Strictly Come Dancing 2021: the semi-final results – as it happened

And that’s IT for Sunday nights on Strictly, and we’ve got the final three we predicted when Robert Webb left the show two months ago and we knew we were lining up for a three-way Grand Final - AJ and Kai, John and Johannes, and Rose and Giovanni.

Thank you for joining me for a lovely season of Sunday fun, I will obviously be back next Saturday for the GRAND FINAL, which starts at 7pm and is lining up to be an amazing show. Give me your thoughts in the comment box – who do you WANT to win, and who do you think WILL win?

I’ve also kicked off my annual poll for the winner on Twitter if you fancy joining in – you can find me @heidistephens, so come and say hello and cast your vote.

Also if you’re waiting to watch the smoking wreckage of a high emissions clunker that can’t quite accommodate a large family, our Prime Minister is up next. Then Top Gear is on afterwards.

See you next week for the Grand Final, whoop whoop! Hx

Nancy and Rhys say lovely things about each other and the Strictly experience, including FRIENDS FOR LIFE.

’It’s good to cry, it’s good to feel,’ says Rhys. ‘Strictly makes you feel things, you feel so much and sometimes that’s overwhelming.’ Cry it out, Rhys, we’re all here sobbing along with you. Honestly, we’re all going to need to rehydrate after next week’s Final. Bring Dioralyte.

Rhys and Nancy take to the floor for their final dance, to ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ by Rick Astley. A dancefloor classic.

I’m gutted for Rhys and Nancy, they’ve been amazing contenders and he should be hugely proud of how far he’s come – he started out all legs and arms, and now he’s an exceptional dancer.

Time for another montage! I’m afraid montages WILL be included in next week’s Bingo, so please come prepared.

I didn’t get a proper chance to examine AJ’s frock last night - how fabulous is that? Loving the arm pompoms.

‘Kai has ignited something inside me that I have not felt in years,’ says AJ. Bit early in the evening for that kind of thing, but I’m here for it anyway.

Well, there we are. I think that’s the right call based on last night’s performances, and I’m delighted for Rose and AJ that they’re through to the Grand Final – that’s very well deserved.

As for John and Rhys, they were incredibly close on the leaderboard last night – John and Johannes scored 39 to Rhys and Nancy’s 38. So it’s hard to know which of them the judges will save – this could well come down to a Shirley vote. EEK.

So who is joining John and Johannes in the dance off? AJ and Kai are safe, which means RHYS AND NANCY are in the bottom two.

‘I love being on your show, Anton,’ says Craig witheringly as Anton blathers on about nothing. I love him.

Ooh, time for a judges’ montage! ‘Craig, you are obsessed with me we knoooow,’ from Motsi was one of my highlights.

Rose’s reaction to being in the Final is so joyous - she’s SO excited. It’s Gio’s fourth time but he’s never won, but 2021 is definitely Italy’s year - Eurovision, the football thing, Guiseppe in Bake Off. It HAS to be Giovanni, surely?

Rose and Giovanni are safe, and JOHN AND JOHANNES are in the bottom two.

I’m not hugely surprised, but realistically being up against Rhys and Nancy is their only chance of staying. If it’s AJ and Kai in the dance off with them, JoJo will almost certainly be going home.

So who is the first couple safely through to next week’s Grand Final? Interesting to note which dances they’re lining up for the dance-off – we can tell from the outfits. Samba for Rhys, Jive for JoJo, Quickstep for AJ and Argentine for Rose.

Last night on Strictly: an absolutely MASSIVE semi. Brilliant dancing all round, tens being thrown around like confetti, many of them justified. Usually two dances means cutting corners, but very clearly all our couples had been working their sparkly butts off. It was very much appreciated.

Highlights: Motsi’s afro, John Whaite’s ‘I feel like I’ve been dipped in UHU and rolled in Claire’s Accessories’, AJ and Kai’s super-hot Rumba, Rose and Gio’s Argentine fabulousness, Rhys’s Samba and Nancy’s swan knickers.

