# Strictly Come Dancing series 21

Strictly Come Dancing returned for its twenty-first series with a launch show on 16 September 2023 on BBC One, with live shows beginning on 23 September. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman returned as hosts, while Janette Manrara returned to host Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, alongside Fleur East, who was announced as the new co-host after Rylan Clark's departure in April 2023. In April 2023, the BBC announced that Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood would return to the judging panel.
Actress Ellie Leach and her partner Vito Coppola were announced as the winners on 16 December, while Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin, and Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell were the runners-up.

## Format

The couples dance each week in a live show. The judges score each performance out of ten. The couples are then ranked according to the judges' scores and given points according to their rank, with the lowest scored couple receiving one point, and the highest scored couple receiving the most points (the maximum number of points available depends on the number of couples remaining in the competition). The public are also invited to vote for their favourite couples, and the couples are ranked again according to the number of votes they receive, again receiving points; the couple with the fewest votes receiving one point, and the couple with the most votes receiving the most points.
The points for judges' score and public vote are then added together, and the two couples with the fewest points are placed in the bottom two. If two couples have equal points, the points from the public vote are given precedence. As with the previous series, the bottom two couples have to perform a dance-off on the results show. Based on that performance alone, each judge then votes on which couple should stay and which couple should leave, with Shirley Ballas, as head judge, having the last and deciding vote if needed.

## Professional dancers

In April 2023, the BBC announced that Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Vito Coppola, Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Márquez, Luba Mushtuk, Lauren Oakley, Giovanni Pernice, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Michelle Tsiakkas, Kai Widdrington, and Nancy Xu would be returning to the series. The only professional dancer who did not return was Cameron Lombard, who had been part of the professional group routines since the nineteenth series.
In May 2023, Dowden announced she had been diagnosed with grade III breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy, but added she was "determined" to get back on the dance floor and that she was hoping to take part in the series if she was able to. Despite her initial plans to return for the series, Dowden confirmed in July that she had been diagnosed with "another type of cancer" and would be unable to partner a celebrity due to undergoing chemotherapy.
During the launch show, Lauren Oakley received a celebrity partner for the first time, while Neil Jones, Nadiya Bychkova, and Michelle Tsiakkas did not receive a partner. The rest of the pros were paired to a celebrity, including Luba Mushtuk, who did not have a celebrity partner for the last two series.

## Couples

This series features fifteen celebrity contestants. On 4 August 2023, the first three celebrities announced as participants in the series were Amanda Abbington, Angela Rippon, and Layton Williams. Celebrity contestants continued to be revealed until 11 August 2023, when the full line-up was announced.
On 23 October, it was announced that Amanda Abbington had withdrawn from the competition after having missed the previous week.
On 2 December, hours before the live episode was set to air, it was announced that Nigel Harman had been forced to withdraw from the competition due to a rib injury.
| Celebrity | Notability | Professional partner | Status |
| Les Dennis | Comedian, actor & television presenter | Nancy Xu | Eliminated 1st on 1 October 2023 |
| Nikita Kanda | BBC Asian Network presenter | Gorka Márquez | Eliminated 2nd on 8 October 2023 |
| Jody Cundy | Paralympic cyclist & swimmer | Jowita Przystał | Eliminated 3rd on 15 October 2023 |
| Eddie Kadi | Comedian & BBC Radio 1Xtra presenter | Karen Hauer | Eliminated 4th on 22 October 2023 |
| Amanda Abbington | Stage & screen actress | Giovanni Pernice | Withdrew on 23 October 2023 |
| Zara McDermott | Media personality & television presenter | Graziano Di Prima | Eliminated 5th on 29 October 2023 |
| Adam Thomas | Waterloo Road & Emmerdale actor | Luba Mushtuk | Eliminated 6th on 5 November 2023 |
| Krishnan Guru-Murthy | Channel 4 News presenter & journalist | Lauren Oakley | Eliminated 7th on 12 November 2023 |
| Angela Rippon | Television presenter, journalist & newsreader | Kai Widdrington | Eliminated 8th on 19 November 2023 |
| Angela Scanlon | Television presenter | Carlos Gu | Eliminated 9th on 26 November 2023 |
| Nigel Harman | Stage & screen actor | Katya Jones | Withdrew on 2 December 2023 |
| Annabel Croft | Professional tennis player & pundit | Johannes Radebe | Eliminated 10th on 10 December 2023 |
| Bobby Brazier | EastEnders actor & model | Dianne Buswell | Runners-up on 16 December 2023 |
| Layton Williams | Bad Education actor & West End performer | Nikita Kuzmin | Runners-up on 16 December 2023 |
| Ellie Leach | Coronation Street actress | Vito Coppola | Winners on 16 December 2023 |

