Episode 38 Strictly - It Takes Two

Live from London,

this is Strictly It Takes Two.

Please welcome

your host, Gethin Jones.

The music, the stage, it brings it

all back.

Hello and welcome to It Takes Two.

You may have noticed that I'm not

Zoe Ball. She still poorly and is

watching from home so we send her

our love. Fresh from an Argentine

Tango and a half, it's Alexandra and

Gorka. No sign of the dance off for

this pair, it is Molly and AJ. And

the latest recruit to the ten club,

congratulations to Davood and

Nadiya. And not just for any old

warm up, it's Ian Waite. Right now,

some mere mortals might buckle under

the pressure of delivering the first

Argentine tango of the series, not

these two, who gave as an out of

this world crowd pleaser. In the

words of Craig.

You never cease to

amaze me, that was incredible.

And

they are wonderful. It is Alexandra

and Gorka.

It was so passionate, I

loved it. Dutiful lines, in your

feet.

That sequence was razor sharp

and extraordinary.

You never cease

to amaze me. That was incredible.

It's Alexandra and Gorka. Always

matching, looking amazing. Let's

talk about Saturday night. What a

routine. How did it feel?

It felt

amazing. I know I say this all the

time. I love every single thing that

we are doing. It's all different and

I'm having the best time. Saturday,

I just loved it.

Absolutely. You

taught as a few new words. You

pulled it off, with not much time to

rehearse it.

Three on the Friday and

three on Saturday. I just kept

saying to myself, the show must go

on. If we follow... But thankfully,

we didn't. It was intense but the

stairs aren't easy.

You pulled it

off with a whopping 38 points. The

first Argentine tango of the series,

so the high-scoring and the lowest!

It was my first Argentine Tango

ever. If I had dream to have my

first one like that, I would never,

it was amazing. So thank you.

Brilliant to watch. One part of the

team we were watching with awe.

Treading on the feet. Did it ever go

wrong? Did it hurt? Look at that!

You have to get that right!

We

weren't lying when we said...

Sometimes she used to heal instead

of the ball of the foot and then it

is quite painful.

Again, I am sorry.

Bruno called you a magnificent

creature. How hard was it to keep

the beast inside?

Very hard. A lot

of the time I want to just screamed.

To keep contained because I am

always energetic, I was told a lot

just to control it and not to get

too excited. Just breathing through

every single move. It was hard.

Darcey thought you were bringing out

your emotion through your shoulders.

Have you always had emotional

shoulders?

I don't feel it.

Sometimes, when rehearsing Gorka

will say my shoulders are up. It's

hard to know what you're doing in

the moment and correct it. I'm going

to try and work on that and

hopefully improved.

Gorka has

amazing shoulders from all the

working out. It wasn't just Craig

that you never cease to amaze. The

people of the Internet like the

show. Your brother David, completely

impartial in all of this, I was

blown away by that Argentine Tango.

Sublime and a technical masterpiece.

How much does this support mean to

you?

It means the world. Whether it

comes from my family or those who

are just supporting is in general,

we are thankful. We are still here

and we are going to Blackpool and

I'm having the best time of my life.

I only hope Gorka is too. I think we

are.

Moving on to Blackpool. You are

dancing a quickstep to this.

# We're in the money! It's

completely different.

I love it.

It's very quick and she loves it.

I

get to smile the whole time. And I

love it. When I first saw the

choreography, I said, can I smile

all the time?

You can smile, not

scream.

No screaming. That's what I

do.

There are also extra dunces. Is

that weird?

It's interesting. It's

the first time I've seen Gorka

choreograph is other people. I just

went quiet. I thought something was

wrong. But it is amazing to see how

he does it. He only has an hour with

them and I saw this amazing man. He

just comes out. You're there, you

there, do that, do that. While! It's

the same, insane, amazing! So will

this practice help with the

quickstep?

It will help drive

through the whole floor. She has

real power, so that will be amazing.

I believe you have your own way of

teaching the quickstep to Alexandra.

When she comes to dance with me, we

both know what we are doing.

It's

super embarrassing. Doing it by

myself, sometimes I don't know what

I'm doing and I do all the wrong

steps. But it does help me get in

the swing of things.

Do people say,

I saw her in the supermarket this

week!

It does help but it is

embarrassing. You just have to give

it your all. A quickstep is so

bouncy. I just love it.

