Dani Dyer has won fresh backing to lift the Strictly Come Dancing glitterball after an American Smooth that saw impressive leaderboard success. The former Love Island star and professional partner Nikita Kuzmin scored 36 points for their performance to It Had To Be You, a total that included a 10 from Motsi, marking a milestone for the pair as the competition heads towards its final weeks.
For some viewers, the routine was enough to convince them Dani should win the 2026 series. Others predicted a place in the final, praising her progress on the dance floor.
Dani's reaction to the score
Dani shared her excitement on Instagram after the show, thanking Nikita and the fans who had voted to keep them in the competition. She wrote: "What a special night for us @nikita__kuzmin you are just incredible and I will never be able to describe how I feel dancing with you on that dance floor..."
Reflecting on their score, she added: "and still can't believe we got our first 10 and to be on top of the leaderboard.. I am honestly still so lost for words and so grateful.."
Fans predict victory
Her post prompted a flood of supportive comments, with several followers already naming the couple as their champions, with just weeks to go until the 2026 final. One wrote: "Winners of the show for me." Another enthused: "Truly iconic, one of my favourite dances everrrrr, you're smashing it Dani."
A third viewer said: "You were FANTASTIC. It was my dance of the night." Another told her: "You totally deserved it. It was your best dance by far." One particularly enthusiastic supporter declared: "Dani is genuinely a great dancer and I just love her vibe!" They added: "This is your time to shine!"
Another penned: "What I love about you is your getting better and better each week I have a feeling you could be the Dark horse here", as another stated: "You totally deserved it. It was your best dance by far."
Elimination in the results show
Dani also made a point of acknowledging the support behind their success, writing: "A massive thank you to everyone who voted for us. We really do appreciate every single vote and all the lovely messages and support."
While Dani and Nikita celebrated, Sunday's results show on November 8 brought disappointment for Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu. They faced Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby in the dance-off, with both couples performing their routines again to compete for a place in the following week's show.
Bethany and Nancy reprised their Foxtrot to Leona Lewis's Bleeding Love, while Cach and Maddie danced their Waltz to That Ain't You by Mulaa Joans. Bethany and Nancy were ultimately eliminated, leaving the remaining couples to continue their pursuit of the glitterball.
