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Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon set the tone for Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-finals as they kicked off the show with a sizzling salsa.
The actress, 47, and her professional partner, 30, took to the dancefloor and wowed the audience with a high-energy routine to Gloria Estefan’s hit Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.
The pair scored an impressive 35 out of 40 from judges Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.
Balvinder looked over the moon as she made a triumphant return to the ballroom after surviving the dance-off five times during the competition.
Following their performance, the judges were full of praise for the EastEnders star.
Head judge Shirley, 65, described the routine as ‘fantastic’, adding that it was ‘real, authentic and on point’.
Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon set the tone for Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-finals as they kicked off the show with a sizzling salsa
The actress, 47, and her professional partner, 30, took to the dancefloor and wowed the audience with a high-energy routine to Gloria Estefan’s hit Rhythm Is Gonna Get You
Meanwhile, Anton, 59, said: ‘What a start! you set the benchmark right there, you went okay this is what i’ve got. It’s going to take some beating I tell you.’
Craig, 60, added: ‘The transitions were a little bit stop and start for me. but you have a marvelous way of isolating your body. you have fantastic rhythm, and you gave that dance your all.’
It comes after BBC bosses have reportedly drawn up a ‘Golden Ten’ shortlist of presenters as they search for replacements for Strictly Come Dancing’s long-time hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
Claudia, 53, and Tess, 56, will bow out of the glitzy ballroom at the end of this year’s series – but the stars hoping to step into their glittering shoes won’t have it easy.
According to reports, contenders will be put through a series of partner-swap chemistry tests, with BBC executives keen to find the perfect on-screen pairing.
Three names are said to be emerging as frontrunners, including Bradley Walsh, Alex Jones and Alan Carr – with Alan, 49, said to be firmly at the top of the list.
However, all ten shortlisted stars will reportedly work with one another on screen in a bid to decide which partnership works best.
A source told The Sun: ‘Replacing Claudia and Tess is a mammoth task but the BBC have whittled down the talent to ten people.
The pair scored an impressive 35 out of 40 from judges Craig Revel Horwood , Shirley Ballas , Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke
Balvinder looked over the moon as she made a triumphant return to the ballroom after surviving the dance-off five times during the competition
It comes after BBC bosses have reportedly drawn up a ‘Golden Ten’ shortlist of presenters as they search for replacements for Strictly Come Dancing’s long-time hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly (pictured this month)
Claudia, 53, and Tess, 56, will bow out of the glitzy ballroom at the end of this year’s series – but the stars hoping to step into their glittering shoes won’t have it easy (L-R Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke)
‘As well as Bradley, Alex and Alan, Rylan Clark, Rob Rinder, Zoe Ball, and Holly Willoughby will be at the chemistry day.
‘Amanda Holden, Alison Hammond, and Angela Scanlon have made the cut too.’
The insider added that the stars will be brought into a studio and placed into different pairings to see who has the strongest on-screen connection.
They explained that pairings could consist of two women, two men, or a mixed partnership, as Strictly bosses look to ‘mix things up’ and find a combination that hasn’t been tried before.
Fresh from his win on Celebrity Traitors last month, Alan is believed to be in pole position.
However, his nationwide 2027 comedy tour could clash with that year’s Strictly schedule, potentially throwing a spanner in the works.
Despite this, insiders have reportedly claimed that Alan would be unlikely to turn down the presenting role if he made the final cut following the chemistry tests.
Daily Mail has contacted BBC for comment.