Good luck in

Blackpool, Alexandra and Gorka. When

it comes to dance, I know how one

man towers above the rest with his

illuminating insights. It's time to

welcome the It Takes Two one and

only warm up.

In weight, everybody. -- Ian Waite.

It reminds me of the days when I

used until you.

That was ten years

ago now. They said, go and see Ian,

he will make you dance like a man.

How excited are you about the

weekend?

I'm very excited. It's a

chance for the celebrities to see

what the pros are on about. It is

the mecca of ballroom dancing and

those rooms are steeped in history.

You can't help but up your game and

produce your best answer.

Zoe told

me, one thing you can't forget. It's

Ian's one.

-- wand.

You are very forward!

Jonnie and Oti in the dance off on

Saturday, can they turn it around

with this tango?

It's very good.

They go down in the knees, some very

good footwork. Still has his bottom

stuck out a little bit for me. Still

need to get that tail tucked under.

I've stopped it here because, as you

can see, they've got good contact

but he is a bit too much of the

shoulders.

An emotional shoulder.

Erin was talking yesterday and they

mentioned his shoulder coming up.

That's what he needs to do. He needs

to get the feeling in his body but

not up in the shoulders.

Debbie and

Giovanni, they have a samba. She

prefers ballroom. How is she getting

on with this? A Spice Girls medley.

She must have all the Spice Girls

behind her. Look at that.

That's an

odd looking one to the right.

She

just needs to bend into the knees

slightly more and that will give her

slightly more rhythm. Make it a bit

more undulating.

Celebrities

struggle with the samba.

It's a very

difficult technical dance. I really

like this. Going into the samba

role. I thought we could try it. I

will have to be the man because you

are a bit smaller than me.

Just

follow my lead. I was off!

Just

don't go anywhere. That's pretty

good.

So, that's how you do it?

Moving on quickly to Gemma and Aljaz

and the American smooth. Is it

smooth enough for you?

Very smooth

but I'm not sure about the pyjama

bottoms. I noticed that every time

she does it slow, she does tend to

go backwards. They lose contact. She

needs to make sure that she drives

forward and keeps her body up to

him. Here, there's a little bit of

gapping going on. I noticed it in

other places as well. But she has a

lovely head position and she is a

smooth answer. What I want to see

from Gemma is that outstanding dance

now. She needs to bring it and she

needs to produce.

Come on!

Pull it

out of the bag!

Finally, Susan and

Kevin. Can they topped last week's

tango.

I can't wait. This is going

to be amazing. I love Strictly

Ballroom and I can't wait to see

what he's going to do with it. She

missed her terms here. They do a

lovely grand circle.

She is trying

so hard to get the technique.

If you

watch, she is supposed to do a back

and close her feet together. She

doesn't actually do that. She's

supposed to draw the feet together

before she does a toe to toe. Do you

see what I mean first remark I

thought we could do this lovely

grand circle on the end.

Not again!

Run around. Run around. You haven't

lost it. You might have lost it in

the face but...

What? I'm not going

to lie, I really enjoyed that.

Everybody, put your hands together

for Ian Waite. We've had two drama

fuelled weeks in the ballroom but

the only drama at the weekend was in

this fierce pasa doble. It's Molly

and AJ.

Some nice content and in

several places looked much better in

close hold. I saw the determination

in your eyes. But you did throw a

lot away.

It had power but it didn't

have presence.

Give it up for Molly

and AJ. Can I say congratulations?

Not being on the dance off. CHEERING

We came across this clip!

How long did that hug last for?

Quite a while.

For ever. We were hug

can, celebrating everything.

Mopped

morning, still hugging.

Still going.

Playing it cool.

You were

super-emotional. I remember seeing

you come off backstage after the

dance. You two were very quiet. Very

subdued?

We were so shocked. It was

an unbelievable feeling to not be in

that dance-off. We had respect

expected we would be in it again. To

just have the public support was

amazing. Yeah, it was a funny one.

We finished the paso doble

feeling...

We walked over to Tess

felling very happy.

And it was like

wa, wa, wa.

When they said you came

out with determination, put it all

there. They loved that. We'll take

that, forget about the rest.

We'll

come to the judges in a second.

Let's talk about the paso. Your

favourite? How did it rate for you?

I loved it. I felt I could really

get into the character. I loved

being able to stomp around out

there. I'm more gentle as a person.

