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Ola and James Jordan's Strictly verdict: Kym's absence, Hamza's scores and Molly for the final!

The Strictly Come Dancing professionals weigh in on a nail-biting week ten


james and ola jordan
Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
On 27 November 2022
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Strictly Come Dancing is in its tenth week, and don't we know it? With Kym Marsh unable to compete due to being diagnosed with Covid-19, the pressure set in for the six remaining celebrity-professional couples to prove their worth in the competition.

READ: Strictly's Helen Skelton breaks down in tears in heartbreaking moment

Judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton du Beke failed to give a clean sweep of perfect scores after Fleur East's mesmerising Couple's Choice last week crowned her the first dancer to get four tens this season.

WATCH: Helen Skelton breaks down in tears on Strictly

Were the dancers just not up to scratch or has the competition gotten hotter? Chiming in with their expert opinion are former Strictly professionals and world champions Ola and James Jordan with their weekly column, Strictly Speaking.

READ: Strictly viewers put off after Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu's dance 'ruined'

DISCOVER: When is the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 final?

Fleur East dances on Strictly Come Dancing in glittering dress© Photo: BBC

Fleur East tackled the difficult Rumba in week ten

HELLO!: Some fans are sharing on Twitter that they don't agree with Kym being allowed to skip a week, what do you think?

James: Essentially, it's a competition. If you're hoping to compete in the Olympics and in the first round of qualifiers but you're ill and can't turn up, then you're out of the competition and it's as simple as that.

Ola: We really do sympathise with Kym though, it must feel so awful to have to miss out. It's hard because it means so much to the other dancers and one of them will be leaving this week when it could have been Kym.

James: I do feel sorry for her, it must be gutting.

Molly Rainford dances a powerful Argentine Tango on Strictly Come Dancing© Photo: BBC

Molly Rainford gave her best performance of the series

Ola: Molly was exceptional last night, she was the dancer of the evening by a million miles. James: We've known for a while that Molly's had that potential to really shine, and I think Carlos did an amazing job at bringing out the best in her last night. The routine worked with the music perfectly. It was a very, very difficult routine. What a spectacular performance.

Ola: I can't understand why they weren't at the top of the leaderboard. Molly's routine and the level of difficulty far exceeded Will Mellor's, who came out with the highest scores last night.

HELLO!: Is that dance enough to get Molly through to the final?

Ola: Hopefully! She was brilliant yesterday, so I hope the public will see that she's proven herself. The thing is, from next week the competition is going to start getting very difficult because the standard of the celebrities left in the competition is so high. It's got to the point where someone good has to go, because they're all good.

James: I feel slightly differently from Ola. I think it's too late now for Molly to redeem herself, which is a shame. She's been in the bottom two twice now, which means that the public just isn't voting for her, for whatever reason. Molly was by far the best this week, but I would say the only way she's going to get to the final is if she's the best dancer ever single week. That way, if she's in the dance off then she'll be saved by the judges.

Ola: I hope she is, she seems like a lovely person. The fact she stood there last night alongside Claudia and felt like she had to say 'I am giving it my all, I am trying hard,' I felt so sorry for her. The public can be so nasty about her. It's clear to see she's trying her best.

James: I can assure you that Molly is definitely trying her best, it's just her performance comes across like she's not putting maximum effort into her dancing. She deserves her place in the competition and she proved it this week - but will she get to the final? We'll have to see.

HELLO!: Hamza Yassin is proving to be one of the favourites to win, how did he fare this week?

James: I was quite disappointed with Hamza's dance this week. Actually, the two couples who I felt have consistently been good week after week, and I'd even go as far to say that they've been the most consistent couples on Strictly ever, are Hamza and Jowita and Helen and Gorka - but they both fell flat last night.

Hamza Yassin tangoes on Strictly Come Dancing© Photo: BBC

Hamza received two tens from the judges

Ola: They both gave really average performances, but I'd say that both of their professionals were so incredible last night. We could not stop watching Jowita - Shirley even picked up on it. She was amazing.

James: Jowita really shone last night, as did Gorka dancing with Helen. When he was dancing I actually turned to Ola and said 'I wish I looked like that!'

Ola: I said I wanted to get up and dance with him! James: He has just got everything going for him. When he ripped his shirt open I was sat here all jealous… he's a brilliant dancer and an excellent choreographer. My only critique is that I couldn't stop watching him and wasn't really able to watch Helen. She really struggled this week with the Samba.

Ola: It was unfortunate for Helen this week, the Samba is notoriously a really difficult dance and she made a few mistakes. At this point in the competition, you can't just have a bad dance, it's crucial to come out week on week and smash it if you want a place in the final.

gorka and helen

Craig was less than impressed with Helen's tricky Samba

James: I feel sorry for Helen and Gorka that they got such a difficult dance at this stage in the competition. The only thing I will say to them - is it's clear to see they're getting public support, they're yet to be in the bottom two, so they must be doing something right!

Ola: Helen and Gorka have been incredible for the last nine weeks, so they really do deserve to stay.

James: Can we just revert back to Hamza? I cannot understand how he got two tens from Shirley and Motsi…

HELLO!: Twitter appeared to pick up on that too, fans weren't happy with Hamza's perfect scores from them.

Ola: I'd agree with that. Hamza has been the favourite for a while but last night we both felt it was a little bit full. He lacked the passion required for an Argentine Tango. He might have gotten the steps, but there was no connection between the two of them.

James: I wonder if the judges were just watching Jowita. But when you watched them as a couple, I agree it was very average. No way would I give that a ten. The Argentine Tango should be like you're on the brink of ripping each other's clothes off… it didn't look like that at all. They looked like brother and sister dancing almost!

HELLO!: Is that passion quite awkward to encourage from your celebrity?

Ola: It depends if your celebrity can sell a character. Hamza is clearly a very lovely, mellow guy who perhaps doesn't connect with the mysterious darkness required for an Argentine Tango.

James: That doesn't matter though, you have to commit to the character. He didn't last night.

HELLO!: What did you think of the other performances? Who is most likely for the dance-off this week?

Ola: We really enjoyed Will's performance last night.

James: I really enjoyed Nancy's modern twist on the Charleston. I agree with Craig that sometimes Will's free arm was misplaced, but apart from that, I thought it was a fantastic performance. I wouldn't have given him top spot on the leaderboard though…

Will Mellor performs an incredible Cha Cha on Strictly Come Dancing © Photo: BBC

Will Mellor topped the leaderboard with an epic Charleston

Ola: I think Fleur got lost in the technical side of the Rumba this week. Her performance looked a little mechanical, it looked as if she was overthinking everything.

James: It became too rigid for me, there was no softness in her spine and her rotation in the back was a little square - she lacked fluidity through her movement, so it came across a bit hard. I wonder if she'll be saved this week… she has been in the bottom two twice before.

Ola: Ellie Taylor could potentially be the celebrity to go this evening. We've said for a couple of weeks now it's probably her time to go.

James: Ellie has improved so much since the beginning of the competition, and actually her Jive was alright - but she's now competing against everyone left in the competition who has had some form of dance training.

Ellie Taylor and Johannes Radebe perform a jive on Strictly Come Dancing© Photo: BBC

Ellie Taylor and Johannes Radebe are yet to be in the dance-off

Ola: It's difficult to compare. For someone who's never danced before she's incredible and has improved more than everyone else, but relative to the other celebrities she's not up to par.

James: It's tough because she's stayed in longer than people like, say, Tyler, who I thought could have gone all the way to the semis. If she did leave tonight I wouldn't be surprised.

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