James Jordan’s Strictly Preview Week Eight
Joshua Kerr 
It's Week Eight and once again, Strictly Come Dancing hall of famer James Jordan is back with us to preview another weekend of ballroom drama, providing the team at Free Bets with his expert insight, analysis and predictions throughout the series.
With just over half of the original contestants remaining, the competition is continuously becoming more fierce each and every week in the bid to claim the coveted Strictly Glitterball Trophy. Looking ahead and reflecting on another dramatic week of action, here's this week's preview.
Was Harry's Exit a Shock?
Let’s start with Harry leaving the show. Were you surprised by the result, or did you see it coming?
I was gutted, honestly. I really liked Harry — such a likeable, warm personality with this infectious energy that just made you smile. He’s the kind of contestant you root for. But no, I wasn’t surprised. Sadly, I could see it coming the minute I found out he had the Samba.
The Samba is what we call the Dance of Death on Strictly. Over the years, more celebrities have been eliminated dancing the Samba than any other style. It’s an unforgiving dance, and for a non-dancer like Harry, it’s brutal. The rhythm, the bounce, the hip action — it takes years to train your body to move that way.
Harry still had more to give. The Samba just wasn’t the right vehicle. He was improving week by week, and I would have loved to see him try something more character-driven or theatrical. It’s a shame, because you could see how much he loved being there.
You’ve been spot-on with your exit predictions so far. Who do you think will go this weekend?
Thank you! Yeah, I’ve had a good run this year — I think five out of seven right so far. Looking at the leaderboard trends and the public vote patterns, I’d say it’s between La Voix and Balvinder this week.
They’ve both had a bit of a rocky run, and while they’ve each had moments that connected with the audience, you can see the support slipping slightly now that the competition is tightening up.
It’ll depend heavily on the dance they get. I always say, “the right dance at the right time can save you.” But for both of them, they’re running out of rhythm-based or theatrical styles that flatter what they do best.
If you pushed me for a name, I’d probably lean La Voix this week. She’s desperate to reach Blackpool — it’s something she’s talked about constantly — and I hope she does, but it’s starting to feel like the public aren’t rallying behind her in big enough numbers.
That said, Balvinder has survived three dance-offs already, and that does take its toll. Your confidence dips every time, and at some point the momentum just stops carrying you. Fair play to her for fighting every week — that resilience deserves respect — but I think we’re reaching the point where survival alone won’t be enough.
If either of them land in the bottom two again, I can’t see the judges saving them much longer, unless it’s an absolute disaster from someone else. Or possibly, they end up in the bottom two together and then it’s whoever performs best in the dance off, which, in my opinion, you could flip a coin right now as to who that’ll be.
This Week's Action
You’ve seen next week’s dances. What stands out for you, and who are you most looking forward to seeing?
Lewis and Katya — hands down. They’ve got the Tango, and that’s a great call for them at this stage. Katya’s clever with choreography — she always choreographs her routines to match her partner’s natural qualities. And for Lewis, Tango plays to all his strengths: power, shape, attack, and control.
I actually think we could see another perfect 40 this week. The Tango’s quite structured and sharp, so if you’ve got someone with good presence and timing, which Lewis absolutely has, as it’s easier to hit those big, clean lines that judges love.
Vicky and Kai have got the Jive, which could be tricky. She’s had amazing ballroom performances recently, but Jive demands stamina, bounce and ankle strength. It’s light and fast, and if you’re not used to that retraction through the knees, it can look heavy. That’s her biggest test yet.
George has drawn the Rumba, and that’s a tough one for a non-dancer. It’s slow, exposing, and you can’t hide behind props or storylines. It’s just you, your partner, and the technique. He’s such a likeable guy, though, and if Alexis gives him simple, clean choreography that shows connection and control, he’ll be fine.
And La Voix is doing a Couple’s Choice, which will probably be theatrical, and full of personality — perfect for her. If she nails the story, that could buy her one more week.
Balvinder has the American Smooth, which is a better draw than the Rumba or Cha Cha. She’s more comfortable when it’s theatrical, so it’s another chance for her to showcase personality. But at this stage, personality alone won’t keep you safe if the technique isn’t there.
Scores and Analysis from Week 7
Lewis & Katya – Cha Cha Cha
Judges: 8, 9, 9, 9 | My score: 9
Another excellent performance. The music choice, the styling, and Katya’s choreography were spot on. Lewis has this masculine quality — sharp and grounded — but at times he’s a little too upright, especially in the New York sections. The energy was brilliant, though, and the partnering was slick. Never a 10, but definitely a solid 9.
Vicky & Kai – Tango
Judges: 9, 10, 10, 10 | My score: 9
Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. I couldn’t believe how far she’s come. Her posture in that Tango was textbook — frame held beautifully, clear heel leads, and Kai’s choreography walked that perfect line between challenge and control. This was the first time I thought, “Wow, she could actually make the final.” The most improved contestant of the series and that’s a fact.
