Key events
Finally, Vicc says: âThere is far too much emotional gubbins and family and so on in the VTs. Iâm having to mute them all, regardless of contestant.â
Dunntalkin says: âOh thatâs interesting from Chris. âWhen you start the show. they ask you for a list of songs you like.â So itâs not the production team we should be slagging off for some of the ridiculously inappropriate songs that are selected for some of the dances?â
Peter Gibbs adds: âIs Anton on that chaise longue trying to channel Jacob Rees-Mogg?â
stolencar says of the Ts&Cs reader: âWALLACE ! Oh that Wallace, the strange little plasticine bald one with the big mouth. Phew.â
MartGray adds: âWallace and Gromit? Only Dave Arch himself could make Claud more excited.â
On Sarah Hadland, ACSD1 says: âVery good from Sarah, accompanied by suitable music. Iâm sure the footwork was perfect but camerawork, lighting and initial smoke doesnât allow constant scrutiny!â
Helenhiwater says: âDo the judges mention all the contestantsâ ages or just Sarahâs?â
SparklingDormouse says: âGood from Sarah and Vito but not amazing. Donât think the trousers helped. Not much in the way of kicks and flicks.â
diamondcat says: âI feel exhausted just watching Sarah! I donât know where she gets her energy from.â
MaineC adds: âJive not Sarahâs dance. Mind you the music is too frantic so not helping.â
On Pete Wicks, SparklingDormouse says: âPete smiling in the middle of a number! Dance suited him, as do tails. Annoyed I canât see his feet enough cos of the length of Jowitaâs dress.â
JoMK73 says: âIn fairness, Iâd say well done Pete. He showed confidence for someone who finds it very difficult, and I was genuinely pleased at the end that he hadnât made terrible mistakes. Good for him.â
emasl2023 adds: âOver the weeks. I have become a Pete fan – despite the fact that I still feel like giving his hair a good wash. I know Shirley has gushed and gone over the top but Pete is what the show is about and what I think it has lost over the years. Remember when Chris Hollins won it despite being a pretty ordinary dancer? It was his commitment and enjoyment that got him through.â
On Chris McCausland, LekisP says: âI love Chris and Dianne but that wasnât a great Charleston, too much faffing about, and not enough content.â
VelvetinaB says: âLoved the joke and the happy-go-lucky nature of the dance, but I think Chris was out of breath a lot (no wonder!). His timing is amazing and I still think heâs incredible.â
Clarissaharlowe1 says: âIâve been fairly ambivalent about Chris up to now but after that Charleston I want him to win!â
irreverentnurse says: âChris, fabulous, so light on your feet, good posture and tucked into your partner in hold.â
EastofStratford adds: âGood for that Dianne, a reminder of how much longer, rockier and more exhausting Chrisâs Strictly Journey has been compared to anyone elseâs. What they have achieved as a couple has been extraordinaryhat she has achieved as a teacher is beyond belief.â
On JB Gill, MarkRoche says: âLots of drama and mood, but Iâm not sure whether or not I liked that paso. JB and Lauren are such a dynamic pairing, though.â
MikeMoonlight says: âPure genius. JB has saved his âItâs My Birthday Tonight, Please donât Vote Me Outâ card for the semi-final. We can only presume that Pete Wicks has lined up a â101-year-old D-Day Veteran Grandad Whoâs Spending Christmas Volunteering At His Local Food Bankâ card for the occasion…â
MartGray says: âGood Lord, that was outstanding from JB and Lauren. If they get to the final they should make this their repeat dance. It deserved the Horwood handshake.â
Poppieshen says: |Nice hips from JB there! And that is what a salsa should be like, my friends.â
fihema adds: âGosh. JB was just a champion. That was so good, so watchable, fun, competent. Iâll have to give up a Sarah vote, I think. I really hope JB is in the final. He certainly deserves to. Another one who has âbeen on a journeyâ – reasonably good to start with, mesmerising for the last few weeks.â
Readersâ semi-final verdicts are in
Hereâs a rapid-fire round-up of your comments. On Tasha Ghouri, YodaknowsAll says: âLoved Tashaâs salsa. Still not quite enough sass.â
gliese says: âGo Tash, all bubble and glitz and gritty – loved it! Though her legs sometimes stray as they are, I dunno, too long?!â
Somersetlass says: âOh, that waltz was just beautiful. Tasha floated across the dancefloor, and the whole thing seemed effortless.â
dancingbears adds: âBeautiful. The best dancer rarely wins Strictly, but Tasha is the best dancer and, even though Chris is my favourite, I hope she wins. Ballroom for me is all about elegance and class, and that lass has it in spades.â
Prepare the puppies, itâs Mariah Carey
TV viewers can now stay tuned to BBC One for Michael McIntyreâs The Wheel, flip to BBC Two for Mariah Meets Rylan or go to ITV1 for gameshow revival You Bet!. At 9.30pm, itâs the penultimate episode of Iâm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! on ITV1. Come on, Oti Mabuse!
If youâre in a filmic frame of mind, tonightâs picks are Die Hard (9pm on Film4), Mermaids (9pm on ITVBe) or the brilliant Everything Everywhere All At Once (10.15pm on Channel 4). Yippee-ki-yay indeed.
The Golden Glitterballs: semi-final edition
Itâs the penultimate round of shiny envelope-opening this series. Here are this weekâs gong-gettersâ¦
Best dance: JB Gillâs salsa, with Tasha Ghouriâs waltz a very close second.
Worst dance: Pete Wicksâ faltering foxtrot.
Best music choice: From Basement Jaxx to Metallica is quite a range but Dave Archâs band nailed them both.
Worst music choice: The Verve, oddly, lacked verve.
Best outfit: Both of Dianne Buswellâs were lovely â a rainbow playsuit and a grey swirly waltz frock. Honourable mentions for Lauren Oakleyâs deep green paso frock and Tasha Ghouriâs burgundy velvety number.
Worst outfit: What was going on with Carlos Gu in the Clauditorium? Like Miss Havisham had become entangled in my nanâs net curtains.
Best VT: Chris McCauslandâs mates visiting him in training and coming over all emotional.
Worst VT: Too many nans and cute kids but the school gates mums were really overplayed.
Best judgesâ comment: Craigâs one-word verdict of âSickâ to Tasha and channelling Paul Hollywood to shake JBâs hand.
Best Claudia quip: Her endearing over-excitement about Wallace and Gromit.
JB tops leaderboard, Pete at bottom
After dropping just one point across dances, JB Gill sits at the summit of the semi-final scoreboard, with Tasha Ghouri in second spot and Sarah Hadland in third. Down the bottom is Pete Wicks with Chris McCausland just above.
Could Pete pull off one of the biggest shocks in Strictly history by being voted into the final? Stranger things have happened. Although not many, admittedly.
Credits roll
As Tess and Claud get in their traditional clinch and tell us to âKeeeeeep dancing!â, please stay with us for analysis, reaction and a round-up of your comments.
Tonightâs action recapped
A reminder of the nightâs routines on-screen now. Double dancing! Sore feet! Get that Epsom salts bath running!