It’s Halloween on Strictly Come Dancing, and the couples will be dancing to these spooktacular songs:
- Chris and Diane performing a spooky Samba to “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees
- Jamie and Michelle with a scary American Smooth to “The Addams Family Theme” by Vic Mizzy
- JB and Amy with a frightful Foxtrot to “Dancing in The Moonlight” by Toploader
- Montell and Johannes with a chilling Cha Cha to “Love Potion No. 9” by The Clovers
- Pete and Jowita gliding through a wicked Viennese Waltz to “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra
- Dr Punam and Gorka with a terrifying Tango to “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics
- Sam and Nikita in a jump-scare Jive to “Time Warp” by Richard O’Brien (from The Rocky Horror
Picture Show) - Sarah and Vito attempting the first “Argh’gentine Tango” to “Ready Or Not” by The Fugees
- Shayne and Nancy showcasing a petrifying Paso Doble to “In The Hall of The Mountain King” by
Edvard Grieg - Tasha and Aljaž with a spooky Samba to “I Like To Move It” by Reel 2 Real
- Wynne and Katya in a scary Salsa to “Canned Heat” by Jamiroquai
This year, in Sunday night’s results show, our professional dancers will cast a spell with a mesmerizing Beetlejuice-inspired routine that promises to be to die for! And as the witching hour approaches, don’t miss Lady Blackbird, who will be haunting the show with a chilling performance that’s sure to leave you spellbound.
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Do you have any phobias?
Dianne: Heights. I hate heights.
Chris: I don’t like little alive things or things that were alive, like seafood. I can’t get on with things that look like they did when they were alive and you’ve got to eat them. I imagine them worse than what they look like. Give me anything in a steak and I’ll eat it but like mussels I can’t get on with.
Chris: I can’t stand flying either actually. I’m a nightmare to sit next to. It’s just the not knowing if we’re going to crash. I think if I knew we were going to crash I’d be alright but it’s the not knowing so with every bit of turbulence, I can’t see the calmness around me, so I’m on edge all the time and I can’t relax. I’m always knackered by the time I get anywhere.
Do you believe in ghosts? And have you ever had a paranormal experience?
Dianne: I do. I believe in ghosts. I feel like I’ve felt presence.
Chris: I’m just keeping my mouth shut. I mean, do you think ghosts are just human or do you think ghosts are other things as well?
Dianne: Ghosts are a spirit.
Chris: But would you think there are ghost cats?
Dianne: No, I don’t think there are ghost cats. The thing is ghost cats haunt other cats, they’re not going to haunt humans are they.
Chris: I don’t believe in any of it. I think if there were ghosts, you wouldn’t be able to see anything else but ghosts. Imagine all the ghost bees.
What’s the most scared you’ve ever been in your life?
Chris: Episode one of this show. Generally, I was terrified.
Dianne: Anything to do with heights, I had to jump off a bridge for a show I was filming and I’ll never forget how scared I was. I was terrified and I would never do it again.
Did you go trick or treating either with kids now or when you were a kid?
Chris: I take my daughter trick or treating around our neighbourhood. You can always tell the people that are into it as they’ll have a little pumpkin in the window, I think that’s the sign now isn’t it.
Dianne: I bet you don’t have a pumpkin in your house do you? I bet you’ve got a graveyard in front of your house…
Chris: I’ve just got a sign that says stay away!
How do you trick and also treat each other when you’re in training?
Dianne: I trick Chris quite a bit don’t I. We have a good old laugh.
Chris: like yesterday you filmed a video with me with all different filters on and I didn’t know. We have a laugh but we don’t really play tricks.
Dianne: I’m forever buying him presents. I’m yet to get one off him but I’m forever getting you things. I’ve got you a glitter ball, a bracelet…
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
Do you have any phobias?
Michelle: Claustrophobia.
Jamie: Yes, emetophobia (fear of vomiting). Not Halloween related though.
Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever had a paranormal encounter?
Michelle: I believe in spirits. There are too many things we don’t understand. I’ve never had an encounter, but I’m quite spiritual. Ghosts as we portray them to be, no, but I think there’s a spiritual world that we can’t see with our own eyes.
Jamie: I think I do, there’s too many things not to believe. I’ve never had an encounter though.
When have you been the most scared?
Jamie: Probably the first Strictly live show!
Michelle: The first live show for me too. Jamie was nervous, but I was more excited. It’s that mix of fear and anticipation.
