Strictly Come Dancing kicked off its 2020 final in spectacular fashion on Saturday, with HRVY and Janette Manrara starting the show with a reprisal of their energetic jive.
The singer, 21, wowed the judges with the fast-paced dance chosen by the judging panel as he battled against Bill Bailey, Maisie Smith and Jamie Laing to be crowned series champion.
This year’s Strictly had been thrown into doubt by restrictions introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and celebrities were forced to move out of their homes to form ‘bubbles’ with their professional partners to ensure the show could go ahead.
Wow! Strictly Come Dancing kicked off its 2020 final in spectacular fashion on Saturday, with HRVY and Janette Manrara starting the show with a reprisal of their energetic jive
HRVY and Janette started the show with their Jive to Faith by Stevie Wonder feat. Ariana Grande, and earned universal praise from the panel, coming close to perfect score with 29 points out of 30.
This included the show’s ‘Mr Nasty’ Craig Revel-Horwood, who said that in light of recent announcements regarding government tiers he’d be ‘positive’ for the evening.
Motsi added: ‘I am convinced that this is still one of the best dances we have ever seen and that was just a confirmation, it was slick, fast fresh, so you have this youthfulness. You kept up you smashed it you killed it!’
Don’t stop! The singer wowed the judges with the fast-paced dance chosen by the judging panel as he battled against Bill Bailey, Maisie Smith and Jamie Laing to be crowned series champion
Jamie and Karen then took to the floor to dance their Hercules-themed Charleston to the track Zero to Hero, and was also praised by the panel for his vast improvement, earning a score of 26 out of 30.
Craig joked: ‘It’s lovely to see that wig again darling!’
Bill and Oti then delivered another performance of their energetic Quickstep to Talk To The Animals by Bobby Darin, which Shirley declared was ‘spot on,’ and Motsi gushed they danced with ease.
The pair earned their highest ever score from Craig, and came close to a perfect 30 with 29 points.
The Strictly professionals kicked off the show with a luminous opening routine, which was partially filmed earlier this year when the stars formed a bubble to pre-record all of their group performances.
As they prepared to unveil the finalists, hosts Claudia Winkleman fought back tears as she paid tribute to the show’s crew, revealing they were making up the studio audience after working tirelessly to make show a reality.
She said: ‘Now earlier this year we didn’t know if Strictly could even happen and tonight our audience is made up of the brilliant team that got us here.’
Sensational: The Strictly professionals kicked off the show with a luminous opening routine, which was partially filmed earlier this year when the stars formed a bubble to pre-record all of their group performances
Saturday saw Bill and Oti, HRVY and Janette, Jamie and Karen and Maisie and Gorka perform three times to win viewers’ votes, the Judges Pick, their Showdance and their favourite dance of the series.
Despite facing challenges in the competition after finding herself in the dance off twice, Maisie previously said being on Strictly has shown her that she can be confident and ‘get over’ her self-doubts.
She explained: ‘I have always had insecurities and I probably always will. Everyone has. But being on this show with the costumes and the dances and doing things completely out of my comfort zone, I have been thrown into the deep end so in a way it has helped me with my confidence.
‘On this show it goes so quick you don’t have time to say “I don’t feel comfortable” you just have to go out there and do it. It has pushed me to get over it.
‘I try and feel happier with myself and it’s only been eight weeks but I already feel better about myself and I didn’t expect that to ever happen.’
Moving: As they prepared to unveil the finalists, hosts Claudia Winkleman fought back tears as she paid tribute to the show’s crew, revealing they were making up the studio audience after working tirelessly to make show a reality
The soap star has even juggled filming her scenes for EastEnders with training for the show, resulting in her still rehearsing at gone midnight.
But her professional dance partner Gorka Márquez, 30, said the pair haven’t argued once, which is a triumph in itself according to ‘hormonal teen’ Maisie.
