Top of the Bill

Week 9: The Final - 19 December 2020

Well, in this strangest of years, we made it - COVID-19 might have crushed our plans to see our families this Christmas, but it couldn't stop the Strictly Come Dancing final. (Let's have a moment of appreciation for this year's finalists, not to mention the presenters, judges and the production team, since I'm sure at least some of them had their plans for Christmas whisked away a couple of hours before they went on air, and they still plastered on a smile and put on a show for us.) And it's a long one this year (145 minutes!), so make sure you're sitting comfortably and pray that my RSI doesn't kick in halfway through this recap.

We open with a wistful montage of the finalists gathering in the studio (not all at the same time, obviously) to watch their very first Strictly interviews on the big screen. As my husband remarked, the echoiness of the dialogue does feel a bit like that moment two-thirds of the way through a horror film where everyone remarks on how happy they were, before the killing started. 2020, eh? (And while I'm doling out moments of appreciation, a big thank you to our readers who stuck with us through this year and gave Rad and me a reason to keep this blog going, because we came quite close to just not bothering.) The videos become a greatest hits package, and you can see the emotions on everybody's faces, and then we begin to hear their manifestos for tonight. Jamie says that in order to win the final, he and Karen need to give everything. Yes, bribery does seem like the only way it's realistically going to happen. Better dig into those biscuit coffers and make us an offer we cannot refuse! HRVY says he never thought he would make the finals (yeah right), and neither did Bill (more plausible), while Maisie reflects on what an emotional journey it has been. Maisie says that words cannot do this experience justice, while Jamie says that he has worked so hard to get here. HRVY says that lifting the glitterball would be the most incredible thing he's ever done, and Bill says it would be an amazing end to "this extraordinary dance odyssey". This. Is. The Final!

Special re-edited titles for the final with the four finalists at the end! Who's your "I will only remember this person was ever on the show when I have cause to check the Wikipedia entry" for this year, mine is Max. [Same. And then when I remember him, I remember SIMPSONSDANCE so I think it's better he stays down the memory hole - Rad]

We open with a pre-recorded pro dance to 'You Get What You Give' in which everyone has bursts of yellow energy flying out of their limbs. Anton always looks so uncomfortable in these uptempo numbers and he's at least a thousand years older than everyone else, when will he be put out to pasture? All credit to the editors for the exceptional smoothness with which the pre-recorded bit transitions into the liveness of the four finalists making their entry: no descending from the ceiling in giant boxes this year, just a catwalk down the centre of the dance floor in the following order: Bill, HRVY, Jamie, Maisie. Then the four finalists join their partners and take their places in very clearly marked spaces on the dance floor for a brief socially-distanced group dance.

Tess and Claudia arrive for the final time and both look fabulous - Tess is in an asymmetric silver sequinned dress, and Claudia is in a black strapless number with silver sparkles. I know there have been a few questionable outfits this year, but is it fair to say that on the whole it has been a very good year for these two, sartorially-speaking? (Also, much love to Claudia who seemed to be getting a lot of entirely unprovoked abuse on social media this week for having the nerve to write a book. The people calling her "talentless" were particularly baffling to me, but then I guess you don't appreciate how much skill it takes to present live television unless you've seen it done badly as many times as I have. You're talking to someone who watched the live final of Britain's Next Top Model here.) Claudia thanks the dancers for the opening number, and confirms that some of it was recorded earlier this year. Yeah, the bit with all the finalists! Rigged from the start!!!!111!

Claudia says that earlier this year we didn't even know if this series would be able to go ahead, and tonight the audience is made up of the brilliant team that made it possible. Aww. I've got a lump in my throat already. (If anyone from Team Strictly is reading this: thank you for everything you did, this show has been one of the very few bright spots in a very bleak year, and please know that any and all criticism came from a place of deep and appreciative affection.) Tess says that after another tough day, they're going to try to keep us entertained with another unforgettable night of dancing. Claudia reminds us that the class of 2020 are back, and performing one last group dance, while Tess singles out Nicola and Katya as making their post-COVID return. Also, Robbie Williams will be performing later, so there's your loo break right there.

Now here are the judges: Shirley resplendent in fuchsia, Motsi in silvery-white sequins very reminiscent of this, and Craig in a white jacket for a bit of festive brightness. Claudia reminds us that the judges' scores are for guidance only tonight, as our votes alone will decide the winner. Speaking of which, here are our finalists: Maisie and Gorka, Jamie and Karen, HRVY and Janette, and Bill and Oti. Jamie does the Kevin Clifton memorial kick at the end of the music, except he's completely off-time, but bless him for trying.

We get a shot of the trophy (no touching, it will only have to be re-sanitised!) and Claudia explains that the first round is Judges' Choice, where they will pick a routine that they would like to see again. After round one, the lines will open and then we'll get the show dances, where there are absolutely no rules, and this is different from Couple's Choice for the simple reason that [come back and fill this bit in when I have an answer], and the final dance for each couple will be their own favourite routine of the series.

HRVY & Janette - Judges' Choice

Tess informs us that the judges' did not take their decision lightly (unlike that year when they just went "sod it, everyone does their week one cha cha again") and met in a special location for a top-level summit. That location is the Gherkin (well, I guess since The Apprentice hasn't been using it...), and Craig opens with a bid for HRVY's Viennese waltz, which he loved the first time round but thinks could be worthy of a perfect score with a little more finessing. Shirley throws the tango into the mix, while Motsi pushes for the jive, because she wants to see how HRVY can improve on it with all the skills he's learned over the last nine weeks. A decision is made, and Motsi is dispatched to deliver the news: they will be doing the jive. HRVY is stoked because he loved this one, and it was very special because it was their first dance together. He hopes he can do it better than he did the first time.