What’s the best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up as?
Michelle: Catwoman. I’m one of those girls who actually tries to look good for Halloween instead of scary!
Jamie: I don’t think I’ve ever really done Halloween properly.
How do you trick each other during training?
Jamie: I’ll deliberately mess up the steps just to throw her off.
Michelle: He thinks it’s funny, but messing up steps builds bad muscle memory! I might prank him by pretending to be sick – it’ll freak him out because he’s scared of vomiting.
Jamie: That’s nasty! She treats me with bacon rolls and I treat her with lunch.
JB Gill and Amy Dowden MBE
What are you genuinely scared of?
Amy: I’m scared of a lot of things, to be honest, like anything that makes you jump – even in films. When villains would come out in kid’s films, I’d even get scared then. Maybe that’s why I’m not a fan of Halloween. Just a very scared person in general!
JB: I’m scared of snakes. Predominantly snakes. Everything else – dogs, heights, small spaces – I’m fine with. But snakes, they’re just too quick and unpredictable.
What’s the most scared you’ve ever been in your life?
JB: I remember being lost as a child. I was probably around six or seven and was at Woolworths with my parents. I couldn’t find them, so I freaked out, calling out for them. In my mind, I was lost forever. They found me eventually, but it was terrifying at the
time.
Do you have any phobias?
Amy: I had a phobia of dogs, but I got over it through therapy.
JB: Snakes, definitely. I love watching wildlife shows, but snakes are too unpredictable. I once had one on my shoulders, and I couldn’t relax!
Best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up in?
Amy: Strictly 2021 – I was painted red and dressed as a devil alongside Tom Fletcher.
JB: I’ve never really done Halloween, but I dressed as Wonka for Movies Week which I loved. I’ve also been an American football player before.
Did you go trick-or-treating as a child?
Amy: Yes, but only to the neighbours that my parents knew – it was all pre-arranged.
JB: Maybe when I was really young, but not much since then.
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
What are you genuinely scared of?
Montell: I’m genuinely scared of heights, I do not like free falling at all, petrified! Also rats and mice can’t do that and the thought of being buried alive also comes to mind, not a fan of the thought process of that.
Johannes: Creepy crawlies, especially rats and mice.
What’s the most scared you’ve ever been in your life?
Montell: The most scared I’ve been was when I was on an adventurous holiday in Costa Rica and I was zip lining across mountains which with the heights thing just threw me. I was genuinely the most scared I’ve been I thought I was going to die – it was chaotic.
Johannes: My sister chasing me around the house with a dead mouse.
Do you have any phobias?
Johannes: Darkness and Spiders
Best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up in? OR best costume in general you’ve ever dressed up in?
Montell: I dressed up as Whitney Houston a couple of years ago for a Halloween party, that was proper fancy dress, that was probably the best outfit I’ve ever done.
Johannes: My look for the Halloween special with Ellie for our couples choice to ‘I Put a Spell On You’.
Did you go trick or treating? (as a kid/with your kids?)
Montell: When I was younger I did go Trick or Treating, a group of us would go together family and friends. But I actually preferred giving the sweets to the kids when I got a bit older. Especially when you’re in an estate or residential area and around a community lots of kids come and knock. So that was really exciting, giving out the sweets rather than going Trick or Treating.
Johannes: No unfortunately only as an adult, had the best time.
How would you trick your partner and how would you treat your partner?
Montell: To trick my partner I would probably do little weird things, like move things in our studio and turn off the lights and stuff – I think that would freak him out a little. For a treat I would probably make a personalised playlist of all the songs that we love.
Johannes: I would mislead them with paper or rock filled with sweets. Treat, have a stash of really good goodies!
What are you carving into your pumpkin?
Montell: In my pumpkin I am carving a glitterball, this is going to be quite difficult, with shoes inside, just to signify my Strictly experience with these heels!
Johannes: I would crave a really happy smiley pumpkin.
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal
What genuinely scares you?
Pete: Nothing. Actually, gorillas. If they wanted to take over the world, they would, and they would just rip my arm off and beat me with it. Other than that, nothing really.
Jowita: Spiders. Super creepy, they’re not for me.
Have you ever had a paranormal experience?
Jowita: I believe in an energy and everything, but I haven’t experienced it in my own skin.