## Scoring chart

The highest score each week is indicated in bold green with a dagger (†), while the lowest score each week is indicated in italicized red with a double-dagger (‡).

### Colour key

Strictly Come Dancing (series 21) - Weekly scores :
| Couple | Pl. | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Couple | Pl. | 1 | 2 | 1+2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11+12 | 13 |
| Ellie & Vito | 1st | 29 | 31 | 60 | 33 | 28 | 37 | 38† | 39† | 35 | 39† | 38† | 36 | 37+38=75 | 111 | 39+36+40=115‡ |
| Layton & Nikita | 2nd | 29 | 36† | 65† | 28 | 37† | 39† | 36 | 36 | 39† | 39† | 34 | 40† | 36+40=76† | 116† | 40+39+40=119† |
| Bobby & Dianne | 2nd | 29 | 29 | 58 | 32 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 35 | 37 | 34 | 38+35=73 | 107 | 39+39+39=117 |
| Annabel & Johannes | 4th | 28 | 22 | 50 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 35 | 31 | 35 | 36 | 33‡ | 32+33=65‡ | 98‡ | |
| Nigel & Katya | 5th | 32† | 27 | 59 | 25 | 33 | 29 | 30 | 33 | 34 | 31 | 33 | | | | |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 6th | 23 | 29 | 52 | 35† | 28 | 28 | 33 | 27‡ | 33 | 38 | 31‡ | | | | |
| Angela R. & Kai | 7th | 28 | 31 | 59 | 26 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 28 | 32 | 28‡ | | | | | |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 8th | 22 | 20 | 42 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 25‡ | | | | | | |
| Adam & Luba | 9th | 19 | 23 | 42 | 26 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 27‡ | | | | | | | |
| Zara & Graziano | 10th | 19 | 23 | 42 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 25‡ | | | | | | | | |
| Amanda & Giovanni | 11th | 29 | 32 | 61 | 30 | 31 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eddie & Karen | 12th | 22 | 21 | 43 | 34 | 24 | 24‡ | | | | | | | | | |
| Jody & Jowita | 13th | 21 | 16 | 37 | 20‡ | 19‡ | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nikita & Gorka | 14th | 18 | 18 | 36 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Les & Nancy | 15th | 16‡ | 15‡ | 31‡ | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Notes

* ↑ This couple finished in first place.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 This couple was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated.
* 1 2 This couple finished in second place.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 This couple was eliminated.
* 1 2 This couple withdrew from the competition.
* ↑ This couple was excused from competition due to illness or injury, and was granted a bye to the following week.

### Average chart

| Couple | Rank by average | Total points | Number of dances | Total average |
| Layton & Nikita | 1st | 588 | 16 | 36.8 |
| Ellie & Vito | 2nd | 573 | 16 | 35.8 |
| Bobby & Dianne | 3rd | 540 | 16 | 33.8 |
| Annabel & Johannes | 4th | 400 | 13 | 30.8 |
| Nigel & Katya | 5th | 307 | 10 | 30.7 |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 6th | 305 | 10 | 30.5 |
| Amanda & Giovanni | 6th | 122 | 4 | 30.5 |
| Angela R. & Kai | 8th | 271 | 9 | 30.1 |
| Adam & Luba | 9th | 191 | 7 | 27.3 |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 10th | 211 | 8 | 26.4 |
| Eddie & Karen | 11th | 125 | 5 | 25.0 |
| Zara & Graziano | 12th | 148 | 6 | 24.7 |
| Jody & Jowita | 13th | 76 | 4 | 19.0 |
| Nikita & Gorka | 13th | 57 | 3 | 19.0 |
| Les & Nancy | 15th | 31 | 2 | 15.5 |

## Weekly scores

Unless indicated otherwise, individual judges scores in the charts below (given in parentheses) are listed in this order from left to right: Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke.

