EastEnders actor Jake Wood is through to Strictly Come Dancing’s final eight, but tennis coach Judy Murray has been knocked out of the BBC One competition after losing the dance-off.
Jake, who plays Max Branning in the BBC One soap, avoided the dreaded dance-off in Blackpool in the Strictly results show tonight (Sunday).
The snake-hipped star from Tewin, Hertfordshire, scored 36 out of 40 for his American Smooth at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom during Saturday’s spectacular live show.
And when the viewers’ votes were added to the judges’ scores, Jake and professional dance partner Janette Manrara did enough to survive another week in the contest.
You can watch their dance to Feeling Good on the YouTube video clip above.
After the show, Jake Wood (@mrjakedwood) tweeted: “The hips will be back next week! Me and @JManrara so grateful for your support and votes”
The bottom two couples in Blackpool were tennis coach Judy Murray and partner Anton Du Beke, and Casualty actress Sunetra Sarker and professional Brendan Cole for the first time.
And Judy lost the dance-off in ‘straight sets’ with all four judges voting for Sunetra.
Andy Murray’s mum had finished bottom with the judges for the fourth week running on Saturday night. She scored 24 points for her Viennese Waltz to Let’s Go Fly a Kite.
Sunetra and Brendan’s samba to ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ by Scissor Sisters totalled 30.
After performing again in the dance-off, the judges elected to keep Sunetra in the competition for another week and Judy Murray waved goodbye to the series.
She took to the dance floor one final time with Anton before departing the show.
The Blackpool results programme tonight also featured a performance from McBusted, featuring former Strictly Glitterball trophy winner Harry Judd, and Goldfinger singer Dame Shirley Bassey.
Here are the dances the couples performed in Blackpool on Saturday night and their scores from the judges:
* Simon Webbe and Kristina Rihanoff: Argentine Tango to ‘El Tango De Roxanne’ from the film Moulin Rouge.
Score: 38.
* Pixie Lott and Trent Whiddon: Paso Doble to ‘The Eve of War’ by Jeff Wayne.
Score: 38.
* Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev: Jive to ‘Crocodile Rock’ by Elton John.
Score: 37.
* Frankie Bridge and Kevin Clifton: Quickstep to ‘A Town Called Malice’ by The Jam.
Score: 37.
* Jake Wood and Janette Manrara: American Smooth to ‘Feeling Good’.
Score: 36.
* Mark Wright and Karen Hauer: Charleston to ‘We No Speak Americano’ by Yolanda Be Cool.
Score: 36.
* Steve Backshall and Ola Jordan: American Smooth to ‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele.
Score: 31.
* Sunetra Sarker and Brendan Cole: Samba to ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ by Scissor Sisters.
Score: 30.
* Judy Murray and Anton Du Beke: Viennese Waltz to ‘Let’s Go Fly a Kite’ from the musical Mary Poppins.
Score: 24.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here