Quick summary
- Delta Goodrem danced the Argentine tango with Aljaž Škorjanec on Saturday 14 November, after her usual partner Kai Widdrington was ruled out by illness.
- The change was announced on Friday 13 November on the BBC’s It Takes Two, and the dance was set to “Missing” by Everything But The Girl.
- Cach Mercer topped the week-eight leaderboard with 39, the highest score of the series so far, according to The Independent’s live coverage via Newswav.
- The results show airs on BBC One at 7.15pm on Sunday 15 November, and the couples who survive go to Blackpool next week.
Delta Goodrem Strictly fans saw a different partner on the floor on Saturday night. Aljaž Škorjanec stepped in at short notice for Kai Widdrington, who could not perform because of illness. The Australian singer’s Argentine tango drew praise from the judges in week eight, according to The Independent’s live blog on Newswav.
How the Delta Goodrem Strictly swap happened
The news came on Friday. Presenter Ellie Taylor told viewers of It Takes Two: “Due to illness, Kai is unable to perform on tomorrow night’s show.” She added that Škorjanec would dance the Argentine tango with Goodrem, and sent Widdrington her best wishes.
The show’s official Instagram account repeated the message, and Radio Times reports that Johannes Radebe explained the situation again at the start of Saturday’s live show. Kai Widdrington later posted a video of that explanation on his Instagram story with the words “Let’s go!” over the top, according to the same outlet.
Goodrem had already shared her reaction. Writing on Instagram, she said she was going to miss her partner so much on Saturday night, the Manchester Evening News reported.
Who is Aljaž Škorjanec?
Škorjanec was paired with Gavin & Stacey actress Melanie Walters earlier in the series. Radio Times says that couple went out in week three, so he was free to cover.
The Mirror said the 36-year-old looked nervous on the morning of the show. He posted a video to Instagram and showed a plush Jack Skellington toy from The Nightmare Before Christmas. His three-year-old daughter Lyra had given it to him for luck. The paper adds that he is married to former It Takes Two host Janette Manrara.
A difficult series for Goodrem
This is the second time illness or injury has changed Goodrem’s routine on Strictly Come Dancing this year. In October she fractured a rib in rehearsals and sat out Icons Week with a bye into the next round. The Mirror says that injury was treated with intensive physiotherapy and meant she and Widdrington missed their planned Dolly Parton tribute, “Jolene”. Amy Dowden danced it instead.
She came back on 24 October and scored the series’ first 10 with Widdrington for a rumba to Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now”, the Liverpool Echo reports. That score is the context for how closely this week’s tango was watched.
The week-eight leaderboard
Nine couples danced on Saturday. According to the live blog, Cach Mercer scored 39 for a Charleston, the highest of the series so far, after narrowly surviving the previous week’s dance-off. At the other end, Will Best, Lacey Turner and Graeme Hall were tied on 27.
Jaime Winstone returned after missing last week with a torn abdominal muscle. She and Carlos Gu danced a Charleston to “I Can’t Do It Alone” from Chicago and scored 33 (8, 8, 8, 9). The Mirror says her doctors advised against lifts, so the routine used extra steps instead.
The Newswav page does not list Goodrem’s own score in the text available, so check the official results for the final figure.
What happens next
The results show airs on BBC One at 7.15pm on Sunday 15 November. Voting closed at 8.30pm on Saturday. The live blog says judge Craig Revel Horwood has the casting vote if there is a dance-off. The couples who stay in will dance in Blackpool next week.
Whether Widdrington is well enough to return has not been confirmed in the sources. Neither the BBC nor the show has given an update beyond “illness”. For more on her run, see our Delta Goodrem page, our earlier story on her new Strictly partner and the TV & Dramas section.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Delta Goodrem dance with Aljaž Škorjanec?
Her usual partner, Kai Widdrington, could not perform on Saturday 14 November because of illness, as announced on It Takes Two.
What dance did Delta Goodrem perform in week eight?
An Argentine tango to “Missing” by Everything But The Girl, according to the Manchester Evening News and the Mirror.
When is the Strictly results show?
Sunday 15 November at 7.15pm on BBC One. The couples who stay in go to Blackpool the following week.
