Strictly Come Dancing week seven – live

The nine couples come out for a staircase welcome wave. Dani Dyer is pretty in pink. Tabby and Mark are in full red-and-black paso regalia. Moths have eaten the sleeves of Cach’s suit. Vito’s shirt buttons have fallen off AGAIN.

We welcome the paddle-raising panel of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke. Craig and Motsi are resplendent in matchy-matchy burgundy velvet.

The panel awarded three perfect 10s so far this series (one for Delta, two for Tabby). Could we see some more tonight?

Here come our presentational throuple, so let’s do a culture comparison. Emma Willis has borrowed one of Jojo’s suits. Josh Widdicombe is in a black suit. Johannes Radebe is in a baby blue suit with MC Hammer trousers. Emma wins, clinched by her hair being on-point.

Cue clapalong titles. Five of these grinning couples have already bitten the ballroom dust. Who will be will be falling at the halfway hurdle?

Close your curtains on any fireworks and concentrate on the dance pyrotechnics instead. We’re about to be beamed over live to Elstree Studios…

Tomorrow night’s results show includes an annual and much-admired Strictly tradition: a poignant group dance for Remembrance Sunday. The musical guest is Gregory Porter.

Just five minutes until that ba-ba-das theme tune…

You wait ages for the Celebrity Inner Circle to finish and another ropy gameshow fills its slot. Currently drawing to a close on BBC One is The Famous Finish Line.

The VIP players include a pair of Strictly alumni: 2022 finalist Molly Rainford and La Voix, who made it to mid-series last year until she was sadly forced to withdraw with injury. Not long to wait now…

There are no overlaps for a change this evening, with all nine couples tackling a different dance style. This week’s Couple’s Choice will be performed by Graeme “The Dogfather” Hall and is set to be a heartstring-tugger.

We’ll also be treated to a rumba from Lacey Turner and a paso doble from Tabby Stoecker. It’s 10 minutes until the glitterball starts spinning…

This series has broken the Strictly record with a different couple topping the scoreboard for the first six weeks. Of our remaining couples, only Dani Dyer, Will Best and Bethany Antonia are yet to top the standings.

Will one of this trio take their turn tonight? We’ll get our first clues in 15 minutes…

Eyes down, dibbers out, pets’ ears covered for any loud bangs from outside. Here’s your 10-point spotter’s checklist for tonight’s show:

Struggling celebrity plays the cute kid/nanna card in their VT

Shirley Ballas overpraises everyone to make up for last weekend’s tetchy mood

Johannes graciously lets a celebrity take over the “Emma and Josh” handover from the balcony

Somebody blows kisses to Jaime Winstone and wishes her a speedy recovery

Wobbly lips and damp eyes after Graeme Hall’s Couples’ Choice

Anton du Beke coos over a classic ballroom number and says he would’ve loved to dance that

First mention of the B-word (Blackpool in a fortnight’s time)

Jojo leads the excitable balcony crowd in a Latin dance move

Someone sagely notes that the quickstep is “quick with a lot of steps”

Dave Arch’s band do well with a classic tune but make a right mess of a recent pop banger

Bethany Antonia is the clear favourite to be eliminated, according to bookmakers. She joined Jaime Winstone in the triple dance-off last week and with Jaime missing this weekend through injury, Bethany is now odds-on for the exit.

Dani Dyer, Cach Mercer and Will Best are next in line. At the other end of the betting, Lacey Turner is now tipped to win the glitterball trophy, narrowly ahead of Tabby Stoecker.

Will that be borne out on the dancefloor tonight? It’s 25 minutes until the sparkly curtain comes up…

Due to Jaime’s absence, you might have noticed that tonight’s live show has been shortened by 10 minutes. With nine dances rather than 10, the start time has been bumped back from the previously scheduled 6.30pm to 6.40pm. That means there’s half an hour to wait…

It was announced on Wednesday that Jaime Winstone will miss this weekend’s show due to injury. She has a torn abdominal muscle and has been advised by doctors to rest. In line with the rules of the show, she and her pro partner Carlos Gu will receive a bye through to next week, when it’s hoped they will be able to dance again.

Jaime says: “I am absolutely devastated not to be dancing this weekend but I am in considerable pain and my doctors have advised complete rest to give my body the best possible chance to heal. As frustrating as it is, I have to put my health first and follow their advice.

“I love every moment of dancing and performing with Carlos, and I am praying for a speedy recovery so I can continue this magical journey. I want to thank everyone for their incredible support so far. It means more than you know. Wishing everyone luck on Saturday night. I hope to be back on that dancefloor very soon.”

I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing Jaime the very best for her recovery.

Someone won’t make it past the contest’s midway mark. But whose half-term report will say “see me”?

Good evening, one and all, and welcome to the seventh live weekend of Strictly Come Dancing 2026. I’m Michael, your virtual dance partner for tonight’s mercifully non-themed live show. You are warmly invited to watch along with me as nine (not 10) pro-celebrity couples reach the halfway point of the contest.

Last week’s Halloween Spooktacular saw Lacey Turner top the scores with her chilling Charleston. After the frightening format twist of the first ever three-way dance-off, it was Ghostbusting Lawrence Robb who went to his glittery grave. We came, we saw, we kicked its ass – and then we headed home.

Ten couples now remain but only nine take to the floor tonight because three-time dance-off survivor Jaime Winstone is injured. More on that shortly. The rest are bidding to pass the midway point and enter Strictly’s home stretch. Yes, we’re just two weeks away from Blackpool and it’s all downhill until Christmas.

It’s showtime at the slightly-later-than-advertised time of 6.40pm on BBC One. I’ll be liveblogging from 6pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction and ooh-aah verbal fireworks. So light a sparkler on the hob, get your dentures stuck in a toffee apple and I’ll see you on the sofa.

As always, I’d love to hear from you too. You can tweet me @michaelhogan, contact me on Bluesky or Threads @michaelhogan100, email me michael.hogan.freelance@guardian.co.uk and the comments section is open for choreographic conversation. I’ll rumba-walk down there whenever I can to see what you’re all saying and quote your wise words up top. So please don’t be shy about sharing your thoughts.

It’s week seven and we’re going to hoofing heaven. Nearly time to staaaart halfway point dancing!