So this was my chance to really get

out there and give it my all.

I know

you were worried about the slide

going under AJ's legs. Were you

relieved?

Once I was through those

legs, I was like, thank goodness.

It

was the finale move.

Saving it right

to the end. Once I was through those

legs, I was like, yes, come on!

Once

through though legs... As we do, we

were an lieding your training all

week. We realised you had a bit of a

secret weapon. This was it?

It's

going to be so sore. You've knee

pads. I need bottom pads. I took

some precautionary measures. I need

to pad myself.

This is not

happening.

It is.

She's padding

Did you have a word with Vicky Gill,

I need a word, I need padding on

Saturday night.

No that was never

happening.

I should have. We might

have got a better score.

She smashed

the routine. Standing ovation on the

night. Then the judges' comments.

They only gave you 22 points. AJ,

your thoughts?

I thought she

deserved much more. Technically it

was a very hard dance. I don't think

they appreciated that. If had

everything in there. The people at

home supported us, got behind us.

They enjoyed it. For us, that meant

everything.

They did get mind you.

Lots of people on social media

weren't happy with your scores.

Including our other favourite

Saturday Frankie Bridge. She said:

As AJ mentioned, that support, how

important was that for you

afterwards?

It just means

everything. It's such a growth

period from the Monday when you

start to doing it on the Saturday

night. You only have a few days. To

have that support from the public

and getting behind you, it meanings

everything.

Nobody sees that hard

work from the start on a Monday. We

know nothing. You feel like...

Blank

page.

Totally.

Through each day, we

train 12 hours nonstop. That is

nonstop to get the routine ready for

Saturday.

All is OK. You made it to

Blackpool this week!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

I can't believe it.

See the

excitement.

You gave her a mention

over the weekend. Your family's

going to be there?

It is so

exciting. It is my opportunity to go

up north. My nana is in Hull. We're

going to take Strictly to her.

To

her living room.

She's going to love

meet can AJ. She's 93.

93-year-olds

love AJ.

I'll take that.

The

charleston's the perfect dance for

Blackpool? You'll be dancing to a

Little Micks track and the

charleston to Wings?

We've some vary

achess of flapping birds here and

there. Um' see them but the lifts,

they're very daring. Mollie does...

More lifts.

Mollie trusts me with

her life and mainly her face!

Let's

look. What's the face there, AJ?

I

don't know what my face is doing

there? What is that face? It's good.

We've kept the lifts. We didn't show

you the lifts to keep them as a

surprise.

And partly because we

haven't completely completed a lift

yet.

They're a work in progress.

What's the most important thing for

Mollie to do in this one? Your core?

The main thing is to keep the

confidence, shoulders back, not just

the core. She wants it so much, her

shoulders are here. Relax, enjoy it.

We should do a demo moment now!

Demo

moment!

APPLAUSE

With the charleston... Which camera?

Are we here? Our left foot.

Charleston.

I'm in heels.

A standard

charleston. We'll show you how

amazing this will be.

A lot of chat

about swivel on the shoulders?

Five,

six, seven eight.

Swivel.

CHEERING

Keep going.

Still keep going?

Do you

want a lift now?

That looks good

already. Good luck for Saturday.

Give it up for Mollie and A J Time

now to see how Jonnie and Oti and

Debbie and Giovanni are getting on

in training for the Blackpool big

one.

The tango is in the knees.

That's what everyone says. When I

squat into poisings, the bum sticks

out.

The bum pops out, that's how he

balances. We're really going to work

on it. Don't go through that deep.

We'll have to find a nice level

where with works and con Ken

straight on keeping that bum in.

I'm

holding you underneath your armpit.

I didn't realise you were holding me

differently.

I'll do that when you

mess up. I'm slowly liking what's

happening. Yeah, that's good.

This

week's dance is the samba. There

seems to be so much technique.

Seven

eight. One more.

There's a lot of

work to do this week.

It's really

fast. We can cut one, if you want?

No, it's fine. I just didn't pick it

up.

This is tricky. Debbie's more a

ballroom dancer. Elegant and classy.

With salsa and samba, you really

need to use your body. Nice. You're

doing really well. I'm pleased.

That's it. And again.

All looking

good. I don't know why, but tonight'

final guests bring out the Cockney

in me. While some of you were having

a ruby Murray on Saturday night

these were having a rubble on the

dance floor. Finish your mince pies

on this it's Davood anded Naz ya.

