Hello all! I’m Miss Bubbles from
MSN’s soap blog, A Slice Of Soap. This is it! The Final! Hope you’ve all enjoyed this live blog. This is my last entry. Strictly blogger Matt Ball will follow later with a detailed recap of tonight’s show and he’s also on Twitter
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This is a live blog so Press F5 to refresh your screen and keep up with all the latest happenings. Feel free to leave comments at any time throughout the show…
We’re at the end of the series: I can’t believe it. I’ve prepared by listening to Matt’s Strictly podcast and interviews – very good! He’s better than some of the entertainment reporters I’ve heard talking about Strictly.
Anyway, two shows tonight – please also join me for the results show. I’ll be blogging that live from 8.40pm. Somebody’s going to be crowned champion tonight. Question is who? We’ll find out soon…
Show kicks off:
Loud cheers as Brucie appears, full of beans. "Nice to see you, to see you, NICE!" Tess is in a silver knee length dress. She looks like she’s ready to go to a club in Essex rather than dressed for the grand final of Strictly.
Bruce kicks off the show with a joke at Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian’s expense. He bought them tickets for the hottest show in town – the Strictly final. Groan! A cheesy Match of The Day sequence follows with Gary Lineker and John Motson.
Chris Hollins summed up this night against Ricky Whittle wonderfully: he’s called it the hunk versus the hobbit. Hahaha! They will both perform their best ballroom, Latin, the all-important showdance, but also a lindyhop!
Ricky & Natalie – quickstep
I loved this dance the first time around. Not only did they choose a wonderful song (Down With Love from the movie of the same name that starred Renee Zellweger and Ewan MacGregor), it was beautifully danced. Can they do it again? YES! This is… wow! They move around the floor with conviction and you can see that Ricky is enjoying every moment. This is just Hollywood glamour for a winter’s night.
Judges’ comments: Darcey said: "Wow-eee Mr Whittle! That was amazing. You have set the standard for tonight’s final. You have made a hard dance look easy." Len said "For me, of all seven series, yours was the best quickstep."
Judges’ score: 50! At last Craig Revel Horwood has given Ricky a 10!
Chris & Ola – foxtrot
So lovely to see Chris in the final. Yes, he’s not the best finalist – maybe Ali should’ve been there but the public get what they want. They’re dancing to I Could Have Danced All Night from the movie My Fair Lady. Chris is doing really well and he’s looking quite relaxed for a change. I think this dance really suits him. Ola has very cleverly chosen steps that make him look good.
Judges’ comments: Darcey said: "You showed the best of your dance ability."
Judges’ score: 46
Past contestants
Martina Hingis, Richard Dunwoody, Rav Wilding, Lynda Bellingham and Joe Calzaghe return to remind us why we voted them all off in the first place.
Martina Hingis and Matthew Cutler rumba to Heart’s How Do I Get You Alone. I still say she went out too early.
Richard Dunwoody and Lilia Kopylova cha cha to Wham’s I’m Your Man. And he still hasn’t gained any rhythm.
Rav Wilding and Aliona Vilani rumba to I Feel Like Crying by Mexicano 777. A handsome man but he still can’t dance.
Lynda Bellingham and Darren Bennett foxtrot to Neil Sedaka’s Calendar Girl. She was such fun – even if her dancing was nothing like Cherie Lunghi’s.
Joe Calzaghe and Kristina Rihanoff (in her striking red material – can’t call it a costume cos it’s too short) jive to Rock This Town by The Stray Cats. The mummy has been unwrapped and he’s back to haunt me!
Lindyhop
I’m really looking forward to seeing this one. A riotous 1940s routine is being performed to Benny Goodman’s Sing, Sing, Sing. What a fantastic addition to the show. Chris is doing very well and… oh goodness! Ricky nearly dropped Natalie!
