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? That's what 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.
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!
Vicky and Kai got the party going with their Girls Aloud-inspired Jive while Alex and Johannes stunned the audience with their beautiful Waltz to a Barry Manilow classic. Lewis and Katya brought the power with a disco-themed Tango while Balvinder and Julian took us back in time with their delightful American Smooth. George and Alexis offered up an emotional Rumba while Balvinder and Julian delivered a beautiful American Smooth. It was Amber and Nikita, however, who delivered the biggest performance of the night, topping the Leaderboard with their powerhouse Paso Doble.
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 a 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 strong 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.
This is going to be one of the most interesting Dance-Offs of the series, and it's a hard one to call. Who will it be? Stay tuned!