Dancing on Ice Musicals Week: All the performances, scores, judges' comments

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

From Digital Spy

This evening's (January 20) episode of Dancing on Ice held a 'Musicals' theme, welcoming icy adaptions of Les Misérables, Bugsy Malone and Mary Poppins to name a few.

Expressive and dapper-clothed, the contestants were left panting and grinning following their performances - it was a real treat for everyone involved, even if there were a couple of mistakes at play.

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

This week, the judges' challenge to the couples was to incorporate at least 3 or 4 revolutions in their spins together, but how did they fare on the ice?

Didi Conn and professional dancer Lukasz opened the floor with their Mary Poppins inspired performance.

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RxZx1CI_l4[/youtube]

Jane: "Well I'm just really pleased to see that there is improvement Didi, and definitely, you're getting stronger. We need a bit more skating by yourself, a bit more footwork, a bit more on one foot but well done." (Score: 4.5)

Chris: "Didi, I just thought it was charming. I thought everything around it, the scene set, you portrayed the character wonderfully; you were 4.5 - I was going to be 4.5, but the spin fell short. There was only two revolutions there. So close!" (Score: 4)

Jason: "Well I mean Didi, at the beginning I thought you were going to give us a pole-dancing Poppins! And then you know what darling, you have improved and I knew you would, you know you were charming out there." (Score: 3.5)

Ashley: "We can all see improvement. What I love about that performance is that it is simple but it is effective. You used your strengths really well and you performed so clean and it's so well put together." (Score: 4.5)

Jane Danson and Sylvain performed to the Les Miserables classic 'I Dreamed a Dream'

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzZAMMkFy_g[/youtube]

Ashley: "I thought you did a great job, I could certainly see the nerves and I saw a couple of wobbles and Sylvain helped you through those. There's quite a bit of stiffness... your hands go out and they look a little bit stuck on. I just want you to relax and get rid of that tension, for me that would lift you .5, a whole point, if you'd just relax and let that rigidity go." (Score: 5)

Jason: "You are an actress and this should have played to that beautifully. What this song is about and what it needed to encapsulate was more in the choreography to show a women that is full of regret, remorse and loss, and I didn't get that tonight at all." (Score: 4)

Jane: "There were stutters with a couple of steps, some of the lifts weren't quite in the right place, luckily you've got a strong man there to help you." (Score: 5.5)

Chris: "I saw the concentration on your face. Compared to the last performance, you seemed free, this performance seemed a little bit more contained. The spin was really quite good." (Score 5.5)

Richard Blackwood and Carlotta brought a little bit of The Jersey Boys to the ice

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR7E4oDc-Dw[/youtube]
Chris: "It could have been a 5.5 if it wasn't for that hopping spin that you did. I think sometimes your head stops you from allowing yourself to be more fluid. You hold yourself back. I've seen you in practice, and it was a lot freer, when it comes to the night you seem to clam up a little bit." (Score: 5)

Jane: "My mark would have been a 5 but I couldn't with the hopping spin. You invened a new spin there, fantastic." (Score: 4.5)

Jason: "Picking up on what Chris said, you're so concentrated in what you're doing and that's great, but you forget there's a performance to go with it and particularly tonight, there were moments where... it looked like it was half baked. I don't mind if you fall over, if you do it big."(Score: 4)

Ashley: "If I'm being honest, the ice scares you. But that performance was double as good as last time. The only reason I didn't mark you higher was purely because of the spin at the end." (Score: 4.5)

Saara Aalto and Hamish 'Let It Go' with some Frozen, and she even sang (fun fact: she is Anna's singing voice in the film's Finnish dub)

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPP17W8vW0w[/youtube]

Ashley: "That was very very good, I loved your interpretation of the judges' challenge. It just amazes me how comfortable you are on the ice. I think you are a better skater than a dancer." (Score: 6.5)

Jason: "I absolutely loved what this partnership is forming into. I think you two work so well together.. you put in all those magical moments that Disney are known for."(Score: 6)

Jane: "Very impressive spin, you did one of the more difficult spins. You looked like you were so comfortable out there and you looked like you loved the performance/ (Score: 6.5)

Chris: "You came out and performed it and it was amazing. The most difficult spin we've seen so far... skating backwards. Everything is coming together." (Score: 7)

Next up Brian McFadden and Alex Murphy dance to Bugsy Malone

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej0ZrdXRpjw[/youtube]

Jane: "When you lift a partner you need to make sure she's landed before you let go of her." (Score: 6)

Jason: "It's a no-no. You never ever walk away from a lift until it's landed." (Score: 4.5)

Chris: "That's the first time you've done 3 revolutions on that spin. I have to say, doing a fast routine is harder... there's a lot of content. I'm really proud of you, you really showed character." (Score: 6)

