Strictly Come Dancing: The Pet Shop Boys perform in Blackpool
On Saturday night, BBC viewers were treated to the sparkle and pizzazz of Strictly Come Dancing, with this week's episode lighting up the famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom.
The previous weekend saw Wynne Evans and Shayne Ward in the much-feared dance-off, both striving to navigate their way through to another week.
Ultimately, it was Shayne who bade farewell to the competition, with head judge Shirley Ballas making the final call as the panel reached a deadlock.
Despite the drama of the dance-off, Tasha Ghouri and JB Gill emerged as the stars of the weekend, impressing the judges and snagging identical high scores of 37, securing a tie for the top spot on the leaderboard.
Moving into the new week at the illustrious Blackpool venue, anticipation was high for more stunning routines and changes in ranking. Nevertheless, it was the dazzling opening spectacle that truly captured everyone's attention, reports the Mirror.
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Decked out in shimmering silver outfits, the professionals' group performance immediately uplifted the mood, offering up a sensational musical introduction rather than diving straight into the celebrity dances.
In a thrilling Blackpool exclusive, The Pet Shop Boys graced the ballroom, performing a medley of their most popular tracks, coordinated beautifully with the dancers costumes.
Social media buzzed with excitement over the guest appearance, with Twitter users expressing their enjoyment. A fan exclaimed: "Pet Shop Bots were incredible."
Another user commented: "The legendary #Petshopboys Pet Shop Boys icons open @bbcstrictly at Blackpool. Fantastic."
One viewer gushed on social media, raving: "Loved the start of tonight's #Strictly. The Pet Shop Boys have a great back catalogue."
Another fan expressed:"Wow! Best opening yet and finally great musical guests. Love The Pet Shop Boys! Wish they could have the show at Blackpool every week too. My fav week."
Someone else wrote: "It doesn't get much better than The Pet Shop Boys #PetShopBoys opening the very special week of Blackpool Tower Ballroom on Strictly."
And another added to the chorus of acclaim: "PET SHOP BOYS on Strictly best opening of the show ever.! ! That enjoyable short performance brought back so many and amazing memories."
Following their stellar act, the remaining Strictly contestants teamed up with the pros on the dance floor under a shower of confetti.
The performers were met by thunderous applause from the live audience after delivering an impressive medley of hits.
Show co-host Claudia Winkleman conveyed her gratitude towards The Pet Shop Boys and the choreography squad for orchestrating a splendid show-starter.
Strutting back onto the Strictly stage, The Pet Shop Boys are set to perform their latest track All The Young Dudes during Sunday's results spectacle.
Kicking off the excitement of Blackpool Week, we saw Chris McCausland and his dance partner Dianne Buswell deliver an American Smooth routine to Paul Anka's upbeat rendition of 'Jump'.
Strictly Come Dancing continues Sunday on BBC One from 7:20pm
