2023 - Series 21 facts and stats

• Layton knocks Karim off the “Most Tens” for a male celebrity top spot as he receives 31 tens, 2 more than Karim earned in S17. He currently sits in joint 4th place for celebrity with the “Most Tens”, matching the 31 Faye Tozer received in S16, behind Alexandra & Ashley on 32 and Tasha on 33
• The S21 Final saw the youngest trio of Finalists ever: Bobby at 20 years 6 months is the youngest ever Finalist, Ellie at 22 years and 9 months is the youngest ever Winner but the combined ages of the 3 Finalists (including Layton’s 29 years 3 months), is still six years and 8 months younger than Angela Rippon, Strictly’s oldest ever competitor at 79
• S21 was a low point for ballroom brilliance: just two ballroom routines were awarded at least one ten (Layton & Nikita’s Quickstep, 40 and Bobby & Dianne’s Quickstep, 38). Not since S1 and 2 in 2004 have so few ballroom dances earned at least one ten
• Layton & Nikita performed a perfect Argentine Tango in the Final, the fifth time this dance style has appeared in one. Interestingly this style has scored perfectly every time on Final night: Harry & Aliona (S9), Simon & Kristina (S12), Louise & Kevin (S14) and Debbie & Giovanni (S15)
• Vito’s first two Series on the show mark the most successful start to a Strictly career for any pro. Ian (S2, S3), Pasha (S9, S10) and Kevin (S11, S12) all made back-to-back Finals in their first two years on the show but they all finished as Runners-up both times; only Vito has won in one of these consecutive Finals. Will he beat Kevin’s record of 4 straight Finals in a row?
• Amanda Abbington’s withdrawal before W6, together with Nigel Harman’s injury during Quarter-Final rehearsals makes S21 the second in which two couples withdrew; the other was S19 (Robert & Dianne and AJ & Kai)
• Due to Nigel’s withdrawal at the Quarter-Final stage, Musicals Week saw no elimination and all four couples proceeded to the Semi-Final; a similar outcome had occurred back in the Semi-Final of S6 though for different reasons. When the Leaderboard rankings then meant Tom & Camilla could not avoid the dance-off despite the public vote, the scheduled elimination that night was cancelled and Tom, Lisa and Rachel all went on to the Final
• Actors make up the largest contestant group on Strictly, and Ellie becomes the seventh winner with an acting background (Jill, S2; Tom, S6; Kara, S8; Joe, S15; Kelvin, S17; Rose, S19; Ellie, S21)