The choreography is outstanding. You

executeds it to the best of your

ability. Amazing. Flawless for me.

Your star is rising high. Brilliant.

Amazing, darling!

Davood and in aed

yachlt welcome. Lovely to see you

both. You two are on a roll. On

Saturday night, your highest score

of the series so far. Your first

time at the top of the leaderboard

and your first ever 10s! Is that the

introduction you always wanted to

hear and can you Adam and Eve it

now?

You're confusing her now.

Did

you think you had you'd hear those

comments?

No, even watching if back

there for the first time, it doesn't

feel like they're talking to me. Was

that definitely us? It was amazing.

Was it as much fun for you as us.

All of us watching you.

I was having

a really good giggle out there.

You

were enjoying it from day one. Look

at this.

I loved the style of it.

Nadiya, you're loving this as well.

You're enjoying dancing with him.

When you first started, I feel you

were nervous. A smile you had to

have.

That was genuine. From the

Monday when we knew what dance we

were doing, I was up from it from

that point. By the time we were

doing the show, I was enjoying it.

You like the energy ethic

characters?

You can run with the

charleston.

Are you prepared for

people singing the Lambeth Walk to

you for the rest of your life?

I'm

willing to do that.

Craig only had

two words for you, amazing, darling.

Always better to let less words from

Craig than more?

Afterwards, his

face was very, very still. I thought

it would go one acor the other.

You

were stood waiting for his remarks?

He was straight-faced. I thought he

was going to give us a 3 or 4. He's

been hard on us. A hard nut to

crack. But we well and truly cracked

it this week.

Were there times

during the rehearsals where you

thought this could be that special

dance?

I really hoped so. He loved

this dance from Monday. The first

day. He was like, yes, I'm going to

swivel, lift you, do everything.

That's what you will a the men say!

You never know on Saturday. You've

one go to do it right. You never

know if you'll make it or not. I

really had the feeling this would be

it.

In a couple of months, the trust

with these lifts, they are

unbelievably good. Last week and it

was just phenomenal. I know you're

not... What is this? I feel because

you can't go to the gym at the

moment?

This is my work-out. This

week, I can't do any lifts. We've

embraced the lifts. We had some

illegal ones before.

Shush.

Craig

definitely recognised them. Now we

can do them, you have to make the

most of them. The last two weeks

we've really gone for them.

Why not

use your strengths. There was on

outpouring of love for you on social

media. Genie Kellie saidp: Davood,

you're progressing every week and it

is a joy watching you. Do you feel

like you're getting better every

week? Are you feeling it?

It feels

like I'm getting the opportunity to

enjoy it more every week. That's the

key. If you're having fun by the

time you hit the show on Saturday,

you've done the work, go out there

and enjoy it. Everything relaxes,

the the energy focuses. I didn't

have that in the early days.

Do you

agree?

He's getting better every

week. You have to, today on

training, OK, we have this twist

turn and chasse. This is your

footwork.

I'm talking like a dancer.

Let's move on. Let's talk about

Blackpool. James Bond, dancing to

this...

Good tune, right?

Paso doble

to this in Blackpool. What are you

feelings?

It's like a dream come

true. Honestly, to be playing James

Bond in a big space as well. The

paso has to be big anyway in any

space. Have you to fill it. To fill

that arena the size of the Blackpool

ballroom will be a real task.

Difficult but we're working on it.

Let's look at training. Nadiya,

how's it going so far? Dancers as

well.

Still have to work on your

hips more.

Always hips.

Should be

much stronger. But, yeah, here we

were just getting the routine right

and steps.

All over the place.

Thanks for showing that! LAUGHTER

They always show the worst. Are you

excited to go back to the Strictly

ballroom to go back as a Strictly

pro.

It's something else. I've been

there so many times.

Which James

Bond are you going to channel? Roger

more? Anton du Beke?

I'm giving a

plug to the future James Bond which

I think you can play.

You can come

again, thank you. You're going to

have to do that acting. That's what

you're good at on Saturday?

I think

we're at that point where we can

play the character, the plot and the

role.

Thank you very much. That's

all we've time for tonight. Tomorrow

at 6.30, Jonnie and Oti will be here

in the studio. Plus Ian Waite's back

and Vicky Gill will be here as well.

See you then. Good night.