Strictly Come Dancing Prepares for Spooky Halloween Week Amid Presenter Exit Speculation
A chilling atmosphere descends upon the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom this weekend as the competition enters its annual Halloween Week, while the BBC faces mounting questions regarding the future of its presenting duo, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The show will feature performances set to music from artists including Charli XCX, Lady Gaga, and Benson Boone on Saturday evening.
The themed week, a staple of the series alongside Movies, Blackpool, Musicals, and Icons, arrives shortly after the announcement that Daly and Winkleman will depart at the end of the current season. This news has sparked fervent speculation among fans, with names like Alesha Dixon, Zoe Ball, and Alison Hammond circulating as potential replacements. Supporters gathered outside Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire voiced their preferences for the next hosts.
This year’s grand finale is scheduled for December 20th, with the BBC confirming that Winkleman and Daly’s final on-screen appearance will be during the Christmas Day special. During last week’s broadcast, the pair acknowledged the departure announcement, expressing gratitude for the “beautiful messages” received from viewers.
Adding to the weekend’s excitement, Celebrity Traitors star Cat Burns will make a special appearance during Sunday night’s results show. Sunday’s program will also feature a “Monsters’ Ball” dance.
Here’s a breakdown of the pairings and their routines for Saturday night:
- Alex and Johannes – Salsa to “Horny” by Mousse T feat. Hot ‘n’ Juicy
- Amber and Nikita – Viennese Waltz to “I See Red” by Everybody Loves an Outlaw
- Balvinder and Julian – Samba to “Stay” by Shakespears Sister
- Ellie and Vito – Tango to “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga
- George and Alexis – Cha Cha Cha to “Apple” by Charli XCX
- Harry and Karen – American Smooth to “Mystical Magical” by Benson Boone
- Karen and Carlos – Argentine Tango to “Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- La Voix and Aljaž – Paso Doble to Beethoven’s 5th
- Lewis and Katya – Couple’s Choice to “Creep” by Radiohead
- Vicky and Kai – American Smooth to “Total Eclipse of The Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
Fans are cautioned that reading beyond this point will reveal spoilers from last Saturday’s Icons Week. The professional dancers’ Halloween routine was pre-recorded earlier this week.
Last week saw Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope and his partner Katya Jones achieve the highest score of the night with 34 points for their Johnny Cash-inspired Quickstep. “La Voix brought the laughs,” one observer noted, referencing the performer’s energetic Salsa and rendition of Cher’s “Believe.” Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola also delivered a memorable performance, receiving a video message from her favorite Spice Girl, Baby, during their dynamic Salsa.
However, not all performances were met with praise. Despite “impressively garish trousers,” YouTuber George Clarke and Alexis Warr were eliminated after receiving the lowest score of the evening – 27 – following a Jive to Harry Styles’ “As It Was.” Judge Craig Revel Horwood described the performance as “flat footed.” Ultimately, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley were also eliminated after a dance-off against Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin.
This Saturday, the remaining couples will embrace the Halloween theme with “terrifying transformations” in hopes of impressing the judges and securing votes from the audience. Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke are expected to participate in the spooky spirit with their own costumes.
Halloween Week marks a significant milestone, placing the competition roughly halfway to the grand finale. Viewers can anticipate a night filled with “tricks and treats” from costumed performers. However, as always, one couple will face elimination during Sunday’s results show.
Strictly Come Dancing airs live at 18:35 on BBC One and is also available on BBC iPlayer.