Sara Davies tops Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard with ‘spectacular’ tango

Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies has topped the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard in week four.

She performed a tango to Por Una Cabeza by Carlos Gardel alongside her professional dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec.

They were scored 36 by the judges, with Craig Revel Horwood describing it as “spectacular”.

He added: “The head placement was a little bit off but I’ve got to say, there was absolutely nothing I could see that was wrong with that.”

Fellow judge Motsi Mabuse raved over the performance, saying: “I just really loved that, I feel so proud right now because this is our life, this is what we do, we are dancers, we’re passionate about it.

“And for somebody to take that respect and to be so delicate with our dancing, with our lives, our passion, that’s the biggest support for dance.

“I’m so proud of you, the control, the strongness of you as a woman on that dancefloor, who’ve just inspired me.”

TV presenter and influencer Matilda “Tilly” Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin came joint-second with a score of 32 after performing their paso doble to Diablo Rojo by Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Anton Du Beke said he thought it was “their best dance of the season so far”.

Talking about Ramsay, who is the 19-year-old daughter of chef Gordon Ramsay, he added: “I enjoyed your intensity, that was the thing I enjoyed the most.

“And I thought ‘Oh hello, this is good, she’s listened to her father, she’s grumpy, I like it’.”

However, Revel Horwood was not in agreement, adding: “For me, it felt like half an investment. It lacked a certain tone to it and that, in turn, made it lack drama.”

Olympian Adam Peaty made a comeback after being bottom of the leaderboard last week to take the other spot in second place.

He performed the first Argentine tango of the season to Fleetwood Mac’s Tango In The Night with his partner Katya Jones.

Du Beke considered the performance to have “one of the most impressive sequences of lifts” he had ever seen.

He added: “When I watch you, I get a little bit on edge because it’s either hit or miss, tonight was a huge hit.”

CBBC host Rhys Stephenson and his partner Nancy Xu came fourth with a score of 31 for their lively salsa to Butter by BTS.

Revel Horwood had high praise, saying: “I thought it was refreshing darling, it’s so nice to see something a little bit different, thank you.”

Last week, Great British Bake Off star John Whaite and his partner Johannes Radebe topped the leaderboard with a score of 39, making Strictly history as the only couple to score three 10s in week three.

This Saturday, the pair performed an American Smooth to I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) by George Michael and Aretha Franklin – which scored them 29.

Judge Shirley Ballas commented: “No mistakes, it was flawlessly delivered. I enjoyed the chemistry of the whole dance actually.”

Former rugby player Ugo Monye did not compete this week with partner Oti Mabuse due to an old back injury causing him problems in training, and after seeking medical advice he is now resting and receiving treatment.

Comedian Robert Webb and partner Dianne Buswell also withdrew from the show earlier in the week due to the TV star’s ill health.

Actor Greg Wise and his partner Karen Hauer currently sit bottom of the leaderboard after being given a score of 19.

One of the couples will be eliminated on Sunday following a public vote.

Last week, actress Katie McGlynn was the second celebrity to be eliminated from the BBC One celebrity dancing competition.