With nine Strictly Come Dancing couples remaining following Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu’s elimination last Sunday, everyone is fighting for a coveted spot in Blackpool
10:25, 14 Nov 2026Updated 10:26, 14 Nov 2026
Strictly fans think one star may be leaving the show this weekend(Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing enters Week 8 this weekend, with the stars taking on the final hurdle before next week’s annual trip to the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom. With nine couples remaining following Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu’s elimination last Sunday, everyone is fighting for a coveted spot in Blackpool.
After receiving a medical bye and missing Week 7 due to injury, actress Jaime Winstone is cleared to return to the floor with partner Carlos Gu. However, doctors have placed strict restrictions on her recovery, banning all lifts from their upcoming Charleston. With that in mind, some viewers of the BBC are predicting that it could signal the end of the competition for Jaime, 41.
Many claim Jaime’s Charleston will likely falter in comparison to the one Love Island star Cach Mercer is doing this weekend.
Taking to a StrictlyReddit forum, one fan of the show wrote: “In the nicest way possible, Jaime’s Charleston will most likely be her last.
“I know she had a bit of a tough time last week due to injury but the positive is she is back to perform this weekend all being well.
“Jaime has said they had to rectify the choreography so that doesn’t impact her injury any further. Given the benefit of the doubt, Cach’s Charleston will fare better than Jaime’s and I think out of respect it is probably best that Jaime goes home this week so that her injury will properly heal.”
One person replied: “Sadly I do think she will be and I think she will be up against John/Graeme/Will.”
While another agreed: “I think she’s almost certainly in the dance off because she doesn’t seem to be picking up public votes, but if she’s not too hampered she could get through there because she’s a decent dancer.”
Others are also baffled that Jaime is doing such an energetic routine despite her recent injury.
One fan said: “I wish they have given her a Waltz this week instead… I hope Jaime is able to hang on for 1 more week and that Graeme goes this week… I overall think Jaime is a better dancer than Graeme, Will, & John and it’s upsetting people aren’t supporting her.
While another viewer wrote: “Totally agree. I’d love her to hang on for a few more weeks. I really enjoy watching her dance, and think she has a fab personality.”
Someone else added: “Getting a Charleston after/with an injury is weird.”
Jaime is the clear favourite with the bookmakers to be eliminated this weekend. Major UK bookies currently have her priced as the odds-on favourite to leave ahead of Blackpool Week, largely due to the concern over her returning from injury with restricted choreography (no lifts permitted in her Charleston) after missing last weekend.
Her odds are currently at 10/11, with Jaime followed by Graeme Hall (9/4), John Nellis (7/1) and Cach Mercer (15/2) when it comes to odds of leaving the competition this weekend.
Strictly Come Dancing next airs on Saturday November 14 at 6:25pm. You can watch the Week 8 live show live on BBC One or stream it on BBC iPlayer.
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The “blue tsunami” in the 2026 midterm elections flipped control of both the House and the Senate last week, bringing a wave of Democrats, some with backgrounds in the arts.
The influx of newly elected officials — artists, musicians, dancers and even a former Prada model among them — comes just weeks before Congress will take another look at the Trump administration’s proposed 2027 budget, which requests $1.5 trillion in defense spending and, once again, seeks to nix funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Last year, Congress intervened against some of the arts cuts, but that didn’t stop the administration from terminating hundreds of NEA grants worth more than $27 million nationwide.
Next year’s massive reconfiguration of power, however, brings with it a number of elected officials with creative backgrounds, some of whom even incorporated music, dance and art into their campaigns and promises to constituents.
U.S. Representative-elect Claire Valdez, says art is the first language she knew. “It is a language that crosses all kinds of divides and gives voice to something that is otherwise inexpressible and has tremendous power to change,” she said. “I think that transformation is needed now more than ever.”
Here’s a look at some of the elected officials who have a little razzle-dazzle on their resumes.
Iowa Governor-elect Rob Sand
Then-model Rob Sand walks the runway in the Prada menswear spring 2003 ready to wear runway show in Milan, Italy.
(Davide Maestri / Penske Media via Getty Images)
It’s been 20 years since Iowa chose a Democrat to govern the state, but Iowans just elected a former Prada model to strut into office next year. The New York Times profiled Sand in 2019, noting that the Brown University and University of Iowa College of Law graduate doesn’t like to talk about his days modeling in Paris and Milan. Back then, he worked his way through college and ultimately earned a J.D. degree.
