STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Lewis Cope scored the first perfect 40 of the series tonight for a spellbinding Halloween routine.

The ex-Emmerdale actor, 30, and Katya Jones, 36, danced a Couple’s Choice routine to Radiohead’s Creep, and host Tess Daly branded it a “knockout” moment.
Lewis Cope scored a perfect score in tonight’s Strictly
Lewis became the Joker in the Underworld Lounge
The judges agreed, with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke all raising their 10 paddles.

Anton called it the best dance of the series by a “million miles”, adding: “There is nothing you could have done to that dance to make it any better. It was A-mazing.”

Craig said: “I like that – and because it’s Halloween, darling, we’ll call it a Halloween spooktacular!”

Motsi insisted the routine would stand the test of time and predicted they’d be reflecting on it five years from now.

Blown away, head judge Shirley Ballas was moved to tears after hearing Lewis’s emotional back story.

In the VT before his performance, Lewis recalled growing up in Hartlepool with his 13 siblings, five of which are boxers, and leaving home as a teen to star in Billy Elliot in the West End.

The hunk took the high score in his stride beaming behind the exaggerated Joker smile etched on his face by the talented Strictly make-up team.

Viewers raved about the routine, with one writing on X: “Absolutely brilliant dance by Lewis in Trump mathematics that was definitely a 12 out of 10.”

Another gushed: “Aaaaaah! WHAT A COUPLES CHOICE! THAT WAS EVERYTHING!.”

While a third said: “Lewis, omfg that was Hollywood, absolutely world class.”

Earlier tonight, we exclusively revealed how Lewis’s girlfriend isn’t batting an eyelid about his sizzling chemistry with Katya.

The former soap star, who played Nicky Miligan in Emmerdale, has been dating his stunning pilates instructor girlfriend Rachel Maya Lopez for seven years.

And his same sex romps in soapland have set her mind at ease.

He said: “Over the years I’ve had to kiss a lot of people on stage or onscreen, as an actor, so she’s used to me kissing boys actually, but it hasn’t been a problem.

“Katya and Rachel have all met. It’s never been a conversation between us.”

He added: “Rachel has supported me all the way, she is my biggest supporter, she sends me into rehearsals with a packed lunch, she really looks after me.

“Just before I got onto the show, we managed to get a holiday with just the two of us, she booked us a studio, and she was getting me moving. She is fantastic and amazing.”

Lewis revealed that he’s grateful to be partnered with Russian-born Katya.

He said: “Katya may have been on the show for 10 years, but it’s like it’s her first year. She is amazing with the choreography, but she is also such a bright

energy.

“Nothing is ever a problem, even if I am struggling with something, she always finds a way of making it work.

“She is patient and she doesn’t have a massive ego, she is adaptable with me and tries to make things work.

“What you see on a Saturday night is not what is going on during the week at all.

“I have so much trust in her, she is coming up with the ideas and concepts, I know that what she is putting out there is the best we can do.”

Hartlepool lad Lewis, who was the first contestant this series to receive a 10 last month (Oct) has come under fire for having dance experience, but he explained it was when he was a child.

He said: “Dance classes are more accessible in towns like Hartlepool, than singing or acting. It was the gateway into the industry. I didn’t train professionally as a dancer, I just danced as a child.”
Lewis has revealed what girlfriend Rachel Lopez thinks of his partnership with Katya JonesCredit: Instagram
The actor has impressed on the dancefloor with the veteran show proCredit: PA

‘He looks guilty even when he’s telling the truth…’: Alan Carr’s ‘genius game plan’ finally exposed by dumped co-star Kate Garraway — as the presenter predicts he’ll outwit everyone to snatch The Celebrity Traitors crown next week… – suong

Alan Carr‘s ‘genius game plan’ has been revealed by his dumped co-star Kate Garraway.

The comedian, 49, is a fan favourite on the show and could potentially be crowned the winner next week if he plays his cards right.

Presenter Kate, 58, who was voted off the show earlier this week, has opened up about Alan’s cunning moves.

During an appearance on Romesh Ranganathan‘s Radio 2 Celebrity Traitors special show, she said: ‘I think he’s going to win. I don’t know. I’m going to say it now.’

Kate – who was a Faithful on the show – revealed that the cast were asked two questions which they knew to be true and then asked if they were the Traitor.

She went on to share that the biggest tell-tale sign of knowing is that celebrities’ faces changed when their eyes flickered.

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Alan Carr, 49, is a fan favourite on the show and could potentially be crowned the winner next week if he plays his cards right

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His ‘genius game plan’ has been revealed by his dumped co-star Kate Garraway

Kate continued: ‘The flaw in the plan was everybody slightly flickered, their eyes changed so when you say ‘are you a mother of five’ they just go yes because they’re relaxed about that.

‘But on every single one Alan looked guilty, even on the ones that were true.

‘So therefore I think his thing is that he looks guilty and the more he mucks up and the more he sweats and the more he can’t get out loud ‘I’m a Faithful’, then the more it plays in to ‘Alan’s just being Alan’. And I think that’s going to be the genius.’

The TV star was recently banished from the Scottish castle, missing out on winning £100,000 cash for her chosen charity.

The mum-of-two said the whole experience was ‘transforming’.

‘The whole experience has been transforming,’ she explained. ‘It’s been lovely to meet people from different worlds. After five nearly six years of caring for someone you love, your world goes very in and you’re literally thinking every minute of the day ‘have I done the medication what happens next, where do we need to go’.’

Kate also revealed which celebrity hasn’t joined the Celebrity Traitors WhatsApp group chat amid rumours of a cast feud.

The BBC series wrapped filming in early May 2025, with the finale set to air on November 6.

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Kate said Claudia Winkleman was invited to the WhatsApp group but politely declined

The broadcaster has now revealed who declined the invite.

Speaking to The Sun, Kate said: ‘The WhatsApp group is popping off all day and night, actually. It’s brilliant.

‘We invited Claudia [Winkleman] to join the group because we all adore Claudia, obviously. But she said no.

‘She said, “You need a place that’s just for you guys now that you’re out and you know what’s going on.”‘