Strictly Come Dancing LIVE: Semi final scores and updates
We are now just one week away from the end of Strictly Come Dancing 2023, which means the pressure was on the four remaining couples to give it their all to bag a place in next week's final. And, late on Saturday night, a spoiler revealed who made it through and who was eliminated at the worst possible time.
There was some drama away from the Strictly dancefloor last week, when Nigel Harman forced to quit due to injury, with the bookies second favourite to win sustaining a nasty rib injury in rehearsals after a stunt went wrong and saw him crash to the floor and end up in A&E. Nigel's shock exit prompted BBC bosses to axe the public vote for the quarter final, meaning there was no dance-off and no elimination last week.
The scores from December 2, which included the first 40/40 of the series for Layton and Nikita were carried over to this week, meaning each couple will marked out of 120, before viewers have their chance to send their favourites through to the final.
Having been the favourites to go last week, Bobby and Dianne were once again facing an uphill battle to make it through, as bookies predict they'll be the pair to be sent home at the worst possible time.
Each couple danced twice Saturday night, with everything from a Quickstep to a Couple's Choice and rumba to a salsa on the menu. Bobby and Dianne were up first and did their chances of survival no harm, by getting a 38 for their Quickstep and standing firm at the top of the semi final leaderboard after the first round of dances were complete.
However, things changed drastically in round two, as Layton and Nikita got their second 40 for their Charleston, putting them top of the combined standings on 116 out of 120, with Ellie and Vito on 111, Bobby and Dianne on 107 and Annabel and Johannes on 98.
Stick with us for all the build up and live updates, including the crucial semi final spoiler and reaction to Sunday's BBC results show.
11:28Simon Duke
As you'd expect, given its the most crucial result of the series so far, this week's spoiler has provoled a LOT of opinion, since it appeared online late last night.
Unimpressed with the outcome, one fan moaned: ",unfortunately it’s no longer the show it was in the early days" while a second reacted: "I’ve just seen the #Strictlyspoiler and I’m shocked at the dance off."
11:24Simon Duke
None other than Take That will be the star attraction in the ballroom on sunday night's results show. The group will perform their new single before this week's dance-off.
08:27Simon Duke
A reminder that the scores from the quarter final and for the two dances last night were added up to give each couple a total out of 120.
The standings were:
Layton and Nikita - 116
Ellie and Vito - 111
Bobby and Dianne - 107
Annabel and Johannes - 98
08:21Simon Duke
Some fans are so annoyed by who has made it through to the final and who hasn't, that they are threatening to 'boycott' next week's show.
On reading this week's spoiler, one fan fumed: "No final this year for me my first time I won’t be watching Can’t stand any of the finalists." Echoing those exact sentiments, another reacted: "Don’t think I’ll bother watching the final."
08:19Simon Duke
Impatient Strictly fans faced an anxious wait for this week's spoiler on Saturday night and, when it finally leaked online, the result caused a real stir.
ChronicleLive has chosen not to reveal the result here, but reacting to it, one fan wrote: "predictable but absolutely not the right decision"
00:15Simon Duke
Strictly fans are aleays vocal with their opinions on the spoiler and this week's has attracted a huge reaction, given the result is the most crucial one of the series so far, as the three finalists were decided.
Massively unhappy at the result one fan fumed: "Travesty. Not watching final now," as another wrote: "Very sad about this. Don’t think I’ll bother watching the final."
23:39Simon Duke
As the hours ticked by on Saturday night, fans voiced their concerns over just who would be condemned to the bottom two and who would miss out on the final. The news finally arrived shortly before 11.30pm and, as well as revealing which three couples made the final and which couple didn't, the spoiler let slip that Shirley decided the result after a 'split' on the panel.
Reacting to the result, one fan wrote: "predictable but absolutely not the right decision" with another posting: "No final this year for me my first time I won’t be watching Can’t stand any of the finalis
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23:32Simon Duke
The Strictly spoiler is in and, as well as leaving fans 'heartbroken' over the identity of the couple eliminated, it alsi let slip that there's been a split on the pa el tonight, with the judges torn on who to put through.
23:26Simon Duke
It's in people! Stick with us for the reaction - it's a controversial one!
23:22Simon Duke
Fans are not going to bed until they've found out this week's result and there are a lot of anxious viewers on social media, as the wait for the Strictly spoiler goes on.
Determined to stick it out, one fan on X wrote: "Anyone else not able to get to sleep until they’ve seen the strictly results? Come on spoilers… tell us already"
23:10Simon Duke
While the 'offiicial' spoiler hasn't leaked yet, some supposed results have appeared online, causing some panic amongst Strictly fans, with one viewer, having seen a 'result' reacting: "Seen a strictly spoiler but don’t know if it’s true… anyone got the results yet? Begging Layton, Ellie and Bobby have made it"
22:53Simon Duke
While concerned about what it may reveal, Strictly fans are chomping at the bit to see this week's spoiler, with one taking to X to piost: 'Constantly refreshing to find out the strictly spoiler, because if the final 3 isn’t Layton, Bobby & Ellie I may lose it."