Lowlights: other than choosing Coldplay for a Jive, I don’t think there were any. It was just the right length for a liveblogger, had a great mix of dances, a few emotional moments, and we were all Bingo drunk by the end. My kind of Saturday night.

And we’re OFF! Tonight’s opening pro dance is called *checks notes from the BBC* ‘The Library’, and features a medley of ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ by Noise For Pretend, ‘This Is How We Do It’ by Montell Jordan and ‘Boom! Shake The Room’ by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.

If this sounds like A Lot, throw in Aljaz in a beret and Neil in an ugly tank top leading a street dance crew, proving that People Who Like Books Can Also Be Cool. Sigh.

Incidentally Montell Jordan is often the cool down track at my Tuesday night aerobics class, so this is making me want to stretch my hamstrings.

Tonight’s Countryfile Casual Weatherperson is the sublime Stav Danaos, in 80s purple neon plaid and stonewashed denim. With those sleeves rolled up and an extra button undone, he’d qualify for the 2022 Countryfile Casual Weather Calendar.

7/10 - you had your chance Stav, but you blew it. I’m not angry, just disappointed.

And that’s Strictly done for our penultimate Saturday – I’ll be back tomorrow at 7.20pm for our very last Sunday Night Results Show, so please come back then. Thank you for joining in and being sparkly and brilliant as always, enjoy the rest of your Saturday! Hx

Scores: 10,10,10,10 - DRINK.

Motsi thought it was the dance of the season, and Shirley wanted to put it in a basket and keep it forever. Anton thought it was unbelievable - it was serene and calm and amazing. Craig thought that was a dance that belonged in the final.

Love a traditional Argentine, and I love hot Latin Gio in guyliner even more. Some really gorgeous accents in this from Rose and you can’t fault the connection between these two. The wafty legs in the middle are amazing and she climbs up and down Gio like an extremely elegant rat up a pole. Outstanding, I was mesmerised by that from start to finish.

Scores: 9,10,10,10 - a total of 39 for John and Johannes.

Johannes is crying. DRINK.

Craig wanted more retraction in the kicks but otherwise amazing. Motsi loved how John took the brakes off and it had great attack from beginning to end. Shirley loved how not-safe that was - John simmered, bubbled and boiled and it was absolutely superb. Anton thought it was marvellous and the sychro was great, he loved it.

John and Johnannes are on top of the world, in a CGI sense anyway. Loving the matching sparkly tops and this Jive is great fun, but John has a few tiny timing issues at the beginning. Nice leg retraction and some lovely kicks and flicks - another dance that would have benefitted from a couple of days of extra rehearsal, but an amazing effort. LOVED that.

Incidentally, a Coldplay Jive is an absolute no from me.

I’ve just looked up ‘the full bifta’ and it means going for it and giving it your best. Every day is a school day, no?

Scores: 9,10,10,10 - a total of 39 for AJ and Kai. There are only two paddles available this evening, apparently.

Anton goes full Len - he loved the lovely lines and the ‘full bifta’ - I’m not even sure what that is but I want some. Craig congratulates AJ on an amazing achievement, it was a difficult dance. Motsi loved the connection, the dance came together perfectly. Shirley bows to AJ in awe, she loved the nuances and the tracking of AJ’s legs and feet.

Lovin AJ in sparkly chiffon, and despite the excess of ankle fog this Rumba is strictly post-watershed. Some nice shaping and lovely leg work from AJ - she’s got great fluidity and poise in this dance and she and Kai are smoking hot. Kind of sad they don’t snog at the end, not gonna lie.

Scores: 9,10,10.9 - a total of 38 for Rhys and Nancy.

Shirley’s going full shimmy and she’s not even wearing a sports bra, it’s pure danger. Anton thought it was a marvellous effort, it had amazing rhythm through the body and the hips apart from a clunky bit. Craig thought have Rhys absolutely smashed it, even though it needed a smoother bounce. Motsi could see how hard Rhys fought for that Samba and he deserves a huge well done.

