BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing 2025 has surpassed its halfway point. Eight couples remain and the glitterball trophy is up for grabs. With the show's annual Blackpool Tower Ballroom trip just around the corner, who will make it to the milestone and which dancing couple will just miss out? Those are questions that Week 8 is here to answer.
After last week's episode ditched the Halloween disguises and get-ups for some thrilling routines that showed us all some incredibly high standards of dancing, it's clear that this year's series is one of the strongest we've ever seen. When all was said and done, Harry and Karen were eliminated from the competition after a tight Dance-Off with La Voix and Aljaž. Even though both couples were at the bottom of the Leaderboard, it was the first time this series that the bottom two actually ended up in the Dance-Off. And that goes to show you how much weight the public vote has been carrying this season.
While fans are still upset that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are leaving after this series, it has been very easy to enjoy the series itself due to the non-stop high-standard of dancing. And with that in mind, let's dive into the recap of Week 8 and find out who excelled.
Balvinder and Julian
Dance: American Smooth
Song: "My Guy" by Mary Wells
Judges' Score: 27 / 40
Judges' Comments: The judges were a little harsh on Balvinder in terms of marking considering that they were mostly positive in the feedback. All of them praised her for her delightful performance but Craig said she needed to give a little more in the dance itself. Motsi felt that they lost a little energy in hold. Shirley praised Balvinder for taking on all of the feedback about footwork, arms, and frame and building upon that for a great performance.
Amber and Nikita
Dance: Paso Doble
Song: "Dream On" by Aerosmith
Judges' Score: 38 / 40
Judges' Comments: The judges were full of praise for Amber and Nikita and deservedly so. Anton was thrilled by the performance, unable to fully say words because he enjoyed it so much, while Motsi felt exactly the same - praising the dramatic performance of it all, too. Craig and Shirley did say they would have liked to see a slightly more arched back in some of the shaping but were also full of praise for it. Honestly, this was the dance of the night and it really should have closed the show - especially given the larger-than-life production values.
Alex and Johannes
Dance: Waltz
Song: "Weekend In New England" by Barry Manilow
Judges' Score: 35 / 40
Judges' Comments: A real comeback for Alex after last week's uncertain performance, she received nothing but praise from the judges. It was a stunning routine, with all four judges complimenting her exquisite footwork - Shirley and Craig were particularly full of praise for it. Some of the judges told her to be careful of her head position in the pivots, but otherwise a truly wonderful dance. And honestly. having watched it back, it deserved 36 for the footwork alone.
Vicky and Kai
Dance: Jive
Song: "Sound of the Underground" by Girls Aloud
Judges' Score: 27 / 40
Judges' Comments: Vicky wasn't as confident as she was in her Leaderboard-topping Tango last week and all four judges noticed that. Craig said that the standing leg needed to do more while also acknowledging that the Jive itself lacked retraction in the kicks and flicks. Shirley and the other judges said that the weight needed to be a bit more forward to get that sharp leg action needed for this dance. Anton praised Vicky's performance skills, saying that she had come on leaps and bounds from where she started.
Karen and Carlos
Dance: American Smooth
Song: " You Don't Own Me" by SAYGRACE
Judges' Score: 31 / 40
Judges' Comments: Although the judges did praise Karen and Carlos' performance, Craig and Anton noted that this particular dance needed a softer edge as Karen was hitting the movements to sharply. Shirley and Motsi agreed, with Shirley also taking the time to praise Karen for the work she had put in to lower her shoulders and improve her posture - comments which made Carlos emotional as it was great to hear Karen's hard work being acknowledged.
George and Alexis
Dance: Rumba
Song: "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane / Lily Allen
Judges' Score: 29 / 40
Judges Comments: George delivered his most emotional performance, dedicating the dance to his mother and that certainly resonated with the judges. Motsi acknowledged the beauty of his performance but did add that the Rumba section needed to be stronger to create a better flow. Shirley acknowledged that but, like Motsi also did, praised George for being vulnerable and sharing his family's story. Anton praised George as a leader, saying that Alexis should feel very safe having him as a dance partner in knowing that he'll never go wrong. Craig acknowledged that it was a beautiful performance but that he couldn't overlook the fact that it was more of a contemporary routine and the flaws in the Rumba technique itself.
Lewis and Katya
Dance: Tango
Song: "12 To 12" by Sombr
Judges' Score: 37 / 40
Judges' Comments: The judges were in awe of Lewis' abilities, raving about how natural he is as a dancer. Motsi was particularly thrilled by the performance, saying that she hasn't seen a Tango like that on the show. Craig joked that Lewis' right thumb was sticking up for the first half of the routine (and we all know how much Craig hates that!), while Shirley and Anton said he needs to work on the position of his left arm as it's a little too forward. All in all, they considered it one of the best performances of the night.
La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec
Dance: Couples Choice
Song: "Don't Rain On My Parade" by Barbra Streisand (from Funny Girl)
Judges' Score: 33 / 40
Judges' Comments: The judges were very receptive to La Voix's show-closing Couples Choice. It was a theatre-esque performance that was right up her street and she and Aljaž gave it their all. Motsi, Shirley, and Anton all thought she was exactly the joy that the world needs. Craig, however, thought the footwork wasn't good and that it was a little reserved.