### Launch show

* Musical guest: Jessie Ware — "Free Yourself"

### Week 1

There was no elimination this week; all scores carried over to the following week. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music |
| Adam & Luba | 19 (4, 5, 5, 5) | Cha-cha-cha | "Waffle House" — Jonas Brothers |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 23 (6, 6, 5, 6) | Tango | "Prisoner" — Miley Cyrus, feat. Dua Lipa |
| Eddie & Karen | 22 (4, 6, 6, 6) | Quickstep | "Two Hearts" — Phil Collins |
| Angela R. & Kai | 28 (7, 7, 7, 7) | Cha-cha-cha | "Get the Party Started" — Shirley Bassey |
| Nikita & Gorka | 18 (3, 5, 5, 5) | Waltz | "Run to You" — Whitney Houston |
| Layton & Nikita | 29 (7, 8, 7, 7) | Samba | "Touch" — Little Mix |
| Zara & Graziano | 19 (3, 6, 5, 5) | Cha-cha-cha | "Crush" — Jennifer Paige |
| Les & Nancy | 16 (2, 4, 5, 5) | Tango | "Don't You Want Me" — Human League |
| Ellie & Vito | 29 (7, 8, 7, 7) | Jive | "Can't Tame Her" — Zara Larsson |
| Jody & Jowita | 21 (5, 5, 6, 5) | Quickstep | "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" — Bobby Darin |
| Bobby & Dianne | 29 (6, 7, 8, 8) | Foxtrot | "All About You" — McFly |
| Annabel & Johannes | 28 (7, 7, 7, 7) | Cha-cha-cha | "Uptown Girl" — Billy Joel |
| Amanda & Giovanni | 29 (7, 7, 8, 7) | Viennese waltz | "Pointless" — Lewis Capaldi |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 22 (5, 6, 6, 5) | Cha-cha-cha | "Boom Shack-A-Lak" — Apache Indian |
| Nigel & Katya | 32 (8, 8, 8, 8) | Paso doble | "Smells Like Teen Spirit" — Nirvana |

### Week 2

Musical guest: Jorja Smith — "Try Me"
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Bobby & Dianne | 29 (7, 7, 7, 8) | Charleston | "Do Your Thing" — Basement Jaxx | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 22 (4, 6, 6, 6) | Quickstep | "Walking on Sunshine" — Katrina and the Waves | Safe |
| Jody & Jowita | 16 (3, 4, 4, 5) | Paso doble | "Thunderstruck" — AC/DC | Safe |
| Ellie & Vito | 31 (8, 8, 7, 8) | Foxtrot | "Perfect" — Fairground Attraction | Safe |
| Nigel & Katya | 27 (7, 7, 6, 7) | Viennese waltz | "Until I Found You" — Stephen Sanchez | Safe |
| Nikita & Gorka | 18 (3, 5, 5, 5) | Charleston | "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" — Beyoncé | Bottom two |
| Les & Nancy | 15 (2, 4, 4, 5) | Samba | "Rock the Boat" — The Hues Corporation | Eliminated |
| Adam & Luba | 23 (5, 6, 5, 7) | Tango | "Somebody Told Me" — Måneskin | Safe |
| Amanda & Giovanni | 32 (8, 8, 8, 8) | Salsa | "Oye!" — Gloria Estefan | Safe |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 20 (4, 5, 5, 6) | Foxtrot | "Love Really Hurts Without You" — Billy Ocean | Safe |
| Eddie & Karen | 21 (3, 6, 5, 7) | Cha-cha-cha | "Ríe y Llora" — Celia Cruz | Safe |
| Zara & Graziano | 23 (6, 6, 5, 6) | Quickstep | "Anyone for You (Tiger Lily)" — George Ezra | Safe |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 29 (7, 7, 7, 8) | Jive | "Trouble" — Shampoo | Safe |
| Angela R. & Kai | 31 (8, 8, 7, 8) | Foxtrot | "You Make Me Feel So Young" — Frank Sinatra | Safe |
| Layton & Nikita | 36 (9, 9, 9, 9) | Quickstep | "Puttin' On the Ritz" — Gregory Porter | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Nikita & Gorka
* Mabuse: Nikita & Gorka
* Du Beke: Nikita & Gorka
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Nikita & Gorka

