Strictly Come Dancing (series 12)


Strictly Come Dancing returned for its twelfth series beginning from 7 September 2014 with a launch show, with the live shows starting on 26 and 27 September. Tess Daly returned to present the main show on BBC One alongside Claudia Winkleman, who was promoted to co-presenter in addition to the results show after Sir Bruce Forsyth decided to leave the show after the eleventh series; however, Forsyth continued to host the Christmas and Children in Need specials. Zoe Ball returned as presenter of spin-off show on BBC Two. Judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Darcey Bussell also returned.
In the third week entertainer Donny Osmond joined the four regular judges, making the maximum score that week 50 points. The shows from 1 to 16 November were hosted by Daly and Zoe Ball, after one of Winkleman's children was involved in an accident. Winkleman returned to co-host the show on 22 November.
The series was won by Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev on 20 December. She became the first celebrity to score the maximum 40 from the judges in all three of her dances in the final, and second to get the highest scores possible in the final after Lisa Snowdon did in series 6, and also set the record for the longest consecutive run of 40 marks, with four, since her second dance in the semi-final had also scored 40, breaking Snowdon's record of three. Kovalev also became the second strictly professional to reach the finals three times, after Brendan Cole.

Couples

On 1 June 2014, it was revealed that James Jordan, Artem Chigvintsev and Anya Garnis would not be returning as professionals, but that Garnis would still be part of the choreography team. They would instead be replaced by two new professionals, Joanne Clifton and Tristan MacManus, who had previously appeared on Dancing With the Stars, in addition to Natalie Lowe who would return after withdrawing from the last series due to a foot injury. On 6 August, it was announced that Robin Windsor would not be competing as a professional in the series as previously announced, due to back injury. He was replaced by Trent Whiddon.
Frankie Bridge was announced as the first contestant on 13 August, with more celebrities being announced throughout the month. The full line-up was revealed by the BBC on 29 August.
CelebrityKnown forProfessional partnerStatus
Gregg WallaceMasterChef judgeAliona VilaniEliminated 1st
on 5 October 2014
Jennifer GibneyMrs. Brown's Boys actressTristan MacManusEliminated 2nd
on 12 October 2014
Tim WonnacottBargain Hunt presenter & antiques expertNatalie LoweEliminated 3rd
on 19 October 2014
Thom EvansFormer Scotland rugby player & modelIveta LukosiuteEliminated 4th
on 26 October 2014
Scott MillsBBC Radio 1 presenterJoanne CliftonEliminated 5th
on 2 November 2014
Alison HammondTelevision personalityAljaž SkorjanecEliminated 6th
on 9 November 2014
Judy MurrayTennis coach & British Fed Cup captainAnton du BekeEliminated 7th
on 16 November 2014
Steve BackshallNaturalist, author, & television presenterOla JordanEliminated 8th
on 23 November 2014
Sunetra SarkerCasualty actressBrendan ColeEliminated 9th
on 30 November 2014
Pixie LottSinger-songwriterTrent WhiddonEliminated 10th
on 7 December 2014
Jake WoodEastEnders actorJanette ManraraEliminated 11th
on 14 December 2014
Mark WrightFormer The Only Way Is Essex starKaren HauerEliminated 12th
on 20 December 2014
Frankie BridgeThe Saturdays singerKevin CliftonRunners-up
on 20 December 2014
Simon WebbeBlue singer & actorKristina RihanoffRunners-up
on 20 December 2014
Caroline FlackTelevision presenterPasha KovalevWinners
on 20 December 2014

Scoring chart

Average chart

This table only counts for dances scored on a traditional 40-points scale.
Rank by
average		PlaceCoupleTotal
points		Number of
dances		Total
average
11Caroline & Pasha5621635.1
22Frankie & Kevin5611635.1
36Pixie & Trent3801134.5
42Simon & Kristina5301633.1
55Jake & Janette4171332.1
64Mark & Karen4761531.7
77Sunetra & Brendan2841028.4
812Thom & Iveta136527.2
98Steve & Ola240926.7
1010Alison & Aljaž172724.6
119Judy & Anton155819.4
1213Tim & Natalie77419.3
1314Jennifer & Tristan55318.3
1411Scott & Joanne109618.2
1515Gregg & Aliona36218.0

