Who topped the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard in week eight?

Cach Mercer has reclaimed the top spot on the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard with a total score of 39 points. The 25-year-old former Love Island winner achieved this feat one week after narrowly escaping elimination in a tense dance-off. His professional partner, Maddie Ingoldsby, delivered a standout performance that secured their position at the head of the table.

The couple previously faced actress Bethany Antonia and her partner Nancy Xu in a high-stakes dance-off. Judge Anton Du Beke initially voted to save Mercer and Ingoldsby from elimination. Fellow judges Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood cast their votes for Antonia and Xu.

Head judge Shirley Ballas held the deciding vote in the crucial showdown. She ultimately chose to save Mercer and Ingoldsby, keeping them in the competition. This decision allowed the pair to continue their journey on the BBC series.

On Saturday night’s episode, Mercer and Ingoldsby performed a Charleston to Blame It On The Boogie by The Jacksons. The routine received immediate acclaim from the judging panel, with Ballas and Mabuse offering standing ovations. Mabuse declared the performance was “the dance of the season.”

Along with Du Beke, Ballas and Mabuse awarded the couple a perfect score of 10 for their Charleston. Revel Horwood, who described their dance as “amazing,” gave them a score of nine. This consistent high scoring propelled Mercer to the top of the leaderboard.

In second place sits Delta Goodrem, who faced significant challenges during the live show. The Australian singer, 42, was forced to undergo a partner change within 24 hours of the broadcast. Her original partner, Kai Widdrington, was unable to perform after falling ill and being taken to hospital.

Goodrem instead performed the Argentine tango with Aljaz Skorjanec, who stepped in at the last minute. Mabuse praised the connection between the pair, noting the difficulty of finding chemistry so quickly. She stated: “Dancing with a partner always needs a connection and time to get used to somebody and to get a partner at the last partner at the last minute, a beautiful partner and one of the best I must say, to actually have that energy between the two of you and atmosphere and balance and musicality at the last minute – I rate you so highly for that.”

Du Beke added that their dance was “beautiful to watch,” while Revel Horwood called it “superb.” Skorjanec reflected on the experience, admitting he was surprised by his own performance. He told Goodrem: “I surprised myself a little bit.”

I’m not the quickest learner and it’s not my forte – the Argentine tango. But it’s dancing with the stars, not the pros.

He further complimented her contribution, stating: “That dance is so intimate and delicate – you did that, not me.” The judges awarded the pair a score of 35 for their routine. This placed them firmly in second position on the current leaderboard.

Jaime Winstone returned to the dancefloor with partner Carlos Gu after sitting out the previous week due to injury. The pair performed a Charleston to I Can’t Do It Alone from the musical Chicago. Ballas described the energy between them as “kinetic” during her feedback.

The judges awarded Winstone and Gu a score of 33 for their performance. At the start of the show, host Emma Willis welcomed her back warmly. Willis said: “We missed you so much last week and it feels like you are back where you belong on the dancefloor.”

Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin, who topped the leaderboard last week, are now in joint fifth place. They were scored 30 for their paso doble performance. However, Revel Horwood criticised Kuzmin’s choreography during the feedback session.

Revel Horwood told Kuzmin he was “taking the mick” with the routine. He further stated that the dance was “littered with illegal lifts.” This criticism highlighted the ongoing scrutiny of the professional’s technical choices.

Olympic skeleton racer Tabby Stoecker and partner Mark Karmalita also received a score of 30. They performed a Viennese waltz that impressed the judges. Ballas described the pair as a “force to be reckoned with” in the competition.

John Nellis and Katya Jones were given a score of 31 for their jive performance. This placed them just ahead of Stoecker and Karmalita on the leaderboard. The scores reflect the competitive nature of the current series.

Three couples are currently sitting at the bottom of the leaderboard with equal scores of 27. These couples are Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley; Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola; and Will Best and Dianne Buswell. They face the highest risk of elimination in the upcoming episode.

Hall was told by the judges that his dance was littered with mistakes. Turner’s professional partner received criticisms that his routine was not actually a foxtrot. Best was told his dance was “plonky” by Du Beke during the feedback.

The next couple will be eliminated on Sunday night’s episode.