Pete: I actually agree with that. There might be, I don’t know. I don’t necessarily believe but I also don’t definitely disbelieve. I have got a ghost tattooed on me. I used to present a podcast called Just a Little Prick about tattoos and interviewed tattoo artists whilst they tattooed me. And [the tattoo artist who did the ghost] was apparently the oldest working artist in the world. He was 93 and I expected him just to be doing like a little tattoo or something like that so I let him do whatever he wanted, but I didn’t realise it was going to be Casper the Friendly Ghost, who looks like a fat baby. It is absolutely ridiculous.
What is the best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up in?
Pete: Nothing because I hate Halloween. I hate fancy dress!
Jowita: In Poland, we don’t celebrate Halloween so as a child I’ve never dressed up or anything. But at an old job I worked on a cruise ship that held a competition for Halloween. Whoever had the best outfit won, I didn’t really want to dress up because
we had a double show that day, so what I decided to do was backcomb my hair so it was absolutely massive, painted my face white, wore a black dress and simply acted creepy. I was so creepy that people voted for me and I won.
Have either of you been trick or treating ever?
Pete: I switch off all the lights in my house on Halloween. I don’t remember ever going trick or treating.
How do you trick or treat your partner during training?
Jowita: We buy each other coffee…
Pete: I bought you some banana bread!
Jowita: Yes, he bought me banana bread and I didn’t even ask.
Pete: I remember your family’s names and I tried to learn some Polish so that I could say hello to your brother in Polish.
Have you ever carved pumpkins?
Pete: To be honest with you, I’d make quite a good pumpkin because we have the same skin tone. Just whack a wig on it. It would be really easy to make me into a pumpkin. Pumpkin Pete.
Jowita: Yes I did, I was quite inventive. I also love pumpkin soup. Pumpkins usually have smiley faces so it would be quite easy to do Pete as there would just be a line instead.
Dr Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
What are you genuinely scared of?
Punam: Spiders creep me out.
Gorka: I’m scared of cats. I cross the road if there’s a cat on the same road as me.
Do you believe in ghosts or paranormal?
Punam: I do believe in spirits but it’s more kind of feeling the presence of being I love that have passed. I don’t believe in ghosts lurking round dark corners.
What’s the most scared you’ve ever been in your life?
Punam: It’s very easy to spook me. Really dark rooms I cannot enter because I’ll just freak myself out.
Best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up in?
Gorka: Strictly costume always. Nothing ever tops it. My Beetlejuice outfit (that you’ll see in the results show on Sunday!) was incredible, though it was very itchy.
Did you go trick or treating?
Punam: Yes, I go trick or treating as an adult. My whole household, including the dogs, dress up. It’s a big thing in my neighbourhood.
How would you trick your partner and how would you treat your partner?
Punam: Every day is a trick with Gorka. I’ve tricked Gorka with jump scares, but it went wrong, and I went flying through a table.
Gorka: Treats are croissants and coffee.
What are you carving into your pumpkin?
Punam: I love going to the pumpkin patch and choosing pumpkins. This year, we’re doing the Addams Family, and we compete as a family to see who can carve the best pumpkin.
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
What are you genuinely scared of this Halloween?
Sam: I hate spiders. Anything really small that can get into places in a fast way without you knowing. I also don’t like to be scared. We had no curtains on our front room for a while and the thought of someone appearing at the window.
Nikita: Spiders also. There was a spider on my car the other day and I had to evacuate to get rid of it. I’m scared of rats. The ones in Italy are huge. I’m terrified of them. I hate small vegetables, small insects. I’m so scared of ants.
What’s the most scared you’ve ever been in your life?
Sam: I remember going to watch Paranormal Activity with the team GB Hockey Girls when it first came out. It seemed like a really good idea at the time but we all came up traumatised. My friend even ended up sleeping at my flat so we could share a bed together. It was really scary but also really funny.
What’s the best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up in?
Nikita: I’ve been a gherkin before. This year I’m going to be Dobby. I’ve got great socks for the costume. I’m going to be driving from my house to the studio in the Dobby costume, so everyone can look at me driving and wonder where Dobby is going.
Sam: I’ve never gone sexy. I went as dead Lara Croft at university and also as a dead policewoman. I also did a dead NFL player.
Nikita: Me and Vito are dead NFL players this Halloween for the group number!
Did you go trick or treating as a kid?
Sam: yes, I went as a kid and with my kids now.
Nikita: I’m going for the first time this year as an adult. I missed that part of my life because I was away competing.
How would you trick and treat each other? Do you do tricks on each other?