So let's find out! I guess one of the problems with casting ringers is that there isn't always much scope to see a 'journey' when they re-do a routine that they already did really well the first time. It's fine, it's slick, it's definitely finessed, but it also feels a teensy bit mechanical. To me, he's dancing it like he knows he's got a long night ahead of him and doesn't want to peak too soon, which is absolutely fair enough, but what I wouldn't give for even the slightest bit of wild abandon in there. It's the final, live a little! Still, it's a strong opener for the show, let's hope the rest of the evening lives up to it. 

HRVY tells Tess that he'll never forget this - he got to close the show in week one and now he's opening the final with the same dance. Tess notes that two of the judges were on their feet (no prizes for guessing which two), and Shirley opens the critiques by telling HRVY that he skyrocketed them up into the atmosphere with that dance - he's listened to Janette, he's improved from week one, it was amazing. Motsi says that she still believes this is one of the best dances they have ever seen, and this was the confirmation - she thought HRVY would be nervous, but he absolutely smashed it. Craig says that "in light of the recent news" he has decided to be positive tonight, and he really loved it - it was cleaner than last time and a lot more precise. 

HRVY and Janette bounce up to the Clauditorium, where Claudia says that they opened the final with the dance they did in week one, "which you also opened". No hon, they closed the show in week one - Jamie opened it. HRVY says it's weird being back in his little suit jacket, and Janette says his posture has improved - he's gotten taller. Claudia points out that the judges noted improvement in his performance, and HRVY says that's what he wanted to hear - Janette has worked so hard with him, and he wanted to make sure it was precise and on point. They got 25 for it the first time - let's see what the score is this time: Craig 9, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 29. I love it in the final when people have to pretend to be excited for a 9 even when you know anything less than a 10 is basically a punch in the face. Claudia asks for a preview of his showdance, and HRVY reveals that he will be doing some lifts (in a Janette Manrara showdance? Well I never!) and a bit of salsa (ditto). 

Jamie & Karen - Judges' Choice

Tess says that Jamie showed "real strength of character" in coming back week after week despite demonstrable lack of interest from the voting public. And sure, he took it like a champ, but also... he had to come back week after week? It's in his contract? Let's not go overboard. 

This time, Craig's opening gambit is a reprise of Jamie's charleston: he thinks Jamie was tense the first time around and he'd like to see him loosen up and get into it. Shirley would like to see his tango (is Shirley going to pick the tango for everyone tonight?) [I wanna see Maisie's again. For everyone else, I'm good - Rad] , because there's definitely room for improvement in his frame from the first time he did it. Motsi wants to see him do his jive again, because it's a chance to see his fun side (as opposed to his turtleneck-wearing, glasses-sporting, Plato-reciting serious side that we've seen so much of?) and to work on the technique (since two weeks ago? With two more dances to rehearse at the same time?). This time Shirley is the bearer of good news, and Craig got his way: Jamie will be doing his charleston. Jamie is very excited to get to do one of his favourite dances again, and Karen says the judges are expecting a full-on performance. Jamie says he has to bring together everything he learned and put it into the dance, to make it the best possible.

If you've forgotten, this was his Hercules-themed routine from Movie Week, so Jamie has to do campy dress up in the final and - it's a fun routine, I'm not unhappy to see it again, but as a routine that's ostensibly supposed to make a case for Jamie as the overall winner of series 18, this doesn't really hit the mark for me. Especially given that (spoiler) his other two routines for tonight are showdance and Couple's Choice, I actually would have loved to see Shirley prevail in the Gherkin and make Jamie reprise his tango, so we'd have at least one of the traditional ten ballroom/latin dances from him tonight. (In all honesty, it is a bit of a tragic state of affairs that - spoiler alert - Maisie is the only dancer tonight doing two of the traditional ten.) Anyway, judging what's in front of me, Jamie's definitely more relaxed and confident at this point, but the swivel still isn't quite there, and I'm not sure that it's hugely improved on a technical level from the first time we saw it. Still: fun! [Bless him, he's absolutely just there to make up numbers so he may as well just be fun even if on principle I'd have banned both him and Bill from Couple's Choice. Because I'd ban doing both Couple's Choice and Showdance. But here we are. - Rad]

Motsi tells Jamie that every time he comes back, he's stronger than before, and she thinks this was a huge improvement - he had his weight forward, and he was in sync with Karen this time. Craig agrees that it was freer and looser - he loved the barrel turn, which isn't easy. He's also very pleased to see Jamie's wig again, although Karen's is clearly the superior of the two. Shirley says that Jamie is an example for everybody out there - he never lets fear of failure stop him. Not to turn this into too much of a sociology essay, but I find that's often true of the independently wealthy. She thought he executed his arms well, and the characterisation was spot-on.

In the Clauditorium, Jamie is giggling at the incomprehensibility of actually being in the final. Apparently Jamie promised to propose to his girlfriend if he made the final, which he is now regretting, since Claudia gives him the opportunity and he decides that a much better moment would be proposing to his girlfriend after winning. Nice backtrack, Mr Biscuits. The first time round, he got 23 for this, let's see how much improvement the judges spotted: Craig 8, Shirley 9, Motsi 9 for a total of 26. Spoiler: this is the only time Shirley and Motsi are going below a 10 all night. [Tonight was the only night I didn't miss Bruno going on how he also has started to 10 everything in a final - Rad] Jamie teases that his showdance will have a roly-poly, which he claims is much harder than it looks. Indeed, I believe there has been much discussion in It Takes Two's Choreography Corner about the fact that the roly-poly is the hardest dance for a male celebrity.

Bill & Oti - Judges' Choice

Craig would love to see Bill's jive again, because he thinks he could really wow the crowd with it. Motsi thinks that BillBailey is great at telling a story, so she'd love to see his Argentine tango again. (I love the themes emerging from these chats: Shirley loves a tango, Motsi stans Musicals Week...) Shirley disagrees with both of them and wants to see his quickstep again, because there's so much scope for improvement in the rhythm area - he could get three 10s for it and make this a very close competition. Shirley is sent once again to deliver the verdict, and this time she triumphed: it is indeed the quickstep that Bill and Oti will reprise in the opening round. Bill's delighted, because this was his first ballroom dance, so it will always have a special place in his heart.

