Live blog: Halloween week for Rose Ayling-Ellis on Strictly Come Dancing!

Posted on October 30, 2021 by



Tonight, deaf actor Rose Ayling-Ellis, and her fellow dancers face their fifth public vote!

Charlie Swinbourne will be live blogging every dance and taking care of the Twitter feed, while Mark Smith, dance choreographer and the person behind Deaf Men Dancing is this week’s guest dance judge!  

Refresh this blog for regular updates, or follow our Twitter account!

Most recent updates posted first – scroll down to go back to the beginning!

20.51 – The scores are in and at the top of the leaderboard tonight are Rose and Giovani! Jumping up from second last week.

It really has been a spectacular night for Rose, getting a record score so early in the competition!

Now all the phone numbers for voting come up. Deaf viewers can vote online (hearing ones can too!) at this link!

A massive thanks to our guest judge tonight, the brilliant Mark Smith! Follow him on Twitter here.

Hope you have a great Saturday evening and see you again this time next week!

Ooh before I go, NDCS have released a statement about Rose:

Rosie Eggleston, Participation Manager at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said:

“Congratulations to Rose and Giovanni for topping the leader board with a perfect score on Strictly Come Dancing this week. Rose’s story has really captured the public’s imagination, as the huge upswing in interest in British Sign Language shows.

“Rose’s success should help dispel some of the common misconceptions about deaf people and music. Her performances show that deaf people appreciate and enjoy music every bit as much as hearing people.

“We also applaud the Strictly team for their efforts to make the experience accessible for Rose. They’ve enabled her to compete on an equal footing with the other contestants and this means she can excel in the competition. We’re all rooting for Rose and Giovanni and hope they go all the way to lift the Glitterball Trophy.”

Deaf young person, Holly, 18, a member of the National Deaf Children’s Society’s Young People’s Advisory Board, added:

“It’s great to see inclusivity in TV shows and it may inspire a budding Deaf dancer to pursue becoming a professional dancer.”

20.47 – McFly band member, author and actor Tom Fletcher dances with Amy Dowden.

They’re dancing the Tango to Highway to Hell by AC/DC. Will we be seeing clean-cut Tom’s devilish side this week?

Charlie says: We definitely saw Tom’s other side tonight, he really went for that! Loads of energy on stage. Not sure it was huge on the actual dancing side of things though.

What the judges say: Anton says this wasn’t Tom’s best week, it was too loose. Craig says he loved the traditional content to this tango. Motsi thinks they took a risk but gave it the energy it needed. She thinks Tom has changed. Shirley says it was a bit loose but some really nice footwork.

Mark Smith’s verdict:  Tom & Amy: Love the rock vibe in Tango! Fabulous costumes and make-up. Great headbanging song! I’ve been playing air guitar while watching the dance! I love the fire & passion in the performance. Good footwork & technique. Great travel-work on the dance floor. Rock n’ Roll! Score: 8

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 7
Motsi Mabuse 8
Shirley Ballas 7
Anton Du Beke 7

Total: 29  

(wk5: 34 | wk 4: 29 | wk 3: 32 | wk 2: N/A | wk 1: 21)

Watch it:

20.39 – Stand-up comedian and Loose Women presenter Judi Love dances with Graziano Di Prima, after having Covid last week.

They’re dancing the Cha Cha Cha to Physical by Olivia Newton-John, best known for her role as Sandy in Grease. Will this duo be giving us chills that multiply tonight?

Charlie says: That wasn’t up to the level of the other dances tonight, in my opinion. But coming back from covid to dance, that’s not easy at all. Credit to Judi.

What the judges say: Shirley says she did well considering she’s been poorly. Anton thought it was rather good. Craig says flat footed and ‘stompy.’ I must say I object to the use of ‘stompy’ there. Shirley is more positive and says welcome back.

Mark Smith’s verdict: Judi & Graziano: So happy to see Judi back! Clever to incorporate gym & physical exercises into cha cha cha. Love the 80s vibe! Costume is loud & bright! Fun to watch. Made me smile! Uplifting performance. Let’s get physical! Score: 7

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 4
Motsi Mabuse 7
Shirley Ballas 7
Anton Du Beke 7

Total: 25  

(wk5:  | wk 4: 24 | 3: 24 | wk 2: 25 | wk 1: 24)

Watch it:

20.30 – Swimmer and five-time Olympic medallist Adam Peaty dances with Katya Jones.

They’re dancing the Viennese Waltz to Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven. Always good to see deaf composers recognised, I say.

Charlie says: Very dramatic, and I reckon Adam’s really improved through this series. Less stiff and better footwork.

What the judges say: Motsi liked the set up and says it was intense but they let a bit go at the end. She says Adam has potential. Shirley says Adam needs to adjust his derriere! Anton says Adam’s really improved his hold on his left arm. Craig’s the party pooper – says it looked laboured but he enjoys watching him dance.

