Entertainment

Tasha Ghouri and JB Gill receive perfect scores during Strictly semi-final

Ghouri received a standing ovation from two of the judges for her waltz to (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin.

Tasha Ghouri during the live show for Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing
Tasha Ghouri during the live show for Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and JLS singer JB Gill have both received perfect scores for their second dances of the Strictly Come Dancing semi-final.

With the competition heating up, the celebrities and their dance partners aimed to impress with two separate dances of two different styles during Saturday night’s show.

Ghouri, 26, and her dance partner, Aljaz Skorjanec, received a standing ovation from judges Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas after they performed a waltz to (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin.

JB Gill and Lauren Oakley performing their paso doble
JB Gill and Lauren Oakley performing their paso doble (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

The performance, which scored four 10s, was described as “absolutely out of this world sensational” by Mabuse, and marked an improvement from their first dance of the evening.

Their salsa to Something New by Girls Aloud had scored 35 points from the judges with Ballas pointing out that they could improve on their transitions and lifts.

Singer Gill and his dance partner, Lauren Oakley, received 40 points from the judges for their salsa to Red Alert by Basement Jaxx.

Craig Revel Horwood offered the singer a Paul Hollywood-style handshake after the performance, pointing out that the Great British Bake Off judge was in the audience.

Earlier in the show, Gill and Oakley, 33, scored 39 points for their paso doble to Requiem For A Tower by Clint Mansell.

Gill, who is celebrating his 38th birthday, was told by Mabuse that his dance “was the best birthday present you could give yourself”.

Elsewhere, comedian Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell performed a Charleston to When You’re Smiling by The Blue Vipers Of Brooklyn which was awarded 33 points by the judges.

Their other dance, a Viennese waltz to Nothing Else Matters by Metallica, received 36 points.

The first dance from Miranda star Sarah Hadland and her professional partner, Vito Coppola, was a tango to Big Love by Fleetwood Mac.

Revel Horwood said the dance was “full of passion, purpose, intent” and the pair received 36 points from the judges.

Their second dance, a jive to I’m So Excited by The Pointer Sisters was also awarded 36 points.

Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

Reality star Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal divided the judges when they performed a foxtrot to Beyond The Sea by Bobby Darin, which earned them a total of 32 points.

Revel Horwood described the dance as “robotic” and offered the pair a seven while Ballas awarded the pair a nine and called Wicks “Mr Strictly Come Dancing”.

Their second dance was a tango to Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve which Revel Horwood said “lacked any Argentine tango technique whatsoever”.

The pair were awarded 33 points from the judges which landed them bottom of the leaderboard overall with a score of 65.

Gill and Oakley topped the scoreboard with 79 while Ghouri and Skorjanec placed second with a combined score of 75.

The Strictly results programme will air on Sunday at 7.20pm on BBC One.

The final of Strictly Come Dancing will air next weekend.