Amber & Nikita – Salsa
Judges: 9, 10, 9, 10 | My score: 9
This was Amber at her best. Technically still a little stiff through the body, but the fringe costume did its job — it gave the illusion of softness. What impressed me most was how committed she was; she went full throttle. The lifts were daring, the transitions clean, and her confidence was sky-high. She’s starting to match her technique to her performance now.
George & Alexis – Viennese Waltz
Judges: 8, 8, 8, 9 | My score: 8
Really charming routine. The tempo was quite quick, which made it easy to look skippy, and he did fall into that a bit at times. But there was beautiful softness through the movement and a great emotional connection. I didn’t love the ending — it looked like they lost timing for a few bars — but as a performance, it was really strong.
Karen & Carlos – Charleston
Judges: 8, 10, 8, 9 | My score: 9
This was clever. The Charleston has elements of the Jive, and we all know her Jive from Week One was fantastic. The routine played to her strengths. Loved the music, loved the theme, but the posture from the waist up is still an issue. I know she’s mentioned a back problem, but you have to judge everyone by the same standard. Energetically fantastic, technically not a 10.
Alex & Johannes – Paso Doble
Judges: 7, 8, 7, 8 | My score: 7
Started really strong — the shaping was there, the presence was there — but halfway through, she lost focus. You could see a few footwork errors, and the balance went. It turned messy and lost that power that defines a Paso. Needed more consistency throughout.
La Voix & Aljaž – Foxtrot
Judges: 6, 8, 7, 8 | My score: 6
I wanted more emotion. They opened lying on the floor, which didn’t add anything for me, and when they finally got into hold, it was fine — not bad, but not great. The posture was too stiff, shoulders high, head position awkward. I wanted to see a sincere, old-school Foxtrot. Instead, it leaned on comedy. Still enjoyable, but not competitive.
Balvinder & Julian – Couple’s Choice (Bollywood)
Judges: 7, 9, 9, 9 | My score: 7
Fun, colourful, entertaining, but as a dancer, it’s hard to score because there’s no ballroom or Latin technique to assess. It’s more of a freestyle showcase. Was it enjoyable? Yes. Was it a Strictly dance? Not really. I think it was overmarked, but I get why — it played well on TV.
Harry & Karen – Samba
Judges: 7, 8, 7, 8 | My score: 6
Lovely guy, great effort, but not his week. Too many hip gyrations, not enough basic Samba action. Foot placement was off, energy dipped halfway through, and he didn’t look fully comfortable. Fun performance, but the fundamentals weren’t there.
Overall thoughts
Technically, last weekend, Lewis was top. Emotionally, Vicky was top. Entertainment-wise, Amber was the crowd-pleaser. But from a dancing perspective, Lewis & Katya are the standard-bearers right now. They’re operating on a different level.
Let’s talk about Vicky. You’ve praised her a lot — could she actually win it?
I’ll be honest, at the start, I didn’t see her as a potential finalist. But she’s turned it around in a massive way.
Her Tango last week was sensational! The posture, the control, the composure, it shocked me. It’s the kind of improvement story Strictly thrives on. Viewers love to see a journey, and she’s on the best one in the series.
She’s also got that “public darling” factor. She’s likeable, relatable, and she’s got previous reality TV form. She won the jungle, which tells you she connects with audiences.
Could she win? Possibly, yes. If the trajectory keeps going up and she gets the right dances at the right times, she’s absolutely capable of making the final and maybe even snatching it.
So, who do you think will actually win?
I’m still sticking with George and Alexis.
George isn’t the best dancer technically, nowhere near Lewis or Amber, but he’s got something special. That warmth, that ease. People love him. He’s not trying to be perfect, he’s trying to improve, and that’s what Strictly’s all about.
He’s not had formal dance training, but his personality carries him. Alexis is a superb addition to the pro lineup, who knows how to simplify choreography so it reads clearly, and she’s teaching him so well. If they can tidy up the leg action in the Latin numbers and keep that emotional storytelling, they’ll be serious contenders.
You mentioned we could see another 40 this week. If it were to happen who is most likely to produce it?
I do believe that Lewis and Katya could be deserving of it, but is the jeopardy going to be there, especially when you consider the standard that was required in their couples choice to warrant a 10 from Craig? I think they could perform to the level required, but we could see another perfect score saved for another time, maybe Blackpool the following week.
The Tango suits them perfectly; controlled, sharp, dramatic. Katya will choreograph something explosive but still grounded in technique.
Lewis has that ability to stay masculine and powerful while still dancing with real softness through the body — that’s a rare skill. If they match the energy from the Couple’s Choice and nail the technical content, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t get four 10s.
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