Comedian Ellie Taylor has described being joint top of the Strictly Come Dancing scoreboard as “one of the best moments of my life” after her Hocus Pocus inspired routine wowed on Saturday night.
The Ted Lasso actor and her professional partner Johannes Radebe closed Halloween Week on the BBC dance show with a score of 35 for their couple’s choice dance to I Put A Spell On You by Bette Midler.
The routine, which involved a smoking cauldron, received a standing ovation and rapturous applause from the audience – and put them top of the scoreboard alongside Kiss FM DJ Tyler West and partner Dianne Buswell for their Beetlejuice inspired cha cha cha.
After her performance, Ellie said: “To close Halloween, to get those comments, to dance with Jojo as my sister wearing a corset – one of the best moments of my life.
“No annoying heels, didn’t have to worry about bent knees, could just be us and be silly. I have loved this week, so much.”
Judges Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke agreed it was the comedian’s best dance of the series to date.
Meanwhile Tyler, who danced to Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) by Klaus Hallen Tanz Orchester, received the only 10 of the show from Anton.
He said: “The cha cha cha is a revolting dance to do well. Let me tell you, I thought that was brilliant.
“That’s one of the best cha cha chas I’ve seen on Strictly Come Dancing.”
The episode saw plenty of themed costumes, including from TV and radio presenter Helen Skelton who was dressed as Little Red Riding Hood and her partner Gorka Marquez as The Wolf.
Receiving a score of 32 for their foxtrot, Motsi said the couple were giving her “final vibes”, with Shirley adding: “I think you are giving us a bit of your soul week after week.”
The audience chanted wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin’s name after his tango with professional partner Jowita Przystal to Wicked Game by Chris Isaak, which scored 33.
Hamza, who was dressed as a king and collapsed to the ground at the end of the routine, said it was a difficult week “without smiling”.
Elsewhere, former Hear’Say singer Kym Marsh was “back on form”, scoring 34 with her rumba to Frozen by Madonna with Graziano Di Prima – which marked his first rumba on the show.
Meanwhile former England footballer Tony Adams received his highest score of 31 for his quickstep to The Devil Went Down To Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band.
Opening the Halloween TV special dressed as the devil, Tony and his partner Katya Jones “shocked” Anton who said: “It is very easy to get stuck in a situation perceived to not be the best dancer on the show doing tricks.
“Don’t worry, I have been down that road. But that’s not you. You are a proper dancer, this was a proper dance. Keep it up, I loved it.”
The show also saw the cast and audience sing Happy Birthday to singer Fleur East after she performed a salsa to Beyonce’s Break My Soul with professional partner Vito Coppola, which scored them 32.
At the other end of the scoreboard was EastEnders actor James Bye who was dressed as a beekeeper and performed a lift he had not been able to nail during rehearsals for his Charleston to Bumble Bee by LaVern Baker. However, the judges were still unimpressed and he placed bottom of the scoreboard.
Strictly continues on Sunday night on BBC One with the results show at 7.20pm.