With Molly and Will both receiving their first tens of the Series this week, we look back to see which Strictly partnerships ended up receiving the most scores of nine without ever achieving a ten; and which of their routines might have deserved better.

Big thanks to fellow “Strictly Statistician” James (Instagram: @drross365) for contributing this article to the StrictlyDB Blog.

Joint 9th highest: Alex & Neil (& Kevin)

• Series 17 (2019), Week 9
• Paso Doble
• Run The World (Girls) by Beyoncé
• 16th November 2019
• Score 34 (8,8,9,9)
• 6 nines received in total

Alex received a nine in three routines over the course of Series 17.  Her highest score was 34, received for this Paso as well as a Couple’s Choice routine performed with Kevin, after Neil had picked up an injury in rehearsal. Although that Ghostbusters themed dance was fun, it was her Blackpool week Paso which most people would regard as her standout performance.  Maybe it was the support of the additional backing dancers, or perhaps it was being able to dance to a Beyoncé track; but this showed a strong, confident side to Alex that we hadn’t seen before.

I think the eights and nines are fair; however, had it closed the show rather than appearing third on the night, it’s easy to imagine Bruno bringing out the ten paddle.

Joint 9th highest: Letitia & Darren

• Series 5 (2007), Week 10
• Waltz
• The Impossible Dream by Andy Williams
• 8th December 2007
• Score 35 (8,9,9,9)
• 6 nines received in total

Series 5 didn’t get off to the greatest of starts for Letitia & Darren, with them having to survive a Week 2 dance-off appearance.  From then on, however, this partnership was very consistent, with their highest score coming in the Quarter-Final.

Arlene said that Letitia had “danced like a star”, and Bruno said it was “a beautiful Waltz, well executed”.  No tens were awarded though, and a dance-off loss to Alesha and Matthew that evening ended Letitia’s time on the show.

Joint 7th highest: Jade & Ian

• Series 7 (2009), Week 7
• Foxtrot
• Recipe For Love by Harry Connick, Jr
• 31st October 2009
• Score 35 (8,9,9,9)
• 7 nines received in total

Despite taking place on October 31st, you will notice that this was not a Halloween themed show, and this definitely would not be classified as a frightful Foxtrot!

Jade & Ian were turning into an impressive ballroom partnership, having previously scored 31 for a Week 3 Quickstep, and 35 for a Week 5 Viennese Waltz. This was an elegant routine; Craig felt “the movement of flow around the floor was gorgeous”, and Alesha thought Jade made “a difficult dance look really easy”.  Both Craig & Len mentioned Jade getting a heel caught in her dress, however, it didn’t seem that any of the judges used this as the reason not to award a ten.

Sadly, a knee injury suffered two weeks later meant that Jade had to withdraw from the competition.

Joint 7th highest: Laura & Giovanni

• Series 14 (2016), Week 6
• Tango
• Paint it Black by The Rolling Stones
• 29th October 2016
• Score 36 (9,9,9,9)
• 7 nines received in total

As Laura had picked up an injury while rehearsing for her Week 5 Jive, she received a bye, and nobody was sure what to expect for her Halloween Week Tango. Of course, in hindsight, we know never to doubt ‘The King of Halloween’, and Laura & Giovanni received a full set of nines for this routine.

In roughly two-thirds of the dances that Craig awards as a nine, at least one of the other judges mark it as a ten, so Laura & Giovanni can feel a little unfortunate with this score.  Bruno, in particular, was a big fan of this partnership awarding them nines in four consecutive routines, including for the Samba that eliminated them in Week 7.

Joint 5th highest: Alex & James

• Series 9 (2011), Week 11
• Waltz
• (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin
• 10th December 2011
• Score 34 (7,9,9,9)
• 8 nines received in total

Our second Alex to appear on this list!  This was Alex & James’ third routine to receive nines, and I feel that it was their best performance.  Burdened with self-doubt throughout her time on the show, Alex finally looks at ease with this dance.

Alesha, Bruno & Craig all agreed that Alex had improved ‘leaps and bounds’; however, on balance, I agree with the judges, and feel that Alex never quite achieved perfection.

Joint 5th highest: Sara & Aljaz

• Series 19 (2021), Week 4
• Tango
• Por Una Cabeza by Carlos Gardel
• 16th October 2021
• Score 36 (9,9,9,9)
• 8 nines received in total

As was the case with most of the female celebrities on this list, Sara was most comfortable with the ballroom dances.  Dancing to a song that earned Debbie & Giovanni four tens was a risky move, but Sara & Aljaz were vindicated by coming very close to matching that standard.

Both dramatic and precise, I feel that had this been performed slightly later in the Series, it would have received tens.

4th highest: Katie & Anton

• Series 13 (2015), Week 9
• American Smooth
• Ain’t That a Kick in the Head by Dean Martin
• 21st November 2015
• Score 35 (8,9,9,9)
• 9 nines received in total

Watching this back, Katie & Anton seem to be having the time of their lives with this routine.  At the time, Anton had never received a ten, and with no certainty that he would have a better opportunity, I am surprised that all of Darcey, Len and (especially) Bruno missed the opportunity of a ‘feel good’ moment that would have lifted the roof off of the Blackpool Tower ballroom.

3rd highest: Cherie & James

• Series 6 (2008), Week 8
• Waltz
• I Wonder Why by Curtis Stigers
• 8th November 2008
• Score 36 (9,9,9,9)
• 12 nines received in total

Cherie & James were not pegged as one of the early favourites to win Series 6, but that was soon to change, as they became the first ever partnership to be awarded a nine in each of their first three routines (subsequently, only matched by AJ & Kai).

It seemed that a first ten was a matter of when, not if, however the closest they came was with this Week 8 Waltz, which received a full set of matching nines.  I think many watching at home would have agreed with the song title and said ‘I Wonder Why’ that routine didn’t receive a ten! Despite receiving another nine the following week, Cherie found herself in the dance-off against Lisa & Brendan, and was eliminated on Len’s casting vote.

2nd highest: Ashley & Ola

• Series 11 (2013), Week 8
• Paso Doble
• You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi
• 16th November 2013
• Score 35 (8,9,9,9)
• 17 nines received in total

Ashley & Ola are a partnership who suffered one of the most frustrating series of scores in Strictly history.  Starting in Week 7, they received the same score of 35 points (eight from Craig, and nines from Darcey, Len & Bruno) in five consecutive routines!

Arguably, the best opportunity for this duo to earn a ten was with a Blackpool Week Paso Doble.  The Wild West theming was a peculiar choice, and the contrast when compared to Susanna & Kevin’s traditional Paso from that same evening, is clear for all to see.

1st highest: Mark & Karen

• Series 12 (2014), Week 8
• Charleston
• We Speak No Americano by Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
• 15th November 2014
• Score 36 (9,9,9,9)
• 21 nines received in total

Mark & Karen received three nines for their Halloween Week Jive, Quarter-Final Foxtrot, and for both their Cha Cha Cha and Showdance performed in the Final.

Perhaps the nearest they came to a ten was with their Blackpool week Charleston, which received nines from all four judges.  This Charleston was clean, precise and charming, however it arguably has a bit too much “faffing about”, as Len would say, to earn a ten. In his critique, Craig commented that he was starting to fall in love, which prompted Mark to run up to the judges table and give Craig a kiss.  Alas, even this wasn’t enough for a ten, and Mark remains one of just four Strictly finalists (alongside Chris Parker, Julian Clary and Katie Derham) not to receive a ten.