### Week 3: Movie Week

Musical guest: Madison Beer — "Showed Me (How I Fell in Love with You)"
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Film | Result |
| Nigel & Katya | 25 (6, 6, 6, 7) | Jive | "Batman Theme" | Batman | Safe |
| Angela R. & Kai | 26 (6, 7, 6, 7) | Quickstep | "Do-Re-Mi" | The Sound of Music | Safe |
| Zara & Graziano | 25 (6, 6, 6, 7) | Paso doble | "The Puss Suite" | Puss in Boots | Bottom two |
| Layton & Nikita | 28 (7, 7, 7, 7) | Viennese waltz | "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" | Grease | Safe |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 35 (9, 9, 8, 9) | Charleston | "Who's Got the Pain" | Damn Yankees | Safe |
| Amanda & Giovanni | 30 (6, 8, 8, 8) | Rumba | "Out of Reach" | Bridget Jones's Diary | Safe |
| Nikita & Gorka | 21 (4, 6, 5, 6) | Jive | "Kids in America" | Clueless | Eliminated |
| Ellie & Vito | 33 (8, 9, 8, 8) | Viennese waltz | "Waiting on a Miracle" | Encanto | Safe |
| Bobby & Dianne | 32 (8, 8, 8, 8) | Samba | "Young Hearts Run Free" | Romeo + Juliet | Safe |
| Jody & Jowita | 20 (4, 5, 5, 6) | American Smooth | "Married Life" | Up | Safe |
| Eddie & Karen | 34 (8, 8, 10, 8) | Couple's choice | "Men in Black" | Men in Black | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 30 (8, 8, 7, 7) | Waltz | "Moon River" | Breakfast at Tiffany's | Safe |
| Adam & Luba | 26 (5, 7, 7, 7) | Jive | "Take On Me" | The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Safe |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 30 (8, 8, 7, 7) | Charleston | "Money, Money" | Cabaret | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Zara & Graziano
* Mabuse: Zara & Graziano
* Du Beke: Zara & Graziano
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Zara & Graziano

### Week 4

Musical guest: Beverley Knight— "I'm on Fire"
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Ellie & Vito | 28 (7, 7, 7, 7) | Samba | "Copacabana" — Barry Manilow | Safe |
| Adam & Luba | 32 (8, 8, 8, 8) | Waltz | "I Wonder Why" — Curtis Stigers | Safe |
| Jody & Jowita | 19 (3, 5, 5, 6) | Salsa | "Samba de Janeiro" — Bellini | Eliminated |
| Amanda & Giovanni | 31 (7, 8, 8, 8) | Foxtrot | "Everywhere" — Fleetwood Mac | Safe |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 28 (6, 7, 7, 8) | Paso doble | "By the Way" — Red Hot Chili Peppers | Safe |
| Zara & Graziano | 28 (7, 7, 7, 7) | Viennese waltz | "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" — Brenda Lee | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 29 (7, 7, 7, 8) | Jive | "Feel It Still" — Portugal. The Man | Safe |
| Eddie & Karen | 24 (4, 7, 6, 7) | American Smooth | "Sex Bomb" — Tom Jones | Bottom two |
| Layton & Nikita | 37 (9, 10, 9, 9) | Cha-cha-cha | "Million Dollar Bill" — Whitney Houston | Safe |
| Nigel & Katya | 33 (8, 9, 8, 8) | Salsa | "Suavemente" — Elvis Crespo | Safe |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 28 (7, 7, 7, 7) | Viennese waltz | "You Are the Reason" — Calum Scott & Leona Lewis | Safe |
| Angela R. & Kai | 31 (8, 7, 8, 8) | Rumba | "Rise Like a Phoenix" — Conchita Wurst | Safe |
| Bobby & Dianne | 30 (7, 7, 8, 8) | Tango | "Fashion" — David Bowie | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Eddie & Karen
* Mabuse: Eddie & Karen
* Du Beke: Eddie & Karen
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Eddie & Karen

