Tonight, Strictly Come Dancing heads to Blackpool for its annual spectacular, and this year’s show promises to be one of the most memorable yet, thanks in large part to two standout stars.
It’s hard to imagine the series without Lewis Cope and Amber Davies, who joined as late entrants yet have quickly established themselves as the competition’s finest dancers. Their skill and performance quality put them in a league far above the rest of the contestants, and their impact on the show has been undeniable.
Lewis is the only contestant to have achieved a perfect 40, delivering one of the most extraordinary dances ever seen on Strictly. During Halloween Week, he and his partner Katya Jones performed a haunting Couple’s Choice routine to Radiohead’s Creep, rivaling anything on the West End.
The precision, charisma, and sheer talent on display were breathtaking, making it a defining moment of this series—destined to be remembered alongside iconic performances like Jay McGuinness’s Tango, Caroline Flack’s show dance to Angels, and Rose Ayling-Ellis’s BAFTA-winning silent symphony.
Aside from that standout routine, the only other dance that genuinely stunned me was Karen Carney’s debut Jive, which surprised everyone by topping the very first leaderboard.
Carney has been a revelation this year, though consistency has sometimes eluded her.
I suspect Lewis won’t be the only contestant to join the perfect-40 club tonight. With the spectacular production and electric atmosphere of the Blackpool Tower Ballroom, it’s no wonder the judges often reach for their 10 paddles more readily.
It’s also high time Amber Davies and her partner Nikita Kuzmin earned a flawless score. Every week she has delivered, but her Paso Doble to Aerosmith’s Dream On last week was breathtaking—a performance you simply could not miss from start to finish.
Yet even with her experience, Amber has already found herself in the bottom two this series, proving that previous dance training can be as much a challenge as an advantage on Strictly.
As for me, I’m rooting for ER star Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe to lift the Glitterball—they consistently earn my vote every week.
Their chemistry has been my favourite part of the series. Every week, Alex seems genuinely surprised by both her own performances and the judges’ feedback. I love them both individually, but together, they are pure magic.
At the very least, Lewis and Amber deserve spots in the semi-final, and one of them should absolutely reach the final—especially this year, when only three couples will compete due to Neighbours star Stefan Dennis withdrawing.
Even with some average scores, YouTube sensation George Clarke remains the favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing—and I don’t mind one bit. George’s warmth, vulnerability, and sheer enjoyment of dancing make him a joy to watch.
Yet the series wouldn’t have been as remarkable without the incredible talent of Lewis and Amber—a fact that will become even clearer tonight on the Blackpool stage.
Both faced a steeper climb to win over the public from the start. Comments about their previous dance experience have followed them throughout the competition, as if seeing world-class dancing on a dance show were somehow a disadvantage.
If neither had any prior stage experience, I’m certain Lewis and Amber would still be frontrunners to win.
Without them, this series of Strictly Come Dancing could easily have felt flat and forgettable. It’s remarkable that both were drafted from the reserve bench after Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn and Love Island winner Dani Dyer withdrew due to injury.
The public and critics need to accept that celebrities with dance experience have a place on Strictly—without them, the show would risk feeling more like a local talent contest.
Of course, there have been exceptional dancers on Strictly with no theatre or dance background: 2020 winner Bill Bailey stunned audiences, while last year’s victor Chris McCausland remains one of the most memorable champions ever.
Yet in this current series, there isn’t a single contestant producing jaw-dropping routines every week without formal dance training. Thankfully, Lewis and Amber bring some of the finest talent the show has ever seen, keeping the excitement alive.
I had a feeling Dani Dyer might have been a surprising talent—she was even my front-runner before her injury. Here’s hoping she can return next year and prove me right.
I’m equally heartbroken that La Voix won’t be competing this week, as it really felt like this was her moment. Hopefully, she’ll still be around on the sidelines, delivering her sharp quips and hilarious digs at Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who are both presenting their final Blackpool episode.
Even without the drag queen, this could still be the most thrilling Blackpool spectacular yet—thanks to the extraordinary talents of Lewis and Amber.
Instead of rolling their eyes at their astonishing performances, Strictly viewers need to keep Lewis and Amber in the competition for as long as possible. Otherwise, they’ll quickly realize just how much they’re missing them.