Mark Smith’s verdict: Adam & Katya: Wonderful Viennese Waltz. Powerful. Dramatic. Brilliant music by composer Beethoven who was Deaf. Lot of turning! Strong storyline. Emotional performance. Score: 8

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 6
Motsi Mabuse 8
Shirley Ballas 8
Anton Du Beke 7

Total: 29

(wk5: 29 | wk 4: 32 | wk 3: 20 | wk 2: 19 | wk 1: 30)

Watch it:

20.21 – Daughter of Gordon Ramsey, TV presenter, chef, and social media influencer Tilly Ramsey dances with pro Nikita Kuzmin.

They dance the Cha Cha Cha to Spooky Movies by Gary Paxton. Will Tilly prove to be a Prodigy tonight or will she make us Scream?

Charlie says: I’m really impressed with Tilly, great footwork and this one was a really fun performance from them both.

What the judges say: Craig loved the character work and choreography. And with all the responses to Rose’s dance, I’ve just missed all the other judges comments on Tilly – sorry!

Mark Smith’s verdict: Tilly & Nikita: Love the cha cha cha. Uplifting. Fun! Love the characters. Great costumes, wigs & make-up. Great footwork. Good technicque. Good control & timing. Love the pace & attacks in the performance. Score: 8

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 8
Motsi Mabuse 9
Shirley Ballas 9
Anton Du Beke 9

Total: 35

(wk5: 36 | wk 4: 32 | wk 3: 27 | wk 2: 34 | wk 1: 21)

Watch it:

20.14 – IT’S TIME FOR ROSE! (can you tell who we are supporting?)

Deaf actor Rose Ayling-Ellis dances with Giovani Perni. She’s dressed as the ice queen.

They’ll be dancing the Tango to Shivers by Ed Sheeran.

These two got their highest score so far last week for their emotional rendition of a deaf couple having a dramatic argument.

Will this week give us, er, shivers or will it simply leave us cold?

Charlie says: A lot of intensity there! I’m noticing that they’re often in contact through their dances now – and Rose isn’t counting her way through the performances any more – so it looks like Giovani is keeping time. What sets Rose apart is that she’s acting as she dances, it feels like she’s really in the moment!

What the judges say: Anton says ‘perfect!’ Craig says she smashed it. Motsi says it was epic from the beginning and references Rose’s acting skills. Shirley says Rose tells a narrative.

Rose gets a special video from Ed Sheeran! Subtitled!!

Mark Smith’s verdict: Rose & Giovanni: AMAZING! WOW! I love Rose’s role as an Ice Queen. Love the drama in the performance. Strong storyline! Love the Theatricality & Musicality. Strong performance. Brilliant music. Mesmerising performance. I got goosebumps! So proud of Rose! Score: 10

Judges scores:

IT’S ALL 10s!!!

Craig Revel-Horwood 10
Motsi Mabuse 10
Shirley Ballas 10
Anton Du Beke 10

Total:  40

(wk5: 37 | wk 4: 27 | wk 3: 36 | wk 2: 26 | wk 1: 22)

Watch it:

20.05 – Dragon’s Den star and businesswoman Sara Davies MBE dances with pro Aljaž Škorjanec.

They’re dancing their Couple’s Choice to Queen of the Night by Whitney Houston. Will Sara be crowned queen of tonight’s show or a lowly commoner? Let’s find out…

Charlie says: Sara’s been great in this competition but this one looked stilted to me, and lacking in fluency. Whenever the pro ends up a long way from the celeb I always think something’s gone a bit wrong there.

What the judges say: Shirley says something wasn’t quite right – the fierce expression didn’t match the movement. Anton says it wasn’t her best but parts of it were good. Craig says it wasn’t musical and it was a bit snatch and grab. Aljaz tries to take responsibility. Motsi is more positive.

Mark Smith’s verdict: Sara & Aljaz: Fabulous song. I love Sara’s passion & control in her performance. Fierce! Strong! Powerful! It was joy to watch the dance! Creative performance. Score: 7

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 4
Motsi Mabuse 7
Shirley Ballas 6
Anton Du Beke 6

Total: 23

(wk5: 25 | wk 4: 36 | wk 3: 28 | wk 2: 34 | wk 1: 17)

Watch it:

19.55 – CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson dances with Nancy Xu.

They’re dancing the Paso Doble to The Eve of the War by Jeff Wayne. Will Rhys prove to be ready for battle or not?

Charlie says: Rhys is a real star. That was great. No idea how the audience put him in the bottom two last week.

What the judges say: Motsi says it was excellent and she loved it. Shirley says she could see he was on a mission and tells him well done. Anton says Rhys tried too hard. Craig says there was too much attack, but Rhys is talented.

Mark Smith’s verdict: Rhys & Nancy: Powerful Paso Doble. Wonderful music. Fantastic footwork. Control. Strong. Strength. Dynamic. Great to see theatricality in the performance. The dance is challenging & they’ve performed it brilliantly. Score: 9

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 7
Motsi Mabuse 9
Shirley Ballas 9
Anton Du Beke 8

Total: 33

(wk5: 32 | wk 4: 31 | wk 3: 37 | wk 2: 30 | wk 1: 27)

Watch it:

19.46 – BBC Breakfast and sport presenter Dan Walker dances with Nadiya Bychkova, dressed as lobsters.

