Episode 51 Strictly - It Takes Two

Um, sorry that may have been my fault!

Hello and welcome to It Takes Two, live with me, Zoe Ball.

It's official - we have our semifinalists!

And in a shocking result, I'll be speaking to Helen and Aljaz,

who just missed out on a place in that semifinal gang.

Plus - stop the press - we read between the lines

of all the Strictly action from the weekend with three headline

And a real treat - ex-Strictly professional dancers Darren Bennett

and Lilia Kopylova are back right here.

If you've got a question you'd like me to put to them, send it in

Before all that, let's remind ourselves of Helen

I'm so sorry this has happened to you, Helen. Honestly, you've been so

incredible to watch and it was great seeing you go all the way. How are

you feeling today, the day after the big day? OK. I'm a bit

shell-shocked. But it was really nice having a lie in this morning

but really strange not going off to rehearse. Couldn't get through! I'm

surprised you don't do that anyway. There should be some kind of

little, you know... You could hang out and have a little camp and we

could do this show with profits! Of course, last week, top of the

leaderboard, you still have the highest cumulative score across the

series, so you will always have that, till next week! There's not

much more you could have done. I suppose there's always something

more one could do but I suppose in the dance off, you know, I was given

very clear directions on what I needed to do in it and I hope I did

all of that, so in that way, I don't think I could have done anything

more in the dance. I think I stumped so hard in all of paso moves. It was

definitely very strong. You could hear it coming through the

television! Aliona, 34 points, -- Aljaz, 34 points, how unfair does it

feel and how upset you? Did you have a bit of a cry? I did. I had a bit

of a cry with myself. It's hard. You know what? We had an incredible,

incredible one. Every single week we perform some dances... Every single

week the dances that we did, when I had them in my head and when you

choreograph and come up with things, you see how you would ideally want

them to look but they looked better. And, you know, I was so proud of

Helen every week. I have... It's a bit of a bittersweet taste. But,

guessed, we did our best. We did. Look at your lovely paso face! The

aggression! What's that about?! So much feeling and passion. How much

did you enjoyed the routine? It was so fast. And also, I can tell you, I

have not stopped singing that song! It's in my head and I can't get it

out. I know! It's in my head. I love the dance. I really did. I think

Aljaz was given a very tricky dance to choreograph, a paso, because it

was so fast and a hard dance, but we both loved the song and I loved his

choreography, so it was so much fun to do. It was really great. I

enjoyed doing it a second time as well because I got to correct by

mistakes that made. So that was the joy of doing it. When you did that

thing with your leg... I can't it! The speed! Just amazing. And your

legs just go on forever! I can name it now. It was the Helen special!

Creative! So many lovely messages from everybody.

Actor Jake Wood, semifinalist from last year's show,

said, "Aljaz and Helen, big love, guys, sad to see you both go.

And the one and only Miranda Hart, your Call the Midwide co-star,

Well done - amazing dancer and lady".

And Kate tweeted to say her little boy is your biggest fan and he's

threatened to stop watching the show! Don't do that! It's been such

an incredible story. Let's look back.

It's Aljaz! I can't believe I've been partnered with Aljaz! I'm over

the moon. The dance is the waltz. Posture, posture. That was very

good. I know there's somebody you really wanted to impress tonight.

Your idol, Darcey. Such grace and romance and glimmers of Ginger

Rogers there. It was fabulous. Wow! Aljaz has created a character of

Crystal the showgirl. Yes! You could afford to loosen up a little bit, to

be honest. I felt there was a steel rod running through your entire

body. It's a lot faster than the other dances. Are you OK? Help!

It's fabulous to see this naughty, spicy side to you and you loosened

up those hips. Well done! I didn't know if you had it in you. The

quickstep is harder than I thought it would be. Fabulous! I didn't

expect to be top of the leaderboard at all. You've delivered again, the

midwife! Yes! You were like a siren out there! The drama was perfection!

This week we are doing the Charleston and it's definitely the

most difficult choreography we've done. I felt like it was a little

bit too controlled and two placed. This dance should go mad and wild

and you can look ugly in it. -- too placed. I wanted them to enjoy the

dance in the way I hoped they would because I can't dance any harder.

It's embarrassing! I'm not a pretty cry! The judges are deftly going to

be looking for perfection this week. It's the waltz. -- definitely. This

was a match made in heaven. Nine! My goodness! That's amazing! Amazing!

Thank you so much! Congratulations at being top. You have the most

points. I didn't know that till just now. Don't feel any pressure (!) The

paso was really difficult so I don't really understand what I'm doing.

It's truly interesting to see Helen with aid it'll angry face this week!

I love you but I hate you! -- a little angry face. I could see the

face, I could see the drama and the fight within you but I just wanted

to feel it with your body. I felt you were a bit tight. A couple I'm

going to save is George and Giovanni. George and Giovanni. I've

just had the most amazing time and spending my time with Aljaz, he's

the most fantastic teacher but most of all friends. You've amaze me with

your level of professionalism and commitment to every dance and it was

a joy. Thank you so much. Oh! Is there anything you would like

to say to Aljaz? Get a tissue! Whenever we were feeling sad or low

we would do this thing, and I would sing like this... That is beautiful!

