Hopefuls take centre stage one last time
It sometimes seems that every year the judges and presenters on Strictly Come Dancing (Saturday, BBC1, 6.35pm) tell us that they can't believe how high the standard is, and that it's set to be one of the closest contests ever. However, in 2015 it was actually true. In fact, the pro-celebrity ballroom competition has been so closely fought, the panel have had to make some tough – and controversial – choices. The week the show went to Blackpool, singer Jamelia found herself in bottom two for a record fifth time, and was voted out by Darcey Bussell, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli. However, many viewers felt that she had actually outperformed her opponent, early favourite Peter Andre, and took to social media to complain. There was another very close call in the quarter-finals, as Call the Midwife's Helen George, who had topped the leaderboard the previous week with a dreamy Viennese waltz, found herself in the bottom two with another hotly tipped contentestant, former Coronation Street actor Georgia May Foote. On the night, the judges decided that Georgia's Beauty and the Beast-themed foxtrot had the edge, and she made it through to the next stage. Although fans were sad to see Helen go, there are still plenty of talented performers left in the mix, any one of whom would be a worthy winner. The Wanted's Jay McGuiness set the bar back in week three with a jaw-dropping Pulp Fiction-themed jive that scored 37 points, and might even have been marked higher if it hadn't come so early in the competition. EastEnder Kellie Bright delivered some of the quirkiest routines of this series, including a Star Wars-themed Charleston complete with lightsabers and a hip hop samba to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's Boom! Shake the Room, while for the first time in years, veteran professional Anton du Beke found himself paired with a genuine contender in the elegant form of proms presenter Katie Derham. And Countryfile's Anita Rani emerged as the potential dark horse of the competition when she bagged a 10 for her very dramatic paso doble. So, whoever ends up in the final can definitely say they've earned their place, but who will lift the famed glitterball trophy? Before we find out, the celebrities and their professional partners must perform one of their past routines, as chosen by the judges. Then it's on to the no-holdsbarred show dance, where anything goes.