Strictly Come Dancing 2022: Will Mellor and Nancy Xu blow judges away

Strictly Come Dancing’s 10th live show of the series hit BBC One on Saturday evening, with the six remaining couples hoping to set the dance floor alight ahead of next week’s semi-final.

After giving it their all at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom last week, the celebrities once again learned a new routine as things stepped up a gear.

Will Mellor and Nancy Xu were the first couple to perform, dancing the Charleston. The pair wore matching black suits, with professional Nancy’s featuring neon pink and yellow stripes while actor Will’s had blue and yellow stripes.

Born to perform: Will Mellor and Nancy Xu were the first couple to perform on Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing as the couples fought to make it though to next week’s semi-final

Host Tess Daly went to head judge Shirley Ballas for her comments first, with Shirley saying: ‘Well, first of all Will, coming off Blackpool you never know really what to expect. Going out there today everything worked well for you. The choreography was brilliant and you didn’t miss a lift. Well done. ‘

Anton Du Beke told the pair: ‘I think that was one of your best performances of the series. You commit to every move, you nail every move.’

While Craig Revel Horwood said: ‘I thought your free arm could be a little bit more placed. The swivel was fantastic. Well done!’

All dressed up: The pair wore matching black suits, with professional Nancy’s featuring neon pink and yellow stripes while actor Will’s had blue and yellow stripes

Motsi Mabuse said: ‘If we’re setting the standard for tonight then we have a real big problem because that was fast, that was slick, the energy between you was amazing.’

The pair scored 38 out of 40, with two marks of 10 from Shirley and Motsi, while both Craig and Anton awarded them scores of nine.

Television Molly Rainford and her partner Carlos Gu were next to perform after they were in the dance off last week against departing couple Tyler West and Dianne Buswell.

The scores are in: The pair scored 38 out of 40, with two marks of 10 from Shirley and Motsi, while both Craig and Anton awarded them scores of nine

Former Britain’s Got Talent contestant Molly and Carlos danced the Tango this weekend, with Molly looking sensational as she gave a glimpse at her midriff in a sequinned red cropped top and matching skirt with a side split.

Anton told them after their performance: ‘The thing about you is you’re a really great dancer but you don’t let us see it… today was the first time you really let us see it… Molly, now you’re talking!’

Craig said: ‘I loved the amount of aggression in that, the storytelling was brilliant and it had power. It was great.

Dazzling: Former Britain’s Got Talent contestant Molly and Carlos danced the Tango this weekend, with Molly looking sensational as she gave a glimpse at her midriff in a sequinned red cropped top and matching skirt

Motsi added: ‘What I really love about you two is, Carlos, you challenge her. We knew from day one that she was talented but there was so much great content… This is the Molly who is attacking and who we want to see. Well done girl.

Shirley said: ‘Week after week you’ve been in the bottom two and you fight… There was some lovely footwork, the passion between you was absolutely divine. You’ve done brilliant choreography this week.’

Giving the pair their scores Craig awarded an eight and Motsi, Shirley and Anton all gave them nine each, meaning their score totalled 35 out of a possible 40.

Remarks: Judge Motsi Mabuse said: ‘What I really love about you two is, Carlos, you challenge her. We knew from day one that she was talented but there was so much great content… This is the Molly who is attacking and who we want to see’

Success: Giving the pair their scores Craig awarded an eight and Motsi, Shirley and Anton all gave them nine each, meaning their score totalled 35 out of a possible 40

Next to take to the dance floor was comedian Ellie Taylor who performed the Jive with her professional partner Johannes Radebe. 

Opening the comments, Craig said: ‘You got off on the wrong foot, it was lacklustre I’m afraid.’

Motsi told them: ‘You had the fun of Jive. I like the whole looked. I have two sections for you, I have the performance which I think it getting better and then I have technical… you had the taste of the Jive which was nice to see.’

Entertainers: Next to take to the dance floor was comedian Ellie Taylor who performed the Jive with her professional partner Johannes Radebe

Unimpressed: Judge Shirley told them: Shirley said: ‘I loved the theme, I thought the narrative was good but for me, the technique missed completely. It looked quite heavy and a bit flat footed’

Shirley said: ‘I loved the theme, I thought the narrative was good but for me, the technique missed completely. It looked quite heavy and a bit flat footed. There is no mistaking, your personality is exquisite but, at week 10, I want a bit of both if we can.’

Anton added: ‘I love the way you perform your numbers. You could be a musical theatre star, you have great characterisation… I thought it was marvellous, well done.’