We are all adopting that. That is so cute! Thank you so much for those

memories. You have entertained us and been incredible to watch

dancing. Who would you to win now? You can't ask us! I can! But you

will never answer. Jeremy Vine! He was good, wasn't he (!) All of them

have been dancing for a while so... 14 years! So you really get into it

and everybody is getting better and better and I wish all of them the

best of luck and smash the semifinals and finals! Helen and

Aljaz! Aren't they wonderful? Oh, no!

We all saw what happened on the dance floor this weekend, but what

Strictly is a very happy place to be. Essentially, you are inside an

actual glitter ball. It's magical! And obscenely happy. Dancing makes

me happy, hanging out with Anton makes me happy. The whole thing.

Kevin said to me, you are a dancer now, and it made me the happiest

person alive. I couldn't believe it. How can you not be happy when

everything is covered in glitter? Giovanni, you makes me smile every

day. He is funny, you makes me laugh. -- he makes me smile. Cheers,

Joe. Getting to the semis would be an amazing feeling. I would feel

like a balloon being blown up with happy juice!

This week is musicals week, and musicals week is always one of the

most fun. Tonight we all get to do our own production. I kind of wish

my whole life was a musical so this is my dream! It is quite hard not to

sing along because the song is absolutely beautiful. So what I do

instead is a serious acting face like this... But then I sing-a-long.

I love it. I am a real-life princess. She is beautiful. But she

is the beast. No! We are ready! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Now we've got a real Fleet Street treat for you.

Welcome journalists Nina Myskow, Steven Perkins and Emma Bullimore!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Hello! We were having a right little

gossip during that film. Nina, how much have you enjoyed this series?

I've been obsessed! Jeromy was fantastic. A revelation. He worked

so hard. And when Craig called him Would eat out of Toy Story it was

just so funny. But I've been obsessed with it to the point of...

You know, when Peter Andre went out, I so loved Janette's surname,

whenever she comes out, I shout her surname. She is still there so I can

shout it! My little girl shouts, she is not a man! Steven, how open do

you think the competition is this year? Well, we saw it this weekend,

you cannot call it. It's just an incredible top six. I'm at the point

where I love them all. It's heart-wrenching. I don't want

anybody to leave this weekend but I knew summary had to. Anybody could

get into the final. -- I knew somebody had to. It will all depend

on the performance on the night. And the dance and performance and

everything. Some of the headlines - starting with Helen's elimination.

How surprise were you that Helen has gone? Especially after being top of

the leaderboard just last week? It was shocking, I have to say, but I

found the dance a bit messy for me somehow. To be perfectly honest, I

had difficulty empathising. There was certain dances where you

thought, I want you to win, and Helen is so perfect, it was a lack

of empathy on my part. And the paso is about throw-down and

aggression... So it was a bit of a mismatch, I think. Aljaz did the

best with what he had... And so did Helen. It was cracking. She was

brilliant. She performed beautifully and in so many weeks you has been

absolutely fabulous but for me she was too perfect. This can happen.

You can always be too good. It's ridiculous. That's talk about

Georgia. Really upset about being in the dance off. They have worked so

hard, all of them, at this point, so how happy were you to see her go

through to the semifinals? So happy. To lose at this stage would have

been so sad. It was unfortunate. Though the footwork was beautiful

perhaps there weren't enough wow moments to show people. They will

top of the leaderboard at the beginning and I think later people

forget to vote. It reminds everybody. Would you agree?

Absolutely. I thought it was wonderful. I was amazed she didn't

get any tens. I thought she would get at least one. Maybe she got

distracted by the characters. She was the perfect Disney Princess. I'm

sure every little girl wanted to be her. And she and Japan ER just...

They are edible! -- and Giovanni are just... Be quite that's move on to

the top of the leaderboard... No, let's go to Anita. They afforded the

dance off. Hurray! But she got a 6 from Craig. How harsh did you think

that was? Were you furious? I did hit the exposed

bit. Some of the kicks weren't as sharp. But she is so good and such

an amazing spectacle of a performance. I loved it. I thought,

I was on the phone straightaway dialling until my fingers bled. She

throws herself into the character and she is fantastic. I want her to

win. When they pointed out that she was pigeon-toed I could see it. I

couldn't walk across here without being criticised and rightly so, but

I could see that. I could understand what they were saying. I feel when

they say to the dancers you're pigeon-toed, you can't do much about

that when you have lived your whole life with your feet turned in. There

is so little time to change that. They could break her ankles! And Jay

and Aliona's rumba, this performance left Darcey in tears, did it move

you, Nina? I wasn't in tears, but it was stunning. Is it rumba or rumba?