Sam: Nikita is really easy to trick because I could just jump out from behind door.
Nikita: I’ll come for training dressed as Dobby.
Sam: Our treat is anything caffeine based.
Nikita: Coffee.
What are you carving into your pumpkin this year?
Sam: A glitterball.
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
What are you most scared of?
Sarah: People jumping out at me. I’m such jumpy person. Vito does it all the time and it always gets me. I can be in my own house knowing that there are other family members in the house but I’ll still get scared when they jump out at me.
Vito: I’m afraid of the dark. I have a little light that comes on at night time. I never sleep with the curtains pulled.
What’s made you the most scared on Halloween before?
Sarah: In my road where I live Halloween is massive. One year a friend bought this really simple rubber mask. I really didn’t like. It really freaked me out, even though I knew who it was. I also once went on The Saw Experience at Thorpe Park. I started crying halfway round and my friend had to drag me out. My friend thought it was hilarious. It was just terrifying, but my friend loved it.
Are you scared of ghosts or have you ever had a paranormal experience?
Vito: Since I was little I’ve always had things I can see and speak to. When I was a baby, I used to scare my mum because I would stand up in the night and be speaking to someone. The last experience I had was at home here in London. My speaker started to
make sounds and talking in the middle of the night. I froze and couldn’t move. My phone died as I went to try and record it even though it didn’t have a low battery. I recorded it on my watch for about five minutes but when I went back to listen to it there was no sound. I have this energy around me which I call Carmela. She’s always around and plays with lights.
What’s the best Halloween costume?
Sarah: The pumpkin I had on in the Strictly Halloween teaser. I absolutely loved it, it really is the stuff of dreams. I love dressing up for Halloween and that would definitely be my favourite. I think it was intended for a child.
Vito: In Italy we don’t have the Halloween culture but I remember when I was young watching Halloween films made in Hollywood and begging my mum to let me dress up so she took a white sheet and threw it on me, so I was a ghost. She made two little holes for my eyes. I enjoyed that day so much.
Did you go trick or treating as a kid?
Sarah: I didn’t as a child but I do now and, like I say, the street I live on is a massive Halloween street. I think it’s fantastic and I love it. It’s really safe and really good fun. I think most kids love dressing up so it’s exciting and fun. This year Percey (my cat) is going to dress up as a purple witch.
How do you trick and treat each other in the training room?
Sarah: I need to get it together because at the minute, I feel like it’s 10 tricks to none to Vito. Vito treats me by making me a cup of tea when I arrive at training in the morning. It’s something he’s just learned to do and he makes so much effort with it. I really, really, really appreciate it. He really critiques himself. We’re both similar in terms of food too and we’ll always share if we need to. I really like that.
Vito: It shows that I love you because I don’t share food with people if I don’t love them.
Are you into pumpkin carving?
Sarah: Pumpkin carving, I think is absolutely hazardous. It’s so risky. I’ve got all the equipment, like the special spoons but you’ve got to be so careful.
Vito: I’ve never done it in my life until last year on Strictly which was the first time in my life. I enjoyed it so much.
Sarah: I’m a very clumsy person. I’m a bit slap dash and I’m the sort of person who would chop my own finger off!
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Have you had any spooky or paranormal encounters?
Shayne: One time I was staying in a pub B&B and on the door was Henry VIII. I thought I’d go straight to bed as I had an
early start, I switched off the light and was on my side. As soon as I rolled over I opened my eyes and saw a figure there. I
hadn’t even been asleep yet and it was just after 9pm, I literally looked at it and did that movie thing of rubbing your
eyes. Then I watched it walk off.
Did you go trick or treating as a kid?
Shayne: I loved trick or treating as a kid and I love it now as a kid. Now my son is old enough to go he’s going to be walking
up to all of the doors and asking for treats.
How do you trick and treat each other in training?
Nancy: once at the very beginning I was about to do an interview and he tried to prank me
Shayne: we were doing a VT and they were filming as I said to Nancy ‘how do I say I want to cry in Chinese’ and she taught me and I kept saying what she told me but every time she was laughing and I thought I just wasn’t saying it right. Then I found out I’d been saying ‘I love you.’
Nancy: He always buys me treats like blueberry muffins and I buy him coffee.
What will you be carving into your pumpkin this year?
Nancy: I’ve never done it.
Shayne: Oh we have to! I love it. I’ve done it with the kids over the years. We’ll do this together this year.