Gorka said: ‘It is funny because you know, so many hours in the same training room and you can get on each other’s nerves but funnily enough, even last week with the crazy schedule Maisie had, we both were like “it is what it is.”
Maisie added: ‘I’m a teenager, I’m hormonal but even still we have never bickered and that’s quite impressive!’
‘The final countdown’: Despite facing challenges in the competition after finding herself in the dance off twice, Maisie previously said being on Strictly has shown her that she can be confident and ‘get over’ her self-doubts
Bill also recently revealed he’s inspired Gavin and Stacey actor Rob Brydon to appear on the next series.
The comedian hoped to break ‘dad dancing’ stereotypes by showing ‘blokes of his age’ that you can be taken seriously in the competition despite being in your mid 50s.
Professional dancer Oti Mabuse, 30, said she prepared the ‘simplest’ routine for Bill’s first appearance on the BBC show – but quickly realised her celeb partner was capable of far trickier steps.
She said: ‘When you come back as a reigning pro, you get someone that you can show a bit more personality…
‘The first day we went into a rehearsal and I did the simplest Cha Cha and he got it and I went “oh I might be in trouble, this might be a long season” and I kept pushing and pushing and he did it. I didn’t expect it.
‘I spoke to the comedian Rob Brydon and he’s a big, big Strictly fan and he said for the first time when he watched it and saw Bill he thought “oh my goodness, if I did Strictly, there is a possibility that I could go far.”
‘Because he’s a respectable man and character in English society, if he ever came onto Strictly that would be something that he would want to do, be taken seriously and really give it his all and hopefully make it far.’
Bill added: ‘If that is the consequence of me being on this show then that’s wonderful. Blokes sometimes feel a bit self-conscious, particularly blokes of my age, they feel they’re going to be called the dad dancer and I think if me showing I can get out there and look a little bit more than somebody shuffling about then why not?
‘I would love to carry on dancing. It’s so much fun it is accelerating and liberating.’
Viewers have complimented Bill over his recent weight loss after eight weeks of dance training has left him with a slimmer physique.
Really? Bill also recently revealed he’s inspired Gavin and Stacey actor Rob Brydon to appear on the next series
Jamie was also praised by his partner Karen for her incredible body transformation following eight weeks of her rigorous dance training.
Karen, 38, said she’s ‘made a machine’ out of the Made In Chelsea star, 32, who now has ‘awesome abs’ as well as ‘amazing enthusiasm and energy’ that he brings to every performance.
She said: ‘I’ve made a friend and I’ve made a machine now because he’s got awesome abs! I have never seen someone bounce back with such positivity and resilience.
‘It’s the whole mentality of it, during these times when everyone needs lifting and the fact he’s been able to lift me and himself at times, and lifting people at home with all his amazing enthusiasm and energy, I think that’s what’s brilliant about Jamie.
‘I’m so proud of him – with all those ups and downs he’s always managed to have a smile on his face.’
Toned up: Jamie was also praised by his partner Karen for her incredible body transformation following eight weeks of her rigorous dance training
Jamie has escaped elimination four times after winning over the judges by being willing to better himself and take on their criticisms.
The TV personality has experienced mixed emotions – while he’s thrilled to have reached the final, he’s also found it ‘tough’ saying goodbye to his co-stars.
He said: ‘It is really tricky. This Strictly family, you do become a family, everyone talks about it but you really do.
‘When one of your buddies goes and Ranvir, they’re true friends. It’s a weird combination because you obviously don’t want to go home but you don’t want someone else to go home.
‘It’s one of those things, it is tough and it is hard but it’s part of the show. If it was us at any point I would have stood there and said “you know what, fair enough, that is what happens, it’s part of the show.”
‘Some people now think we’re bribing the judges. It’s just we dance well.’
‘True friends’: Jamie has experienced mixed emotions – while he’s thrilled to have reached the final, he’s also found it ‘tough’ saying goodbye to his co-stars, such as Ranvir Singh