Finally. A decent frock and decent comments. This week Kirsty Gallacher had the breakthrough that had been a few weeks coming. An elegant Viennese Waltz which dance partner Brendan Cole said “it’s a soft dance and she is not soft”, Kirsty neverthless proved even him wrong and pulled off the dance with aplomb.

Len Goodman began his comments with hesitation. He said he was caught between two things. Then he settled with “your best dance yet”. Darcey Bussell said it was “a wonderful surprise and an extraordinary transformation”. Picky Craig Revell-Horwood again noted that her hand needed softening but said that this week she was actually dancing and used the word “shining”.  Bruno Toinioli said that Kirsty usually fights the music, but this week she was at one with it. 7,7,8,7 total 29 their best score.

There’s  a long Strictly tradition of couples who survive the dance-off storming back the following weekend. They get the shock of their lives, train extra hard, let their inhibitions go because they’ve got nothing to lose – and it turns out to be just the wake up they needed. Kirsty’s excellent fleckels must be noted but the dress also helped present a more palatable image to the voting public. Claudia Winkleman said she was on a journey. She does seem to be growing, but she will also grow on the public.