Myers turns out to be 'people's champion' on Strictly

Love was in the air on Strictly Come Dancing tonight as a “people’s champion” was born in the form of Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers.

Along with his partner Karen Hauer, he scored just 16 out of 40 for his paso doble – a performance which prompted a standing ovation from the audience.

Myers, 55, looked at home as he wore a leather biker jacket, but judge Craig Revel Horwood said the dance could be summed up in one word – “dreadful”.

Judge Darcey Bussell joked that she “nearly cried” while judge Len Goodman told him he was “the people’s champion”.

Myers joked: “Some people have different ways of showing love and that was one of them.”

Host Bruce Forsyth was back on top form after being absent from last week’s show due to having the flu. After a lively dance on the spot, he joked: “Those pills are working.”

Professionals James and Ola Jordan, a real-life married couple, set the romantic tone at the beginning of the show as they dressed as a bride and groom and shared a kiss under the watchful eye of Revel Horwood who was dressed as a vicar.

The couple were presented with a cake to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary later in the show.

Actress Natalie Gumede and her partner Artem Chigvintsev united the judges in their love of the couple’s rumba – a love that brought them to the top of the leader board.

“That was fantastic,” Goodman said.

The couple scored 36.

Abbey Clancy and her partner Aljaz Skorjanec scored 28 for their jive – a performance that incorporated her Liverpudlian roots as they danced to Can’t Buy Me Love by The Beatles.

Judge Bruno Tonioli described it as “groovy” but Revel Horwood said it “lacked attack”.

Actor Patrick Robinson and his partner Anya Garnis scored 27 for their foxtrot - a dance that brought “panache and class” to the evening, according to Bussell.

Former Bond girl Fiona Fullerton turned into Grace Kelly for the evening, Bussell said.

She scored 28 for her waltz with partner Anton du Beke, which was described as “extremely elegant” by Revel Horwood.

Countdown maths whizz Rachel Riley and her partner Pasha Kovalev scored 27 for their cha cha cha.

Bussell said Riley had taken last week’s advice on board, while Tonioli told her to have faith in herself.

Actor Mark Benton scored 26 for his American smooth with partner Iveta Lukosiute.

Tonioli said the theatrically themed dance was “mimed to perfection”, while Revel Horwood told Benton he was a “fantastic storyteller”.

Goodman said: “You capture the essence of every dance.”

Former rugby World Cup champion Ben Cohen danced a rumba with his partner Kristina Rihanoff which prompted a standing ovation from the audience, and the pair scored 28.

Revel Horwood told him: “I want to love you too, my darling.”

Bussell said the couple created a “true intensity”, while Goodman said it was good to see a “big butch bloke being gentle”.

Tonioli said it was like watching a “series of erotic freezes”.

Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor and her partner Brendan Cole scored 31 for their samba.

Bussell said she had “such natural timing” and would go far because of that. Tonioli said it was “chic, yet sexy”, while Revel Horwood said he loved it.

Designer Julien Macdonald and his partner Janette Manrara, the couple that survived last week’s dance-off, scored 22 for their jive.

Goodman said it was his best dance yet, while Tonioli said it was “full of wacky attitude”, adding: “The energy was great.”

BBC Breakfast host Susanna Reid and her partner Kevin Clifton danced the Viennese waltz and scored 34.

Tonioli said Reid looked “so lovely and versatile”, and said he believed she would go “very, very far”.

Bussell said: “Every week you get better and better and better.”

Goodman said: “It was the best I’ve seen tonight.”

Presenter Vanessa Feltz and her partner James Jordan scored 20 for their tango. “I did like the fire in you,” Bussell said.

Goodman said it “lacked a bit of bite and a bit of snap”.

Actor Ashley Taylor Dawson and partner Ola Jordan scored 31 for their samba, with Goodman telling him he had coped well with a “very difficult dance”.

Multi-millionaire Deborah Meaden and her partner Robin Windsor scored 28 for their quickstep, which Bussell said was “fast and furious”.

A couple will be voted out on tomorrow night’s result show.