Strictly contestants to be given 10 seconds to prepare dance in new challenge

Strictly Come Dancing will introduce a new Instant Dance challenge, asking contestants to prepare a dance in 10 seconds, on its live show.

Instant Dance will feature on the BBC dancing programme on Saturday, November 29. Contestants will pick a dance style at random from those they have learned, before being played their accompanying music, and given just 10 seconds to decide how they will perform.

Head judge Shirley Ballas said: “Instant Dance has the power to change everything for our couples, and will challenge them in ways they have never been challenged before.

“With standards so incredibly high this year and the competition so close, there’s a lot resting on it. The dance styles, costumes and music might not be revealed until the night, but what we can be sure of right now is that it’s going to be a whole lot of fun. I cannot wait.”

After being given their dance, contestants will also dash through the wardrobe to select their outfits and change into them.

The new challenge will take place after contestants have performed their dances in the normal way, with judges then ranking them and awarding extra marks accordingly.

A maximum of six marks will be awarded to the couple whose Instant Dance performance impressed them the most, down to one point for the couple whose dance impressed them the least.

Strictly Come Dancing continues with the show’s annual Blackpool specials this weekend on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, which will reveal the couples making it through to the following week, where they will face Instant Dance.

Reality TV star Vicky Pattison was eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing on her 38th birthday in last weekend’s episodes, after being beaten in the dance-off by EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal and professional dancer Julian Caillon.