### Week 5

Musical guest: Bastille — "Pompeii"
Amanda Abbington announced that she would be unable to perform on the live show for medical reasons. Under the rules of the show, she was granted a bye to the following week.
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Annabel & Johannes | 27 (5, 7, 7, 8) | Charleston | "Ladies' Night" — Kool & the Gang | Safe |
| Nigel & Katya | 29 (7, 7, 7, 8) | Foxtrot | "I Just Want to Make Love to You" — Etta James | Safe |
| Eddie & Karen | 24 (5, 6, 6, 7) | Samba | "Calm Down" — Rema & Selena Gomez | Eliminated |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 30 (6, 8, 8, 8) | Quickstep | "The Lady Is a Tramp" — Frank Sinatra | Safe |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 28 (6, 7, 7, 8) | American Smooth | "Cherish" — Madonna | Safe |
| Ellie & Vito | 37 (9, 10, 9, 9) | Paso doble | "Insomnia" — Faithless | Safe |
| Layton & Nikita | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Salsa | "Quimbara" — Johnny Pacheco & Celia Cruz | Safe |
| Bobby & Dianne | 32 (7, 8, 8, 9) | Viennese waltz | "Golden Hour" — JVKE | Safe |
| Adam & Luba | 32 (7, 8, 8, 9) | Couple's choice | "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)", "Get Down (You're the One for Me)" & "Larger than Life" All by the Backstreet Boys | Safe |
| Zara & Graziano | 28 (7, 7, 7, 7) | American Smooth | "Can't Fight the Moonlight" — LeAnn Rimes | Bottom two |
| Angela R. & Kai | 34 (8, 9, 8, 9) | Argentine tango | "Tanguera" — Sexteto Mayor | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Zara & Graziano
* Mabuse: Zara & Graziano
* Du Beke: Zara & Graziano
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Zara & Graziano

### Week 6: Halloween Week

Musical guest: Rick Astley — "Forever and More"
After having missed the previous week, Amanda Abbington withdrew from the competition.
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 33 (8, 8, 8, 9) | Paso doble | "BLACK swan SWAN lake" — District 78 | Safe |
| Adam & Luba | 32 (7, 9, 8, 8) | American Smooth | "Magic Moments" — Perry Como | Bottom two |
| Zara & Graziano | 25 (6, 6, 6, 7) | Charleston | "Jeepers Creepers" — Al Donahue & His Orchestra | Eliminated |
| Layton & Nikita | 36 (9, 9, 9, 9) | Tango | "Vampire" — Olivia Rodrigo | Safe |
| Bobby & Dianne | 30 (6, 9, 7, 8) | Cha-cha-cha | "Come On-a My House" — Della Reese | Safe |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 27 (6, 7, 6, 8) | Viennese waltz | "Kiss from a Rose" — Seal | Safe |
| Angela R. & Kai | 33 (9, 8, 8, 8) | Charleston | "Theme from Murder, She Wrote" — John Addison | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 29 (7, 7, 7, 8) | Tango | "Need You Tonight" — INXS | Safe |
| Nigel & Katya | 30 (8, 7, 7, 8) | Cha-cha-cha | "I Was Made for Lovin' You" — Kiss | Safe |
| Ellie & Vito | 38 (9, 10, 10, 9) | Salsa | "Murder on the Dancefloor" — Sophie Ellis-Bextor | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Adam & Luba
* Mabuse: Adam & Luba
* Du Beke: Adam & Luba
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Adam & Luba