This was, of course, the Doctor Doolittle-themed routine to 'Talk To The Animals', which I always think was their Movie Week routine even though it wasn't. I remember the absolute joy of seeing this routine for the first time and realising that Bill might be a legit contender for the win, and it's still every bit as delightful second time around. Again, I don't know if I'm seeing masses of improvement, but he's definitely lighter on his feet this time. [Yeah, I don't know that anyone improved any of their dances but they were all enjoyable enough - Rad]

Craig says that Bill threw everything and more at that quickstep - "you've always been consistently good in this competition". You gave him a 3 in week one, Craig. Craig did notice Bill's shoulder creeping up occasionally but he's not going to talk about it, because this is Positive Sunshine Craig tonight. Shirley can't believe how Bill moves so lightly across the floor with beautiful soft knees. She says the upper body connection between Bill and Oti was fantastic, and Bill had the wingspan of an eagle - he's improved so much. Motsi says that the word that keeps coming back to her head is "ease" - Bill had such control over everything he did, from the acceleration to the deceleration. She feels like Bill enjoyed it even more this time, and Bill agrees that he did.

In the Clauditorium, Bill says he loved this routine the first time they did - it's the essence of ballroom, whirling around the floor with a wonderful partner - but he's put everything that he's learnt into this reprise, because Oti has taught him more technique over the weeks. Claudia says that Bill has never had more than an 8 from Craig at any point in the competition (indeed, he's had an 8 from Craig every week since week 2), so let's see how that shakes out tonight: Craig 9, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 29. It's Bill's highest score, which Bill declares is "not bad timing". Heh. Oti says she's so emotional, she was crying halfway through it. Bill says it's bittersweet because this is the last time he will dance the quickstep. As for their showdance, it will be "a bit of rock 'n' roll, a bit of circus, a bit of magic". Exciting!

Maisie & Gorka - Judges' Choice

Over to the Gherkin for the final time, where Motsi would like to see Maisie's week one samba again - it's a physical dance, but a challenging one. Craig would like to see the cha cha cha again, because it would give Maisie a chance to get her feet turned in that little bit more. Also, it would mean Gorka had to wear those shorts again. Craig doesn't actually say this, but come on, we were all thinking it. Shirley want to see the American smooth, which would be a challenge for her. Craig heads off in a natty parka to deliver the verdict, and tells them that the judges have decided on the samba. Maisie and Gorka are thrilled because they loved this one. Maisie says there's more pressure this time round - the judges picked this because they want to see improvement, so she has to deliver it.

Remember when HRVY danced earlier and I said I just wanted to feel a bit more of that sense of wild abandon? That's what Maisie's giving here - she's still dancing it brilliantly, I can't really find anything to fault about it technically, but she's also just performing like it's her last night on Earth. Maybe she knows she's probably not winning and just wanted to have fun? Either way, this is the top dance of round one for me just because it delivers both technically and performance-wise. Also Gorka is wearing very tight trousers. What? I'm only human.

Shirley tells Maisie it was "absolutely exceptional" - it was scintillating and sensual, with beautiful awareness of her partner, and the feet were fantastic. She says "you danced to express yourself, not to impress anybody else", which I think is the point I was trying to make in the previous paragraph, only expressed far more elegantly. This is why Shirley earns the big bucks and I'm sat here the Sunday before Christmas writing this for free. Motsi says that all her words have disappeared and she is just left with a feeling - Maisie is a changed woman, and she loved how she played around with the routine. Craig says he "rather liked that", and Maisie has been faced with a lot of challenges over the course of the series but she danced that "in a very smashing way".

In the Clauditorium, Maisie's a little bit emotional - she says she's never danced like that, and before they went on Gorka told her to just go for it, and she did. Claudia asks her what it was like going back to the dance she did in the very first week, and Maisie admits that it had all flown right out of her head - everything she thought she knew about the choreography was wrong. Scores: Craig 9, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 29. Maisie says that her showdance is "Christmas in a dance" - it's "the Christmas that we might potentially not be able to have" and she hopes it's going to make everyone feel Christmassy. As someone who is currently making frantic preparations for a Christmas at home that I was very much not planning, this hit home. Also, is Gorka going to be able to get back to Gemma and Mia for Christmas? I hope there's some sort of special exception to allow him to get back after everything he's sacrificed for this show this year. [I did see Graziano being sad the other day that he couldn't get home, and I do feel for him, not least as he and the other non-partnered pros haven't even been able to compete. Bless. Fortunately for me I was preparing to do Christmas at home anyway just in case which is good cos I'm now having to self-isolate, boo - Rad]

Round 1 Leaderboard

1=. HRVY & Janette - 29

1=. Bill & Oti - 29

1=. Maisie & Gorka - 29

4. Jamie & Karen - 26

Quite a clear message there, I suppose. Time for the terms and conditions, read by Joanna Page, one of the few people who I have forgiven for Gavin And Stacey. Oh, and the vote is now open! Except not now, obviously, it's closed now.

HRVY & Janette - Showdance

Janette explains that their showdance has a theme of a music festival, one of the many things we have been denied this year. HRVY says that he grew up going to festivals and they always meant so much to him because the atmosphere is electric. Janette says that they'll be doing a bit of charleston, a bit of salsa, a bit of commercial, and if one little bit of this routine goes awry, it can throw everything off. HRVY says there are some intense lifts that require a lot of strength - he never thought he'd be in the final doing this much complicated choreography. Janette says she is pushing HRVY to the max in this showdance - she's going to get every inch of dance out of him that she can. HRVY says it needs to be better than any other dance they've ever done. Tess and Claudia arrive in the studio for their sneak preview of the showdance (from a safe distance) - Janette says that she's been planning it for eight years because it's her first chance to do one. HRVY says they're so close to the glitterball - he just has to make sure the pressure doesn't get to him.

