Strictly Come Dancing 2023: Who’s at the top of the leaderboard and who’s behind after week seven?
With Strictly Come Dancing reaching the halfway point of its series, here’s a look at this week’s rankings.
In week seven, the judges came down hard on the participants, a lot stricter than usual.
Nine remaining couples danced it out again, with Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola climbing the leaderboard as they once again claimed top scorers.
The Coronation Street star scored a whopping 39 points for her ‘final vibes’ American Smooth to Ain’t That Kick In The Head.
Meanwhile, Angela Scanlon and Carlos Guy plus Adam Thomas with Luba Mushtuk, were at the bottom of the board, both scoring 27 out of 40.
Halfway through! With Strictly Come Dancing reaching the halfway point of its series, here’s a look at this week’s rankings (pictured by Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola)
Getting difficult: in week seven the judges were tough on the participants, which was a lot stricter than normal (photo Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk)
Just below Ellie and Vito, Nikita Kuzmin and his dance partner Layton Williams scored a whopping 36 points – the highest scoring Jive of the series so far.
Right behind Layton were Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe, whose performance moved viewers to tears as she paid a heartbreaking tribute to her late husband Mel Coleman.
The couple wowed the judges and scored a well-deserved 35 points, placing them third on the leaderboard.
The former tennis player, 57, cried as she remembered her beloved partner before dancing her lyrical routine Couple’s Choice with professional dancer Johannes Radebe, 36.
Annabel’s late husband and father of their three children Charlie, Amber and Lilly died in May at the age of 60, just weeks after being diagnosed with stage three cancer.
Nigel Harman and Katya Jones danced the Tango to Nothing Breaks Like a Heart by Miley Cyrus and scored 33 points.
Strictly favorites Bobby Brazier and Dianna Buswell came out with 30 out of 40 and danced the Argentine Tango.
And in the middle of the leaderboard were Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Lauren Oakley with 29 points and Angela Rippon with Kai Widdrington on 28 points.
Moving: Right behind Layton were Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe, whose performance moved viewers to tears as she paid a heartbreaking tribute to her late husband Mel Coleman
Tribute: The couple wowed the judges and scored a well-deserved 35 points, placing them third on the leaderboard
Still good: and in the middle of the rankings were Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Lauren Oakley with 29 points and Angela Rippon with Kai Widdrington on 28 points
Awesome! Just below Ellie and Vito, Nikita Kuzmin and his dance partner Layton Williams scored a whopping 36 points – the highest scoring Jive of the series so far
Following Ellie’s top performance, judge Craig Revel Horwood noted she had gone from ‘strength to strength’ in the show before handing out a score of nine, while Motsi Mabuse predicted the routine could send them to the final.
Head judge Shirley Ballas called them ‘finalist material’ and Anton Du Beke labeled their routine as ‘cheerful’.
Speaking to presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly after their performance, Ellie said: ‘Honestly, I think that’s great. The atmosphere, the costume and the team are great. I felt a million dollars!
“I thought, ‘What am I supposed to do here?’ But I have a great teacher!’
The Strictly duo looked over the moon as they received their high scores to shouts and cheers from the crowd.