### Week 7

Musical guest: Zara Larsson — "On My Love"
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Layton & Nikita | 36 (8, 10, 10, 8) | Jive | "Shake Ur Body" — Shy FX, feat. Di | Safe |
| Angela R. & Kai | 28 (7, 8, 6, 7) | Waltz | "Fascination" — Nat King Cole | Bottom two |
| Nigel & Katya | 33 (7, 9, 9, 8) | Tango | "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" — Mark Ronson, feat. Miley Cyrus | Safe |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 27 (6, 7, 7, 7) | Samba | "Ain't It Funny" — Jennifer Lopez | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 35 (8, 9, 9, 9) | Couple's choice | "Wings" — Birdy | Safe |
| Bobby & Dianne | 30 (6, 8, 8, 8) | Argentine tango | "Sail" — Awolnation | Safe |
| Ellie & Vito | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | American Smooth | "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" — Robbie Williams | Safe |
| Adam & Luba | 27 (6, 7, 7, 7) | Rumba | "Dancing On My Own" — Calum Scott | Eliminated |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 29 (6, 8, 8, 7) | Couple's choice | "You Can Call Me Al" — Paul Simon | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Angela R. & Kai
* Mabuse: Angela R. & Kai
* Du Beke: Angela R. & Kai
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Angela R. & Kai

### Week 8

Musical guests: Andrea Bocelli & Virginia Bocelli – "Hallelujah"
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Krishnan & Lauren | 25 (5, 7, 6, 7) | Samba | "Bamboléo" — Gipsy Kings | Eliminated |
| Bobby & Dianne | 32 (7, 8, 8, 9) | American Smooth | "Ghost of You" — 5 Seconds of Summer | Safe |
| Angela R. & Kai | 32 (8, 8, 8, 8) | Paso doble | "Hung Up" — Madonna | Bottom two |
| Nigel & Katya | 34 (8, 8, 9, 9) | Couple's choice | "Just the Way You Are" — Bruno Mars | Safe |
| Ellie & Vito | 35 (8, 9, 9, 9) | Rumba | "True Colors" — Cyndi Lauper | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 31 (7, 8, 8, 8) | Samba | "Whenever, Wherever" — Shakira | Safe |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 33 (7, 9, 8, 9) | Waltz | "With You I'm Born Again" — Billy Preston & Syreeta | Safe |
| Layton & Nikita | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Argentine tango | "Tattoo" — Loreen | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Angela R. & Kai
* Mabuse: Angela R. & Kai
* Du Beke: Angela R. & Kai
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Krishnan & Lauren

### Week 9: Blackpool Week

Musical guests: Madness – "C'est La Vie"
This week's episode was staged in the Tower Ballroom at the Blackpool Tower in Blackpool, Lancashire. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Bobby & Dianne | 35 (8, 9, 9, 9) | Jive | "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" — Wham! | Bottom two |
| Angela R. & Kai | 28 (6, 7, 7, 8) | American Smooth | "Tea for Two" — Ella Fitzgerald | Eliminated |
| Layton & Nikita | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Couple's choice | "Ain't No Other Man" — Christina Aguilera | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 35 (8, 9, 9, 9) | American Smooth | "Unchained Melody" — Benedetta Caretta | Safe |
| Ellie & Vito | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Charleston | "Love Machine" — Girls Aloud | Safe |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 38 (8, 10, 10, 10) | Argentine tango | "Back to Black" — Amy Winehouse | Safe |
| Nigel & Katya | 31 (7, 8, 8, 8) | Quickstep | "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" — Duke Ellington | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Bobby & Dianne
* Mabuse: Bobby & Dianne
* Du Beke: Bobby & Dianne
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Bobby & Dianne

### Week 10

Musical guests: Texas – "Inner Smile"
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Layton & Nikita | 34 (8, 9, 8, 9) | American Smooth | "It's Oh So Quiet" — Björk | Bottom two |
| Nigel & Katya | 33 (8, 8, 8, 9) | Rumba | "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" — Celine Dion | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 36 (8, 9, 9, 10) | Paso doble | "España cañí" — Pascual Marquina Narro | Safe |
| Angela S. & Carlos | 31 (7, 7, 8, 9) | Cha-cha-cha | "I Will Survive" — Gloria Gaynor | Eliminated |
| Bobby & Dianne | 37 (8, 9, 10, 10) | Couple's choice | "This Woman's Work" — Maxwell | Safe |
| Ellie & Vito | 38 (9, 10, 10, 9) | Argentine tango | "Bills, Bills, Bills" — Destiny's Child | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Layton & Nikita
* Mabuse: Layton & Nikita
* Du Beke: Layton & Nikita
* Ballas: Did not vote, but would have voted to save Angela S. & Carlos