They're dancing to 'Boogie Wonderland' (I almost typoed 'Booger Wonderland' there, lol oops) and it's very much a Janette Manrara frantic latin showcase - she does that iconic move from her salsa with Jake where she does a backbend right now onto HRVY's foot and while it's still absolutely impressive, it's also a bit "yes, we've seen this before". There are a lot of spectacular lifts and the two of them are admirably in sync throughout, and yet it feels a bit... empty? Like it's just a lot of admittedly very skilful tricks in quick succession, but personally speaking, it doesn't really leave much of an emotional impact. As a showcase of ability, it's great, but as a chance to leave a lasting impression of HRVY as one of the all-time greats ever to take part in this show, I'm not sure it fully hit the mark. Still, Aljaž is ever so proud and wiping tears from his eyes, and who am I to fly in the face of that?

Motsi says that the isolations, the movement and the speed were incredible, and this is the best final she's ever been in. Craig says it could have done with a bit more hip in the salsa section, and everyone boos. But he thought the lifts were strong and HRVY did a great job with the changes of rhythm. Shirley congratulates Janette on making her first final, and tells her she "squeezed every last drop of anything to do with dance out of this young man". And of course Shirley loved the pot-stirrer, as we all knew she would. 

In the Clauditorium, HRVY says he never thought he'd make it this far because he almost didn't make it onto the show at all (presumably a reference to when he tested positive for COVID-19 during the run-up to the launch), and this has been such a bad year for everyone, but dancing with Janette has made his year. Janette thanks Lukas McFarlane who helped with the choreography, and there's a special message from HRVY's GRNDPRNTS - it's their diamond wedding anniversary today. HRVY tells them that if he wins, he'll give them the trophy to put above the fireplace. Scores: Craig 9, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 29. Claudia asks HRVY what he would like to say to Janette: he says she's the most incredible human being he's ever met, she's so talented, and he's so happy to be here with her in the final because she deserves it. Janette cries.

Jamie & Karen - Showdance

Karen tells Jamie that the story is their story, which is "being in the dance-off a lot". Jamie double-checks with her that there is no dance-off in the final. Imagine if there was! Like, we got to vote for our favourites, then the top two danced again and the judges picked the winner? Imagine the carnage. They're dancing to 'I'm Still Standing', because despite everything, they are still standing. Karen says it's a mishmash of everything they've done - a bit of jive, a bit of lindyhop, a bit of street dance, no apparent ballroom to speak of. Jamie says this is their last chance to create a new dance on Strictly, so he feels a lot of pressure. Karen says they have a lot to worry about - if one of them misses a step, it could completely tank the whole thing. Tess and Claudia turn up for their advance preview, and Claudia says that Jamie is "like a puppy, but who can dance". Tess says it was like the story of their time on Strictly, because she read her briefing notes.

So here we go: it opens with Jamie and Karen bathed in red light and looking very sad, before Jamie is raised up into the air on wires and flies towards the camera. I'm dying. Of course, there's an extended spotlight section on Karen so that Jamie has time to remove the harness, and then we get into the meat and potatoes, which is a huge hodgepodge of dance styles from the jive to the monkey. Claudia was right, it is very puppyish (a less charitable person than me might say that specifically that puppy is Scrappy-Doo) but there's something quite endearing about the self-aware campiness of it. I think the cartwheel and the roly-poly should have been cut in previews, though. [It's fun, they know they're losing, they might as well just be fully daft, I guess. Kind of enjoyed it more than HRVY's for that reason alone - Rad]

Craig says that was a bit of an aerobic workout and he had visions of Ann Widdecombe when Jamie was in the harness, but thankfully Jamie danced up a storm when he landed unlike a certain Tory rentagob. Shirley says that she's never doubted Jamie, and he dances from his heart - she loved the concept and Jamie danced unbelievably well. Motsi says that she loves that Jamie is such a role model with his fightback energy - he never looks sorry, he just looks happy and celebratory.

Arriving in the Clauditorium, Karen says she knows that Jamie has a fight in him and fire in his belly, and that's what he showed out there. Jamie says that if they had to do one more dance, they had to do a dance-off as part of it. There's a message from Jamie's sister Emily, saying that it's amazing he's in the final and he's come so far, she's behind him all the way, and also asking him to give Giovanni her number. The whole studio erupts in howls of laughter, and honestly I feel like Jamie justified his presence in the final in that moment. Scores: Craig 9, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 29. Claudia asks Jamie to say a few words to Karen, and he says that when you get knocked down, you want people like Karen in your life that can bring you back up. Karen is brilliant, and incredible, and an amazing person and he feels like he's seen the real Karen - whatever that means.

Bill & Oti - Showdance

Bill explains that their showdance has an intense, dramatic, brooding feel to it with elements of paso and tango, but also a bit of a street dance feel to it too. He points out that there are a few things that could go wrong in this dance - himself, first and foremost. Oti frets that he could drop her. Bill says that Oti flies through the air at him and he has to catch her in the right way and perform a lift. Bill takes a tumble in rehearsals, right before the moment when he has to catch Oti, which worries both of them - Oti says that if he drops her it will be very painful "for me and my head". Ow. Bill says it's their showpiece and they want to give it the best that they can. Tess and Claudia love their preview of it, and Claudia declares it "pure rock and roll". Bill says that the rehearsal has given him some confidence.

