Strictly Come Dancing 2014, week nine, as it happened 20.23 A couple of last Tweets... 20.21 Jake Wood's dance has divided opinion on social media. I personally loved it. Pixie Lott doesn't seem as popular on Twitter as she is with the judges either. 20.20 A couple more of your Tweets... 20.17 It was lovely to have Claudia back and bless her for getting a bit choked at the end there. It must have been a hard three weeks for her. 20.16 The credits roll on-screen. Stay with us for some more reaction and analysis. 20.12 As they recap the routines on screen, time for a few of your Tweets... 20.09 A nine from Craig (his highest score for Simon yet) and a clean sweep for 36 points, putting Simon fourth on the leaderboard. Aww, Claudia gets tad teary as Kristina tells her it's good to have her back. 20.07 Darcey says he was "scarily comfortable, like a different man, so relaxed, sometimes over-excited and needed to contain it but it came close to last week's standard." Len says it didn't go flat post-Blackpool. Bruno steals my Footloose and fancy-free line, adding that it was "spicy." Craig enjoyed the arm-ography and says Simon's come on leaps and bounds. Nines? 20.06 Much lighter mood than last week and rather marvellous. 20.05 Rhythmical, lots of arm-ography and this is lots of fun. Footloose and fancy-free. 20.03 Eight and last couple tonight are Simon Webbe and his partner Kristina Rihanoff. They're dancing a salsa to Let's Hear It For The Boy by Deneice Williams. Awful film trailer-style VT. 20.02 Sunetra shrugging in the "Clauditorium." Brendan admits there were a couple of stumbles. Scores are in and it's 30 points, leaving her second from bottom so far. 20.00 Craig says she "was better in the safety of hold and followed Brendan's lead beautifully but she had a death-grip of his shoulder at the end." Dracey says it had "glide and ladylike charm." Len enjoyed the romance and pivots but it as "a little bit shaky here and there." Bruno says she was "elegant, travelled first class but she didn't maintain the topline." Sevens and eights? 19.59 Much better than last week. 19.58 A stately, romantic waltz. Nice shaping from Sunetra. She's better in ballroom than Latin. Lacks some rise and fall and footwork falters on occasion but very respectable. 19.57 They're dancing a waltz to Last Request by Paolo Ntini (me neither). Sunetra must know she's in dance-off danger tonight because she's wheeled out the cute kids in her VT. 19.56 Phew. Open some windows in that ballroom. Penultimate couple tonight are Sunetra Sarker and Brendan Cole, last week's dance-off survivors. 19.54 A "twerking 10 from Darcey," "a ten from Len for the Walfrord wonder boy," nines from the bookends. A total of 38 points, putting Jake joint top with Frankie. 19.53 Darcey was fanning herself, got the giggles and says it was "brilliant." Len says "shake 'n' bake Jake, it was a whamba of a samba and what it lacked in technique, it made up for in fantastic entertainment." Nines all round, I reckon. 19.52 "Wacko Jacko the twerking wonder!" shouts Bruno, who didn't like the samba rolls but says it was "unashamed, out there and mental" Craig agrees that the rolls didn't go anywhere but the "shoulder shimmies were fantastic and his bottom went off like a jackhammer." 19.50 Those hips are back. Great shaking and party mood, although his arms don't look great to me. Lifts! An overly sexy macarena! A spot of twerking! This is lots of carnival fun. He jumps on her at the end. Excellent entertainment. 19.48 Time for Snakey Jakey: aka Jake Wood and his partner Janette Manrara, dancing the samba to Macarena by Los Del Rio. 19.46 She really needs to sort out that little toe. Scores are in and it's "from Len, the ten," same from Bruno, for a leaderboard-topping total of 38 points. Her highest yet and the joint highest of the series so far. 19.44 Craig reluctantly agrees that Bruno was right and that her hands were perfect but picks on her right foot instead. He concludes that it was "gawjus." Darcey said her "technique was lovely." Nines all round, maybe a ten from the excited Italian? 19.43 Yep, Len spotted the proper fleckle and loved the detail. Bruno purrs with pleasure saying it was "effortlessly beautiful" with "exquisite placement." 19.42 They're dancing a Viennese Waltz to What's New Pussycat? by Sir Tom Jones. Kevin's in tails, Frankie's in a divine red frock and I'm not surprised she got motion sickness in triaining - there's a lot of spins but this is classy and tidy, with neat footwork and lots of those fleckles that Len should love. 19.40 Next couple are Frankie Bridge and her partner Kevin "from Grimsby' Clifton. They got their first 10s last week. Can they maintain that standard? They looked good in training, I can tell you that much. 19.38 Scores are in and it's eights all round for 32 points, putting Mark third so far. 19.37 Bruno purrs that he was like "Caesar from Planet Of The Apes" but spotted the same footwork incident as Len. Craig says he "leapt on Karen like a feral dog with rabies" but it was focused and tense. Eights ahoy? 19.36 Darcey loved him "frowning with conviction but his shoulder tired in the second half anf the transitions could be finessed." Len liked the "staccato and intensity but it went frantic towards the end." 19.35 Great, contemporary choreograpy from Karen. 19.31 Moody pose-striking to start, then into a dramatic dance. Lacking a little sharpness and compactness of frame but great mood, lots of attack and an impressive drag section. 19.30 Halfway point now and next out are Mark Wright and his partner Karen Hauer. They're dancing a tango to Love Runs Out by OneRepublic (me neither). 