Strictly Come Dancing tonight served up its most unpredictable Halloween spectacular yet, as Lewis Cope and Katya Jones made history with the series’ first perfect score of 40, while last week’s bottom-dweller La Voix stunned judges with a near-flawless Paso Doble. The evening proved that in this competition, ghosts aren’t the only things that can rise from the dead.
Lewis Cope’s Radiohead Revelation
Lewis Cope has been inching toward perfection since week three, and Strictly Come Dancing tonight finally witnessed him seize it. Partnered with the visionary Katya Jones, their Couple’s Choice to Radiohead’s “Creep”—a haunting, emotionally raw contemporary routine—earned the first 40 of Series 23, and it was thoroughly deserved.
From the opening bars, Cope transformed. Gone was the eager actor trying to impress; in his place stood a vulnerable performer laying bare genuine emotion. The routine opened with Cope isolated in a single spotlight, his movements sharp and angular, embodying the song’s themes of alienation and self-loathing. Katya’s choreography was genius—she gave him space to breathe, to feel, to connect with every lyric.
What elevated this performance beyond mere technique was Cope’s surrender to the emotion. His lines were impeccable, yes—every extension clean, every transition seamless. But it was the way his face crumpled during the chorus, the way his body seemed to collapse inward during the bridge, that had Shirley Ballas visibly emotional in her seat. “I’ve watched this show for over two decades,” she said, her voice breaking slightly, “and that is one of the finest pieces of contemporary dance I’ve ever witnessed on this floor. Perfection.”
Craig Revel Horwood, notoriously stingy with his 10 paddle, didn’t hesitate. “Flawless. Absolutely flawless. Your musicality, your storytelling, your technique—I have nothing to critique.” Motsi leapt to her feet, shouting “BRAVO!” while Anton simply smiled and said, “You’ve arrived, my boy. You’ve truly arrived.”
The standing ovation from the studio audience lasted nearly a minute. At 40 points, Cope now sits alone atop the leaderboard with a performance that will be discussed for years.
La Voix’s Resurrection: From Bottom to Brilliant
If Cope’s 40 was the headline of Strictly Come Dancing tonight, La Voix’s 35 was the shock that made jaws drop. Just seven days ago, the drag performer languished at the bottom with 28 points, criticized for lacking technical precision. But Strictly Come Dancing tonight witnessed her redemption arc in spectacular fashion.
Partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec, she delivered a Paso Doble to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 that silenced every doubter. The power, the intensity, the sheer drama—it was everything a Paso should be. La Voix attacked each step with ferocity, her cape work razor-sharp, her shaping dramatic without crossing into pantomime. The routine built to a crescendo that matched Beethoven’s iconic “da-da-da-DUM” motif perfectly, with La Voix holding a final pose that had the audience roaring.
Craig scored it an eight, but his three fellow judges awarded nines across the board, giving La Voix her highest score of the competition and placing her second on the leaderboard. “What a comeback!” Shirley exclaimed. “You showed us aggression, power, and most importantly, control. That was magnificent.”
Motsi was equally effusive: “You transformed tonight. That wasn’t just a dance—it was a statement. You belong here.”
Solid But Not Spectacular
Strictly Come Dancing tonight also featured several mid-table performances that showed promise but fell short of perfection. Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington delivered a technically sound American Smooth to Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” earning a respectable 31 points. The Gothic vampire theme suited them perfectly, with Vicky floating across the floor in a dramatic black gown. However, Craig noted that her frame occasionally collapsed in the slower sections, preventing them from reaching the upper echelons. “Lovely performance, darling, but mind your posture in hold,” he advised.
George Clarke and Alexis Warr bounced back from last week’s disaster with a cheeky Cha-Cha-Cha to Charli XCX’s “Apple,” scoring 29 points. While the YouTuber’s footwork still lacked precision—Anton pointed out several flat-footed moments—his commitment to the zombie-themed routine won over the audience. “Much improved,” Shirley said diplomatically, “but there’s still work to do on those Cuban breaks.”
Technical Struggles in Spooky Packages
Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola tackled a magician-themed Tango to Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” but despite the elaborate staging—complete with disappearing rabbit—the dance itself earned only 27 points. Craig was brutally honest: “The magic tricks were fabulous, but your head positioning was all wrong, and you lost your frame multiple times. A Tango must have tension and precision.”
The score was particularly disappointing given Ellie’s strong showing in previous weeks. Vito looked frustrated during the judges’ comments, clearly aware they’d sacrificed technique for spectacle.
Who’s Heading for the Dance-Off?
With results due Sunday evening, the bottom of the leaderboard from Strictly Come Dancing tonight looks precarious. Ellie and Vito’s 27 puts them in immediate jeopardy, while George and Alexis’s 29 won’t necessarily guarantee safety—especially after two consecutive weeks in the danger zone.
Karen Carney and Carlos Gu’s Peaky Blinders-inspired Argentine Tango, Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe’s Salsa to “Horny,” and Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin’s Viennese Waltz all await final scoring, but based on the judges’ in-the-moment reactions, none appeared to match La Voix or Lewis’s heights.
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer’s American Smooth to “Mystical Magical” by Benson Boone showed improvement, but Anton noted that Harry’s lifts, while athletic, lacked the smoothness required for true ballroom elegance. Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon’s Gothic Rumba to “Stay” by Shakespears Sister earned praise for emotion but criticism for technical errors—Shirley pointed out timing issues throughout.
Tonight’s Leaderboard
Based on the performances from Strictly Come Dancing tonight, here’s how the couples stack up:
- 1st: Lewis Cope & Katya Jones – 40 (Couple’s Choice – “Creep”)
- 2nd: La Voix & Aljaž Škorjanec – 35 (Paso Doble – Symphony No. 5)
- 3rd: Vicky Pattison & Kai Widdrington – 31 (American Smooth – “Total Eclipse of the Heart”)
- 4th: George Clarke & Alexis Warr – 29 (Cha-Cha-Cha – “Apple”)
- 5th: Ellie Goldstein & Vito Coppola – 27 (Tango – “Abracadabra”)
Remaining couples’ final scores to be confirmed, but all appeared to land between 28-33 based on judges’ reactions.
The Verdict: A Night of Extremes
Strictly Come Dancing tonight will be remembered for stark contrasts: Lewis Cope’s transcendent perfection versus technical struggles from couples who’ve previously excelled. It showcased that Strictly demands consistency, not just occasional brilliance.
La Voix’s dramatic resurgence proves this competition rewards those who listen to critique and work tirelessly to improve. Her leap from 28 to 35 points in one week is extraordinary. Meanwhile, Ellie and Vito’s drop suggests that gimmicks cannot substitute for fundamentals—a lesson they’ll need to absorb quickly if they hope to survive Sunday’s results show.
As for Lewis Cope, his perfect 40 cements him as the frontrunner for the Glitterball trophy. With Halloween behind us and Blackpool looming on the horizon, the question is no longer whether he can win, but whether anyone can catch him.
Prediction for the Dance-Off: Ellie and Vito will almost certainly face the public vote, with George and Alexis likely joining them unless viewer support proves stronger than their leaderboard position suggests. After two consecutive weeks near the bottom, George may finally run out of second chances.
Sunday’s results show airs at 7:15 PM on BBC One, featuring a performance by Cat Burns. One couple will leave, ten will remain, and the race to Blackpool enters its most crucial phase. The performances from Strictly Come Dancing tonight proved that nothing is guaranteed—except that Lewis Cope and Katya Jones are dancing on an entirely different level.
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