The cat’s out of the bag, though, and Sand seems to have surrendered to the social media attention and even leaned in. “I’m disappointed to learn images of me modeling for Prada are circulating,” he wrote alongside a grayscale fashion editorial. “Because this shot from Italian Vogue is much better.” He also launched a “My Model Governor” tee, featuring a chic twenty-something Sand showing off his sought-after bone structure.
It’s been about two decades since Sand, repped by IMG Models at the time, graced the catwalk for Giuliano Fujiwara and other high fashion designers. After college, he traded the runway for a courtroom, and in 2018, was elected state auditor as a Democrat, serving two terms. The now 44-year-old governor-elect appealed to Iowan voters using a campaign centered on public education, affordable living, anti-corruption and bipartisanship. His campaign slogan is: “Not redder or bluer, but better and truer.” He’s a Jesus-loving hunting enthusiast whose first job was catching chickens, and he insists that he’s more interested in public service than two-party politics.
Texas’ new Attorney General-elect Nathan Johnson
Texas state Sen. Nathan Johnson speaks against a bill that would add new abortion restrictions in Austin, Texas.
(Eric Gay / Associated Press)
From the top of the ballot to the bottom, Republicans lost their long-held grip on Texas last week. Democrat Nathan Johnson was elected Texas attorney general, an office held by Republicans for 28 years. This isn’t the first time Johnson flipped Texas either. Back in 2018, he was elected to the Texas state Senate, and while he’s impressed Texans with promises to root out corruption, restore traditional consumer protection and shift away from the high-profile culture wars of prior officeholders, he claims glory for something else:
“In the 2000s, I wrote the musical scores wall-to-wall of 67 episodes of ‘Dragon Ball Z’ and five of the movies,” he told Texas Sen. Taylor Rehmet in a video posted to Facebook. “It was a lot of fun … And even then, it got me street cred with my kids’ friends, and it gave me a creative outlet and a cultural connection that very few people had the opportunity to have.”
The Texas Attorney General-elect worked on “Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest,” “Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might,” “Dragon Ball Z: Broly — Second Coming,” “Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn” and “Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon.” He also ran a music production company and composed classical stage music.
Speaking to Texas Standard after the midterm results were in, Johnson chalked up the blue wave to a “national revolt against meanness, against hateful speech and divisiveness.”
“People indulge in those sorts of things when everything else is feeling great,” he said. “But at a time when corruption is confronting us in the face and people are super anxious about their economic future, there was a whole-scale rejection of Republican leadership.”
U.S. Representative-elect Bobby Pulido
Bobby Pulido, a Latin Grammy winner, sings during his last concert, La Última Desvelada, at the Bert Ogden Arena.
(Gabriel V. Cardenas/For The Times)
Another Democrat elected in the Lone Star state is the Latin Grammy-winning Tejano music star Bobby Pulido, who will represent Texas’ 15th Congressional District. Pulido said he’s willing to trade his three-decade stage career and take a hefty pay cut to step into public service. He won 62% of the total vote of Texans across the Rio Grande Valley and central Texas on a platform of affordability, healthcare access, immigration reform and reconnecting with working-class Latino voters.
“I give you my word tonight that I will never forget where I came from,” Pulido recently said during an Oct. concert, “La Última Desvelada” (The Last Restless Night), in his hometown of Edinburg, Texas, per TejanoNation. “I did music for me, but I’m running for Congress for you … Because I’m not going to Washington to serve a political party, I’m going to serve you.”
Pulido defeated Republican incumbent Monica De La Cruz, who took jabs at his showbiz background during her campaign. “This election isn’t about who you want performing at your niece’s quinceañera,” she said earlier this year, according to the Texas Tribune.
The Tejano star responded by performing at quinceañeras across the congressional district, which only boosted his popularity in the region. “In south Texas, a quinceañera isn’t just a pachanga. It’s a rite of passage that brings family and neighbors together,” said Pulido in a TikTok clip in March. “And honestly, that’s exactly what this campaign is about. We want to bring people together, not tear them apart.”
U.S. Representative-electClaire Valdez
Congressional candidate Claire Valdez won her race against Brooklyn borough President Antonio Reynoso in the New York 7th District to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.).
(Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)
Valdez, a visual artist and union organizer, was elected to represent New York’s 7th Congressional District with a campaign message that espoused the need for artists to “change our political, our economic, and our social order.” Valdez’s political aspirations are personal: She moved to New York to pursue a career as an artist and quickly realized the financial realities of making art under capitalism. Art should never be a luxury for the rich, she argues, but a necessity for all.