They're dancing to 'The Show Must Go On' and Bill is playing a Las Vegas illusionist. The whole thing is very dark and brooding but also, again, quite camp. There's a definite paso influence to it but also a fair bit of street, and I'm pleased to report that the much-feared lift goes off without a hitch. Also, Bill gets his guitar out and fireworks explode out the end of it while Oti flies into the air on a circus hoop, spinning around and around and around! Now that's a showdance. [I mean, it was pretty much all paso, so from the POV of variety and technique - eh, not great, but from an entertainment/spectacle standpoint, it was really dramatic and fun - Rad]

Shirley says it gave her everything from stillness to drama, and that Bill dances because he loves how it feels to move his body to music. It was very intense, and Bill is a sensation - for a 55-year-old man to deliver like that makes him an icon in her book. Motsi thinks she stopped breathing while she was watching that - it was a completely different mood to his quickstep and it felt like she was watching live theatre. She thinks that Bill becomes the dance, and it was amazing. Craig says that it reeked of desperation and Bill should be committed - he loved it.

Bill & Oti sprint up to the Clauditorium and Claudia asks Bill how worried he was. Bill says there was a lot going on, but primarily he was worried about losing his plectrum. Hee. There's a very special message for him from Queen - Brian May says he doesn't need to wish him luck because it's in the bag, and Roger Taylor says that he always knew he was a genius at comedy and music, but he never imagined Bill would entrance the nation with his dancing. Claudia says that this dance was a rally call, and Bill says that from what we've found out today, people are going to be isolated at Christmas, this isn't just a song about the arts, but it's a song about not giving up, keeping hope, and getting through this - it's about being strong. Scores: Craig 10, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 30. Bill and Oti's reactions to Craig's 10 are quite something, but Shirley's is the best. Claudia asks Bill to pay tribute to Oti, and Oti is already crying. Bill says that Oti is a spectacular dancer and a wonderful choreographer, but she's also a beautiful soul who found something in him that he didn't know existed and he'll always be grateful for that.

Maisie & Gorka - Showdance

Maisie says that her showdance is feelgood, happy and high-energy. Gorka says it will be an amazing explosion of dance and happiness, and a tribute to the golden era of Hollywood - yep, it's Fred and Giiiinge. They are pushing themselves to the limit with a lot of lifts, but there is one in particular where Maisie has to do a fall into his arms from an upper level and trust that he will catch her. Maisie hopes that everyone will enjoy this dance as much as she does, because it's so liberating, and she wants this dance to be the cherry on the top of the most wonderful experience she's ever had. Tess and Claudia come to watch it, and Tess goes full Morgan McMichaels "is she really going to jump from there" in response. Maisie wraps up by saying she wants it to just be the best dance. So let's see!

They're dancing to 'We Need A Little Christmas' (sidebar: if you've never watched this classic Crossroads clip, please do so now before you go any further) and it really is classic Hollywood: light, crisp, bouncy and bringing effortless joy (insert joke about Gorka's bum here). And credit to Maisie - for all the stick she got about being a megaringer (criticism that HRVY somehow avoided despite starting at pretty much the exact same level as Maisie) [See also Joe McFadden vs Alexandra/Debbie. I'm not saying there's an obvious theme here, but... - Rad], she really has improved her ballroom a lot since those early weeks and it's on full display here. The fall into Gorka's arms is executed perfectly, and the whole thing just demonstrates what a great partnership they've become. Again, if you're asking me who won each round (and I'm well aware that you are not), then I'm giving this one to Maisie too. [This was easily my favourite. It reminded me of Ore's showdance. Come to think of it, Ore's might have been the last one I genuinely enjoyed for both dancing and performance until this one. And it was the only time all series I thought Maisie might actually have a chance - Rad]

Motsi says it was content of the highest quality - tap, jazz, musical, character - and Maisie is having an amazing night, so she's going to call her Amazing Maisie. Craig says it was annoying, because he couldn't find anything wrong with it. Shirley says that Maisie is shining bright like the angel on the tree, and she loved everything about it - it was exceptional. 

Maisie squeals "that was so much fun!" as they run up to the Clauditorium, and Claudia is breathless at the fall-lift, and Maisie giggles that she was told to close her eyes when she did it, which just makes it worse. Gorka says he is grateful it all went to plan. Claudia says that Maisie's mum said on It Takes Two that over the course of this competition she's watched her grow from a nervous teenager into a confident woman, and Maisie gets a little bit tearful as she says that her mum knows her inside out, and knows that she can be very shy - this experience has been short, but she feels like she's grown and it means a lot to her that her mum's noticed. (I hope Maisie gets to see her family at Christmas too? God, I'm so emotionally invested in all of these people, what has happened to me.) There's a message from Maisie's on-screen big sister Shona McGarty, who says she's watched her blossom into a beautiful and talented young lady, and she is incredibly proud of her. Maisie cries a bit more, and the scores come in: 10s all round for a perfect 30. Claudia asks Maisie what she'd like to say to Gorka, and Maisie chokes up a bit again and tells him that he's so caring and the most incredible friend - he always knows how to make her smile whenever she feels down, and that will stay in her heart forever. Goddammit, there's something in my eye.

Rounds 1 & 2 Leaderboard

1=. Bill & Oti - 29 + 30 = 59

1=. Maisie & Gorka - 29 + 30 = 59

3. HRVY & Janette - 29 + 29 = 58

4. Jamie & Karen - 26 + 29 = 55

So a slight slip for HRVY, but otherwise largely unchanged. The terms and conditions get read for a second time, this time by Elizabeth Hurley, who's giving very "reading the scores of the UK jury at Eurovision in 1973" energy throughout. Claudia points out afterwards that Elizabeth's height would work very well with Johannes, and asks her to consider that as a possible future opportunity. I would be extremely here for that, yes. [Yes. Lock it in now, producers.- Rad]

HRVY & Janette - Favourite Dance

Final round, here we go! HRVY says that Strictly has been one of the best things he's ever done, and getting this far is unbelievable. Janette says HRVY is one of the most naturally gifted individuals she has ever met, and you know Janette has had a few ringers in her time. They have picked the American smooth to reprise, because it just felt like "perfect Strictly magic" the last time - Motsi even went so far as to call it the dance of the season. HRVY says he didn't think it could go better than it did last time - but it will have to. He pays tribute to Janette, who is both an amazing dancer and an amazing human being, who has made sure he doesn't doubt himself. They both say they're going to miss each other, and Janette says she's going to miss HRVY because he brought out a side of her that she hasn't seen in a long time - he was really inspiring. (Then again, as soon as this series is over she's going to run into Aljaž's arms and they're going to have that three-day sex marathon that the tabloids were talking about, so she probably isn't going to miss HRVY that much.) HRVY says that Janette has been the best partner ever, and he can't wait to dance with her for the last time. In a nice way.

