Vicky Pattison tops Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard with ‘dance of the night’
By Lauren Del Fabbro, PA Entertainment Reporter
Reality TV star Vicky Pattison scored three 10s and has topped the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard for her “dance of the night”.
The former Geordie Shore star, 37, and professional Kai Widdrington scored 39 points for their Tango to Taylor Swift’s The Fate Of Ophelia.
The pair blew the judges away during Saturday night’s show with Craig Revel Horwood describing it as “perfect”, while Anton Du Beke said he was “a bit stunned” as it was “that good”.
He said: “I thought it was absolutely marvellous. I loved it. Your line is the best line I’ve ever seen.
“It was immaculate.”
Meanwhile Motsi Mabuse and head judge Shirley Ballas said it was their “dance of the night”.
Mabuse said: “Last week I said you were a contender for the final, and this dance just proved what I meant. You confirmed my intuition. Without a doubt, you are on fire.
“Whatever is giving you that fire – keep it up. This was for me, till now, the dance of the night.”
Saturday’s show marked the halfway point of the series with nine couples taking to the dancefloor.
In second place was West End star Amber Davies and professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin who performed a Salsa to You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by Sylvester.
The pair received two 10s with a total result of 38 points – their highest on the series, which Revel Horwood described as: “Ah-mazing”.
Mabuse said: “That was absolutely spectacular, guys.
“You’re amazing. Well done.”
Ballas added: “This was absolutely great, fluid, flexible, lovely rotation, those tricks, those highlights, in and out, and then you come out with all speed, and then you walk around like this is a piece of cake, do this every day, clean. Had great chemistry. Thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Tied at third place was Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope and Sports presenter Karen Carney with 35 points.
Cope and professional Katya Jones kicked off Week Seven with a Cha Cha Cha to I Like It Like That by Pete Rodriguez.
It comes after the pair received the first perfect score of the series last week with their Couple’s Choice routine to Creep by Radiohead.
Du Beke said: “Last week was so amazing, and I’ve been looking forward to this week, and you’ve just started with this absolutely brilliantly, really great. You do everything so well. Your timing’s brilliant.”
Mabuse added: “That’s the way to start the show.”
Carney and professional dancer Carlos Gu performed a Charleston to Diana Ross’s Upside Down followed by Aretha Franklin’s Think.
Revel Horwood said: “That was absolutely incredible, it really was. It was goofy, it was clean, it was precise. It could have done with a little bit more swivel. But my goodness, your energy is just amazing. I loved it.”
Mabuse added: “You have the type of energy that is contagious.
“You hit every line and the best thing about you is that your expression is so natural. You become the dance, you’re never fake.”
In last place was Drag star La Voix and Aljaz Skorjanec who scored 29 points with a Foxtrot to Cass Elliot’s Make Your Own Kind of Music.
Revel Horwood said: “I felt overall it lacked a togetherness and I mean that in a musicality (sense). I felt like you were dancing different dances slightly. But you know, what I love about you is always your presentation and performance, it’s always exuberant, and darling, you always carbonate absolutely everything and I love that.”
Ballas added that the performance was “a little flat-footed”, but also said that La Voix is an “absolute joy to watch”.
Saturday night’s episode also saw actress Balvinder Sopal and YouTuber George Clarke tied with 34 points.
Balvinder and professional partner Julian Caillon danced a Punjabi Bhangra for their Couple’s Choice to Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh’s Sapphire, which Ballas described as her “best dance”, while Clarke and professional Alexis Warr performed a Viennese Waltz to Queen’s Somebody To Love.
Ballas said it was the “best footwork we’ve seen in a Viennese Waltz”.
Tied with 30 points was actress Alex Kingston and professional Johannes Radebe, who danced a Paso Doble to Jamie Texidor’s Amparito Roca while Olympian Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and professional Karen Hauer performing a Samba to Gloria Estefan’s song Samba.
The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment will play on the results show to mark Remembrance Sunday.
Strictly returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday November 9.