Prospects look good for a high-scoring season of Strictly Come Dancing
25 September 2022Last night’s dance scores suggest 2022 will be a bumper Strictly season. The second highest average score for first dances on the series ever!
Couples fought off first night nerves to pick up an average judge score of 25.13 – only once in Strictly history has the first dance average been higher. Back in 2016 (Series 14), the average first dance score was an impressive 26.46.
Individual scores last night were also close to the highest ever for a first dance but – for 2022 at least – Zoe Ball and Ian Waite hang on to their record of 35 for their Waltz back in Series 3 (2005).
Week 1 scores
| Position | Couple | Dance | Score |
| 1 | Will & Nancy | Jive | 34 |
| 1 | Hamza & Jowita | Foxtrot | 34 |
| 3 | Molly & Carlos | Samba | 31 |
| 4 | Fleur & Vito | Cha Cha Cha | 29 |
| 5 | Ellie & Johannes | Quickstep | 28 |
| 6 | Helen & Gorka | American Smooth | 26 |
| 6 | Ellie & Nikita | Cha Cha Cha | 26 |
| 8 | Richie & Giovanni | Cha Cha Cha | 23 |
| 8 | Kym & Graciano | Jive | 23 |
| 8 | Jayde & Karen | Samba | 23 |
| 11 | James & Amy | Jive | 22 |
| 11 | Tyler & Diane | American Smooth | 22 |
| 13 | Kaye & Kai | Tango | 21 |
| 14 | Matt & Nadiya | Quickstep | 20 |
| 15 | Tony & Katya | Tango | 15 |
| AVERAGE | 25.13 |
Rewatch the first dances
We’ve added the dances into the database so you can rewatch them all here. You could also become your own judge by joining the fan community and providing your own scores and comments.It’s great fun – join us and join in!
Until next time…
Exciting times ahead folks – can’t wait for week 2! Until next time… Keeeeep dancing!
Great first week. Some super high scores so early! 💃🕺
The quality was really high – but still lots of growth journeys too for the celebs IMO.
I checked the database and only two tangos have scored lower than Tony – James and Luba in 2019 (https://strictlydb.com/dance/tango-155/) and Diarmud and Nicole in 2004 (https://strictlydb.com/dance/tango-8/).
COME ON TONY!!!!