So this, of course, was their A Chorus Line routine from Musicals Week. I mentioned earlier that I felt like HRVY was holding back a little, but right now, I think he's giving it everything for that final push - there wasn't much improvement needed from last time on a technical level but I think he's just giving it a bit more oomph on the performance front and it's making all the difference. Like Maisie and Gorka's showdance, this is a routine that just showcases these two as a couple and how well they work together brilliantly, and it's a great note to bring his time on Strictly to a close. I don't think it's quite enough to propel him to the win over Bill, but I think he can leave with his head held high. [I've never been that enamoured with HRVY, I don't dislike him, but I've found it hard to get passionate about him. This routine though? Easily one of the best of the series, and probably one of the best American Smooths ever - Rad]

Motsi caught HRVY's hat when he lobbed it offstage (not sure that's COVID-secure) and is now wearing it on her head, Shirley is on her feet in tears, and Craig? Craig has just one word to say: fab-yew-lous. Shirley says she has waited four years to be able to use this quote, the seven Ps - not the one about "piss-poor performance" but "practice and perseverance of postural principles promises physical perfection". She says he is everything that this show is about, and he's given it his all. Motsi says it's no longer just the dance of the series, it's the dance of the decade (the decade that's only 11 and a half months old?) - she feels that HRVY gave every single cell of his body to the dance, and thanks him for the hat too. Heh. 

They head up to the Clauditorium for the final time, and HRVY's bowtie has gone a bit skew-whiff. He can't believe he's crying on national TV, but he was just in every second of it. Janette thanks the cast for all their support in place of an actual audience. HRVY says that when he first came to Strictly he wasn't planning on embracing the sparkles and wanted to keep it cool, but look at him now. He thanks everyone on the production team for everything they did to get the series up and running this year, and then we have HRVY's final set of scores: triples 10s for a perfect 30. Claudia tells Janette that Aljaž is crying just as much as she is. HRVY says Janette deserves the win so much - it would be great for her to win it her first time in the final.

Jamie & Karen - Favourite Dance

Jamie says that being a part of Strictly Come Dancing is one of the most magical things he has ever done, and if someone asks him, "did you complete Strictly?", he'll be able to say yes. Okay, but I guarantee you literally nobody has ever asked that question of another person. He says that he and Karen have experienced every part of the journey - they've been at the top of the leaderboard and the bottom of the leaderboard, and they've been in the dance-off - and the tough thing is when you've practised a routine all week and you just don't want to let your partner down. He says that Karen is special, and Karen says that Jamie is a fighter who comes in bouncing with energy. They have fun together and they laugh a lot. Jamie says he couldn't wish for a better experience on Strictly Come Dancing - well, he could probably wish to not be in the dance-off quite as much. They're picked their Couple's Choice for their last-ever dance, and Karen gets a bit teary-eyed in rehearsals as she tells Jamie how proud she is of him. 

So this is their street/commercial routine to 'Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)' by C+C Music Factory and, not that I think Jamie was ever in with much of a shot of winning this, but I think even if he was, the fact that all three of his dances tonight have been variations on the same theme hasn't done him any favours. There's been no real opportunity anywhere in these three routines to show how he has matured or gained precision as a ballroom or latin dancer - it's just all jumping around and mugging to the camera. It's been fun, I've enjoyed his personality more than I ever expected to (certainly more than I expected to after last year's launch show), but I've seen nothing in this that convinces me he finished anywhere other than fourth. [Eh, I liked this one both times - in as much as it's acceptable to like Couple's Choice at all - Rad]

Shirley tells Jamie that she will carry his joy of dance in her heart forever, and he was absolutely sensational. Motsi says that this was Jamie's personal best dance in the whole series, and the energy was so well-fitted to the music. Craig says that that is the dance that Jamie will be remembered by, which I guess counts as both praise and criticism depending on how you look at it. 

Jamie and Karen have their final chat with Claudia and I want to pay attention to what they're saying but I'm mostly just transfixed by Karen's abs. Damn. Jamie says it was really emotional because he put so much into it, and it's so brilliant to share a dancefloor with all those amazing people. Claudia reminds us that Jamie missed out on competing in the show last year, and asks how he feels about finally having done it, and he says that he has no idea what his experience last year would have been like, but this experience has been magical. Do we think Jamie would have made the final last year? I'm inclined to say no, but then I didn't think he would make the final this year and look what happened. Scores: Craig 9, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 29. I don't mean to be unkind but I'm glad that Craig never cracked and gave Jamie a 10 - he's a nice enough lad but none of his dances were ever perfect. Claudia asks Jamie what it would mean for him to win, and he says it's like thinking about space - he can't comprehend it. 

Bill & Oti - Favourite Dance

Tess introduces this by saying that it's not just Bill and Oti's favourite dance but also a series highlight for so many people, and on one hand that feels a bit "objection, Your Honour, leading!" but also - well, she's not saying anything untrue, is she? And I don't think Bill actually needs the show rigged in his favour at this point. In his VT, Bill says it has been an extraordinary experience, and he's found something in himself that he didn't think he had. Oti says that dancing with Mr Bill Bailey has been an adventure, and she doesn't think anybody expected this when they first met. They have picked their Couple's Choice routine to 'Rapper's Delight' - the only acceptable Couple's Choice routine tbh - because it was the point that Bill really felt able to let loose. He says that Oti has been a key element in this - they have formed a friendship that Bill thinks will continue beyond this show. Oti says there is something about Bill that can't be bought - he has star quality that just comes on when the light goes on. She says she doesn't want the experience to end, and Bill says that he's very grateful for all of her efforts. Oti says she isn't just proud of Bill - she's a big fan of his, he's become a dancer.