Highest and lowest scoring performances of the series

The highest and lowest performances in each dance according to the judges' scale are as follows.
DanceCelebrityHighest scoreCelebrityLowest score
American SmoothJake Wood36Scott Mills15
Argentine TangoSimon Webbe40Jake Wood29
Cha-Cha-ChaCaroline Flack40Scott Mills16
CharlestonCaroline Flack40Tim Wonnacott17
FoxtrotSimon Webbe38Jennifer Gibney18
JiveCaroline Flack37Jennifer Gibney18
Paso DobleFrankie Bridge39Judy Murray18
QuickstepFrankie Bridge37Judy Murray18
RumbaFrankie Bridge34Simon Webbe23
SalsaCaroline Flack40Thom Evans25
SambaFrankie Bridge39Scott Mills18
ShowdanceCaroline Flack40Mark Wright35
TangoFrankie Bridge37Scott Mills20
Viennese WaltzFrankie Bridge
Pixie Lott		38Judy Murray24
WaltzSimon Webbe38Judy Murray18
Waltz-a-thonPixie Lott6Jake Wood1

Gregg Wallace, Alison Hammond, Steve Backshall and Sunetra Sarker are the only celebrities not to land on this list.

Couples' highest and lowest scoring dances

Weekly scores and songs

Unless indicated otherwise, individual judges scores in the charts below are listed in this order from left to right: Craig Revel Horwood, Darcey Bussell, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.

Launch show

; Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusic
Caroline & Pasha27 Cha-Cha-Cha"Can You Feel It"—The Jacksons
Tim & Natalie18 Cha-Cha-Cha"Shop Around"—Captain & Tennille
Jake & Janette28 Tango"Toxic"—Britney Spears
Judy & Anton18 Waltz"Mull of Kintyre"—Wings
Scott & Joanne16 Cha-Cha-Cha"Rock DJ"—Robbie Williams
Pixie & Trent27 Jive"Shake It Off"—Taylor Swift

;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusic
Mark & Karen24 Cha-Cha-Cha"I'm Your Man"—Wham!
Alison & Aljaž26 Cha-Cha-Cha"I'm Every Woman"—Chaka Khan
Steve & Ola26 Tango"Born to Be Wild"—Steppenwolf
Jennifer & Tristan18 Jive"Happy"—Pharrell Williams
Thom & Iveta23 Waltz"You Raise Me Up"—Westlife
Sunetra & Brendan24 Tango"Bad Case of Loving You "—Robert Palmer
Gregg & Aliona18 Cha-Cha-Cha"Hot n Cold"—Katy Perry
Frankie & Kevin30 Waltz"Someone Like You"—Adele
Simon & Kristina27 Jive"Good Golly, Miss Molly"—Little Richard

Week 2

; Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Thom & Iveta25 Salsa"Hot Hot Hot"—ArrowSafe
Jennifer & Tristan19 Waltz" A Natural Woman"—Aretha FranklinBottom two
Simon & Kristina26 Tango"Sing"—Ed SheeranSafe
Gregg & Aliona18 Charleston"Hey, Good Lookin'"—Ray CharlesEliminated
Alison & Aljaž22 Foxtrot"I Just Want to Make Love to You"—Etta JamesSafe
Jake & Janette35 Salsa"Mambo No. 5"—Lou BegaSafe
Judy & Anton17 Cha-Cha-Cha"She's a Lady"—Tom JonesSafe
Caroline & Pasha29 Tango"Blame"—Calvin Harris & John NewmanSafe
Tim & Natalie23 Waltz"When You Wish upon a Star"—Cliff EdwardsSafe
Sunetra & Brendan26 Cha-Cha-Cha"Million Dollar Bill"—Whitney HoustonSafe
Mark & Karen27 American Smooth"I'm Yours"—Jason MrazSafe
Scott & Joanne20 Tango"Stop"—Spice GirlsSafe
Pixie & Trent35 Waltz"Come Away with Me"—Norah JonesSafe
Steve & Ola21 Cha-Cha-Cha"Treasure"—Bruno MarsSafe
Frankie & Kevin30 Charleston"Happy Days"—Pratt & McClainSafe

;Judges' votes to save
Individual judges scores given in the chart below are listed in this order from left to right: Craig Revel Horwood, Darcey Bussell, Donny Osmond, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Alison & Aljaž28 Jive"Footloose"—from FootlooseSafe
Steve & Ola34 Quickstep"I Wan'na Be Like You"—from The Jungle BookSafe
Jennifer & Tristan23 Foxtrot"Mamma Mia"—from Mamma Mia!Eliminated
Simon & Kristina30 Rumba"Take My Breath Away"—from Top GunBottom two
Judy & Anton23 Quickstep"Don't Rain on My Parade"—from Funny GirlSafe
Tim & Natalie22 Charleston"Money, Money"—from CabaretSafe
Caroline & Pasha42 Rumba"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"—from ArmageddonSafe
Scott & Joanne25 Samba"Under the Sea"—from The Little MermaidSafe
Frankie & Kevin45 Paso Doble"America"—from West Side StorySafe
Jake & Janette40 Waltz"The Godfather Waltz"—from The GodfatherSafe
Pixie & Trent43 Quickstep"Be Our Guest"—from Beauty and the BeastSafe
Thom & Iveta38 Charleston"New York, New York"—from On the TownSafe
Sunetra & Brendan40 American Smooth"The Way You Look Tonight"—from Swing TimeSafe
Mark & Karen35 Paso Doble"Superman Theme"—from SupermanSafe

