with it, just like you would as if you were feeling like you were

flaking out a bit. The judges give you criticism and you always took it

on board. I think you were hard on yourself during your training. I

know how hard you have tried. Have you enjoyed your experience? I have

loved it. The thing with me, I put everything into everything I do.

That is... And also, I have never danced before so I knew I had to

work hard. And I have enjoyed every minute. Brendan is amazing, such a

great friend, I knew, lovely friend. And all of the people, all the

dancers on the other contestants, it has just been such a lovely family

and that is the bit I am going to mess. The camaraderie is amazing. On

Friday, I get really excited in the morning. I'm going to miss that,

that is making me quite sad to think about. What was your favourite

dance? Because there have been some beautiful ones. The Viennese waltz

was stunning and I loved the Lady and the Tramp. I loved the Viennese

waltz, but I actually loved doing the salsa. I love that dance. Just

letting rip. It was an early dance and it was not the best but I loved

it. It was quite a good memory. Also, because the week before had

been the first week and I was so nervous about the dance, and I

thought sort of thought, you have to really do something. And we did go

scary lefts and things. I nearly knocked him off his feet. I loved

it. Brendan, what was your personal favourite? Probably the American

smooth. I loved the train. We had limited training, so we threw

everything at it. And I think that is the thing, with a process like

this. You get respect for somebody when you see how they work. Kirsty

was not afraid to get stuck in and that made me happy. The way you

turned the process, when we started I was not hopeful because she had

not danced before and she was very stiff and scared. She was scared of

it. But once we turned the corner, some of the fear disappearing, she

started to become a dancer and that is exciting, that is as good as

someone like Jay getting a ten that week. The step from here to here is

fantastic and I was really proud of that. That particular dance, in

particular, the was a smoothness, a softening. It was not quite there

for the show but there was some. And that is the live show. So many

people are really sad to leave the competition. Including Harry Judd,

who said, well done, you were awesome. We have a little present

for you to take away, your Strictly story. Who would you like to see

take the trophy? If you had to choose? I couldn't possibly say.

There are so many great dancers and people are moving all the time. Tell

me about it. Thank you for being so much fun. You have been amazing.

Kirsty and Brenton. Thank you to everybody who supported us. And here

is the Strictly story. The man giving you a sporting chance...

Brendan. Brendan's and was fabulous. I am nervous but I don't want to let

the nerves take over. Your feet were all over the place. She does this...

I just want to have fun and show everybody I have got confidence. The

lifts were terrific. Well done. I am a dancing dog tonight. Great

improvement. I got a little tangled up with my tale. Tales are going to

do that. I don't like this step, I don't like it. I don't care. I'm not

sure we have worked out who is the boss yet. It was like my ally, tasty

and places but there are always funny bits floating about. -- it was

like paella. I think he's going to have to start shouting at me. Do you

really want that from Brendan? Lovely, I think we are quite good.

You are amazing. Actually, you were dancing tonight. I can do it. I'm

just not ready to go. That was scary. It's not going wrong or

making mistakes, it is how you cope with them and I thought you coped

very well. Three... Five. Five. Four. I would like to save Jamelia

and Tristan. Jamelia and Tristan. It has been a wonderful experience

but I want to say thank you to Brendan, who has been incredible. I

have seen somebody who has had no dance experience become quite the

performer. I am so proud of you. Well done. Always sad to see people

go. Now, the armchair critics were out

in force on social media over the weekend

and obviously if it's a famous Dragon's Den star Deborah Meaden

shared this. Much love and respect for Jason.

Check this out. Googlebox favourites, the adoreable

couple Leon and June shared I feel like I should curtsy for

them. I feel like they should be knighted.

It was indeed a spooky show with some people getting more

And quite a few of you were shocked by the strange looking bride who was

unveiled during the opening group dance on Saturday night.

Craig Revel Horwood there in all his glory as the blushing bride.

It's safe to say that this weekend's Halloween shows were a triumph

of creepy creativity, and naturally we were right there

# Darkness falls across the land. # And though you fight to stay

alive. # Your body starts to shake.

