Source: BBC
In what is becoming a traditional Christmas Day feature, Bruce and Tess returned to our screens to add tinsel and trimmings to Strictly, pitting the top four couples from this series against the winners of the previous two.
First up were 2006 winners Mark and Karen who performed a Jive to I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day. ‘Mark, seeing you reminds me of Christmas round my Nan’s. She was round the piano, all the friends came round for a bit of a knees-up and honestly it was like you’ve never been away – absolutely fabulous,’ said Len.
‘Well you’ve got to turn on the central heating cos Mark is definitely on!’ said Bruno. It definitely got Arlene hot under the collar – ‘Rip-roaring Ramps you are hotter than chestnuts roasting on open fire,’ she said.
Craig: 9, Arlene: 9, Len: 10, Bruno: 10 = 38
Next to grace the floor were Alesha and Matt, dancing a Cha Cha Cha to Celebration. ‘What a cracker!’ said Bruno, but added þyou could have been sharper tonight.’ Craig loved it – ‘You never disappoint… it’s always fantastic and you made the Cha Cha Cha extremely sexy’. ‘Watching you dance is like watching a solid, silver sixpence in the pudding it’s delicious, delightful and exciting,’ said Arlene.
Craig: 9, Arlene: 9, Len: 9, Bruno: 9 = 36
Gethin and Camilla danced a Waltz to Amazing Grace. ‘The heavenly angel, in the shape of Camilla, has come down and given the gift of dance to Gethin for Christmas, it was beautiful,’ said Arlene. ‘Well, we all know what Arlene would like in her stocking for Christmas, Gethin. All I’m going to say is amazing grace,’ said Len. ‘You were prince charming, dancing your way into the heart of the nation,’ added Bruno.
Craig: 10, Arlene: 10, Len: 10, Bruno: 10 = 40
Letitia and Darren were next, dancing a festive Foxtrot to Silver Bells. Craig loved it – ‘I have to say the Foxtrot really suits you, it really is your dance.’ ‘Letitia, you really are fairy Foxtrot with fabulous footwork,’ agreed Arlene. ‘For me you look a bit like a Christmas tree with a lovely pair of baubles,’ said a cheeky Len.
Craig: 9, Arlene: 9, Len: 9, Bruno: 9 = 36
Matt and Flavia danced a Rumba to Wham’s Last Christmas. ‘Talk about harmony, you were like two swans in love, perfectly intertwined… your best dance to date,’ said Bruno. ‘I have to agree,’ said Craig, ‘full of passion, desire… and notice the hip action; very, very good’. Matt put this down to stroking Mark’s hips before the show! ‘You’ve given your heart to the show,’ said Len.
Craig: 9, Arlene: 10, Len: 10, Bruno: 10 = 39
Our final couple, Darren and Lilia, winners two years ago, danced the American Smooth to Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. ‘I think they invented the word twinkle-toes for you,’ said Bruno, ‘because, I’m telling you, you’re so light on your feet… you’ve got more sparkle than Trafalgar Square!’ ‘I had truly forgotten how amazing you really are,’ said Craig. Arlene loved it too – ‘The joy of Christmas, the joy of Strictly and the joy of Darren dancing’.
Craig: 10, Arlene: 10, Len: 10, Bruno: 10 = 40
Gethin and Camilla, Darren and Lilia came joint first with the judges, but the audience had fifty per cent of the vote. After the vote was closed, the scores were added together to give a winner. After what seemed an age, Tess and Bruce announced that Darren and Lilia were once more victorious. ‘I just can’t believe it, you dance with people, against them and they’re all magnificent, but to win it is unbelievable,’ said Darren. ‘He hasn’t danced for two years!’ pointed out Lilia.