What is there to say about this routine that hasn't already been said? It's almost certainly the moment of the series, and there's just so much joy oozing out of it. And what I love about it is the ease and effortlessness of the performance - it's not an easy routine, but they make it look like one. I know I've said this a lot tonight about pretty much every couple, but these two just work so well as a partnership, and I don't think they ever clicked better than they did right here. 

Motsi says that the first time she saw this dance, she was on the couch, so she's glad she got to see it in real life. She says that Bill has an ease of movement and star quality. Craig says that Bill popped and locked and rocked. Shirley says that Bill is a performer of the highest quality - he's sensational.

In the Clauditorium, Bill says that was definitely their favourite dance of the series - it was about freedom, and it shows how liberating dance can be. Claudia asks if they ever imagined doing this again in the final, and Bill says he's thrilled to be here because he gets to do these dances again, and he feels like he's doing justice to Oti and her wonderful teaching. Scores: Craig 9, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 29. Claudia asks Bill what it would mean to him and his family to win, and Bill says it would mean a huge amount to him and to Oti, but it would mean a lot to his family and friends, and everyone that has supported him along the way. What a gent.

Maisie & Gorka - Favourite Dance

Maisie says that Strictly has changed her life - she's learned so much about herself, and she wouldn't change a single second of it. She says she's never believed in herself as much as she has now - being in the bottom two knocked her confidence, but Gorka was her rock because he believed in her the whole time. Gorka says that dancing with Maisie has been a joy, because she's so happy, positive and talented. Maisie thanks Gorka for making this experience everything it could possibly be, because he's a great partner and a wonderful friend. She never expected to see so much support and love from so many people - her mum messages her every day to say she's proud of her - and Maisie gets all teared up just saying it. Maisie's favourite dance of the whole series was the quickstep, because it's the happiest she's ever been. Gorka tells her she's grown so much as a person, and now everyone has seen the real Maisie. Maisie tells him he's been a good friend, and they hug. No, shut up, you're crying, I'm just chopping onions for a lasagne I'm cooking after this.

They repeat their quickstep to 'When You're Smiling', and this is such a lovely dance to end both the night and the series on, because Maisie dances it absolutely exquisitely. It's another reminder of just how much she's grown as a ballroom dancer across the series - you can see Gorka beaming with pride throughout, and the way they just collapse on each other at the end, with absolutely nothing left in the tank, is truly a thing to behold. [My fave dance of this series - can't believe Craig did a big old meeeen and didn't 10 it, especially given the utter mess of her couple's choice last week getting 30 - Rad]

Craig says it was terrific and he doesn't want the dancing to end - he loved that, and he's sad that this is the last dance of the series. Shirley says this has been the most difficult series, because everyone has been so sensational, but she's going to nickname Maisie "Little Happy Feet", because her footwork was just beautiful and she had the most amazing glide in her stride. Motsi says the first time she saw Maisie, she saw she was a raw diamond - and now she's a shining diamond. Whatever happens, Motsi wants her to take everything she has learned on this show and shine bright. Motsi says she wants to congratulate the whole cast and everybody behind the cameras, because it took so much to put the show together this year - she gets to her feet and leads everyone in a well-earned standing ovation.

Claudia asks Maisie if she's amazed at herself, and Maisie says she never thought she could do this - she was so scared to join the show, but Gorka's helped her so much and she's so proud of herself. Gorka says Maisie impressed him from day one - she worked so hard every day, and was always willing to improve and impress everyone. He's incredibly proud of her - whatever happens happens, but Maisie is his winner. Scores: Craig 9, Shirley 10, Motsi 10 for a total of 29. Oh, boo. That deserved a 30 way more than her Couple's Choice did last week. Claudia asks Maisie what it would mean to win, and Maisie said she never intended to make the final, she just wanted to push herself - but she'd love to win it for Gorka, and it's been a gift that holds incredible memories for her.

Final Leaderboard

1=. HRVY & Janette - 29 + 29 + 30 = 88

1=. Bill & Oti - 29 + 30 + 29 = 88

1=. Maisie & Gorka - 29 + 30 + 29 = 88

4. Jamie & Karen - 26 + 29 + 29 = 84

So essentially right back where we were at the end of round one. Good to know.

We go over to Bruno, who has a message for everyone which was absolutely in no way recorded ahead of the show without seeing a moment of this broadcast. Then again, I'm not entirely convinced Bruno pays that much attention even when he's present in the studio, so has anything really changed?

And with the final terms and conditions of the series: Sir Paul McCartney and Idris Elba. Judging by the reaction on Twitter, this came as quiet the surprise to the people who weren't aware they'd made a TV show together. Paul has a bit of a stumble over the web address, but then, he has been dead for 54 years, what do you expect?

After that, we have a reminder of all 12 performances from tonight, and I am absolutely not recapping them again, sorry, there's less than half an hour of this show to go and I'm still hoping to fit in a nice hot bath at some point.

What's next? Why, it's the triumphant return of Nicola and Katya, dancing to 'Feeling Good'. It's a showdance of sorts, with paso and Argentine tango elements, and it seems to be a lot of Katya dancing and not quite so much of Nicola dancing. Still, I'm glad they got a chance to come back and put a proper coda on their Strictly story.

Following that is a trailer for this year's Christmas special, which is not a conventional Christmas special but a countdown of the best dances ever. Well, the best dances as selected by the production team and placed into order by voters, which is almost the same thing.