I have many phobias. I am scared of horses, polystyrene... Spiders. This

person here. I am scared of dancing in front of millions of people. When

I am standing next to Glenn and I see his muscles ripple, that scares

me. It is Halloween week, and I am going to scare someone. Let's go. I

am arachnid phobic. That's not very nice! It must be the most

challenging of all the Strictlys for the make-up team. I am Christian. I

did that for Charles II. Halloween is an opportunity for everyone to

look out they would like to look every day. I am a beast. I look

ridiculous but I am a ghost. I am a money but sort of Egyptian. Excuse

me, I have something stuck to my neck... I look a little scary. This

is the biggest show so far. That is my heart.

I just wanted to give you a hug. We're about to go live to the nation

for stroke we come dancing's Halloween special. -- Strictly Come

Dancing. Did anyone else think that Pasha looked a bit like Simon

Cowell? Now, while Karen Hardy is absent

from ballroom duty, the ever radiant Natalie Lowe is here to share her

expertise on the weekend's dances. Welcome to our little

Choreography Corner. You were an amazing corpse bride at

the weekend. You were an amazing corpse bride at

show. I didn't recognise myself. Where you surprised by the results?

I am surprised every week. Shock exit. I am sorry to see Kirsty go,

she is amazing. Jamelia, I didn't expect to see in the bottom two. She

is working hard, she gets there. She comes out firing each week. I don't

want to see her in the bottom. True friendships do develop in the

training room. You haven't been dancing with Ainsley for about a

week, what impact did he have on your life? Ainsley, if you are

watching, love you. He is amazing, inspiring and worldly. Has taught me

about life experience and things like that, we became really good

mates. I miss him. like that, we became really good

and his energy. But we're going out on Thursday for a day trip. Which is

good to hear. The judge's leader board is changing from week to week.

Ex-different couples have been in the top in the last few weeks. Does

it make it an open game? I cannot call it. Helen, Anita, Georgia,

everyone. The two boys who were left, Peter Andre, Jeremy, I love.

He is one of my favourites. He is watching you always. Let's talk

about Helen and Aljaz. watching you always. Let's talk

anyone look so good dressed as a mummy rushed to my creativity for

this routine? I love this, I saw it in the dress

this routine? I love this, I saw it shining, enjoying it, she was

enjoying it. Bit of a mishap, and I think it might have thrown her

confidence. It is one of the hardest things. Demonstration time. Here we

go. With a samba role, you have to knees, but you have to go with

straight legs and you bend forward with straight legs. Then forward and

then a rotation. She has lovely straight legs. How is it at full

speed. Done with a partner behind you. Kellie and Kevin and their paso

doble a. Harry Potter. It is really ambitious this routine, so much fun.

Great scores and they are doing brilliantly. Len said he thought the

dancing on the table was a distraction, what do you think? I

don't agree. The choreography and Kevin is doing a genius job. Kellie

can do it, she can handle it. She is firing, attacking across the floor

and she came out owning it. The table... Given anyone else, probably

would have struggled. She coped with it regularly. She has brought her

own skirt. Kellie, instead of grabbing it from here, it you need a

bit of articulation through the hands. It wasn't as flamenco as it

could have been, but when you do this, you get in here and it just

give the skirt more movement. If you don't have the skirt that long...

You could try with a tablecloth. Jamelia and Tristan and the jive.

Ended up middle of the table. Then they criticised her footwork a bit.

What can you tell us about her footwork and what should she be

doing? It is a shame she is in the dance off. She gives it more in the

dance off and that is what I want to see next week, I want her to come

out and treat her first performance like it is the dance. Little bit

flat-footed, but she needs to believe in herself, bit more

confidence, straighten those legs a bit more in the jive and she will be

flying. Georgia and Giovanni, giving us an awesome T. Top of the

leaderboard. Why us an awesome T. Top of the

impressive? She came out beaming, top of the leaderboard, she had no

heel leads in the leg, her frame was gorgeous. In these pivots, we have

slowed them down. You can see there is no distorting in the neck. Pivots

are very difficult for the female. Some people come in, but she stayed

out. She is coming out of her shell and she found her place on the

floor. Jeremy and Karen and their salsa, which was epic. Everybody on

their feet. The judges still gave him a bit of a hard time, is there

anything else Jeremy needs to do? No, he just needs to be Jeremy, he

is fantastic. The best thing about Jeremy is he commits to everything.

