Greg Wise outside after Macarena Samba

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So, farewell to the beautiful Greg Wise, who brought the charming bags to Strictly. It has been a great pleasure to follow his ‘journey’, both in the show and through his gorgeous columns. And he’s had a good career: directing Fred Astaire, living his acting dream by playing 007, and honoring his late sister Claire, the disco singer who inspired him to get involved. His heartfelt words about the loss of loved ones and the importance of end-of-life care are sure to resonate with millions of viewers.

We also got a bonus from Emma Thompson’s many scenes, as she visits the studio and practice room to support her hoofed husband. A brief glimpse of her dancing with Wise’s partner, Karen Hauer, suggested she’d be a dream signature — though, admittedly, highly unlikely.

Wise said he felt “incredibly privileged” to be involved and that he had a great time at Strictly. Hauer added a special thanks for the homemade lunches that Head Chef Wise brought to training every day. What a man.

You can’t touch Dan Walker

Like Wise, he performed a technically questionable latin dance on a pop classic: in his case, a cha cha cha to MC Hammer. However, his generous score of 26 still leaves him third from the bottom on the leaderboard. Can he up his game next week? It really does feel a lot more serious on the dance floor, perhaps because we’re suddenly a much smaller cast with the loss of Robert Webb and the temporary absence of Ugo Mooney.

Also survived were Rose Ayling-Ellis and A.J. Ododo, who suffered a slight loss of form with Cha Cha Cha and Samba respectively. But strategically speaking, it’s a good idea to get some of these challenging dances out early if you’re hoping to continue until the final. Conversely, Rhys Stephenson has just gone from free couple picking to quick and loose salsa. But he can’t keep evading slower, more technically demanding ballroom styles forever.

fetch funk

Led by Giovanni Bernice and new addition Jowita Przystal, professional dancers meticulously opened the proceedings with a funky, stylized group number in a hall of mirrors, set to Chaka Khan’s Like Sugar. Dressed in matching monochrome suits with black and brawl berets, he was like the Blues Brothers-Meet-Michael Jackson.

It was a fun concept, but, again, some viewers wondered why we rarely see ballroom performances from our professionals these days. Surely that would inspire celebrity contestants too? When the judges start to delve deeper into the technique, it can be of great help to know how to do it. Unless someone picked Thriller Live for Music Week, this routine was less informative.

Back to the ’90s – again.

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