Ashley: "Brian, you dropped her at the start - otherwise I would've been higher..." (Score: 5.5)

James Jordan was up next dancing to Phantom of the Opera

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN4Pb_Jeh0A[/youtube]

Chris: "I was so impressed when you stepped out of the gondola... you had the mood, it was all going so well. It's slippy stuff out there, it catches you out when you're not ready." (Score: 7)

Jane: "Great performance from beginning to end, but obviously with the stumbles we had to deduct." (Score: 7)

Jason: "You work beautifully together, we already know that. This was a great piece well executed, but you could have played more that he was obsessed. Nice stuff, but you missed the point." (Score: 6.5)

Ashley: "One note from me, you're such a proficient skater that I'd love to see more creative from you. Shock us." (Score: 6.5)

Saira Khan and Mark proved they'd do anything with their Oliver Twist number

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umfkFIN_4uY[/youtube]

Jane: "I thought that the spin fell short of three rotations. I want to see more skating, I've seen you in training doing some beautiful skating. I thought there were too many lifts." (Score: 4.5)

Chris: "It was bright, it was fun again, but... Mark is steering you like a car. At some point there is going to be some solo skating." (Score: 5)

Jason: "You're not doing enough on you're own. We need to see you move into more content. Nancy needed a bigger, bolshier... she wears her heart on her sleeve and we didn't get that." (Score: 4.5)

Ashley: "Last time it was so fluid, this time around it felt like Mark was moving you around the ice. You got a little bit left behind." (Score 4.5)

Ryan Sidebottom and Brandee told us a tale as old as time with Beauty and the Beast

Jane: "I just loved that, you've improved so much, you must've worked really hard and it was so nice to see some pure edges from you. Nice speed so well done.(Score: 5)

Chris: "You had me at first push, I thought it was lovely and tender, I think this music, this style of skating really suits where you are." (Score: 5)

Jason: "What impresses me most about this performance tonight is that you set the scene beautifully. I believed you were the beast in love. It was much more assured and controlled." (Score: 4)

Ashley: "If I'm being honest, from last week to this I can't believe it. It made me sit back in my chair and go 'wow'. Hands down for me, most improved skater from week one." (Score: 5)

Wes Nelson and Vanessa gave us a Hairspray number with 'You Can't Stop the Beat'

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnBYFVe4C1M[/youtube]
Jane: "I thought it was brilliant. Impressed with the spin, because it's a difficult spin and you managed to hang on. Well done, it was just fantastic." (Score: 7.5)

Jason: "What a huge difference that was, the fact that you loved it, it translated and it exploded off the ice. The ending bit... you missed that, but what an incredible performance." (Score: 7)

Chris: "I have to say O-M-G, that was full of steps. But what I particularly liked was that one foot section where you... continued all the way through with that speed." (Score: 7.5)

Ashley: "I saw the amount of content. It was such a shame about the end... but everyone should be a little bit worried about you." (Score: 7.5)

Gemma Collins channelled Marilyn Monroe for 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend' from Gentleman Prefer Blondes

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBrlaVv000A[/youtube]

Ashley: "Gemma I look forward to seeing you perform every week as I'm sure a lot of people do, but the fact is there wasn't enough skating. It's great that you turned up and you're here, but moving forward... more skating." (Score 3.5)

Jason: "Gemma I know you were channelling Marilyn but we ended up with Anna Nicole Smith. There wasn't any elegance. She was a woman who was in control of her femininity, you were all over the place."

(Gemma then referenced Jason's interview with the tabloids about her as the reason she was upset, which made him call her a "brat" in a tense moment.)

Jane: "You didn't managed the three rotations on the spin. You said you had a difficult week and the routine was very under-rehearsed." (Score 3.5)

Chris: "There was a lot of production and that looked great. But for the steps I counted there was a half lunge, a toe step, a slide step, an assisted waltz jump..." (Score 3)

Melody Thornton and Alexander wrapped things up with West Side Story's 'America'

[youtube align='center' autoplay='0']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrGuxObd4XE[/youtube]

Jane: "Difficult spin but you did perfectly well, that was great. It just seemed like the odd moment... missed hands. You did a great three jump." (Score 6)

Chris: "In my head in rehearsal I was thinking 7.5 but because of the mistakes... I have to say when you were skating backwards you were flying on the ice. You have the capability." (Score 6)

Jason: "You started this so well, it was perfect. When you unraveled, it lost all performance and you went dead, and the marks reflect that. You brought it back for a very strong finish." (Score 3.5)

Ashley: "That first stumble got to you, I saw it all over your face. One note, I'd like to see more musicality." (Score 5)

Once all the performances were out of the way, it was revealed that Saira and Richard were to face the dreaded skate-off. Every judge except Jason voted to save Saira, which meant that Richard was sent home.

Dancing on Ice returns next Sunday (January 27) at 6pm on ITV.


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