20 minutes left to vote! Remember, anyone top of the vote on their own will be immune from the first elimination. Considering we don't know how they dance yet, it could be vitally important at this point!

Now, the first show(s) will be tomorrow at 14:00, and the first results at 12:30 the day after, so you'll have to wait until then to see how this immunity schtick will work (as will I), but until then, but I can report that:

a) the Straw Poll idea hasn't died yet, and

b) neither have I.

Well, the time has come; the dance shoes have been polished, the frocks have been donned, and Bruno has been given his hourly cocktail of valium, risperidone, and gin - time to see what our celebrities can do!


(Judges in order: Craig Revel-Horwood, Darcey Bussell, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli).


Charles & Natalie - Waltz - “Godfather Waltz” - 5, 6, 7, 6 = 24/40

Neil & Oksana - Jive - “Roll Over Beethoven” - 7, 8, 7, 8 = 30/40

Thomasina & Aljaz - Cha-Cha-Cha - “Hot Stuff” - 6, 6, 6, 6 = 24/40

Nina & Kevin - Tango - “Dark Lady” - 4, 5, 6, 5 = 20/40

Chris & Janette - Waltz - “I Wonder Why” - 6, 7, 6, 6 = 25/40

Shaznay & Gorka - Cha-Cha-Cha - “She Bangs” - 7, 7, 8, 7 = 29/40

Ben & Karen - Tango - “Sharp Dressed Man” - 6, 7, 6, 7 = 26/40

Alia & Neil - Waltz - “Strange & Beautiful” - 7, 7, 7, 7 = 28/40

Daniel & Joanne - Cha-Cha-Cha - “What Makes You Beautiful” - 4, 6, 5, 6 = 21/40

Kate & Giovanni - Jive - “Footloose” - 5, 5, 6, 6 = 22/40

Helen & Pasha - Tango - “Back To Black” - 4, 7, 6, 6 = 23/40

Alfie & Katya - Jive - “The Nicest Kids In Town” - 8, 7, 7, 8 = 30/40

Lorna & AJ - Waltz - “See The Day” - 7, 8, 8, 8 = 31/40

Hans & Oti - Cha-Cha-Cha - “I’ve Got The Music In Me” - 3, 5, 5, 5 = 18/40


Leaderboard:


1st) Lorna & AJ - 31/40

=2nd) Alfie & Katya - 30/40

=2nd) Neil & Oksana - 30/40

4th) Shaznay & Gorka - 29/40

5th) Alia & Neil - 28/40

6th) Ben & Katen - 26/40

7th) Chris & Janette - 25/40

=8th) Charles & Natalie - 24/40

=8th) Thomasina & Aljaz - 24/40

10th) Helen & Pasha - 23/40

11th) Kate & Giovanni - 22/40

12th) Daniel & Joanne - 21/40

13th) Nina & Kevin - 20/40

14th) Han & Oti - 18/40


Well, Lorna & AJ make a strong start with their Waltz, while Hans & Oti struggle a little with their Cha-Cha-Cha, however that could all be turned around in the next round. Our celebrities have a short one hour break to catch their breaths, then they'll be back for Round 2 at 15:00! Until then, keeeeeeeeeeeeeep dancing!

They're as well rested as they'll ever be, so here they are once more!


Charles & Natalie - Cha-Cha-Cha - “Hound Dog” - 2, 5, 6, 4 - 17/40

Neil & Oksana - Quickstep - “Dreaming Of You” - 7, 8, 7, 8 - 30/40

Thomasina & Aljaz - Quickstep - “Good Mornin’” - 5, 7, 7, 7 - 26/40

Nina & Kevin - Rumba - “Rayito De Luna” - 2, 4, 5, 4 - 15/40

Chris & Janette - Jive - “Modern Love” - 5, 6, 7, 7 - 25/40

Shaznay & Gorka - Waltz - “What The World Needs Now” - 6, 7, 8, 6 - 27/40

Ben & Karen - Jive - “Whistle (While You Work It)” - 6, 6, 7, 6 - 25/40

Alia & Neil - Cha-Cha-Cha - “California Gurls” - 8, 9, 8, 9 - 34/40

Daniel & Joanne - Waltz - “Take It To The Limit” - 6, 7, 7, 6 - 26/40

Kate & Giovanni - Tango - “Rio” - 4, 6, 6, 5 - 21/40

Helen & Pasha - Cha-Cha-Cha - “Lucky Star” - 4, 5, 5, 5 - 19/40

Alfie & Katya - Waltz - “Weekend In New England” - 7, 8, 8, 8 - 31/40

Lorna & AJ - Rumba - “Blank Space” - 8, 7, 6, 9 - 30/40

Hans & Oti - Tango - “Rock The Casbah” - 3, 6, 5, 5 - 19/40


Leaderboard:


1st) Alia & Neil - 34/40

2nd) Alfie & Katya - 31/40

=3rd) Lorna & AJ - 30/40

=3rd) Neil & Oksana - 30/40

5th) Shaznay & Gorka - 27/40

=6th) Daniel & Joanne - 26/40

=6th) Thomasina & Aljaz - 26/40

=8th) Ben & Karen - 25/40

=8th) Chris & Janette - 25/40

10th) Kate & Giovanni - 21/40

=11th) Hans & Oti - 19/40

=11th) Helen & Pasha - 19/40

13th) Charles & Natalie - 17/40

14th) Nina & Kevin - 15/40


Well, a lot of ties, but Alia & Neil and Nina & Kevin make a strong impression at opposite ends of the leaderboard. However, what matters is the combined leaderboard...

Overall Combined Leaderboard:


1st) Alia & Neil - (28 + 34) = 62/80

=2nd) Alfie & Katya - (30 + 31) = 61/80

=2nd) Lorna & AJ - (31 + 30) = 61/80

4th) Neil & Oksana - (30 + 30) = 60/80

5th) Shaznay & Gorka - (29 + 27) = 56/80

6th) Ben & Karen - (26 + 25) = 51/80

=7th) Chris & Janette - (25 + 25) = 50/80

=7th) Thomasina & Aljaz - (24 + 26) = 50/80

9th) Daniel & Joanne - (21 + 26) = 47/80

10th) Kate & Kevin - (22 + 21) = 43/80

11th) Helen & Pasha - (23 + 19) = 42/80

12th) Charles & Natalie - (24 + 17) = 41/80

13th) Hans & Oti - (18 + 19) = 37/80

14th) Nina & Kevin - (20 + 15) = 35/80


Alia & Neil just pip both Lorna & AJ and Alfie & Katya to the top, thanks to their standout Cha-Cha-Cha, while much the same occurs down the bottom, with Nina & Kevin's... noteworthy Rumba sending them down past Hans & Oti to the foot of the leaderboard.


But that's only half the story, and you write the other half!


http://www.strawpoll.me/12041827


Please vote in the above poll, which will close at 12:15 tomorrow. Results will then be at 15 minutes after, at 12:30, during which we'll discover who our Bottom 2 are, who our immune couple were, and whether that had any bearing on the result!


Until then, keeeeeeeeeeeeeep dancing!