Ore tops the Strictly leaderboard in semis
SPORTS presenter Ore Oduba hit the top of the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard last night ahead of next week’s final.
The BBC broadcaster, who had no dancing experience before taking part in the competition, topped the scoreboard for the first time since week five with partner Joanne Clifton.
Each couple performed twice last night during the show’s semi-final.
Oduba, whose parents had flown over from Nigeria to watch from the studio audience, scored a combined 77 for his two dances.
The couple’s first performance – a quickstep to Jet’s Are You Gonna Be My Girl? – caused an argument between the judges.
As Craig Revel Horwood criticised Oduba for his arm pointing out, Len Goodman stood up and said to his co-judge, “You make it up, you just make it up.”
Presenter Tess Daly calmed the judges before telling Revel Horwood, “Strangely only you saw that, Craig.”
The couple then danced an Argentine tango to Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out of My Head which was applauded by Revel Horwood.
Goodman told Oduba: “I’ve got to say what amazes me, Ore, you can make a case out for the other three.
“You’ve got no dance experience, you come out and dance with so much precision. It was so full and intense I thought it was a terrific, wonderful performance, well done.”
Second in the leaderboard was Hollyoaks actor Danny Mac and partner Oti Mabuse.
The duo first danced a salsa which Goodman compared to his breakfast porridge, “tasty, satisfying with a little bit of oaty flavour”.
Bruno Tonioli told the couple: “Oti my darling you are a very naughty girl and that was a very naughty salsa.”
They returned for an American smooth which culminated in Mabuse pulling off a spectacular dive off a platform into Mac’s arms.
Mac, who Goodman said was the “one to beat” during a preview for their dance, scored a combined 76 for the two dances.
Meanwhile Louise Redknapp and partner Kevin Clifton finished in joint third with Olympic gymnast Claudia Fragapane and her partner AJ Pritchard, scoring 73.
As the series final looms, the remaining four celebrities will be whit- tled down to three on Sunday night ahead of next week’s finale.
Fragapane is favourite to leave, according to bookies’ Coral, while Mac is backed to take the prestigious Glitterball trophy.
The Strictly Come Dancing results show airs tonight at 7.20pm on BBC One.