They’re dancing the Jive to Rock Lobster by the B-52’s. Let’s hope Dan can get his, er, claws into this one…

Charlie says: I can’t get excited about Dan Walker, however hard I try. Sorry! But that looked like one of his better dances this series.

What the judges say: Craig says it was like watching a horror film, but it was very entertaining. Shirley says she thought he did well and he’s improving slow and steadily, Anton says Dan keeps improving.


Mark Smith’s verdict: Dan & Nadyia: I love the Jive! So much fun to watching their dance! Fabulous costumes. Love the red hair! Full of glitter! Great song! So uplifting! Dan improved so much and he is becoming a fantastic dancer now. Love the lobster hands choreographing 🦞 Score: 7

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 5
Motsi Mabuse 8
Shirley Ballas 7
Anton Du Beke 7

Total:  27

(wk5: 28 | wk 4: 26 | wk 3: 21 | wk 2: 26 | wk 1: 24)

Watch it:

19.38 – TV presenter AJ Odudu dances with Kai Widdrington.

They dance the Viennese Waltz to Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande. Will AJ have Kai teetering on the edge tonight?

Charlie says: Well that looked brilliant! Very medusa-like from AJ!

What the judges say: Anton says with a bit more work, she’d be perfect. Craig says the storytelling was magnificent and he loved the dynamic. Motsi said there was great chemistry between them and it gels so well. Shirley says the footwork was delightful.

Mark Smith’s verdict: Aj & Kai: gorgeous Viennese waltz. Powerful. Dramatic. Amazing energy. Wonderful musicality. Love the drama. Love the slide on the floor. Mesmerising performance. Score: 9

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 9
Motsi Mabuse 10
Shirley Ballas 9
Anton Du Beke 9

Total:  37

(wk5: 35 | wk 4: 28 wk 3: 35 | wk 2: 31 | wk 1: 34)

Watch it:

19.27 – Baker John Whaite dances with pro dancer Johannes Radebe. They’re dressed as werewolves!

They’re dancing the Quickstep to Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

These two have been outstanding so far. What will this week bring?

Charlie says: That was their worst performance so far, for me anyway. But that’s still better than most of the other couples. It just looked a bit ramshackle to me compared to their usual level. I should add that I’m no kind of dance expert…

What the judges say: Shirley says it was fabulous from the beginning, ‘beautiful footwork.’ Anton – dressed as the riddler? – says it was a powerful performance. Craig – as a scary clown – says it could have been cleaner and more precise. Motsi says their ballroom is improving so much.

Mark Smith’s verdict: John & Johannes: Fantastic Quickstep. Amazing energy! Attacks & Dynamic. Love the wigs! Perfect in time with each other. Great unity. Fabulous music. Love the speed of the travel across the dance floor! Brilliant characters! “Howl!” 🐺 Score: 9

Judges scores:

Craig Revel-Horwood 8
Motsi Mabuse 8
Shirley Ballas 9
Anton Du Beke 8

Total: 33

(wk5: 38 | wk 4: 29 | wk 3: 39 | wk 2: 31 | wk 1: 30)

Watch it:

19.18 – the judges have come out in Halloween costumes. Can anyone tell the difference? (just kidding but they do have something of the other side about them in my earnest opinion) 😉

19.11 – As the couples come out, a reminder that we’re five couples down this week, after Ugo was voted out last Sunday.

Two weeks ago, Greg got voted out, after a bad case of dad-dancing, following Katie and Nina in leaving the competition. Robert also withdrew due to health issues.

But Judi is back after missing last week with Covid, which means we’ve got ten couples to look forward to.

18.52 – Welcome to this week’s live blog!

Tonight, deaf actor Rose Alying-Ellis returning to the the dance floor, hoping to maintain her progress after getting a whopping 37 last week.

Earlier today, our writer Liam O’Dell reported on Rose’s comments encouraging people who want to learn BSL to learn from deaf tutors. Read it here!

Our Deaf Guest Dance Judge this week is Deaf Men Dancing’s Mark Smith! (left) He will be be giving his own score for each of the acts, as they happen!

What will this week bring? We’ll have all the updates here, written by our Editor Charlie Swinbourne.

We’ll also be posting videos of each dance shortly after they’ve left the dance floor, via the Strictly twitter account.

If you’ve missed our previous blogs, you can check out last week’s live blog here, week 4 here, week 3 here, week 2 here, week 1 here and the introductory week here.

Enjoying our eggs? Support The Limping Chicken:

The Limping Chicken is the world's most popular Deaf blog, and is edited by Deaf  journalist,  screenwriter and director Charlie Swinbourne.

Our posts represent the opinions of blog authors, they do not represent the site's views or those of the site's editor. Posting a blog does not imply agreement with a blog's content. Read our disclaimer here and read our privacy policy here.

Find out how to write for us by clicking here, and how to follow us by clicking here.

The site exists thanks to our supporters. Check them out below:

Posted in: live blog