A second posted: "waiting for the strictly spoiler is actual torture tonight"
22:29Simon Duke
There's widespread concern from Strictly fans over this week's spoiler, as fans worry about who will miss out on a place in the final
21:52Simon Duke
If the Strictly leaderboard was based on tonight's scores alone the results would be as follows:
Layton and Nikita - 76 out of 80
Ellie and Vito - 75 out of 40
Bobby and Dianne - 73 out of 80
Annabel and Johannes - 65 out of 80
21:27Simon Duke
As far as Strictly semifinaks go, that definitely delivered didn't it?
In case you missed it or were just too excited to take it all in, herre's rundown of the night's biggest talking points:
*Layton and Nikita get another 40 - this time for their Charleston
*Bobby and Dianne get new personal best of 38 for a Quickstep
*Ellie and Vito get 38 for their Dua Lipa themed Coule's Choice
*Annbabel and Johannes bottom of combined leaderboard on 98 out of 120
20:59Simon Duke
What a night!
Here are how the scores measure up after last week an this week
Layton and Nikita - 116
Ellie and Vito - 111
Bobby and Dianne - 107
Annabel and Johannes - 98
20:57Simon Duke
It's 38 for Ellie and Vito, giving them a total of 111 out of 120
Motsi told Ellie she had grown from "this young girl" in week one to a "woman" tonight, with Shirley declaring Ellie was a very worthy winner. Craig pointed out a few errors in the first side by side and told Ellie he 'never thought she was capable' of doing such a dance.
Craig - 9
Motsi - 9
Shirley - 10
Anton - 10
20:49Simon Duke
Will they FINALLY get a 40?
Ellie and Vito are hoping so as they dance their Couple's Choice to a Dua Lipa medley
20:47Simon Duke
More shouts of UNDERMARKED for Annabel and Johannes as they get 33 out of 40, taking their total to 98 out of 100.
Many of Annabel's Strictly co-stars were left in tears by her second routine tonight, while judge Anton Du Bake told Annabel he wished he was on the dancefloor doing the petrformance with her.
Craig - 8
Motsi - 8
Shirley - 8
Anton - 9
20:37Simon Duke
It's what everyone thought might happen and it has - another 40/40 for Layton and Nikita, giving them a total of 116 of 120
Craig and Shirley both awarded their Charleston a standing ovation, with Shirkley sayijg she was in the presence of 'dance royalty.'
Craig - 10
Motsi - 10
Shirley - 10
Anton - 10
20:32Simon Duke
Before they'd even danced, many fans predicted this would be another 40, let' see what happens!
20:29Simon Duke
It's 35 out of 40 for Bobby and Dianne for their paso, giving them a total of 107 out of 120
Shirley begged viewers at home to vote for Bobby as all four judges praised his strength and character
Craig - 8
Motsi - 9
Shirley - 9
Anton - 9
20:24Simon Duke
They're top of the leaderboard at the minute and Bobby and Dianne have tried their best to make the final with that paso doble to Run Boy Run
20:20Simon Duke
Ellie and Vito end the first round of dances with a 37 for their cha cha cha.
All four judges praised Ellie's technique and for making the dance seem "so easy" although Craig said it was a 'little too polite' and he wanted more 'attack and cheek' while praising the fantastic footwork and the choreography for being 'out of this world.'
Craig - 9
Motsi - 10
Shirley - 9
Anton - 9
20:13Simon Duke
Nororiously one of the hardest dances to get a high score from, Ellie and Vito are rounding off the first set of dances wtih a cha cha to Mambo Italiano.
20:11Simon Duke
Shouts of UNDERMARKED, UNDERMARKED in the studio as Annabel and Johannes get 32
Craig told Annabel that her footwork made the dance "a bit spikey," while Shirley also found fault with some steps, although praising Annabel for being 'so hard working.'
Craig - 8
Motsi - 8
Shirley - 8
Anton - 8
20:02Simon Duke
Craig is predicting the salsa could spell 'danger' for Annabel and Johannes, as they dance to Gloria Estefan
20:01Simon Duke
It's a very good 36 out of 40 for Layton and Nikita for their rumba.
Motsi described it as 'one of the most difficult rumbas' adding 'only a few people can handle that', while finding fault with it Craig praised the 'intensity' and 'emotional' while Shirley picked out 'one or two' mistakes, but told Layton and Nikita it "was a delight to watch."
Craig - 9
Motsi - 9
Shirley - 9
Anton - 9
19:52Simon Duke
They set the bar high very high for themselves by getting a 40 last week and Layton and Nikita are aiming to match that with their rumba to Rihanna
19:50Simon Duke
A new personal best for Bobby and Dianne - a 38 to start the show!
Calling him the 'King of Ballroom,' Shirley told Bobby he was 'on the way to the final,' while Anton admitted o being emotional. Slightly more egative, Craig told Bobby his hands were 'like bananas' on Dianne's back, but still gave the dance a 9 out of 10.
Craig - 9
Motsi - 9
Shirley - 10
Anton - 10