Strictly spoilers and results: Week 8 Leaderboard
There is no doubt about it that Blackpool was at the front and center of everyone's minds on this week's Strictly. The dancing was once again out-of-this-world and the competition was full of powerful moments as each contestant did their very best to deliver some stunning routines - and there were some stunners indeed!
Yes, there were plenty of real moments in tonight's episode, and that has left things in a very interesting place on the Leaderboard. Speaking of which, here are all of the scores that each of the Week 8 dances were given by the judges, and the Leaderboard that remained at the end of the episode.
- Amber and Nikita danced the Paso Doble - 9, 10, 9, 10 = 38
- Lewis and Katya danced the Tango - 9, 10, 9, 9 = 37
- Alex and Johannes danced the Waltz - 8, 9, 9, 9 = 35
- La Voix and Aljaž danced the Couples Choice - 7, 8, 9, 9 = 33
- Karen and Carlos danced the American Smooth - 7, 8, 8, 8 = 31
- George and Alexis danced the Rumba - 6, 7, 8, 8 = 29
- Balvinder and Julian danced the American Smooth - 6, 7, 7, 7 = 27
- Vicky and Kai danced the Jive - 6, 7, 7, 7 =27
Who is in danger on Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Week 8?
If there is one thing that has been abundantly clear this series, it's how the Leaderboard can impact the effect of the public vote. The more ties that there are on a Leaderboard, the more weight that a public vote can carry. And we saw that in full high definition during Week 5 when the insane amount of ties put Amber and Nikita in the Dance-Off from second on the Leaderboard.
So, where does that leave us tonight? Both Vicky and Kai and George and Alexis are unfortunately at the bottom of the Leaderboard, which does theoretically put them in the most danger. And yet, their public vote has shown up for them time and time again, which will likely carry them to safety. The fact that there is a tie on the Leaderboard also gives them an advantage (as they now have more points than they would have had on a Leaderboard with no ties). The same can be said for Balvinder and Julian, who are joint-bottom with Vicky and Kai. Although Balvinder has ended up in the Dance-Off before, she has built up a solid base of public support over the weeks, delivering a strong performance last week with her incredible Couples Choice. So perhaps the public could come through for her.
On the other end of the Leaderboard, Amber and Nikita and Lewis and Katya are in the top two spaces, but with a tie at this stage in the competition, their support could be tested. It's not impossible for them to land the Dance-Off, however unlikely it may seem.
Taking that into account, we're going to predict a Dance-Off featuring two of Vicky and Kai, Balvinder and Julian, and La Voix and Aljaž .
Who went home on Strictly Week 8?
In what was undoubtedly the most tense Results Show of the whole series, the contestants gathered together again for Tess and Claudia to reveal the results. Tess was able to reveal that La Voix and
Aljaž, Alex and Johannes, Amber and Nikita, and Lewis and Katya were all instantly safe and through to Blackpool.
That left a final four of Karen and Carlos, Balvinder and Julian, George and Alexis, and Vicky and Kai. And with that, Tess revealed that the bottom two were unfortunately Balvinder and Julian and Vicky and Kai, which made things much harder to call as both couples scored exactly the same (27) on Saturday night.
Dance-Off: Balvinder and Julian vs. Vicky and Kai
Balvinder and Julian reprised their beautiful American Smooth which opened the show on Saturday and the improvement out of the gate was clear. Not only was the dance itself beautiful once again, you could see that Balvinder was full of energy in every move, with more power behind every motion and step. The Foxtrot element was as clean and tight as it was on Saturday but Balvinder's frame was stronger, making for a much more seamless performance.
Vicky and Kai reprised their Jive and it packed the same punch that it did on Saturday night. However, early on you could see that the nerves were getting to Vicky and it resulted in some synchronicity issues. Vicky kept going, however, and the second half of the dance was a greater improvement over their first performance on Saturday.
Motsi said that musicality and rhythm is always what decides Dance-Offs for her and chose to save Balvinder and Julian for nailing that. Shirley said that one couple was determined to succeed and ended up excelling, whereas the pressure got to the other one; therefore opting to save Balvinder for a stronger performance. And Anton said that it was a great Dance-Off but he felt that one couple upped their game while the other suffered with synchroniticyt issues, choosing to save Balvinder and Julian - ultimatelu sending Vicky and Kai home. Craig had the casting vote but he didn't need to use it as the other three judges agreed; he did, however, say that he would voted the same way as he saw a marked improvement in Balvinder and Julian.
Eliminated: Vicky and Kai
To call Vicky and Kai's elimination a shock would be an understatement. They were at the top of the Leaderboard last week with their 39-scoring Tango and all the judges have repeatedly called Vicky a potential finalist. It's such a shame that it won't happen now as she was making so much progress, and her excellent Tango was proof of that. Unfortunately, she had a very difficult dance to master at a very difficult stage of the competition.
Vicky and Kai have been an absolute powerhouse of a duo throughout the competition and we'll miss their energetic, vibrant routines. There is no denying that Vicky did herself proud, overcoming nerves and delivering some absolutely sensational performances. And that's a heck of an impact to make. For sure, they will both go down in Strictly history for their memorable partnership and their excellent dancing!
Relive their epic Tango here:
Strictly Come Dancing goes to Blackpool next Saturday, November 22, and you can tune into it on BBC at 6:35 pm GMT.