Strictly no horror for top score Debbie
DRAGONS and spiderwebs featured in a spooky Strictly Come Dancing Halloween special last night, which saw Debbie McGee top the leaderboard for the second week.
The TV personality and Giovanni Pernice – dressed as Frankenstein’s monster – scored a near-perfect 39 for their Charleston to Frankie by Sister Sledge, as the show’s stars ditched the spray-tans and sequins for horror makeovers.
And McGee was rewarded for her “fantastic” performance by head judge Shirley Ballas, who handed her the “queen of Latin” crown. She also saw her odds to win the coveted Glitterball trophy drop.
Ballas bowed and told her: “I’m going to give you my queen of Latin crown, because you deserve it. I loved everything about what you did.”
Former JLS member Aston Merrygold and partner Jeanette Manrara were a close second with 38 for their paso doble to Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, while Alexandra Burke and Gorka Marquez finished third with 35 following a tango to Maneater by Nelly Furtado.
Meanwhile, it was a horror show for Simon Rimmer, Susan Calman and Jonnie Peacock at the other end of the leaderboard as they all failed to top 20 points.
Rimmer – who told fans he had danced with his leg “fully strapped and pretty immobile” – and partner Karen Clifton received 16 for their American smooth to Delilah by Tom Jones.
Calman and Kevin Clifton picked up 18 for their Game Of Thronesinspired foxtrot to Queen’s Killer Queen, which Bruno Tonioli said was riddled with mistakes.
Peacock opened the show along with partner Oti Mabuse with a chacha to Olly Murs’ Troublemaker which collected a score of 20.
Coral the bookmakers has slashed McGee’s odds after her second consecutive leaderboard-topping dis- play. She is now 5/1 to win behind Gemma Atkinson (4/1) and Merrygold and Burke, who are both at 5/2.
The Strictly Come Dancing results show is on BBC One at 7.15pm tonight.