Icons Week on Strictly Come Dancing has left fans convinced there is one couple, and one couple only, that should be lifting that glitterball trophy at the end of the series.
Tonight was the fifth live show of the year, meaning we are really getting to know the celebrities and their dancing abilities. But, while we might have some contestants who have a dancing background (yes, we are looking at you Amber Davies and Lewis Cope), there are also some who are on their own personal journey and have gone from zero to hero in just a few short weeks.
So far we have seen Thomas Skinner, Ross King and Chris Robshaw leave the show, along with Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis who had to withdraw because of injury. But now we are getting further into the show, and the scoring is tight.
Tonight’s show saw five couples all clustered at the bottom of the leaderboard with George and Alexis at the bottom with a score of 27 for their Jive, while Karen and Carlos, Ellie and Vito, Balvinder and Julian and La Voix and Aljaz all sharing the same score of 28.
But, things weren’t much more spaced out at the top, with only four points between the top 6 couples. Jimmy and Lauren earned a nice round 30 for their American Smooth to Prince’s 'Purple Rain', putting them sixth on the leaderboard, while Lewis and Katya found themselves at the top after earning 34 for their Quickstep to 'Ring of Fire' by Johnny Cash.
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However, fans have already worked out who they think is going to win this year, despite what the leaderboard tells us.
Fans took to social media in their droves pointing out that Alex Kingston and her professional partner Johannes were their winners already. Even Shirley Ballas, who viewers have noticed has been particularly hard to please this series, said Alex’s was “Light as a feather, nailed her footwork” and is a “potential finalist”.
Over on X one fan said “Alex in the final? Yes!” while another agreed: “I’m obsessed with her and she will make it to the final.”
A third fan added: “I adore Alex and Johannes so much. Get them in that final already!”
A fourth agreed they could watch the couple dance for longer: “I just want to go to a West End show where Alex Kingston and Johannes dance delightfully like that for a solid two hours!”
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The couple, who have been the hidden gem of the series so far, danced a Foxtrot to 'Here You Come Again' by Dolly Parton, and Shirley wasn’t the only one who praised Alex for her perfection. Anton called the performance “divine” and said Alex’s leg speed was perfect and her heel turns were immaculate, while Motsi Mabuse said the couple performed with “ease and effortlessness, while floating on air”.
Of course, Craig was not quite so complimentary, commenting the dance “went a bit wrong, with a bit of gapping”, however, even he was quick to add that Alex “maintained her frame and that her musicality was a sensation”.
It isn't hard to see why fans think Alex already deserves a place in the final, she is consistent week in, week out, and even managed to move Shirley to tears last week with her “perfect” Rumba.
But, what fans love about Alex is that she quietly gets on with things, working hard for her place at the top half of the leaderboard, not showing off or demanding attention.
It also helps that she has a brilliant partnership with Johannes. The pair clearly adore one another, which makes their job of going out and nailing each dance all the easier. Could 2025 finally be the year that Johannes wins that glitterball trophy? The closest he has ever got was in 2021 as part of the show’s first ever all-male partnership with John Whaite, but perhaps this could be his year.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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