Then, it's time for Robbie Williams who is - mercifully - not singing his Covid Christmas song but singing last year's Christmas single 'Time For Change'. I don't know who had a quiet word in his ear about picking this one rather than the new material, but I thank them. Oh, and Neil, Nancy, Graziano and Nadiya get to do some lovely dancing. Can Nadiya and Nancy get decent partners next year please? Or at the very least, can Nancy get a partner? [Yeah, partners for them all, I'll even allow Graziano and Neil a second chance. I have felt so sorry for them this year - Rad]

Claudia thanks us all for voting, but confirms the vote is now closed. While it's being counted and independently verified, we have a moment to look back at the cast of 2020 - all of whom have had a chance to film a VT talking about their experiences on the show. For Clara, it was everything and nothing like she expected. Caroline says it was a unique experience, and JJ says it was the amazing challenge he signed up for. Jason says he knew it would be a great experience, but he didn't realise just how much that would be true, and Max adds that it exceeded his expectations. Nicola says it was scary but also exciting, and Ranvir adds that it was surprising and magical. Jacqui says it was "such a brilliant adventure". Caroline says that every fibre of her being fell in love with Johannes when they first met, and she's been that way ever since. Clara says that meeting Aljaž at Radio 1 was one of her favourite memories, and Ranvir says that when she first met Giovanni, she had no idea what would unfold. No, not that. Honestly, get your minds out of the gutter! Clara says her first week of training was an education, and JJ says it was physically, mentally, emotionally battering. Nicola found it hard being light and delicate on her feet, and Max says he expected a step out of his comfort zone but this was a long jump. He doesn't think he breathed at all during the first live show, and Ranvir still can't get over getting to do a paso doble to Beyoncé in a red dress. Jacqui was terrified but she absolutely loved it, and Max says his highlight was getting to do the floppy fish in SIMPSONSDANCE. Clara remembers squealing at the prospect of descending from the ceiling in a giant heart, and Caroline has fond memories of Jason Bell crawling towards her on his knees. Jason loved doing the paso because it was really challenging, and Nicola really felt like a dancer when she did her Couple's Choice. JJ didn't anticipate the joy of dancing, and Max says he doesn't feel so nervous now in a group environment, and he's never had that. Weren't you literally in a boyband? Caroline says it's important to carry on learning throughout your life, and she has learnt five different dance styles. Jason says he will carry it with him for the rest of his life. Then they all have to sum up their experience in one word, and it is as follows: unbelievable (Jacqui), epic (JJ), boom (Nicola), sensational (Ranvir), fabulous (Max). I guess I shall go to my grave not knowing which words the other three picked.

We're back in the studio for one final, carefully socially-distanced group dance to 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'. Max and Dianne get to do a bit of SIMPSONSDANCE again, Nicola and Katya get to run around with giant flags again, and Clara and Aljaž get to do some charleston again. Then the music switches to 'Sweet Caroline' as JJ and Amy, Jason and Luba, Ranvir and Giovanni and (of course) Caroline and Johannes take their respective final sweeps. I must say this has all been very cleverly blocked to allow everyone a chance to dance together, while apart. It ends with 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life' with everyone doing feather-fan dances with Jacqui and Anton at the centre, and if nothing else it's a bold creative decision to allow your first boot and worst dancer to lead the closing moments of the final number.

Tess and Claudia have a few more thankyous that they want to say: first to the production team who have gone above and beyond to make the show happen this year, and second to all of us for viewing, because while the show has been a little bit different this year, they're so grateful for our support. And that segues into a virtual vox pop of what the show has meant to people this year: mostly people assumed it wouldn't happen, and when they found out it was going ahead, they were all very excited. The Duchess of Cornwall makes an appearance to say that it lifted the whole country's spirits, and she's very excited for the final - she knows who she'll be voting for. She'd like to say thank you to everyone who has been involved in it this particularly difficult year for uplifting the nation. People express their appreciation for Tess and Claudia, others are curiously non-committal about SIMPSONSDANCE, and there is more love for the 'Rapper's Delight' routine. Some people were sad to see Caroline go out so soon, others are impressed with Maisie for coming back strong after two successive week in the bottom two. HRVY and Janette's Musicals Week number was also a big favourite. People talk about how Strictly helped to get them through a frankly quite shitty year, and it really hits home. Thank goodness we've only got a week to go until The Masked Singer returns, that's all I can say. [Oh yay, the one reason ITV is still useful! - Rad]

Now it's the moment we've all been waiting for - it's time to find out who will be the Strictly Come Dancing champions of 2020. The winners are... Bill and Oti! Bill is frozen in shock and Oti screams in disbelief. It's clearly a very popular outcome in the room too. Motsi is in tears, Oti's in tears, I'm in tears, you're in tears. Bill and Oti are jumping up and down, and Bill says it feels extraordinary but wonderful - he never thought they would get this far, but he had the most extraordinary teacher (Oti is full-on sobbing still and so is Motsi) and she believed in him right from the beginning. Oti says that Bill is amazing - he put his heart and soul into everything, and she loves his world and she always wants to be a part of it. She thanks him for being a friend, a father figure and a brother. Awww. They lift the trophy and the firework cannons go off. The band strike up with 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now', and we celebrate both our oldest-ever celebrity winner, and our first ever back-to-back wins for a pro. 

And that's it for 2020! I hope I can speak for both Rad and myself when I say thank you so much for reading our blogs, it's been lovely to hear how much you've enjoyed them, and we hope we have in some small way provided a bit of light and fun in a very difficult year [ditto - Rad]. We'd like to say we'll be back for 2021 but... well, after the way this year's gone, it doesn't seem sensible to make big promises for the future, but we'll see what happens.

I'd like to leave this series on a truly heartwarming note, with a little reminder of the sacrifices that were made for the sake of our entertainment:

Goodnight!