He’s had to go off stage in order to get back into it! Oh, this could be disastrous for Ricky. There’s hops, jumps, energy, movement and enthusiasm from both of them – Chris is shading it as far as I’m concerned. Bet he has this round.
The judges are praising Chris more than Ricky. Craig says it’s a dance for "hobbits" rather than tall people so it’s one that should suit Chris. Darcey says Ricky and Natalie’s dance was cleanly executed but it is a dance for shorter people.
Len gives Team Cola a special mention. Alesha says Chris was funny and entertaining. Bruno told Chris that he cracked him up. He said it was like watching a "cheeky, frantic, monkey". Looks like it’s 1-1. Here come the scores:
Scores
Judges’ score: Ricky & Natalie: 43
Judges’ total score so far: 93
Judges’ score: Chris and Ola: 44
Judges’ total score so far: 90
A VT rolls with celebs and the public saying who they’re backing. It’s pretty even.
Past contestants
It’s time for more of the stars that got voted off earlier in the competition.
Jo Wood and Brendan Cole do a Viennese waltz to Trouble by Ray LaMontagne and it’s very graceful.
Zoe Lucker and James Jordan do an American smooth to My Girl by The Temptations. No wonder the ozone layer’s in trouble. James has got so much spray in his hair.
Craig Kelly and Flavia Cacace foxtrot to Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill and I take my hat off to him for coming back after all the stinging comments that he got.
Oh no! Bruce says we won’t see Phil Tufnell as he’s got flu. However, we are treated to Jade Johnson and Ian Waite’s tango to Duran Duran’s A View To A Kill. I’m relieved that she’s recovered and her tango was pretty impressive too.
Tess introduces Bruce and Alesha’s turn to grab the spotlight. They’re singing Something’s Gotta Give (looked it up on Bing – originally sung by Frank Sinatra). OH. MY. GOODNESS. How glamorous and gorgeous does Alesha Dixon look? She’s doing a duet with Brucie which smacks of variety of the type you’d see on one of Bruce Forsyth’s shows back in the 1970s or an old Royal Variety Performance.
Bruce’s voice is a bit shaky but he’s over 80 so we can allow that. Alesha definitely holds her own with him as they move to the dance part of their number. Alesha easily keeps up – she won Strictly Come Dancing after all. Hahahah! At the end, Bruce does a Tess and tries to get his leg over Alesha (that will never get old!). He finishes by gently teasing Alesha with a ‘granddad at a wedding’ move of his hips to her song The Boy Does Nothing. Pass the confetti!
We’re back..
Tess has now changed into a strapless black dress with a fan tail thing at the bottom. It’s awful! She looks like a mermaid that got caught in a massive oil slick. A VT rolls of more previous contestants.
Past contestants
Ricky Groves and Erin Boag cha cha to Jump by The Pointer Sisters. He still looks good – he tried very hard.
Natalie Cassidy and Vincent Simone quickstep to Tu Vuo Fa L’Americano made famous by Fiorello. Apart from Chris Hollins, nobody tried harder than Natalie.
Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna Viennese waltz to Do Right Woman, Do Right Man. As they move around the floor, I can’t help wondering ‘what if’? I’m sure she’s thinking the same.
Laila Rouass is absent but "sends her love" says Bruce. OK. Time to return to the celebs and their dancing.
Chris & Ola – charleston
This is my favourite dance of Chris’s. I can’t wait to see it again. Here we go – the music for Fat Sam’s Grand Slam Speakeasy from the movie Bugsy Malone kicks in and Chris and Ola kick off. It is infectious – it’s fun, it’s full of life and verve and it’s very 1920s. Perfect music – perfect routine. Nuff said.
Judges’ comments; Bruno said: "The look on your face at the end when Ola was riding you…" Hahaha! I’ve lost my train of thought now! Darcey said: "You transported me to the golden era of the movies" Len said: "This is turning into the best final ever."