### Week 11: Musicals Week (Quarter-final)

Musical guest: Joss Stone – "This Time" (from The Time Traveller's Wife)
Hours before the live performance was to begin, Nigel Harman announced that he had to withdraw from the competition after sustaining an injury. As a result, there was no elimination this week and all scores carried over to the following week.
Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Musical |
| Ellie & Vito | 36 (9, 9, 9, 9) | Quickstep | "Belle" | Beauty and the Beast |
| Annabel & Johannes | 33 (8, 8, 8, 9) | Foxtrot | "For Good" | Wicked |
| Layton & Nikita | 40 (10, 10, 10, 10) | Paso doble | "Backstage Romance" | Moulin Rouge! |
| Bobby & Dianne | 34 (8, 8, 9, 9) | Salsa | "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" | Dirty Dancing |

### Week 12 (Semi-final)

Musical guests: Take That – "This Life"
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Bobby & Dianne | 38 (9, 9, 10, 10) | Quickstep | "Mack the Knife" — Bobby Darin | Bottom two |
| Bobby & Dianne | 35 (8, 9, 9, 9) | Paso doble | "Run Boy Run" — Yoann Lemoine | Bottom two |
| Layton & Nikita | 36 (9, 9, 9, 9) | Rumba | "Lift Me Up" — Rihanna | Safe |
| Layton & Nikita | 40 (10, 10, 10, 10) | Charleston | "Fit as a Fiddle" — Gene Kelly & Donald O'Connor | Safe |
| Annabel & Johannes | 32 (8, 8, 8, 8) | Salsa | "You'll Be Mine (Party Time)" — Gloria Estefan | Eliminated |
| Annabel & Johannes | 33 (8, 8, 8, 9) | Viennese waltz | "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" — Amelia Warner | Eliminated |
| Ellie & Vito | 37 (9, 10, 9, 9) | Cha-cha-cha | "Mambo Italiano" — Bette Midler | Safe |
| Ellie & Vito | 38 (9, 9, 10, 10) | Couple’s choice | "Blow Your Mind" & "Physical" — Dua Lipa | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to save

* Horwood: Annabel & Johannes
* Mabuse: Bobby & Dianne
* Du Beke: Bobby & Dianne
* Ballas: Bobby & Dianne

### Week 13 (Final)

Musical guest: Cher — "DJ Play a Christmas Song"
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Ellie & Vito | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Paso doble | "Insomnia" — 2WEI | Winners |
| Ellie & Vito | 36 (9, 9, 9, 9) | Showdance | "On the Floor" & "Dance Again" — Jennifer Lopez | Winners |
| Ellie & Vito | 40 (10, 10, 10, 10) | American Smooth | "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" — Robbie Williams | Winners |
| Bobby & Dianne | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Samba | "Young Hearts Run Free" — Candi Staton | Runners-up |
| Bobby & Dianne | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Showdance | "Someone in the Crowd", "Another Day of Sun" & "Epilogue" All from La La Land | Runners-up |
| Bobby & Dianne | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Couple's choice | "This Woman's Work" — Maxwell | Runners-up |
| Layton & Nikita | 40 (10, 10, 10, 10) | Quickstep | "Puttin' On the Ritz" — Gregory Porter | Runners-up |
| Layton & Nikita | 39 (9, 10, 10, 10) | Showdance | "Friend Like Me" — Ne-Yo | Runners-up |
| Layton & Nikita | 40 (10, 10, 10, 10) | Argentine tango | "Tattoo" — Loreen | Runners-up |

