Sleepy Strictly stars head home from the studios in the early hours

Sleepy Strictly Come Dancing stars were spotted in cabs leaving Elstree Studios in the wee hours of Sunday morning following their Movie Week performances.

The likes of Jamie Laing and Maisie Smith climbed into the backs of their cabs to be driven home following the series third live show, which saw them perform in front of any studio audience for the first time in Strictly history.

Despite the broadcast ending not long after 9PM, the stars and their dance partners filtered out between 2AM and 4AM. 

Made In Chelsea’s Jamie looked ready to hit the hay as he sat in the back of his car in sweats.

Checking his phone, he was the only celeb not wearing a face mask, despite current COVID-19 rules.

Maisie struggled to keep her eyes open as she shared the back of her car with Max George.

Also seen were Giovanni Pernice, Jason Bell, Oti Mabuse and Bill Bailey, all equally tired-looking.

Strictly kicked off Movie Week in spectacular fashion on Saturday as the show returned to screens without a live audience for the first time in its 16-year history.

Following news that the UK would be plunged into a month-long lockdown, bosses confirmed earlier this week that the show would continue behind closed doors, though the cast ensured it wasn’t any quieter in the ballroom, as they took to the floor with a slew of cinema-inspired routines.

Ranvir Singh and Giovanni Pernice soared to the top of the leaderboard after stunning with an incredible Foxtrot to a Jennifer Hudson hit from Dreamgirls, earning them the highest score of the series so far.

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Ranvir fought back tears as she and Giovanni performed the Foxtrot to Love You I Do from Dreamgirls, earning a standing ovation from Motsi Mabuse for transforming into an elegant dancing diva.

Shirley said: ‘It’s our Movie star looking couple for sure, beautiful frame, you just displayed this, so simple but so beautiful. I just love quality. When I see quality I get so excited and that’s exactly what I saw with you.’

Motsi added: ‘Can we just declare this National foxtrot day! From one to the next and beautiful and you two compliment each other so well I see a lady I see a man, it takes time to show that quality I just forget the technique because you are the dance.’

It proved to be the night of the Foxtrot as JJ Chalmers and Amy Dowden also earned a sea of praise for their sweet and understated dance to Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, earning them a score of 24 points out of 30.

Motsi said: ‘You guys were dancing all the time I was going ooh and aah I remember when you did the Waltz and you were so so careful and now you use the floor, I absolutely adore you, you are taking big steps keep it up!’

Craig described the romantic dance as ‘absolutely gorgeous,’ while Shirley stood from her seat to give them a standing ovation.

Maisie Smith and Gorka Marquez set the bar high early on with a stunning Frozen-inspired routine to the Disney track Into The Unknown.

The actress channelled her inner princess with the beautiful routine as she and Gorka danced the American Smooth in the beautiful winter setting.

Despite earning a thunderous reception from their co-stars the judges reminded the EastEnders star to focus on her footwork, earning a score of 24 points out of 30.

Motsi said: ‘You were softer more subtle in the way you moved, I feel like we saw two different dances but they went so well together. You took a step up yourself and I loved it.’

Shirley Ballas added: ‘You are definitely a very capable young lady, week in week out, you showed us your talents but it looks like you pick up choreography very easily, but you have to work on your feet, we can see here. If you pick things up easy spend that little bit of extra time on your footwork and it will take you where you need to go.’

Kicking off the show were Nicola Adams and Katya Jones, who impressed the judges with an energetic jive to Grease Lightnin’ from Grease.

Following the energetic routine judge Motsi said: ‘I enjoyed that. I thought it had just started and then it was over and that’s a good sign. I thought it got a bit right and you were a bit nervous but you passed through that.’

Shirley added: ‘I am a huge fan of this partnership, you had full content everything I expect to see in the jive, but that difficult transition that’s a move I dance to myself and I know how difficult it is. You executed it extremely well.’

Nicola and Katya continued their run of strong form with a solid score of 19 points out of 40.

 

Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer were determined to bounce back after being in the dance-off last week, and the pair certainly made an impact with chaotic Charleston to Zero to Hero from the Disney animation Hercules.

As host Tess struggled to contain her laughter after Jamie nearly dropped Karen (twice), the judges praised the Made In Chelsea for returning strong after the knock-back last week, earning him 23 points out of 30.

Motsi said: ‘What a comeback that was really funny in a good way it was entertaining you’ve got the character on point I mean you were light on your feet and then in the middle it just went over!’ 

Caroline Quentin and Johannes Radebe paid tribute to the struggling theatre industry with their Couples Choice to Everything’s Coming Up from Gypsy. 

Despite impressing with her acting chops at the start, Craig insisted the actress needed to put ‘more vigour’ in the dancing, earning them a score of 21 points out of 40.