“This district represents more artists than almost any other district in the country, and yet we live in a city where it’s almost impossible to have the studio space, the time off, the money, the resources, the healthcare to make the art that we need in our society to shine,” Valdez said in a campaign speech earlier this year.
“I did not come to politics through electoral ambitions … I came to this place via my union. My union taught me that when people come together, we can organize for incredible things. We can move literal mountains, and we can beat back all the other people who make our lives a living hell, who have made this city unaffordable and impossible to thrive in, impossible to be an artist in. We deserve and demand a life of dignity, beauty for every single person, no matter where you are from. That’s what’s on the table, my friends.”
Valdez worked as a program assistant in the visual arts department at Columbia University, where she became a union leader. In 2024, she was elected to the New York State Assembly to represent the 37th District in Queens. Last week, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed the candidate, who won 83% of the vote.
Los Angeles Mayor-electNithya Raman
Los Angeles Mayor-elect Nithya Raman arrives with supporters standing nearby to claim victory in the Los Angeles mayoral race.
(Mario Tama / Getty Images)
Los Angeles Mayor-elect Nithya Raman was first elected to the L.A. City Council in 2020, and last week, she became the first challenger to defeat an incumbent Los Angeles mayor in more than two decades. While Raman didn’t turn L.A. blue, the democratic socialist did beat Mayor Karen Bass, a more moderate Democrat, turning the city a deeper, more progressive shade of blue.
Raman campaigned on a platform centered on housing affordability, public transit expansion, street safety, and a major overhaul of how the city approaches homelessness, but she also has a unique inside perspective on issues that plague Angelenos who work in entertainment. Her husband, Vali Chandrasekaran, is a television writer and producer, with a resume stacked with popular shows including “Modern Family” and “30 Rock.” The two met as undergrads at Harvard, where Raman was active in the university’s arts scene, and contributed to student productions as a designer and choreographer. The two broke up but reconnected on the picket line during the 2007-08 Writers Guild Strike.
According to a profile in the Harvard Crimson, Raman studied classical dance with renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Leela Samson in Chennai, India, and toured with her dance company after she graduated in the early aughts. The mayor-elect told the outlet that she still follows dance when her schedule allows.
“I don’t just watch Indian classical dance, I watch all kinds of dance,” Raman said. “I’m a dance aficionado, and when I’m not busy on the campaign trail, I try and attend dance programs and performances.”
Raman took the stage late on election night during her party on the plaza outside the Greek Theatre, and asked the crowd: “Will you all get on the dance floor with me?” In response to the applause, she said, “Yes, we will dance. We will dance!”
Protecting this region from climate change is a theme of the King’s trip and was the focus of his visit to the Bonefish Pond National Park. The site was once a rubbish dump but has been redeveloped and now protects 1,235 acres of mangroves.
The King walked along a new boardwalk through the wetlands to see the conservation work being done to protect this vulnerable, low lying island from climate change.
He met students carrying out field work in the wetland waters asking them about their exams and ambitions to be marine biologists.
“We’ve so been looking forward to this,” said Joanne Smith, president of the Bahamas National Trust Council.
“We want more Bahamians to get involved in our national parks so they can use it to better themselves… we are so pleased to have the King here, this is really significant for us.”
Then it was on to the Junkanoo, where the King could be seen dancing alongside attendees dressed in feathered headdresses and bright costumes.
The history of the Junkanoo is not clear but it’s believed it emerged out of the slave trade when enslaved men and women were given time off to mark Christmas.
A small protest near the parade, which had activists holding placards with the words “Pay us what you owe us”,was moved on by the police.
The small group of protesters were from the Bahamas National Reparations Committee.
The King acknowledged the “great suffering of the past” when he first arrived in the Bahamas, as he faced calls for slavery reparations.
Noelle Nicholls, chair of the reparations committee, said :”We are demanding an apology for those crimes, and reparations for the harm that was done.”
Nicholls said the protesters’ presence “amidst the pomp and pageantry of the celebrations… are for us also a sombre occasion, because this is the King returning in a way that has still not atoned for the sins of the past.”
The King has confirmed that Commonwealth leaders will discuss the legacy of slavery at a major summit in Antigua next week.
