After a set of dazzling performances on the dance floor last week, Strictly Come Dancing’s professional dancers will be learning a brand new dance style and songs for week two.
Last week, all 15 couples performed live for the first time before the voting – and first elimination of the series – happens this weekend.
At the top of the leaderboard last week were JB Gill and his pro partner Amy Dowden, who made a triumphant return to Strictly after being too ill to compete in last year’s series as she recovered from treatment for stage three breast cancer.
Their classic Waltz to “When I Need You” by Leo Sayer received a standing ovation from the studio audience. The performance also impressed all four judges, and saw them receive 31 points out of a possible 40.
Closely behind them was Love Island star Tasha Ghouri who stunned the judges with a celebrated Cha Cha to Sabrina Carpenter’s summer anthem “Espresso”. The influencer was left ecstatic after receiving a score of 30.
Miranda actor Sarah Hadland also received a score of 30 for her Quickstep to “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton – the highest mark a Quickstep has ever received in week one of the competition.
There were also some more questionable performances. Former Arsenal/England player Paul Merson paid homage to his sport by performing the intriguing combination of an American Smooth dance to the popular football chant song “Vindaloo” by Fat Les – but viewers watching at home weren’t impressed.
Strictly fans criticised the unexpected song choice for making Merson the “laughing stock” of the season and questioned whether the producers might Merson the token “funny” act.
Things might be no different this week, since Merson will dance a salsa to Pitball’s “Fireball”.
Writing on X/Twitter, one viewer wrote: “Paul Merson is doing a Salsa to Fireball next week on #Strictly… I fear the producers have got this idea that Paul is only allowed to dance to songs that can be turned into football chants.”
Elsewhere this weekend, Punam Krishan will dance a Foxtrot to Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!”, while Chris McCausland will also dance a Foxtrot to “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” by The Tams. Find out the rest of the songs below.
All of the songs and dances for Strictly week two
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe will perform a Samba to “Fuego” by Eleni Foureira
Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin – Charleston to Bob Wilson and his Varsity Rhythm Boys
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola – Paso Doble to “Freed From Desire” by Gala, Molella, Phil Jay
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec – Viennese Waltz to “Misty Blue” by Dorothy Moore
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones – Jive to “Nutbush City Limits” by Ike & Tina Turner
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell – Foxtrot to “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” by The Tams
Jamie Borthwick and Michell Tsiakkas – Rumba to “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers
JB Gill and Amy Dowden – Cha Cha to “Closer” by Ne-Yo
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk – American Smooth to “Parklife” by Blur
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer – Salsa to Pitbull’s “Fire”
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał – American Smooth to “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu – Tango to “The Door” by Teddy Swims
Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova – Cha Cha to “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones – Viennese Waltz to “The Blue Danube” by Johann Strauss II
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez – Foxtrot to “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” by Shania Twain