Strictly Come Dancing: Ashley Roberts tops the leaderboard in Blackpool with a perfect 40 for 'fantastic' Jive

Full house: Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev wowed with their jive
BBC/Guy Levy
Natasha Sporn17 November 2018

Strictly Come Dancing’s Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev scored the first full house of the series with their Blackpool masterpiece.

Roberts, who rose to fame in the Pussycat Dolls, had enjoyed high scores all throughout the competition but finally cracked the perfect 40 on Saturday for her Jive.

Flying about the stage for her Shake Your Tail Feather routine, the judges were all smiles as they reached for their 10 paddles as the show broadcast live from the Blackpool Tower Ballroom for one week only.

Head judge Shirley Ballas told Roberts she had “pushed the envelope” and was “on form” while Dame Darcey Bussell hailed the routine “fantastic”.

Bruno Tonioli told the singer that she had “earned her place in Strictly history” with the performance.

And Craig Revel Horwood, who had been spoiling the full houses for several weeks with his 9 paddle, had one word for the couple - “Fab-u-lous”.

Elsewhere, Charles Venn left the judges hot and bothered with his high-scoring routine.

The Casualty actor, partnered with Karen Clifton, danced a Samba to La Bamba during week nine making full use of the springy Blackpool floor.

Samba: Charles Venn and Karen Clifton
BBC/Guy Levy

After he had performed, Ballas, waving her arms around, said: “I’m all hot and bothered. You owned it, you commanded it. It’s got body action that goes on forever.

“I felt like I was in Brazil. It was fantastic.”

And her comments earned her a hug from the man himself, with Venn running over the her before heading off to join Claudia Winkleman.

Horwood had also joked about being “distracted by the plethora of abdominals” on display.

Venn, who had scored 25 for several of his dances, flew past his high score as he walked away with 38 for the routine, including two 10s from Ballas and Bruno Tonioli.

Strictly Come Dancing continues Sunday at 7.20pm on BBC One.

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