Giving his score, Craig offered five, Shirley gave six, while both Motsi and Shirley gave sevens, totalling 25.

Talking numbers: Giving his score, Craig offered five, Shirley gave six, while both Motsi and Shirley gave sevens, totalling 25

Performing next was singer Fleur East and her professional partner Vito Coppola. The couple performed the Rumba.

Opening the remarks, Motsi said: ‘It’s not an easy dance and what I love is that you were trying to be very technical about it… It was visible and you did a lot of work on that, well done.

Shirley told them: ‘I thought it was extremely passionate and you have definitely learned to control your energy without losing your freedom. The leg action, congratulations, the foot action, congratulations, and the passion between you, congratulations.

Taking to the floor: Performing next was singer Fleur East and her professional partner Vito Coppola. The couple performed the Rumba

Constructive criticism: Opening the remarks, Motsi said: ‘It’s not an easy dance and what I love is that you were trying to be very technical about it… It was visible and you did a lot of work on that, well done’

Anton said: ‘You stayed wonderfully in time, beautifully on balance… I felt you had the control of the dance and not the other way round, well done.’

While Craig said: ‘I agree with Shirley about the breathing, I felt like you were holding back, and that was like a block within the dance… I love the connection you have between each other, it was absolutely wonderful.’

Craig awarded the pair eight while Motsi, Shirley and Anton all gave them nines, meaning they scored a total of 35.

Success story: Craig awarded the pair eight while Motsi, Shirley and Anton all gave them nines, meaning they scored a total of 35

Wildlife presenter Hamza Yassin and his professional partner Jowita Przystal were next to perform, with the couple dancing the Argentine Tango.

Praising Jowita for her ‘spectacular’ technique, Shirley credited Hamza for being the perfect leading man, saying: ‘You made it work!’

However, Anton was less than impressed, saying: ‘This was a dance of two halves for me. The top halve was intense and strong, powerful… The bottom half looked like you played centre forward for Bradford City.’

Craig said: ‘I agree with Anton, the foot should caress the floor… If I was going to love any part of the dance, it was the top half.’

Motsi told them: ‘I was watching right now intensely and the bototm half to be so connected on that dance floor, she looked like she was flying!

‘It can only be that when when you have a grounded partner… I thought your bottom part looked very lovely and I thought your upper part was magnificent.’

Giving his marks, Craig awarded an eight, Anton gave them a nine and both Motsi and Shirley awarded them a 10 each. Their score totalled 37 out of 40.

The next couple to perform was television presenter Helen Skelton and her professional partner Gorka Marquez, with the pair dancing the Samba.

Giving his comments, Anton told them: ‘What I loved about this performance was I got you, we got Helen Skelton coming out to play… I can feel the ladies are going to talk to you about the leg action but well done.’

Craig said: ‘It was very straight, it was very wooden, it was square, there was no bounce but fantastic personality.’

Motsi told them: ‘I saw so many details in your dancing, so that’s a great, great thing. What I did see honestly is that you guys put a lot of work in there and that is the feeling of a Samba.’

And Shirley said: ‘I’ve watched you from the very beginning and I’ve seen you come out here with this newfound confidence… I though for 75 per cent, you did a good Samba… I thought for a Samba being a difficult dance, you did it well.’

Giving his marks, Craig awarded a five, while Motsi, Shirley and Anton all awarded eights. Their total score was 29.

It comes after Kym Marsh has tested positive for Covid forcing her and professional partner Graziana Di Prima out of the competition this weekend. 

A Strictly spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Kym Marsh has tested positive for Covid-19. As a result, Kym and Graziano will not be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this weekend. 

‘Strictly Come Dancing protocols mean that all being well, they will return the following week.’

Bad luck! Strictly’s Kym Marsh has tested positive for Covid and will not perform his week – a fortnight after she almost quit show over a ‘crippling panic attack’ (stock image) 

The announcement comes just two weeks after Kym admitted she nearly quit the show after suffering a crippling panic attack just hours before the live show. 

The television star, 46, was said to have burst into tears before she was consoled by twinkle-toed star Graziano, 28, ahead of a live show that aired last month.

Former Coronation Street actress Kym, who is said to have contemplated quitting the contest due to her overwhelming anxiety, told The Sun: ‘It just came over me, almost out of nowhere, and I couldn’t carry on.’

Lots of emotions: The television star, 46, was said to have burst into tears before she was consoled by twinkle-toed star Graziano, 28, ahead of a live show that aired last month 

It is claimed Kym struggled to continue dancing, prompting producers to comfort her as she calmed down, and hours later she took to the floor again during the live show and completed her dance. 

