Here’s a few QF facts & stats for this special week.

• Which is the most performed QF style and which has the highest (& lowest) average score?
• Which surprising pro has been in the most QFs?
• Which judge has given the most tens & which high-scoring style is also rather risky?

115 Quarter-Finalists

• Including this year, 115 celebs have reached this landmark stage; 61 women and 54 men
• 63 of the 115 partnerships were with male pros (including John Whaite & Johannes in 2021 and Layton Williams & Nikita in 20213); 52 were with female pros

19 American Smooths – most performed routine

• Despite not making an appearance this year, the American Smooth is the most performed QF style and Montell & Johannes are the only couple this year still to perform an American Smooth
• Top score: QFs have seen 3 scores of 39: Rose & Giovanni (2021); Kelvin & Oti (2019); Debbie & Giovanni (2017)
• Low score: 14 Ann & Anton, 2010 (the lowest ever QF score awarded)
• Did you know?  Craig & Alesha are the only 2 judges not to have awarded a 10 to this style in QF week.

36.78 Highest QF Average Score* – Charleston

• Charlestons have the highest QF average score of any dance style – 36.78, and include one perfect routine danced to the ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ by Faye Tozer & Giovanni in 2018
• 5 of 6 Charlestons scored 38 or higher
• Did you know? Bruno judged four Charlestons in QF weeks and awarded every one a 10 (Emma & Anton, 2019; Faye & Giovanni, 2018; Alexandra & Gorka, 2017; Jake & Janette, 2014)

* For styles danced more than once

30.93 Lowest Average Score – Samba

• The Samba strikes again with a lowest average QF score of 30.93 for 9 routines
• However with no Sambas this year, it’s notable that the dance style with the second lowest QF average is the Waltz (31.5)
• No Waltzes have been danced in QF week since 2009; so Pete & Jowita have been handed another unusual dance style here after their Cha Cha Cha in Blackpool
• Did you know? The only 10 awarded to a QF Samba was given by Bruno to Joe McFadden & Katya in 2017 for their Cabaret routine

5 Perfect QF Routines

• 139 QF performances have delivered just 5 perfect scores
• Layton & Nikita’s Paso Doble (2023); Karim & Amy’s Jive (2019); Faye & Giovanni’s Charleston (2018); Kimberley & Pasha’s Tango & Cha Cha Cha Fusion (2012); Pamela & James’s Viennese Waltz (2010)
• Did you know? 2 of these routines are ‘Double 40’ dances; Karim & Amy and Pamela & James both repeated their perfect performances in their Series Final

104 Tens Awarded

• 104 tens have been awarded in QF weeks, and every single regular dance style has received at least 1 ten
• 17 tens have been awarded to American Smooths – more than any other style (but it is the most danced routine)
• Charleston comes second with 14 tens awarded for 6 routines, followed jointly by the Foxtrot and the Jive with 9 tens each
• Did you know? The most tens awarded by one judge to a particular style in QF weeks is 5 given by Shirley to the American Smooth

32 QF tens awarded by Bruno – most by one judge

• In 16 years Bruno awarded 32 tens to Quarter-Finalists
• He never judged a QF Couple’s Choice, but he awarded every other style at least 1 ten
• Did you know? Bruno awarded over 6 times more QF tens than Craig, who has handed out 5 in 20 years. Will he make it more tonight?

6 QF appearances by Anton – most by any pro

• In 18 years, Anton reached 6 QFs; one more than the next highest number of 5 appearances which was achieved by Kevin, Giovanni and Karen Hauer
• 4 of his 6 performances landed him in the bottom 2, and 3 eliminations resulted (Patsy Palmer, 2005; Laila Rouass, 2009; Ann Widdecombe, 2010)
• Did you know? Anton achieved his joint highest Strictly score of 39 dancing a Charleston with Emma Barton in 2017’s QF

Cha Cha Cha, Charleston & Waltz – riskier QF styles

• 6 of the 9 Cha Cha Chas (66.67%) danced in QFs have landed in the bottom 2 – making it the most risky style
• 3 out of 6 Charlestons (50%) also resulted in a bottom 2 placement (including routines which scored 38 and 39); so the dance with the highest average QF score is also risky
• 50% (4 out of 8) Waltzes landed in the bottom 2; not good news for Pete & Jowita

Viennese Waltz – safest QF style

• JB & Lauren may be happy to hear that with just 1 of 6 routines in the bottom 2 and zero eliminations in a QF to date, the Viennese Waltz is a very safe style to perform at this stage
• Did you know? For styles danced more than once, it is two ballroom routines that have never seen a QF elimination; the other style that has seen all its Quarter-Finalist performers progress is the Foxtrot (despite 5 appearances in the bottom 2, this style  survived four QF dance-offs!)

Photo credits: BBC embeddable video thumbnails from YouTube