;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Frankie & Kevin32 Cha-Cha-Cha"Call Me Maybe"—Carly Rae JepsenSafe
Mark & Karen29 Quickstep"Tiger Feet"—MudBottom two
Judy & Anton22 Tango"Jealousy"—Billy FurySafe
Simon & Kristina31 Charleston"My Old Man "—Kenny BallSafe
Alison & Aljaž27 Samba"Bootylicious"—Destiny's ChildSafe
Scott & Joanne15 American Smooth"Total Eclipse of the Heart"—Bonnie TylerSafe
Steve & Ola27 Salsa"Jump in the Line "—Harry BelafonteSafe
Pixie & Trent32 Rumba"Stay with Me"—Sam SmithSafe
Tim & Natalie19 Paso Doble"The Best"—Tina TurnerEliminated
Sunetra & Brendan27 Salsa"Turn the Beat Around"—Vicki Sue RobinsonSafe
Thom & Iveta30 Foxtrot"Build Me Up Buttercup"—The FoundationsSafe
Jake & Janette33 Jive"All Shook Up"—Elvis PresleySafe
Caroline & Pasha33 Quickstep"We Go Together"—from GreaseSafe

;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Jake & Janette31 Quickstep"I'm Still Standing"—Elton JohnSafe
Sunetra & Brendan30 Viennese Waltz"Anyone Who Had a Heart"—Cilla BlackSafe
Scott & Joanne19 Charleston"Flash, Bang, Wallop"—Tommy SteeleSafe
Thom & Iveta27 Cha-Cha-Cha"It's My Party"—Jessie JEliminated
Frankie & Kevin32 Foxtrot"Daydream Believer"—The MonkeesSafe
Alison & Aljaž23 Tango"Addicted to You"—AviciiSafe
Mark & Karen33 Samba"That's the Way "—KC and the Sunshine BandSafe
Simon & Kristina28 Viennese Waltz"Somebody to Love"—QueenBottom two
Judy & Anton18 Charleston"Varsity Drag"—Pasadena Roof OrchestraSafe
Caroline & Pasha34 Paso Doble"Live and Let Die"—Paul McCartney and WingsSafe
Steve & Ola30 Waltz"I Wonder Why"—Curtis StigersSafe
Pixie & Trent35 Samba"I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi "—Edmundo RosSafe

;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Sunetra & Brendan27 Jive"Tainted Love"—Gloria JonesSafe
Alison & Aljaž26 American Smooth"Wuthering Heights"—Kate BushBottom two
Simon & Kristina29 Paso Doble"Poison"—Alice CooperSafe
Steve & Ola26 Charleston"Dem Bones"—Kay StarrSafe
Pixie & Trent33 Tango"Danger! High Voltage"—Electric SixSafe
Judy & Anton20 American Smooth"Cruella de Vil"—from One Hundred and One DalmatiansSafe
Jake & Janette29 Paso Doble"Black Betty"—Ram JamSafe
Caroline & Pasha32 Samba"Le Freak"—ChicSafe
Scott & Joanne21 Foxtrot"The Addams Family Theme"—Vic MizzyEliminated
Mark & Karen35 Jive"Prologue "—from Little Shop of HorrorsSafe
Frankie & Kevin37 Tango"Defying Gravity"—from WickedSafe

;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Simon & Kristina33 Quickstep"I Got Rhythm"—Bobby DarinSafe
Caroline & Pasha31 Waltz"Three Times a Lady"—CommodoresBottom two
Jake & Janette27 Rumba"Strangers in the Night"—Frank SinatraSafe
Judy & Anton18 Paso Doble"I Fought the Law"—The ClashSafe
Sunetra & Brendan31 Foxtrot"All of Me"—John LegendSafe
Alison & Aljaž27 Charleston"Friend Like Me"—from AladdinEliminated
Mark & Karen31 Waltz"Weekend in New England"—Barry ManilowSafe
Frankie & Kevin32 Samba"La Bamba"—Connie FrancisSafe
Pixie & Trent36 Foxtrot"When I'm Sixty-Four"—The BeatlesSafe
Steve & Ola28 Paso Doble"Use Somebody"—Kings of LeonSafe