Former Hear’Say singer Kym added: ‘I’ve always suffered from panic attacks. It’s something I don’t mind talking about because I know it can affect anyone at any time.

‘Sometimes it has been ages (since an attack) and then suddenly one just hits.

‘Everyone thinks that because you’re on the telly you must be amazingly confident, but the truth is that I’m not always and this is how that comes out.’

Strictly Come Dancing 2022: Kym Marsh dedicated the American Smooth to her late son Archie as she and partner Graziano Di Prima were awarded 31 points during Couples’ Choice week on Saturday

She added that she did not know what brought on the panic attack, surmising that it could have been that she’d had some harsh comments from the judges combined with the fact she’d also been working other jobs, leaving her emotional and exhausted.

Kym said she ‘lost her confidence completely’ and ‘went to pieces’, admitting she did not see how she could carry on with the show.

Despite having therapy in a bid to curb her anxiety, Kym said it can still ‘creep up’ on her.

Meanwhile, Kym and Graziano were awarded 31 points for their American Smooth to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol during the eighth episode of the show, which she dedicated to her late son Archie. 

He passed away following a premature birth in February 2009.

Emotional: The actress said in her VT: ‘It reminds us of my son Archie. I gave birth to him prematurely and unfortunately he died shortly after’

The actress said in her VT: ‘It reminds us of my son Archie. I gave birth to him prematurely and unfortunately he died shortly after.

The emotional star continued: ‘I feel by doing this dance, it will be not only in memory of Archie but get people talking about their own experiences.’

Kym and her ex-husband Jamie Lomas were left heartbroken when their child passed away at just 21 weeks, following a premature birth in February 2009.

Judge Motsi Mabuse said: ‘The message you tried to put through, the fragility and vulnerability came through, it was so clear. It started so well, I don’t know what happened. There was a sudden change of energy and I don’t know why. There was a great ending and it started so wonderfully.’

Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One at 7:15pm on Sunday – when one more couple will be eliminated from the contest. 

Speaking out: Former Coronation Street actress Kym, who is said to have contemplated quitting the contest, said her panic attack ‘just came over me, almost out of nowhere’

STRICTLY COME DANCING 2022: WHO ARE THE CONTESTANTS?

KYM MARSH

Age: 46

Profession: Coronation Street star and presenter

Kym says: ‘I’m so delighted that this year they have! I’m a huge fan of the show and can’t believe I’m going to go from watching at home in my pyjamas to actually dancing in front of the judges in a glittery dress.’

ELLIE SIMMONDS 

Age: 27

Profession: Former athlete 

Ellie says: ‘To be asked to be part of the Strictly family is just so exciting and I cannot wait, it’s going to so much fun.’

TYLER WEST 

Age: 26

Profession: Radio DJ

Tyler says: ‘It’s a show that means so much to me and my family and I can’t wait to seriously shake a leg on that shiny dance floor… with a side of sequins.’

ELLIE TAYLOR

 

Age: 38

Profession: Comedian

Ellie says: ‘Well, cover me in fake tan and roll me in sequins! I’m absolutely over the moon to be a part of Strictly 2022!’

TONY ADAMS MBE 

Age: 55 

Profession: Retired footballer and manager

Tony says:  ‘To say I’m excited is an understatement – the lure of the sequins and the call of the salsa has me swapping my battered old football boots for a set of Strictly soft shoes’

WILL MELLOR

Age: 46

Profession: Actor

Will says: ‘I know it will be a huge challenge but that’s what life is all about. This is also my Mum’s favourite show and she’s had a really tough few years so I’m doing this is for her as well. Bring it on!’

 MOLLY RAINFORD

 Age: 21

Profession: Singer 

Molly says: ‘I already know it’s gonna be an experience of a lifetime and I can’t wait to meet the rest of the Strictly family I’ll be sharing it with.’

FLEUR EAST

Age: 34 

Profession: Singer

Fleur says: ‘I’m equally nervous and thrilled to be part of this year’s Strictly line up. I’m excited to learn new skills and I want to soak up every moment of this magical experience.’

 HAMZA YASSIN

Age: 35

Profession: Wildlife cameraman and presenter

Hamza says: ‘I am absolutely over the moon to be joining Strictly 2022. Never in a million years did I think I’d be on such a cool show.’

HELEN SKELTON

Age: 39

Profession: TV and radio broadcaster

Helen says: ‘I’m really excited to get stuck into a fun adventure. My family and friends have always loved the show and can’t wait for me to get started’