With a place in the semi-final up for grabs the stakes were high on tonight’s Strictly – and tempers, and concentration, started to fray.
Bruno Tonioli confused viewers, and contestant Austin Healey, by holding up a ten card – but actually scoring the rugby player nine.
Then dancer Brendan Cole stormed off live on camera, after disagreeing with the judge’s assessment of partner Lisa Snowdon’s jive.
And with emotions heightened a row broke out on the judge’s bench between Craig Revel Horwood and Len Goodman.
But for those simply interested in the dancing there was plenty to entertain, with Rachel Stevens coming top of the leader board after wowing the judges with her ‘erotic’ tango and cha cha cha.
The show was introduced by thrilled presenter Bruce Forsyth. ‘This is the closest final we’ve ever had on Strictly,’ he said. And he was proved right when three of the four remaining celebrities scored 39 with their first dance.
Head judge Len Goodman agreed: ‘I’m over-excited tonight because I think we’ve got four absolutely fantastic couples.’
First up was England rugby player Austin Healey and his partner Erin Boag, who danced the American Smooth.
After they attempted, and pulled off, two impressive lifts the judges were somewhat complimentary.
‘I thought it was a very safe performance all the way through until those rather dangerous lifts. I was rather bored through the early part,’ admitted Revel Horwood.
And Tonioli added: ‘You arms were better… a little bit more push on the Hollywood glamour, but a good job.’
After the compliments Phillips had some advice.
‘You mustn’t let Erin outdance you,’ she said. ‘You played rugby for England – I want you to come out and dance for England.’ After scoring the lowest of all the celebrities in their first dance, with 34, it appeared Austin had listened to Phillips advice.
He came back reinvigorated and ready to perform for the salsa.
‘Typical sportsman’s attitude, get knocked in your first dance, come back stronger,’ said Goodman.
‘I thought it was very entertaining and all of that, I did find just some of it a little awkward,’ said Revel Horwood. He then insulted Austin’s hip action – leading the rugby player to circle and shake his hips, to Phillip’s delight.
Enlarge Shake that: Austin demonstrates his hip action after it is criticised by the judges
She then tried to silence Revel Horwood. ‘I want to see you in the final, be fearless, you have it all,’ she shouted, as the others interjected.
Austin was then left confused when Bruno held up a ten scorecard, but awarded him just nine points – giving him 36 points for the dance.
As Tess apologised for the ‘technical fault’ Austin laughed at the mistake.
But with a total of 70 points the couple were left at the bottom of the leader’s board, and asked the viewers to vote to keep them in the competition.
Second to perform was Lisa Snowdon and her partner Brendan Cole, who danced the waltz.
In a frilled long turquoise dress model Lisa swept around the dancefloor – delighting all four judges.
Tonioli told the couple: ‘Lisa the ballroom dream continues, exquisitively beautiful… you made it so effective it was stunning.’
And in a shock response Mr Nasty Revel Horwood told her: ‘Bruno’s absolutely right, the genius of that dance was in it’s simplicity. And it was absolutely beautiful, well done.’
Phillips added: ‘It was like every breath that you took matched the dance and the footwork. It was so heartwarming you could melt the snow in Scotland.’
And by awarding the couple 39 points out of 40 points the judges showed their appreciation.
Lisa’s second dance was the jive, for which she wore a short fringed dress, with a daringly plunging neckline.
Before she took to the dance floor the judges were seen discussing if Lisa would be able to carry it off.
‘You did it,’ said Tonioli, after she performed.
Revel Horwood thought that Lisa was possibly not suited to the jive, but had done it to the best of her abilities.
‘What a fantastic attempt,’ agreed Phillips.
They scored the model 33, upsetting Brendan Cole, who stormed offscreen live on air after telling Lisa her jive was ‘much better’ than that.
His place at her side was taken by a laughing Tom Chambers, as Lisa reassured viewers she was still in the competition.
The Holby City heartthrob and his partner Camilla Dallerup followed Lisa out to perform.
Their first dance – a foxtrot – received a huge response from the studio audience, and the judges agreed.
‘That has to be the best I’ve ever seen you dance, it was full of all the stuff that celeb dancers find difficult and you were in complete control,’ said Revel Horwood.
His fellow judges were for once in complete agreement, with Goodman adding: ‘You’re an absolute beauty, you’ve come out and really knocked my socks off with that foxtrot, I thought it was brilliant.’
And with 39 points the couple scored their highest mark of the competition so far.
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They followed this with ‘a red-hot rumba,’ according to Bruce.
Revel Horwood ‘fell in love’ after he watched their performance.
‘In this dance there was lots of shapes, lots of lines, not a lot of content,’ said Phillips. ‘But it is the first time I have found my heart beating faster, because the true dancer that you are came out in that dance.’
Scoring 34 the couple took their total to 73.
The final couple to perform were Rachel Stevens and Vincent Simone, and after coming in the dance off last week they were determined to impress.
Their modern interpretation of the Tango impressed the judges, and with 39 points they scored the highest every Strictly mark for the dance.
‘Rachel this dance needs to be full of emotion and drama. Not only did you have that it is possibly the most erotic tango I have seen,’ said Phillips.
Goodman agreed: ‘What i loved was the light and shade… I wish I had an 11, it was fantastic.’
‘This is one of those rare times when the music, the performance and the dancer become indistinguishable,’ said Tonioli.
Revel Horwood found two slight mistakes, but Goodman countered: ‘So much hot air, that’s why we’ve got global warming – he just does it for effect, you know “I’m the grumpy one”.’
After a brief slanging match Goodman and Revel Horwood settled down to score Rachel 39.
For their second dance Rachel performed the cha cha cha, which this time received praise from all the judges, and took the couple to the top of the leader board with a total of 76.