## Dance chart

The couples performed the following each week:
* Weeks 1–11: One unlearned dance
* Week 12 (Semi-Finals): Two unlearned dances
* Week 13 (Finals): Judges' choice, showdance & favourite dance of the series
Strictly Come Dancing (series 21) - Dance chart :
| Couple | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Couple | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Ellie & Vito | Jive | Foxtrot | Viennese waltz | Samba | Paso doble | Salsa | American Smooth | Rumba | Charleston | Argentine tango | Quickstep | Cha-cha-cha | Couple's choice | Paso doble | Showdance | American Smooth |
| Bobby & Dianne | Foxtrot | Charleston | Samba | Tango | Viennese waltz | Cha-cha-cha | Argentine tango | American Smooth | Jive | Couple's choice | Salsa | Quickstep | Paso doble | Samba | Showdance | Couple’s choice |
| Layton & Nikita | Samba | Quickstep | Viennese waltz | Cha-cha-cha | Salsa | Tango | Jive | Argentine tango | Couple's choice | American Smooth | Paso doble | Rumba | Charleston | Quickstep | Showdance | Argentine tango |
| Annabel & Johannes | Cha-cha-cha | Quickstep | Waltz | Jive | Charleston | Tango | Couple's choice | Samba | American Smooth | Paso doble | Foxtrot | Salsa | Viennese waltz | | | |
| Nigel & Katya | Paso doble | Viennese waltz | Jive | Salsa | Foxtrot | Cha-cha-cha | Tango | Couple's choice | Quickstep | Rumba | | | | | | |
| Angela S. & Carlos | Tango | Jive | Charleston | Viennese waltz | American Smooth | Paso doble | Samba | Waltz | Argentine tango | Cha-cha-cha | | | | | | |
| Angela R. & Kai | Cha-cha-cha | Foxtrot | Quickstep | Rumba | Argentine tango | Charleston | Waltz | Paso doble | American Smooth | | | | | | | |
| Krishnan & Lauren | Cha-cha-cha | Foxtrot | Charleston | Paso doble | Quickstep | Viennese waltz | Couple's choice | Samba | | | | | | | | |
| Adam & Luba | Cha-cha-cha | Tango | Jive | Waltz | Couple's choice | American Smooth | Rumba | | | | | | | | | |
| Zara & Graziano | Cha-cha-cha | Quickstep | Paso doble | Viennese waltz | American Smooth | Charleston | | | | | | | | | | |
| Amanda & Giovanni | Viennese waltz | Salsa | Rumba | Foxtrot | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eddie & Karen | Quickstep | Cha-cha-cha | Couple's choice | American Smooth | Samba | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jody & Jowita | Quickstep | Paso doble | American Smooth | Salsa | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nikita & Gorka | Waltz | Charleston | Jive | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Les & Nancy | Tango | Samba | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Ratings

Weekly ratings for each show on BBC One. All ratings are provided by BARB.
| Episode | Date | Official rating (millions) | Weekly rank for BBC One | Weekly rank for all UK TV |
| Launch show | 16 September | 7.92 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 1 | 23 September | 8.44 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 2 | 30 September | 8.37 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 2 results | 1 October | 7.36 | 2 | 3 |
| Week 3 | 7 October | 8.40 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 3 results | 8 October | 7.33 | 2 | 3 |
| Week 4 | 14 October | 8.41 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 4 results | 15 October | 8.05 | 2 | 2 |
| Week 5 | 21 October | 8.79 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 5 results | 22 October | 8.36 | 2 | 2 |
| Week 6 | 28 October | 9.20 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 6 results | 29 October | 8.58 | 2 | 2 |
| Week 7 | 4 November | 8.81 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 7 results | 5 November | 8.01 | 2 | 2 |
| Week 8 | 11 November | 8.80 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 8 results | 12 November | 8.44 | 2 | 2 |
| Week 9 | 18 November | 9.78 | 1 | 2 |
| Week 9 results | 19 November | 8.67 | 2 | 3 |
| Week 10 | 25 November | 9.07 | 1 | 5 |
| Week 10 results | 26 November | 8.79 | 2 | 6 |
| Week 11 | 2 December | 9.37 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 11 results | 3 December | 6.71 | 3 | 11 |
| Week 12 | 9 December | 8.88 | 1 | 1 |
| Week 12 results | 10 December | 8.45 | 2 | 2 |
| Week 13 | 16 December | 10.06 | 1 | 1 |
| Series average (excl. launch show) | 2023 | 8.55 | — | — |