As Jayde Adams goes back to her Adele roots

Both comedians taking part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing are firmly mid-table after the second week of the competition.

Ellie Taylor and Johannes Radebe are in ninth position out of 15 with a combined score of 51 points over both dances, while Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer are 11th with 49.

Ellie and Johannes danced the paso doble to Les Toreadors by Georges Bizet tonight, scoring a modest 23 points from judges, compared to the 28 they received in the first week.

Anton Du Beke said Ellie had ‘beautiful line’ but said the performance lacked the ‘correct atmosphere’

Craig Revel Horwood was much more harsh, saying: ‘I felt you were just walking around and posing and not actually danceing and for me the best part was the end, I have to be honest.’

After being prompted by Motsi Mabuse he clarified that he meant the last part of the dance – not the fact that it was over.

Head judge Shirley Ballas said there was some ‘decent footwork’ but said: 'It lacked completely the essence of paso doble’

Later, Jayde and Karen danced the tango to Rumour Has It by Adele – an apt choice given the comedian used to perform as an Adele impersonator on the drag circuit before turning to stand-up. After the dance she said she was ‘on Cloud 9’ to perform to the song she loves so much.

Speaking to Rylan Clarke on the spin-off show Strictly: It Takes Two earlier in the week, Jayde said: ‘I'm just a lip filler away from being Adele babe.

‘There is a moment where I think this moment (being on Strictly) is my wildest dream, I thought that last week, and then we got the news we were doing Adele and I was like 'no, no, no' it is this moment, this is it.’

She and Karen racked up 26 points from judges, an improvement on last week’s 23.. Du Beke said he loved Jayde’s intensity and thought it was a ‘terrific performance’ and Mabuse said: ‘I can’t take my eyes off you when you dance.’

Published: 1 Oct 2022