Strictly Come Dancing: Musicals Week Lights Up as Final Looms

As the finale nears, Strictly Come Dancing brings Musicals Week, a fresh dance relay, and star-studded performances to heighten the race for the trophy.

Two weeks remain until the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final, and the competition is at fever pitch as this weekend's Musicals Week returns to the ballroom. The show will feature iconic songs from stage productions and introduce a new five-minute dance relay to open the program.

Saturday's performances will include special appearances from familiar musical characters, with Paddington Bear and members of the West End show Titanique adding sparkle to the night.

Musical routines this week

Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin – Charleston to Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat from Guys and Dolls
Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon – Viennese Waltz to Never Enough from The Greatest Showman
George Clarke and Alexis Warr – Argentine Tango to The Point of No Return from The Phantom of the Opera
Lewis Cope and Katya Jones – Salsa to Dance at the Gym from West Side Story
Karen Carney and Carlos Gu – Samba to The Rhythm of Life from Sweet Charity

Last week's highlights

Spoiler alert: last week's results

Lewis and Katya claimed the first Instant Dance crown in Strictly history. Karen and Amber both earned perfect scores of 40, with Karen recording her first flawless round of the series. George and Alexis drew high praise from judge Craig Revel Horwood for their Quickstep, described as a joy to watch. Alex and Johannes had a tougher night with their Cha Cha Cha. Two celebrities faced the Sunday dance-off: Balvinder Sopal and Alex Kingston; Balvinder was saved, and Alex departed the competition.

New dance relay kicks off Musicals Week

The five-minute relay opens Saturday's show, giving each couple a chance to shine as part of a celebration of musical theatre. Routines will feature songs from My Fair Lady, Oliver!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Mary Poppins Returns, with viewer votes helping decide who stays in the competition.

As part of Musicals Week, the professionals will perform Cell Block Tango from Chicago. Tom Fletcher returns with Paddington Bear for his Strictly debut, adding a special moment for fans.

The journey toward the final remains unpredictable, with the grand final set for 20 December. With only a few couples left, every score matters, and upcoming dance-offs will determine who progresses.

Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays at 18:50 on INLIBER One and INLIBER iPlayer.

Expert comment

A leading judge praised the Quickstep for its energy and precise footwork, noting how the couple maintained pace without losing control. Overall, the night offered a mix of strong routines and tight scores ahead of the finale.

Summary

Musicals Week brings bold musical selections and a fresh relay format to heighten the race toward the final. Several couples sit in strong positions while others face elimination pressure in the coming weeks. Viewers can expect dramatic performances and closer leaderboard battles as the finale approaches.