Key events
Hoofing halfway mark next weekend
Thanks for watching along with me, televisual trick-or-treaters. Our nine surviving pairs now progress to the seventh live show, a non-themed week which marks the midway point of the competition.
It airs next Saturday at 7.05pm on BBC1. Meet you back here to pore over all the sequin-spangled action.
In the meantime, please write it on a Post-It and stick it to your fridge door: keeeeeeep dancing! Goodnight, gang.
And finally, some fond tributes to Zara McDermott from the glitterati below the line.
emilyscatnaps says: “Fare thee well Zara my darling. At least you’ll be going out on very definitely your best dance. I thought you were so much better this week, well done for giving it your all xx”.
acanthe says: “Aww, poor Zara, it’s so hard to be dignified when you’re crying and your whole face is like an exaggerated toothy smile. I always think it’s particularly difficult to go out when you’re in an awful costume.”
Last word goes to Canterbury345: “Ooh! A lift in the final dance, go Zara! Such a sweet young lady, do hope she cherishes lovely memories from her time in Strictly. A lesson to us all. Even if things don’t come easy to us, we can pull the joy from everything we put our heart into.”
MarkRoche says: “As the widely recognised weakest dancer has gone each week so far, today is likely to be the last week where we can all pretty much guess who’s going home.”
judysmum says: “Blimey, Bobby. That was scary. I think he needs to up his game next week. He’s my favourite but if he doesn’t improve, he’s not going to be.”
Pancake01 astutely observes: “If Kai had an arrow through his neck, he’d look like Pat from Ghosts.”
Wonder if he’s going to the shed for a Watney’s now?
Readers’ verdicts
A rapid round-up of your comments. Lots of love for Rick Astley.
Lushattic says: “Wow, another results show guest that can sing. Is this a record?”
SecretPuddleJumper adds: “Rick would be excellent on Strictly.” Hellayeah. Please implement, BBC talent bookers.
Tonight’s other TV tips
Viewers can now flip to Windrush drama Three Little Birds on ITV1, Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker on Channel 4, Shakespeare night on BBC4 or stay tuned to BBC1 for the second episode of Survivor (aka Shipwrecked: Grown-Up Edition).
At 9pm on BBC1, it’s the return of Jimmy McGovern’s gut-punch prison drama Time, with Jodie Whittaker, Bella Ramsey and Tamara Lawrance thrown together in a tough women’s prison. Films of the night? At 9pm, Blade Runner 2049 is on BBC3. At 11pm, The Sixth Sense is on Channel 5. Altogether now: “I see dead people.”
Graziano needs to raise his game
Sicilian-born pro Graziano di Prima probably thought he’d hit the lottery when he landed the leggy, athletic and hard-working Zara McDermott as a partner.
However, she struggled with the performance side of dance, often looking paralysed with nerves on show nights. After being consigned to three dance-offs, he ultimately did well to get her this far.
Graziano won friends and reached the semi-final with Kym Marsh last year but otherwise, has never finished higher than 10th, exiting early with Vick Hope, Judi Love and now Zara. He seems like a lovely bloke but isn’t the best choreographer among the pro troupe – see that confusing clutter of a Charleston (skeletons in a spa with towels around their necks, anyone?), so needs to improve if he’s going to go further in the contest next year.
Zara saying ta-ra felt inevitable
Very few Strictly celebrities survive three dance-offs. It duly proved third time unlucky for Zara McDermott. With an average score south of 25 points, she never notched more than a seven and has resembled a dead dancer walking for the past fortnight. She’s looked happier in lifts than she has on the floor, so partner Graziano Di Prima kept her in the air as much as possible.
Zara is a Strictly superfan from a family of devotees, so thoroughly enjoyed herself. She was a genuine dance novice, in contrast to certain fellow contestants, so had the potential for a transformative experience. Sadly, she never quite conquered her nerves. There was a ballroom girl in there waiting to get out. Her Viennese waltz and American smooth were her highlights but she was too often stiff and tentative.
Still, she reached two of the themed weeks, Movies and Halloween, and snuck into the final 10, so can swivel (or should that be twizzle?) off home with her head held high.
Sighs of relief for half the field
It wasn’t just Adam Thomas who had a narrow Halloween escape here. The entire bottom half of the leaderboard did. Nigel Harman, Bobby Brazier, Annabel Croft and Krishnan Guru-Murthy all scored fewer points than Adam Thomas – five points fewer, in Krishnan’s case – so have viewer votes to thank for lifting them clear of the dance-off.
Krishnan is now the lowest scorer left in the contest. Luckily for him, he’s popular with viewers but he needs to improve next week, as does Annabel. If 32 points doesn’t always guarantee safety in a high-standard fielder, our hoofers need to start notching eights and nines ASAP, darling.
Zara and Graz’s last dance
As the departing couple take their last turn around the dancefloor to Kylie’s 1990 banger Better The Devil You Know, the credits roll and their castmates descend for consoling cuddles.
That’s two Stock Aitken Waterman alumni in one show. What no Reynolds Girls? Please stay with us for analysis and reaction.
Zara gets touchingly tearful. They’re going to be friends forever. Cut to her wobbly-chinned proud parents in the studio audience.
Keep off the Graz
Her dance partner Graziano Di Prima returns the compliment: “She has been great for me, from 8am to 9pm. Never stopping, asking just for a half an hour break. She is literally what Strictly is all about. A real novice, coming in, doing the hard job. You have such a good soul. You are so humble and I’m grateful that I found a friend like you. I am so proud of you, honestly.”
Sweetly said by the Italian stallion.
Zara’s farewell speech
In her exit interview, Zara McDermott tells Tess: “I’ve had the time of my life. I’ve wanted to do Strictly since childhood, so just to be here is incredible. Thank you to the judges and my amazing partner, obviously. My fellow contestants are just incredible. It’s been the most amazing experience. I can’t believe it’s over but I’m going to be here in spirit every week supporting them.”
Nice on-brand Halloween mention of spirits there.
Head judge Shirley Ballas agrees
The Wicked Queen of Snow Whiteland confirms that she would also have saved Adam, so it’s the fifth unanimous decision on the trot.
Zara McDermott is eliminated
There we have it. The Love Island alumna becomes this year’s sixth celebrity to depart the dancefloor.