Judges’ score: 50! Well, I expect nothing less. That’s it. I’m going to make a prediction – I think Team Cola are going to upset the favourites and win. Let’s see if I’m right.
Judges’ total score: 140
Ricky & Natalie – cha cha cha
It’s a very slick performance and Ricky is moving around the floor well. He’s also moving his hips very well too – phew! Getting hot in here. However, I must admit, it’s not easy to follow Chris Hollins’ charleston so I don’t feel as enthused although it’s technically pretty good.
Judges’ comments:
Alesha said: "Such a sexy couple! One of the best cha cha chas – you’re in a league of your own." Bruno said: "This is a dance competition… and boy you can dance!" Darcey echoes a lot of women: "I wouldn’t mind doing a cha cha with you!" she says as the crowd ooooohs and aaahhhs!
Judges’ score: 48
Judges total score: 141
Chris & Ola – showdance
Team Cola are channelling the late Patrick Swayze. Their showdance is to Do You Love Me by The Contours which was in the movie Dirty Dancing. It’s a very athletic routine – full of lifts and steps and jumps and lots and lots of hip wiggling. He ends up jumping on the judges table! Bruce jokes that The Chippendales want him.
Haha! I’m really impressed by how far Chris has come. If I’m honest, this didn’t knock me off my feet the way Tom Chambers’ did last year but it’s still wonderful.
Judges’ comments: Darcey said: "That was great partnering. Your timing was perfect. Well done." Len Goodman said: "You’ve got a little split in those trousers!" He goes on to praise Chris for giving all his dances 100%.
Judges’ score: 46
Judges’ total score: 186
Ricky & Natalie – showdance
So here we go. It’s Ricky’s turn. Can he give us a showdance to remember? They’re dancing to The Last Dance by Donna summmer and the routine is choreographed very well. If this is ‘channeling movies’ night for showdances, than this one is reminding me of Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta.
Ricky is definitely technically better than Chris and it is a lovely routine – the lifts are incredible! But the ‘wow factor’ isn’t quite there for me in this showdance either. Tom and Camilla’s showdance was so original – maybe they’ve spoilt us all.
Judges’ comments: Len said: "Week one I said you’re the one to beat, week 14, you’re still the one to beat. And maybe tonight you will be beat. But just go away knowing that you’re the best dancer." Alesha actually echoes my thoughts. She said: "I would’ve liked to see other dance styles thrown in."
Judges’ score: 49
Judges’ total score: 190
We have some dances by the professionals now. Brian and Kristina perform a gorgeous routine to Lady GaGa’s Just Dance. Tess catches up with friends and family of the finalists before we have more professionals hitting the floor, this time with Lisa Snowdon and Rachel Stevens "giving it some welly" (as Len would say) to Sistas Are Doing It For Themselves by Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin. It’s a great routine!
Tess talks to David Haye, Chris Moyles and Tom Chambers to get their views on the finalists. Much diplomacy but it seems Team Cola has lots of fans. Poor Ricky. He might just lose it despite being the better dancer. A VT of the boys telling us what winning would mean now rolls as we await the announcement.
The result
And… just as I predicted! Chris Hollins has won Strictly Come Dancing 2009! It might be a talent contest but Chris has had the public behind him all the way. Ricky Whittle is very gracious in defeat. I feel a bit sorry for him – but with Ali going out in the semis and Ricky losing tonight, it just goes to show the importance of connecting with the viewers. You can win Strictly even if you’re not the best dancer.
Chris is presented with the glitter ball as Bruce and Tess say their goodbyes. On reflection, I probably won’t remember Chris’s showdance but I will never forget his charleston and for that alone, I don’t mind this win. But what do you think? Is this the right result? Is he a worthy winner?
And that’s a wrap! What did you think of tonight’s show? We’d love to hear from you so please have your say. That’s it from me, I’m out of here. Join MSN’s Strictly blogger Matt Ball for his full recap of tonight’s show.
Goodnight from Miss Bubbles.
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