The first week of Strictly Come Dancing 2024 has delivered a wide range of performances as the celebrities took to the ballroom for their debut dances.
With some impressive routines and a few that need a bit more polishing, it’s shaping up to be an exciting series.
JB Gill and Amy Dowden came out on top with their romantic Waltz, securing a strong 31 points, earning them high marks across the board.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the scoreboard, Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones struggled with their Tango, scoring just 12 points, leaving them in the danger zone.
Week 1 Leaderboard
- JB Gill and Amy Dowden: Waltz – 31
- Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola: Quickstep – 30
- Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec: Cha Cha – 30
- Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe: Foxtrot – 26
- Wynne Evans and Katya Jones: Samba – 26
- Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell: Cha Cha – 23
- Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas: Viennese Waltz – 23
- Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin: Foxtrot – 23
- Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova: Tango – 23
- Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu: Samba – 21
- Dr Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez: Cha Cha – 19
- Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk: Jive – 18
- Paul Merson and Karen Hauer: American Smooth – 17
- Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal: Paso Doble – 17
- Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones: Tango – 12
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell were one of three couples tied on 23 points, delivering a fun Cha Cha to Twist And Shout.
Dr. Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez didn’t fare as well with their Cha Cha, scoring 19, which, while not the lowest of the night, could place them at risk.
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk’s Jive wasn’t a hit with the judges either, receiving a low 18 points, with Craig Revel Horwood giving a harsh 3.
Paul Merson’s American Smooth to Vindaloo was another routine that struggled to impress, with a total of 17 points, narrowly avoiding the bottom spot, while Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal’s Paso Doble also scored 17, marking another tough start.
On the positive side, Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola delivered a joyful Quickstep that earned them an impressive 30 points, tying for second place with Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, who wowed with their vibrant Cha Cha to Espresso.
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones also showed potential, earning 26 points for their energetic Samba which closed the show.
With JB Gill leading the pack and Toyah Willcox falling to the bottom of the leaderboard, it’s likely we could see her in danger of the dance-off.
Paul Merson and Pete Wicks may also find themselves in a tight spot with their respective scores of 17.
However as always no one is heading home just yet.
All the celebs will have a second chance to impress next weekend, with the marks for both dances combined.
We’ll then have a chance to vote for our favourite before the first dance off next Sunday night (29 September) on BBC One and iPlayer.
For now, be sure to support your favourite in our Strictly poll.
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