This week marked a milestone for Strictly Come Dancing, as the show reached its halfway point — yet, strangely, it came with a slight feeling of anticlimax after the big build-up of Icons Week followed by Halloween.
But in truth, we needn’t have worried. The ballroom sparkled just as much — perhaps even more — with the series really beginning to show what this competition is about beyond sequins and show tunes.

Yes, the glitz, the glamour and the music are essential parts of the programme. But what makes the show genuinely shine is the transformation of the contestants — the way they evolve from week to week. We saw plenty of that this evening, and the emotional resonance was stronger than ever.

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Balvinder & Julian: A standout tribute

One of the big highlights of the week was actress Balvinder Sopal (known for her role in EastEnders) and her professional partner Julian Caillon. Balvinder shared a deeply personal memory of her mother, who died last year — a gesture that could easily have seemed forced, but didn’t. Instead it felt honest and earned.
Balvinder, who has found herself in the dreaded dance-off on three separate occasions so far, finally delivered a stunning Couple’s Choice routine: a Bhangra-style dance paying tribute to both her mum and her cultural roots. The energy was joyous, vibrant — you could tell she was loving every second. Julian, too — calling it “the funnest week” of his dance career — clearly enjoyed diving into unfamiliar moves.

The judging panel responded accordingly: Motsi Mabuse gave a standing ovation, Shirley Ballas declared it Balvinder’s “best dance so far”, and though Craig Revel-Horwood said she “owned” the dance, he awarded a comparatively modest 7, while the other judges handed out 9s. It felt like Craig might have been uncharacteristically hard.
We’d argue this routine was worth every one of those 9s.

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Amber’s evolution

Then there was Amber Davies, partnered with Nikita Kuzmin, who served another reminder of how this show can change someone. Their disco-inspired Salsa (yes, you read that right: disco and salsa) was an energetic, high-octane number landing two 10s (from Motsi and Anton du Beke) and two 9s from Shirley and Craig.
Amber admitted that dancing as herself — without a character to hide behind — felt tricky. But whatever she did this week made her performance feel more personal, more grounded. We loved seeing that shift.

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Vicky’s transformation

Meanwhile, Vicky Pattison and her partner Kai Widdrington continue their upward trajectory. From nervous newcomer to confident ballroom contender, Vicky delivered a Tango to Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” that absolutely wowed. Shirley called it “the best dance of the night”, Anton called it “absolutely marvellous”! They topped the leaderboard with 39 points — three 10s (Motsi, Shirley, Anton) and a 9 from Craig. You can’t argue with that.

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George Clarke: Quietly stepping up

George Clarke, the YouTuber-turned-Strictly contestant, has been an interesting case: given some quirky routines earlier (K-Pop themed, TikTok-friendly), but this week he got a chance to step back from the “social-media star” persona and deliver a beautifully controlled Viennese Waltz with partner Alexis Warr.
Shirley praised his “some of the best footwork I’ve seen in a Viennese Waltz”. He earned 34 points. Quietly, he’s become a dark horse.

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Questionable music choices & the emotional toll

The week wasn’t perfect. Karen Carney (footballer-turned-celebrity) and partner Carlos Gu danced a terrific Charleston and have improved dramatically. But their song — a weird mash-up of Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin — felt entirely at odds with the dance style and the visuals. The judges loved it (Motsi gave Karen her first 10!) and she earned 35 points overall, but from a viewer standpoint the mismatch showed how production choices can undermine even strong performances.

On the other end, Alex Kingston and partner Johannes Radebe had a hard night. Alex performed a nervous Paso Doble, but the real issue came in the VT: she revealed she uses song lyrics to keep time in the dance — and this week the music was purely instrumental. That choice felt avoidable. She broke down in tears, but rallied: 30 marks and wasn’t in the dance-off.

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Elimination at the halfway mark

As the series hit the mid-point, the competition heated up. The dance-off this week was between **Harry Aikines‑Aryeetey (with partner Karen Hauer) and drag performer **La Voix (with Aljaz Škorjanec). Harry’s Samba didn’t quite hit, while La Voix’s Foxtrot lacked spark. The judges voted unanimously to save La Voix — meaning Harry was sent home.
It was sad to see him go, though not entirely surprising given his earlier warning signs.

Interestingly, coverage of this week pointed out how the show’s halfway mark is often a moment when expectations shift. According to The Independent, the seventh live show sees “the competition heating up like a ballroom bonfire” and couples either step up or begin to falter. 

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Final thoughts

What this week reaffirmed is that the true brilliance of Strictly lies not simply in the sequins, the lifts or the glitzy sets. It lies in the journeys — yes, the cliché fits — of the contestants. Watching someone go from cautious beginner to confident performer, sharing something vulnerable and personal, that’s what resonates.

This week we saw it in Balvinder’s tribute, in Amber’s shift, in Vicky’s transformation, and quietly in George’s waltz. And although there were missteps (song choices, matched styles), the show remains compelling.

As we move into the second half of the series, the question becomes: who evolves next, who plateaus, and importantly, who has the stamina to keep growing under pressure? For now, the glitter remains — but what matters now is depth.

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Sources:

• “Strictly Come Dancing week six highlights” – Yahoo News UK. 

• “Strictly Come Dancing: Week seven talking points” – The Independent. 

• “Strictly judges branded ‘harsher than ever’” – GB News. 

• “Strictly Come Dancing” – Wikipedia (for context on format and weekly themes).