Strictly Come Dancing fans will need to adjust their schedules this weekend as the BBC has announced a significant change to the broadcast time for the show's crucial quarter finals.
Schedule Shift for Musicals Week
The hit Saturday night show will begin fifteen minutes later and be twenty minutes shorter overall compared to last week's episode. On Saturday, 6th December, the programme will start at 6:50pm and conclude at 8:10pm. This marks a notable reduction from the previous Saturday, 29th November, when the show ran from 6:35pm to 8:05pm.
Throughout the current series, the running time and start times have fluctuated. This week's episode is set to be the latest starting instalment so far, with producers typically aiming for all shows to finish shortly after 8pm.
Why the Running Time Changes
The variation in episode length is directly linked to the number of couples remaining in the competition. As the series progresses and fewer contestants perform, the shows naturally become shorter. Special themed weeks, such as Halloween or the iconic Blackpool Tower ballroom episode, often feature extended opening numbers, adding extra minutes.
Although this weekend features the spectacular Musicals Week, last week's episode was longer due to two key factors. Firstly, there was an extra couple dancing. Secondly, it included the demanding Instant Dance Challenge, which required all pairs to perform a second routine with minimal preparation. The additional commentary, performances, and judging from this segment extended the broadcast.
Quarter Final Showdown and Predictions
The five remaining couples will take to the floor for Musicals Week, performing routines inspired by West End productions. The confirmed line-up is:
- Lewis Cope and Katya Jones: A Salsa to 'Dance At The Gym' from West Side Story.
- Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin: A Charleston to 'Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat' from Guys And Dolls.
- George Clarke and Alexis Warr: An Argentine Tango to 'The Point Of No Return' from The Phantom of the Opera.
- Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon: A Viennese Waltz to 'Never Enough' from The Greatest Showman.
- Kim Carney and Carlos Gu: A Samba to 'The Rhythm Of Life' from Sweet Charity.
The show will open with a musicals relay, where each couple will perform a short dance to a different show tune in quick succession. The four pairs who survive the public vote and judges' scores will become semi-finalists.
Offering her prediction, former Strictly professional Ola Jordan told GB News she expects Balvinder Sopal to be the celebrity leaving the competition this week. She cited her as the weakest remaining dancer and likely to find herself in the dance-off against a stronger competitor like Amber or George.
Furthermore, the results show on Sunday, 7th December, will also see a schedule change. It will begin at 7:45pm, a full thirty minutes later than the previous week's show, which started at 7:15pm on 30th November. This shorter runtime is attributed to having fewer couples to interview about their performances.
