The competition for the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 glitterball trophy intensified during a dramatic week 10, as the remaining couples battled for a coveted spot in the quarter-finals. This pivotal episode introduced a nerve-shredding new element: the first-ever Instant Dance challenge, adding extra points and complexity to the night's scores.
With last week's dance-off cancelled following La Voix's early exit, the scores from the previous round were carried over. This, combined with the additional points up for grabs in the spontaneous dance round, meant the total leaderboard saw some significant shifts and higher overall totals.
Instant Dance Shakes Up the Standings
The night's most thrilling moment was shared by two couples who achieved dance perfection. Karen Carney and Carlos Gu mesmerised the judges and audience to earn a flawless perfect score of 40. They were joined at the pinnacle of scoring by Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin, who also received a standing ovation and a full house of 10s for their stunning routine.
However, the top of the overall leaderboard told a different story. Lewis Cope and Katya Jones, last week's leaders, delivered a skillful Rumba to Harry Styles' "Falling," earning a respectable 36 points from the judges. Their real advantage came from winning the Instant Dance challenge, netting them a crucial 6 bonus points. This propelled their two-week total to an impressive 82 points, securing them the number one position.
The Race for the Quarter-Finals
Hot on their heels are the two perfect-scoring pairs. Both Karen and Carlos and Amber and Nikita sit just behind with a total of 80 points each, setting the stage for a fierce battle in the coming weeks.
Further down the table, George Clarke and Alexis Warr performed a lively Quickstep, scoring 34 points. Adding this to their strong week 9 performance and 2 points from the Instant Dance, they now hold a total of 75 points.
At the lower end, Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon earned 28 points for their main dance but were praised for their Instant Dance routine, finishing second in that challenge and adding 5 points for a total of 66. Unfortunately, Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe found themselves at the bottom with a total of 61 points after a challenging Cha Cha scored just 23.
The pressure now mounts for the results show, where two couples will face the dreaded dance-off. The judges' decision will determine which pair's Strictly journey ends, just short of the quarter-finals.