The choreography, the steps, he gives it his all. I love it. His

timing is impeccable. His timing is perfect, isn't it? Karen feels

confident. Just smaller steps in the south to keep it more compact but, I

love you, Jeremy. We will see more of Natalie Lowe in the coming weeks.

It seems it is even spread across the pond, he is the Kansas City

Chiefs cheerleaders giving it a go at Wembley over the weekend. We are

excited to do the Strictly. Remember to keep sending

in your entries of 'The Strictly' to be in with a chance to win those

coveted Blackpool tickets. For more information head over

to the Strictly website. Now, they may have danced as the

undead on Saturday night, but they always bring the life and soul to

our sofas, it's Jeremy and Karen! We are absolutely loving it. Even

your dancing on the intro, how fantastic you were at the weekend.

For a few moments on Saturday night you were top

I remember calling for Claudia to stop the show. Also, there is a

Karen that exists in the normal world and then there is Alcan knee

Karen. She had Claudia in a headlock. I thought the show might

be stopped at that point. Your reaction to the four from Craig.

Scores are in. Craig Revel Horwood, four. Goodness me, how amazing was

that moment for both of you? It was radiant, we know we are not

improving fast enough to win, but there is a bit of forward motion and

I think we can really build now. We have gone to a four. A four from

Craig! Karen, your face. We are absolutely thrilled to get a four.

She has lost her voice from shouting so much. It was the best moment

because that is what we have been aiming for. Next week, hopefully a

5? I am going to pass out. She will have to be carried away on a

stretcher. Listening to curse the early on, less her, I love her. The

camaraderie between us, we're not competing against each other, we are

competing against ourselves. It is a battle against yourself as the

celebrity dancer. You are trying to improve on what you did last week.

22, your joint highest score. Darcey said your timing is improving and

she called you nimble. Karen, you must be thrilled, how was training

last week, you must be pleased with him? The whole Thriller section was

great, he is improving. He is listening even more, constantly

practising. I have never seen anybody practice so much as this

young man over here. He practices in his sleep, in the bathtub, in the

bathroom, everywhere I see him. Actually, I don't see him in the

bathroom. I found a little spot in the lobby on the first floor in

Elstree Studios where we broadcast from and I had headphones on and I

was just going round and round. People were just walking past. Craig

Walker passed and didn't even give me a second glance. It is the worry

of going into the absence on the dance floor and not knowing the next

move. Amazingly your body does work it out. Memory, muscle memory.

move. Amazingly your body does work Despite the fund, you do take your

dance training seriously. You posted a wonderful video online this week

in answer to your critics. Until I am voted out I will always work at

getting better, I will always try. I will always be back in the gym. I am

going back to see Karen again now. will always be back in the gym. I am

Eight or nine hours a day, I will always walk. The fact I'm not the

best is not a always walk. The fact I'm not the

That is true at live, just because you cannot win, doesn't mean you

don't work. Such a good point. There was a slight troll person, it was a

gentle reply to was a slight troll person, it was a

who are eight and 11, I don't want them to think that I worked out I

couldn't win so I stopped trying. I put it on Facebook and then

couldn't win so I stopped trying. I later it had a

couldn't win so I stopped trying. I there is a message to the

non-winners. there is a message to the

T? Do the head bit. Do it again. We are practising like crazy. It is the

whole dance. Len mentioned Jeremy's awkward charm. For a Tango, what

character does he have to take on? Give me the face. Something like

that. It is a bit like that. Our Tango will be proud. It is unused

space. Journalists do that face a lot. It will be OK. The Tango

action? The frame and the heel leads! It is so good. We had two

hours today and I was impressed. I said, Jeremy, have you dance before?

Looking at this village spot from the balcony watching the show, some

of my favourite dancers have been the Tango. Katie on the first week

was so good. It is the news face, but a lot of character in it, in the

Tango. I have been looking forward to learning it. We cannot wait to

see you too. Jeremy and Karen! That's all we have time

for tonight my friends. Joining us tomorrow we have Peter

and Janette and dance off survivors for the third time,

Jamelia and Tristan. Plus, Joanne Clifton takes

the Choreography Corner hot seat to cast her critical eye over

our lovely couples. ..and I shall try not to rupture

this mood of serenity by shovelling this down too

rambunctiously -