The glitterball was shining bright in Week 3 of Strictly Come Dancing as the competition heated up with spectacular routines and some truly surprising scores that left both audience and judges divided.
Layton Williams Sets the Dance Floor Alight
In what can only be described as a show-stopping performance, Layton Williams and his professional partner Nikita Kuzmin absolutely dominated the leaderboard with their electrifying Couple's Choice routine. The Bad Education star earned a near-perfect score of 39 out of 40, leaving judges and viewers alike utterly mesmerised.
Head Judge Shirley Ballas couldn't contain her enthusiasm, declaring the performance "absolute perfection" and awarding a perfect 10. Craig Revel Horwood, known for his notoriously tough scoring, joined in with another 10, while Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke both awarded impressive 9s.
Surprising Struggles for Fan Favourites
While Williams soared, several popular contestants found themselves in unexpected danger. Actor Bobby Brazier and his partner Dianne Buswell landed near the bottom of the scoreboard with 28 points for their American Smooth, despite being early favourites in the competition.
Meanwhile, veteran broadcaster Krishnan Guru-Murphy and professional Lauren Oakley delivered what many considered their best performance yet with a lively Samba, yet still found themselves in the lower half of the rankings with 29 points.
The Complete Week 3 Score Breakdown
The leaderboard told a compelling story of triumphs and challenges:
- Layton Williams & Nikita Kuzmin: 39 points (Couple's Choice)
- Ellie Leach & Vito Coppola: 35 points (Paso Doble)
- Nigel Harman & Katya Jones: 34 points (Charleston)
- Amanda Abbington & Giovanni Pernice: 32 points (Foxtrot)
- Angela Scanlon & Carlos Gu: 32 points (Jive)
- Annabel Croft & Johannes Radebe: 31 points (Viennese Waltz)
- Angela Rippon & Kai Widdrington: 30 points (Samba)
- Adam Thomas & Luba Mushtuk: 29 points (Cha Cha Cha)
- Krishnan Guru-Murphy & Lauren Oakley: 29 points (Samba)
- Zara McDermott & Graziano Di Prima: 28 points (American Smooth)
- Bobby Brazier & Dianne Buswell: 28 points (American Smooth)
- Eddie Kadi & Karen Hauer: 27 points (Cha Cha Cha)
- Jody Cundy & Jowita Przystal: 24 points (Tango)
Judges' Verdict Creates Tension
The scoring created significant drama, particularly for Eddie Kadi, whose Cha Cha Cha divided the judging panel. While Motsi Mabuse praised his "fantastic energy and rhythm," Craig Revel Horwood delivered his trademark brutal honesty, calling aspects of the performance "a complete and utter mess."
As the competition progresses, the pressure continues to mount for all contestants. With surprise frontrunners emerging and early favourites facing unexpected challenges, the race for the Glitterball Trophy remains wide open.
Strictly Come Dancing continues to captivate Saturday night television audiences, proving once again why it remains one of Britain's most beloved entertainment programmes.
