Strictly Come Dancing week five – live

Judges’ comments: Anton says “a lovely proper foxtrot, beautiful open work and exquisite head position, one of the best I’ve ever seen, but a little cramped in hold, give yourself more space”. Craig says “a little misstep and you misjudged a turn, I’d like it smoother but confident with gaw-jus spins”. Motsi says “you’re giving us character, light, soft and feminine but it was too hectic, let Caros lead”. Shirley concludes “arms and spotting better, now work on your hands and get off to the side, a few mistakes but there’s improvement here”.

Actor Jaime Winstone and reigning pro champion Carlo(s) Gu jointly topped the leaderboard last week with their dynamic and detailed David Bowie paso doble. In a major gear change, she’s now back to ballroom. Flower-ography to start. Smooth, floating and featherlight. Good posture and elegant glide across the floor. Is Jamie’s frame steady and her footwork clean enough? A few hesitant moments early on but classy, romantic and sweet as anything.

Song: Man I Need by Olivia Dean. Last summer’s gospel-tinged single became Dean’s first UK chart-topper and first US top 10 hit. She says it’s about “knowing how you deserve to be loved and not being afraid to ask for it,” adding that it was “made for dancing”.

Our dancefloor dozen emerge on the sparkly staircase. Nikita is in frankly gross flesh-coloured sparkles. Lawrence is in denim waistcoat. Kai comes to you in sheer nipplevision.

Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and head judge Shirley Ballas sashay onto our screens to the strains of Yazz and her frequently forgotten Plastic Population.

Here come our hostly throuple, so let’s do a swift style smackdown. Emma Willis is in a monochrome, strappy full length frock. Josh Widdicombe is in a black suit. Johannes Radebe is also in a black suit but with slashed neck and embroidered gold stuff. Emma wins.

The purple-and-gold colourway of this year’s title sequence is starting to put me in mind of Quality Street. Just me? Too soon?

Charge glasses and refill nibbles bowls/snack platters/charcuterie plates. We’re about to go live to the Elstree Studios ballroom…

Shafted! In a Robert Kilroy-Silk way. Gasp.

Sunday’s results show will include a fitness-themed group number, guest-starring Melanie C, aka Sporty Spice herself. Dig out your Adidas trackie bottoms and striped sweatbands.

Just five minutes until we hear that ba-ba-da theme tune…

The Celebrity Inner Circle just wrapping up on BBC One. I sometimes find myself getting drawn in, for my sins. Don’t tell Amanda Holden.

Tonight’s guests include Strictly alumna Dame Denise Lewis (runner-up to Jill Halfpenny in 2004) and Sara Davies (who got to week eight in 2021). Not long to wait now…

Was it mere coincidence that a few days after Tabby Stoecker channelled her for a red-frocked Icons Weeks samba, Raye won the Mercury Music Prize this week?

Probably, yes. But it’s a mere 10 minutes until we’re back in the ballroom…

There are several doublings-up of dance styles tonight. Lacey Turner and Graeme Hall tackle the tango, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Lawrence Robb are doing jives, with Cach Mercer and Will Best both on cha-cha duty. Should bring an extra competitive edge.

We will also be treated to a Couple’s Choice by Tabby Stoecker and, excitingly, Strictly’s first ever all-female Argentine tango from Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu. An historic moment to savour. A mere 15 minutes until the sparkly curtain comes up…

Tick them off as you spot them on-screen! Take a drink for each! Wake up in the wee small hours covered in crisp crumbs! Here’s your 10-point spotter’s checklist for tonight’s live show:

Craig Revel Horwood gives a one-word critique, eg “Fab-u-lous” or “Love”

Mention of next week’s Halloween special accompanied by thunderclap/wolf howl/eerie green lighting

Cute child or aged grandparent trotted out heartstring-tugging VT

Shirley and Anton stand up to do a joint demo time of ballroom had

Tango criticised for “too much rise and fall, this dance needs to fly flat”

Reveal of which judge gets tomorrow’s casting vote is greeted with a half-hearted “Ooooh!”

Over-elaborate food-based metaphor from Motsi Mabuse or Vito Coppola

Couple marked down for “flapping arms”, “spatulistic hands” or “lack of straight leg action”

Judges at total loss as to how to critique or score a Couple’s Choice routine, so make it up as they go along

Johannes Radebe calls someone “darling”, “babe” or even “mummy”

He might have climbed from ninth to fifth on last week’s leaderboard but Shaun Wright-Phillips remains bookies’ favour for the next elimination.

At the other end of the betting, bookies are currently predicting an all-female top three of Lacey Turner, Tabby Stoecker and Delta Goodrem – with the male trio of Cach Mercer, John Nellis and Graeme Hall next in line. Do we agree?

It’s 25 minutes until the glitterball starts spinning…

After sitting out a week due to a painful rib injury, Delta Goodrem has got the all-clear from doctors and returns to the dancefloor tonight. She’ll be dancing a slow, sore rib-friendly rumba to ease her back in gently.

Less than half an hour until spangly showtime…

In between the fancy-dress frenzies of Icons Week and the Halloween spectacular comes tonight’s mercifully non-themed show. But could one couple be about to score the first maximum of Strictly Come Dancing 2026?

Good evening, one and all, and welcome to the fifth live show of the series. I’m Michael, your virtual dance partner for tonight’s hoofing action. You are cordially invited to watch along with me as our 12 pro-celebrity couples take to the floor once more – their ranks swelled again due to Delta Goodrem’s return from injury.

Last time out, Icons Week featured the tightest ever scoreboard in week four, with all the remaining couples within nine points of one another. Throw in the fact that we’ve also had different couples in the dance-off every week and it means we’ve got a close-fought, tough-to-call contest.

The judges have awarded five near-perfect nines so far. Could tonight find them tempted to whip out their maximum paddles for the first time this series? Lewis Cope and Alex Kingston had both chalked up 10s by this time last year. It’s another subplot to keep an eye on

It’s showtime at 6.30pm on BBC One. I’ll be liveblogging from 6pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction and smart-arsed remarks. So snuggle up on this soggy autumnal evening and I’ll see you on the sofa.

As always, I’d love to hear from you too. You can tweet me @michaelhogan, contact me on Bluesky or Threads @michaelhogan100, email me michael.hogan.freelance@guardian.co.uk and the comments section is open for dance discourse. I’ll quickstep down there when I can to peek at your reactions and report them up top, so please do share your thoughts.

It’s week five and it’s going live. Nearly time to staaaaaart dancing!