It was lovely. I hated his outfit, but Yes. With the musical. I thought

he is such a wonderful dancer, but he does need to emote more and he is

getting there. But his face in repose is not very lively. When he

showed more feeling. I still need more feeling. Sna The Charleston is

make or break. Gurn, Jay, gurn! Kellie, one highlight was Kellie's

face as they went through, let's remind ourselves. In no particular

order the fist couple through is... Kellie and Kevin! Thank you! Oh, I

love it when you can feel that emotion. How happy were you for

Kellie? Very happy that song and dance were a match made in heaven.

That could have been an audition for Oliver in the west end. That music

has the waltz tempo perfect. But she's always done these comedy

numbers. I would like to see her do a proper romantic waltz. I did like

that. It was too cockney. I loved that. It is time to take a risk.

They got swamped by the musical feeling. I like it. And now,

wardrobe mall function of the night goes to Katie, whose hat fell off.

Look how she dealt with it. Brilliantly. There it goes. But she

still acts take it off. She looked incredible. Everybody saying how you

know excited they are to see Anton do well. Are you a fan of his

partnership? Yes, I think they're wonderful together. I wanted more

from the foxtrot. Anton dancing to maybe this time is the perfect song.

I wanted him to be high-kicking. Both of them giving everything. That

is what you do at home in your living room. That is what I do with

a potty on my head or whatever. How do you like to see win? We can talk

about it now. I think Jay, but what I would like is a mixture of the two

who haven't had dance training and Anita's passion with Katie's

elegance and I would like Katie to lose her school prefect badge. In

fact I would like her to lose her knickers. Anita. Anita and Gleb,

because Gleb's choreography. She is biased. She has got it bad. Haven't

we all? Thank you all. Now, Strictly has seen a few

pro-mances over the years - that's Most recently Kevin and Karen,

and Aljaz and Janette. However,

my next guests were the original MUSIC: Everyone's a Winner. 10! That

is great dancing. The muse sick was great. The winner of Strictly Come

Dancing are... Jill and Darren. Darren and lily.

It's Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova!

First, congratulations, little Valentino. It is six year, do you

remember it with fond memories? When you have time to look back, you can

look back easier. At the time it is so intense. So it is very intense at

the time. So when you have a chance to look back on it later, the

celebrities you have worked with. After changing the nappies. Yes and

you know taking the dog for a walk. It is nice to reminisce. You saw it

grow, how much do you think it changed in that time? The show is

different. We had nothing. We just had our partners. Ourselves and the

floor. Now you have to graphics. The props. The moving props. The lights.

It is amazing. Lily had six celebrity partners. You never lose

it. Both of you, talking of the six partner, Darren, we remind ourselves

of ladies you danced with. Could you choose a favourite? I was fortunate

that I had great partners who I got on with very well, all with very

different personalities and different journeys. But the people

you win with is always the special one. Again we're God friends with

Jill still and we see each other all the time. So probably Jill. That

jive you did was so good and I think it is you scored a 40. We did.

James' jive this year is the only time anyone has come close. As a

jive, I thought it was technically Intel gent. But he wasn't wearing a

three inch heel and a frock. -- Intel gent. It was a good piece of

work. Let's remind ourselves of your partners. Goughy there. Can you

choose a favourite? They were all lovely, but I have to go with the

winner. Mr Gough. It has to be Darren. You remember he started...

Do I remember? Of course I remember! He wouldn't wear dance shoes for a

start. I have just about forgiven him. Do you see him ever? Yes we see

them sometimes at events, but we are all busy. As much as you can. When

you see them it is like you see each other every week. I keep having

flash backs to the Strictly tour we had. What goes on tour stays on

tour! Do you still watch the show and keep up with it? Yes. Who have

you liked this year? It has been tough. I think this year there have

been so many good dancers and sometimes I watch and I think, who

is going to go? There is nobody naff. The consistency has been key.

It was a big shock this week for everyone that Helen left, because

she was potential winner probably. So just I think the level has been

amazing. It is. This weekend will come down to what dancers -- dances

they have and the public vote and it will be so close. It will be the

closest semi-final we have had for years and years. Craig has texted in

to say who would you like to have danced with out of this year's

celebrities? Well obviously Jay. As a male celebrity, he is incredible.

His spins are like a pro. His rumba was incredible. It has to be him. I

think probably Georgie for down to height! That would be quite a

partnership. Helen would have been too tall. Who do you think should

win. You are both judges. So this should be easy. Anna that or Katie.

I love Anita's passion and she hasn't had any training and started

from scratch. I think she is great and I like Katie as well. For system

reasons. She has -- for similar reasons. For me, probably over the

season, I would probably say Jay. Consistently he has been great at

lots of styles. He was always good. Yes. You have still got to stay

there. It not just about being good week one. But you have to be good

13. You see the progression and they still have to work hard, it is not

that if you're a great dancer you have to work any less than somebody

that is bad. You have to work as hard to get it right. It is so

lovely to see you. Come and see us again. Darren and Lilia. Oh that is

it for tonight. Thank you to all my guest. Join me tomorrow. See you

then, goodbye!