He said: ‘I think you set the character up really really well but that didn’t translate into the dance I want to see you dance with more vigour and for it felt like it needed to have a bit more desperation in the number, and I’d like to see you cover the floor more with all the steps.’

Jason Bell got to relive a childhood dream as he took to the floor with Luba Mushtuk to dance the Paso Doble to the Star Wars Theme.  

Despite struggling to hide his grin during the routine, his dance earned a mixed reception leaving him with just 12 points out of 30, and placing him at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Craig said: ‘I feel you were dancing by numbers I know that sounds harsh but I just felt you were going from position to position, you are picking you feet up way too much as well. There is a lot to learn, though I do love you darling, but I did have to be honest there I’m afraid.’

HRVY and Janette Manrara took to the floor with a fun Cha Cha Cha, dressed up as gnomes as they took inspiration from the animation Gnomeo and Juliet.

Sadly despite two weeks of solid scores, the judges were less impressed as they noted the dance lacked some of the basic moves, leaving them with a score of 21 points out of 30.

Clara Amfo got to fulfil her own teenage dream as she and Aljaž Škorjanec danced a hot and spicy Tango to Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge, which earned praise for both its sexy edge and the combination of ballroom and disco.

Giving them a score of 20 points out of 30, Craig said: ‘I think you’ve improved but it still needs a little bit of attention my main concern was mixing disco with tango. I decided to think at the end of the dance yeah I really like it.’

Motsi added: ‘I do see really an improvement and that’s the first step so what I see. Your energy was keeping it so much you just exploded so the thing is you have energy you have power. 

‘If you can imagine having to shoot and really meeting that middle part. If you can control that you are a power package and I love it just keep going.’

Max George and Dianne Buswell left viewers’ jaws on the floor by performing a Couples Choice to The Simpsons Theme from the movie based on the iconic animated series.

Despite seeming impossible the dance won over the judges with its difficult choreography, as Craig said: ‘Risky, difficult, it was sort of a street Charleston bizarrely, and I think people are gonna love or hate it and I loved it.’  

And after impressing with an energetic Quickstep last week, Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse closed the show with a Paso Doble that the judges weren’t going to forget, as they went from the Spanish beaches to the American West for a dance to The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. 

As expected it earned a slew of praise from the panel, with Shirley gushing: ‘It had everything, it had that focus, those slow moments, it was strong it surged forward, it stayed connected, it had the drama of that beautiful guitar. You are extraordinarily fantastic.’

Strictly also kicked off Movie Week with a stunning tribute to James Bond with the professional dancers performing to a medley of the film series’ best theme songs, including No Time To Die, which had been due for release this month but has been delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Spanish dancer Gorka impersonated Daniel Craig in Casino Royale by going shirtless and sporting just a pair of shorts in a pre-recorded clip, before joining the dancers in the studio. 

The media personality joined Italian choreographer Giovanni, also 30, who looked sharp in a white tuxedo jacket and black trousers.

The duo raised the roof as they showcased their fancy footwork to Bond theme songs Live and Let Die and Writings on the Wall.

Rounding off the set was South African bombshell Oti who nailed business chic in a blazer and gave a nod to the rumoured introduction of the first female 007, Nomi.

Host Tess also paid a moving tribute to original Bond actor Sean Connery, who passed away last week following a lengthy illness, saying: ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.’

Earlier this week BBC bosses confirmed plans for a live audience at their shows in November would be axed as England was plunged into lockdown.

The new rules, which come into effect on Thursday until Wednesday 2 December, ordered the nation to stay at home except for ‘specific purposes’. 

All home visits – including in gardens – are now banned unless you are part of a support bubble.  

So far, the contestants’ friends and family, as well as select chosen NHS workers, had been able to sit in the audience while wearing visors or face masks.   

Issuing a statement to their official website on Tuesday night, the BBC said they were ‘sad’ over the development which saw Movie Week go ahead without an audience.

It read: ‘In light of the new lockdown measures which take effect in England from Thursday 5 November, we’re sad to announce that we won’t be able to have a live studio audience for Strictly Come Dancing during November. 

‘Ticket holders have been notified. No tickets will be sent out for December shows until we are sure it will be safe and compliant to welcome audiences back, so please keep checking back for updates. We will continue to follow government guidelines.’

They added: ‘We understand how disappointing this will be, but we very much hope we will see some of you later in the series – and in the meantime you can continue to watch all the action from the comfort and safety of your sofa, live on Saturday nights, with extra backstage gossip every weekday evening on Strictly – It Takes Two.’ 

Strictly Come Dancing: The Results airs on Sunday at 7:25pm on BBC One