Nancy: the amazing thing about this show is that there is so many different cultures bringing things to celebrate. I knew about Halloween but I didn’t know how to celebrate it. In China we celebrate differently.
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
What are you genuinely scared for?
Tasha: Insects, snakes, darkness, and people wearing scary masks or with chainsaws.
Aljaž: We should have that in the corridors in the studios. I’m scared of everything really that’s supposed to scare you. I’ve never been good with scary things.
What’s the most scared you’ve ever been in your life?
Tasha: When going to a Halloween event at Tulley’s farm where they had themed houses, including clowns, and some actors could touch you. It was actually really funny. I’ll never forget that in every single room, Andrew would push me away and run off. Didn’t check on me once. He’d push me to the front! Good to know for a real life situation. Afterwards I was like “you literally gave my life away.”
Do you believe in the paranormal?
Tasha: I believe in the afterlife, but I don’t believe in scary ghosts or anything, I’ve never seen one thank goodness.
Do you have any phobias?
Tasha: Claustrophobia, especially in lifts or tight spaces full of people. I feel like I can’t breathe.
Aljaž: Going blank on Strictly is my phobia.
Best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up in?
Aljaž: Day of the Dead costume for a Paso Doble. I don’t usually go scary for Halloween.
Tasha: Probably just the basic cat or devil. For Strictly Halloween I’m going to be Frankenstein’s girlfriend.
Did you go trick or treating?
Tasha: Yes, I loved trick or treating, it was the only time you can get unlimited chocolate and sweets. I didn’t care about the tricks.
Aljaž: Lyra will dress up as a bumblebee this year. Janette is very excited because we’re going to take her trick or treating.
How do you trick or treat your partner during training?
Tasha: Any chance I get, I make Aljaž jump.
Aljaž: In a nutshell, I bring Tasha croissants and chocolate, and in return she scares me.
What are you carving into your pumpkin?
Tasha: I love the smell of pumpkins. I love the feeling of the slime when you take the seeds out. I’d carve out the word ‘slay’ then put some cat ears above it.
Aljaž: You’re weird! My dad is very good at carving pumpkins, he’s very artsy. His pumpkins were always stories, he’d never do a face. Maybe this year I will try to make Tasha’s face.
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
Do you have any phobias?
Wynne: I don’t like rides, rollercoasters and I really don’t like rats.
Katya: Me too. Rats.
Have you had any spooky or paranormal encounters?
Wynne: This morning! Katya put a temporary tattoo on my hand yesterday. She put the sticker on then you put water over it and then she took it off and there was nothing. We were like ‘oh well that hasn’t worked, has it?’ then this morning I was in the shower and the tattoo with the writing saying: ‘you are enough’ came up on my arm. I thought it was weird.
Have you ever seen a ghost or had any paranormal encounters?
Wynne: I’ve never seen a ghost.
Katya: The only thing I’ve had is when my dog died, he was a massive Great Dane and my bedroom was upstairs but downstairs is like wooden floor. She used to walk around and you’d hear her claws on the wooden floor. For months after she died I would still hear her claws on the wooden floor. I believe in some sort of energy.
Wynne: I do as well. I don’t know what I believe in. I’m open to everything. I kind of think what happens after we die but also what happens before we’re born? Who knows next?
What’s the best Halloween costume you’ve ever dressed up in ?
Katya: Myself.
Wynne: I’ve done the house up for kids parties, so I put like hand prints on the window and signs saying, keep out, but I’ve never got dressed up myself. I wouldn’t mind getting dressed up though.
Katya: Well, you will for Strictly Halloween! I was Alice in Wonderland on Strictly. I was also a ghost that came out of the piano. On Strictly we get to do some great fancy dress. This year might be my favourite.
How would you trick or treat each other in training?
Wynne: Katya is easily tricked with food so I reckon I could put food dye in to your tongue or teeth blue or something. As a treat, I am really into watches and she’s got a watch that has stopped so I’ll go and get it fixed.
Katya: I thought you were going to say buy a new one! Just change batteries?
Katya: I treat you a lot. I bring cakes and coffee. Tattoos with affirmations. I do the opposite, I’m like the judges are not going to be
nice to us this week because they can’t be every single week. Then we get a nine and that’s a nice treat.
Wynne: It would be nice if the judges treated us not tricked us for Halloween.
What are you carving into your pumpkin?
Wynne: I was the only person in school at 13 to fail art whereas Katya loves a craft. I’ll just make it into a soup.