Neil Jones’ facial expression led Strictly fans to claim that the pro dancer looked ‘disgusted’ after Carlos Gu and Jaime Winstone performed a foxtrot to Man I Need by Olivia Dean
Strictly fans said Neil Jones looked ‘disgusted’(Image: BBC)
The professional dancer, 44, faced backlash on social media after Carlos Gu, 33, and Jaime Winstone, 41, finished their dance. The pair, who were the first to perform on the October 24 show, danced a foxtrot to Man I Need by Olivia Dean.
As Carlos and Jaime hugged following their dance, the camera panned to the balcony, capturing Neil’s expression, which viewers then addressed on social media. One asked: “Why did Neil look disgusted?” Another said: “Had a face like a slapped a**e.”
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A third jumped in: “Neil needs to be given a partner & all will be solved. I’ve had enough of him being there to make up the numbers. He’s a great dancer & deserves to have a partner for the series!”
One more shared: “Sorry, Neil, have you got a problem with Jaime Winstone’s dance pal?” Someone else wrote: “I’d check if Neil’s armed. He’s fizzing.”
Neil has missed out yet again on a celebrity partner in this year’s show, with his last famous pairing being in 2024. Two years ago, Neil was paired with singer Toyah Willcox, but they lasted two weeks before being eliminated.
Last year, the professional dancer lost his father, and earlier this week, he posted on social media to pay tribute to him. Posting a picture
It is an emotional time of year for Neil as he lost his beloved father around this time last year. The dancer posted a tribute on Instagram earlier this week, as he returned to social media to mark a year since his dad’s passing.
Sharing a picture of them sharing a pint together, Neil told his followers: “It’s been a year, and I know you’ll be having a pint, smiling and looking down on us all.” He captioned the post: “Thinking of you.”
Meanwhile, many fans were left disappointed by the judges’ scores for Jaime and Carlos after their foxtrot. The pair, who opened the show, scored 25 out of 40, with every judge giving them a six, except Anton du Beke, who gave them a seven.
“I absolutely love Jaime and Carlos, and I thought the Foxtrot was gorgeous, much better than the judges are making out. Queue undermarking,” a fan said. Another tweeted: “I’m no dance professional but surely Jaime & Carlos was undermarked there?”
A third said: “That was a beautiful foxtrot routine from Carlos, so traditional. It was a bit lumpy and I did notice the couple of mistakes from Jaime, but overall I enjoyed it and I noticed some good footwork plus her spins were gorgeous. I felt the judges were a bit harsh.”
It stopped me mid-scroll. In an Instagram reel, one DJ was mixing an upbeat track in a dark, packed room while another danced on a stage behind her, twerking perfectly on beat. Above them, a message flashed on a massive screen: “Love. Dance. And F— Ice.”
The crowd went wild, matching the energy of the two Los Angeles-based DJs who go by Mango and Ginger. The night looked so electric that I could feel the FOMO traveling through my body.
When I tapped the location tag, I assumed I was looking at an underground warehouse party in downtown L.A. or a venue in Hollywood. Instead, the party — known as If You See Me You See Me — was happening 120 miles south in San Diego. As a DJ and music lover, I knew I needed to get down there ASAP.
For many Angelenos, San Diego is the place to go for a peaceful weekend getaway — think scenic cliffs, serene beaches, fresh fish tacos and visits to Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. But it’s easy to sleep on its vibrant nightlife scene — and I don’t just mean the bars crowding the Gaslamp Quarter. The city is home to some of the most exciting late-night spaces, from hi-fi listening lounges to a cinematic Middle Eastern restaurant that feels straight out of Disneyland.
“People just aren’t aware,” says San Diego native Mo Perez, who as DJ Dopemo regularly packs out parties at North Park’s Bluefoot Bar and Lounge. “Then they come here and they’re like, ‘Wow, San Diego is really fun.’”
This is part of the reason why Sasha Marie, a longtime DJ and former member of the Soulection music collective, decided to continue hosting her event If You See Me You See Me, in partnership with Future Is Color, in her hometown of San Diego, even amid invitations to bring it to other cities. She invites DJs from around the globe, many of whom wouldn’t typically play in San Diego, to spin at the party.
“I feel like it’s important to show that something can be successful here,” she says.
Consider this your wake-up call to tap into San Diego’s nightlife scene, whether you want to go dancing or vibe to diverse sounds or have a cocktail in a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. These nine great spots are a sampling of how the city comes alive after dark.
