The BBC One show was broadcast from the Blackpool Tower Ballroom on Saturday, celebrating its 20th year by opening with the professional dancers dancing to the Pet Shop Boys performing a medley of their hits, including It’s A Sin, Suburbia and What Have I Done To Deserve This. The judges gave both Ghouri and Hadland a near-perfect score of 39 points. Motsi Mabuse described Ghouri’s intense and dramatic paso doble routine to Nathan Lanier’s Torn, during which professional Aljaz Skorjanec flung her through his legs, as the “dance of the night”.
Hadland and her partner Vito Coppola’s couple’s choice routine to Padam Padam by Kylie Minogue was described by judge Craig Revel Horwood as “a little too perfect”. Horwood told them he knew “it sounds weird”, but felt that Hadland lacked emotion, which he felt “brought you out” of the performance at moments. Comedian Chris McCausland opened the show, delivering a classical American smooth routine to Canadian-born singer Paul Anka’s Jump with his partner Dianne Buswell.
Head judge Shirley Ballas told black tie-wearing McCausland that he had the “best feet I’ve seen in a long time”, and “didn’t miss a beat”, while Anton Du Beke said “if anyone can beat that tonight, I’d be amazed”. Buswell and McCausland earned 37 points from the judges, as co-host Tess Daly said they were the 100th Strictly couple to perform in Blackpool. Bottom of the leaderboard was reality star Pete Wicks, who danced a cha.