Goodness, they’ve killed a lot of neons swans for this dance, most of which are stuffed in Nancy’s knickers. Rhys is actually doing a very decent job of this, but it’s got his usual level of absolute loose-limbed Latin chaos and I’m not even sure that’s a bad thing. Bonus points for the twerking at the end, actually kind of loved that.

That’s the first round of dancing done, and AJ and Kai are currently at the top of the leaderboard. But there’s another round to go, so let’s not count our glitterchickens just yet.

Scores: 9,10,10,10 - a total of 39 for Rose and Giovanni. Ignore the sticky foot and drink anyway, we’ve come this far.

Motsi wants a ten with a star or a crown so she can communicate how much more than a ten that was. Shirley thought it was quality personified and it warmed her heart. Anton starts crying (DRINK) because he believes in their dancing. Craig points out a sticky right foot but otherwise it was one of the most amazing waltzes he’s seen.

Rose’s pin dress is gorgeous, and as expected this is a stunning Waltz with beautiful changes of pace and lovely rise and fall. Sweet without being saccharine, charming without being mawkish. Possibly my favourite Waltz of the season.

Scores: 9,10,10,10 - a total of 39 for John and Johannes.

Craig loved how John was leading the dance and telling the story. Motsi loved how much John let go and gave himself to that dance, and Shirley loved how John put his soul and emotion into it. Anton thought it was strong and powerful and the number demonstrated so much about John the man as well as John the dancer.

I know I’ve slagged off Couple’s Choice over the years, but this is a beautiful and heartfelt and powerful piece ofcContemporary dance and it brings home how important representation on shows like Strictly is. Just stunning.

Scores: 10,10,10,10 - a full house for AJ and Kai.

DRINK for that, and the ugly crying. Sorry, tonight’s Bingo is a killer.

My liveblog helper Sebby loved that, but Rhys and Nancy are his favourite and he has a bad feeling they’re going to go this week. Don’t give up, Sebby, there’s a long way to go.

Anton thought it was a triumphant return from last week’s dance-off, it was worth of the Blackpool ballroom. OMG says Craig, it was incredible, AJ ripped that floor up. Motsi is so proud of AJ - it was a difficult dance and AJ looked beautiful. Shirley was in absolute awe, the whole dance came together like pure Strictly magic. AJ was sensational.

Loving AJ’s fabulous dead swan frock, and this is a proper old-school Hollywood Quickstep with style and flair. Nice footwork from AJ and lovely timing as always, although it gets a bit gappy in places.

Like every dance we’re going to see this evening, it could have done with a couple more days of rehearsal, but there’s plenty to love about this. FAB.U.LUSS.

Dad message! DRINK. Ugly crying! DRINK!

Scores: 9,9,9,9 - a total of 36 for Rhys and Nancy. Bonus drink for all the screaming.

Shirley thought it was a fabulous way to open the semi-final - Rhys came out on fire and is mastering his craft, but he struggled to get back into hold after the solo bits. Anton thought the in-hold parts were better than out of hold tonight, Rhys’s frame was immaculate. Craig loved it too - it has power and drama and Rhys was definitely in charge. Motsi loved Rhys’s control and his improvement is sensational.

See, I know nothing. Other than I have the biggest girl crush on Motsi and would kill for that disco sequin outfit.

This takes FOREVER to get into hold, and Rhys’s timing is all over the shop. He’s got some nice shaping out of hold but it feels more Paso than Tango, and his feet are turned in as well. Not Rhys’s greatest dance, at least from where I’m sitting. But what do I know??

Out come the judges! Motsi ‘s hair has absolutely been the star of this year’s Strictly.

Out come the stars! Loving JoJo in matching hipster yoga outfits.

And we’re off! Time for a slo-mo VT, and it’s time for the semi-final! There’s only one show between our four remaining couples and the final. They’re exhausted. DRINK.

Watching the Festive Hit List - trying to imagine any circumstances where I might look at a poo-brown pleather flasher mac and think ‘that will look nice on telly’.