19.29 Claudia says "Bruno stood up, which is always a good sign." Scores are in and it's a 10 from Bruno, nines from the rest for 37 points. Top score of the night so far, obviously, and it might stay that way. 19.27 Len says it wass "stuffed full of razzle-dazzle, sparkle and choreography." Bruno says she "had the explosive brilliance of a firework display." Nines and tens a-coming? 19.26 "Precision and exactitude, enormous amount of detail," coos Craig. Darcey says she's "never seen anyone fit so many steps into one dance" and she nearly outshone her pro partner. 19.26 Ended strongly. Great side-by-side sections. 19.24 They're dancing a Charleston to Sparkling Diamonds by Nicole Kidman from the film Moulin Rouge. A bit po-faced and lacking bounce to begin but she's soon into the goofy character and the couple unveil their first lifts of the series. 19.22 Time for the pace-setters: Pixie Lott and her partner Trent Whiddon. Aka the Children Of The Corn aka the Midwich Cuckoos aka Flowers In The Attic. 19.21 Caroline apologises for nearly kicking a lady in the audience. BBC lawyers breathe a sigh of relief. And yep, it's 33 points for Caroline. 19.20 Darcey says she was brave and "pulled it off with style and flair, despite the costume failure." Len says she "drifted across the floor like smoke through a keyhole" (eh?), it was "like a butter knife" and "class in a glass." Why use one metaphor when three nonsensical ones will do? Eights and sympathy nines? 19.19 "The lady is a vamp, alluring and oozing sex appeal," says Bruno, who "adored the choreography." Despite the stumbles, he enjoyed the jazzyness. Craig Revel Horwood says she "almost fell over, dah-ling" but saved it well and extended her lines classily. 19.18 Poor Flack The Knife. She styled out the stumbles. 19.16 They're dancing an American Smooth to Mack The Knife. Lots of monochrome Hollywood glamour but an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction as Caroline falls off her heel. But she recovers well andgets into hold. Lots of razzmatazz, spins and travel but a few more stumbles. Is her skirt getting in the way? 19.14 Second couple to dance tonight are Caroline Flack and her partner Pasha Kovalev. Flick-Flack bounced back in Blackpool after her dance-off scare. Can she continue her renaissance? 19.13 Good to have Claudia back holding court on the balcony. Scores are in and it's four from Craig (boo!) and a total of 23 points. Steve will be struggling 19.12 Craig Revel Horwood says it was "stompy with atrocious timing." Darcey Bussell agrees that he was off the beat but he "handled the lifts with ease." Six from Craig and seven from the rest? 19.10 First chance to hear from the judges. Len Goodman does the old "tough dance for big chaps" drill. Not your best but you gave it your best. Bruno Tonioli says Steve "tackled it like a charging quarterback" but he fell behind the timing. 19.09 She finishes on Steve's shoulder as streamers fall. I'm calling it early: bottom two. 19.07 They're dancing a jive to Little Bitty Pretty One by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers. Steve's a jock, Ola's a cheerleader. Messin' abaht to start, a knee slide, a lift and then into a rather lumpy, heavy-looking lindyhop. 19.06 First couple out on the floor are our gridiron guy, Steve Backshall and his partner Ola Jordan. Can he keep those problematic thumbs down? 19.04 The judging panel prance on. Darcey Bussell in hot red. And it's time to meet the stars of our show. Steve Backshall has come as an Amerocan foootballer. Jake Wood's in the pink. Everyone else looks besquinned and classy. 19.03 Couple of BBC faces spotted in the studio audience there: Dave Myers, late of the Strictly parish, and Dame Mary Berry of Bakeoffshire. 19.01 And here our our hosts: Tess Daly, in white, and Claudia Winkleman, in sparkly black. Welcome back, Mrs Winkle. And I win the frock prediction game! 19.00 And right on time, we're off! Blackpool recap! Bye-bye, Judy Murray and Anton Du Beke! Cheesy boys vs girls VT! 18.59 Nearly there. Just time to stretch those spatulistic arms and loosen that hip action. 18.55 It's Pointless Celebrities on BBC One now, as we wait out the last five minutes for those familiar ba-ba-daaas. Our weekly chance to behold the magnificent ears of Alexander Armstrong. 18.50 We're back down south tonight, to the usual Elstree Studios ballroom. It might feel rather small after last week's Tower Ballroom expanse. Ten minutes to go. 18.45 Fifteen minutes until showtime. Just time to slip into something sequin-spangled and pour yourself a glass of something suitably Saturday night-ish. 18.43 OK, it is a frock. Don't tell anyone. 18.40 Any guesses in the frock prediction game? I'm going Claudia in black, Tess in white. You can guess what I'm wearing too if you like. Clue: it's not a frock. 18.35 I wonder how many references we'll get to a "Blackpool hangover" this evening? There was quite a hefty one last weekend, by all accounts, after most of the celebrties, pros, judges and presenters hit the town together after the show. Nightclubs! Booze! Battered sausage and chips! More booze! The mind boggles. 18.25 Stand-in co-host Zoe Ball has stepped into the breach brilliantly but it will be good to see Claudia Winkleman back in the ballroom tonight, after her three week sabbatical to care for daughter Martha. The eight-year-old is apparently on the mend. Let's hope she continues her recovery. 18.15 After Judy Murray's run finally came to an end in Blackpool's Tower Ballroom last week, who do you think is in danger tonight? The bookies are saying Sunetra Sarker but I've got a feeling that Steve Backshall might be down there too. It's 45 minutes until we get our first clues... 18.00 Good evening everyone and welcome to our Strictly Come Dancing week nine live blog. It's showtime at 7pm on BBC One, when contestants will be trying to shake off their Blackpool hangovers and maintain last week's high standard of hoofing. Please join me - and join in too.