;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Frankie & Kevin37 Quickstep"Town Called Malice"—The JamSafe
Jake & Janette36 American Smooth"Feeling Good"—Michael BubléSafe
Sunetra & Brendan30 Samba"I Don't Feel Like Dancin'"—Scissor SistersBottom two
Simon & Kristina38 Argentine Tango"El Tango de Roxanne"—from Moulin Rouge!Safe
Judy & Anton24 Viennese Waltz"Let's Go Fly a Kite"—from Mary PoppinsEliminated
Mark & Karen36 Charleston"We No Speak Americano"—Yolanda Be Cool & DCUPSafe
Pixie & Trent38 Paso Doble"The Eve of the War"—Jeff WayneSafe
Steve & Ola31 American Smooth"Rolling in the Deep"—AdeleSafe
Caroline & Pasha37 Jive"Crocodile Rock"—Elton JohnSafe

;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Steve & Ola23 Jive"Little Bitty Pretty One"—Frankie LymonEliminated
Caroline & Pasha33 American Smooth"Mack the Knife"—Robbie WilliamsSafe
Pixie & Trent37 Charleston"Sparkling Diamonds"—from Moulin Rouge!Safe
Mark & Karen32 Tango"Love Runs Out"—OneRepublicSafe
Frankie & Kevin38 Viennese Waltz"What's New Pussycat?"—Tom JonesSafe
Jake & Janette38 Samba"Macarena"—Los del RíoSafe
Sunetra & Brendan30 Waltz"Last Request"—Paolo NutiniBottom two
Simon & Kristina36 Salsa"Let's Hear It for the Boy"—Deniece WilliamsSafe

;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceCountryMusicResult
Pixie & Trent38 Viennese WaltzNetherlands"Tulips from Amsterdam"—Max BygravesSafe
Mark & Karen32 SalsaUnited States of America"Viva Las Vegas"—Elvis PresleyBottom two
Sunetra & Brendan27 RumbaBrazil"The Girl from Ipanema"—Michael BoltonEliminated
Caroline & Pasha39 CharlestonTurkey"Istanbul "—They Might Be GiantsSafe
Simon & Kristina38 WaltzAustria"Edelweiss"—from The Sound of MusicSafe
Frankie & Kevin36 JiveUnited States of America"Surfin' U.S.A."—The Beach BoysSafe
Jake & Janette29 Argentine TangoGreece"Zorbas"—Mikis TheodorakisSafe

;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
;Judges' votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Jake & Janette30 Cha-Cha-Cha"Boogie Shoes"—KC and the Sunshine BandEliminated
Jake & Janette31 Viennese Waltz"When a Man Loves a Woman"—Percy SledgeEliminated
Frankie & Kevin34 Rumba"Somewhere Only We Know"—Lily AllenSafe
Frankie & Kevin38 Argentine Tango"The 5th"—David GarrettSafe
Mark & Karen33 Viennese Waltz"I Got You Babe"—Sonny & CherBottom two
Mark & Karen33 Rumba"Fields of Gold"—Eva CassidyBottom two
Simon & Kristina30 Samba"I Like to Move It"—Reel 2 RealSafe
Simon & Kristina38 Foxtrot"My Guy"—Mary WellsSafe
Caroline & Pasha35 Foxtrot"Diamonds"—Josef SalvatSafe
Caroline & Pasha40 Salsa"María"—Ricky MartinSafe

For the Dance Off, Jake & Janette chose to dance their Cha-Cha-Cha, while Mark & Karen chose to dance their Rumba.
;Judges votes to save
;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Frankie & Kevin39 Samba"La Bamba"—Connie FrancisSafe
Frankie & Kevin38 Showdance"Get Happy"—Judy GarlandSafe
Mark & Karen35 Cha-Cha-Cha"I'm Your Man"—Wham!Eliminated
Mark & Karen35 Showdance"Don't Stop Me Now"—QueenEliminated
Caroline & Pasha40 Cha-Cha-Cha"Can You Feel It"—The JacksonsSafe
Caroline & Pasha40 Showdance"Angels"—Beverley KnightSafe
Simon & Kristina39 Charleston"My Old Man "—Kenny BallSafe
Simon & Kristina39 Showdance"A Little Less Conversation"—Elvis PresleySafe

;Running order
CoupleScoreDanceMusicResult
Frankie & Kevin39 Paso Doble"America"—from West Side StoryRunners-up
Caroline & Pasha40 Charleston"Istanbul "—They Might Be GiantsWinners
Simon & Kristina40 Argentine Tango"El Tango de Roxanne"—from Moulin Rouge!Runners-up

Dance chart

The series was received positively by both critics and viewing figures. It regularly came first, beating out rival show The X Factor.
Osmond's role as a judge in week three was panned by viewers, as he was not a professional dancer. Viewers also deemed his scoring too inconsistent, as he awarded unusually high marks, including the first ten of the series.

Ratings

Weekly ratings for each show on BBC One. All numbers are in millions and provided by BARB.