Week 6: When do men score their first ‘ten’?

Last week we saw the first ‘ten’ of the competition awarded to Delta & Kai. To me this felt like a bit of a ‘rogue 10’ awarded by Anton, and this view was shared by fellow writer Christy and many Strictly Scoreboard voters who awarded this routine an average score of 8.09.

Indeed, with an overall score of ‘only’ 34, Delta & Kai’s Rumba has the joint lowest score of any routine (from a four-person judging panel) that received a ‘ten’.

Nonetheless, Delta joins a list along with 23 former contestants who were the first to score a ‘ten’ in their respective series. How many of these do you remember?

A few things I noticed while compiling this table. It’s been…

• Seven years since the recipients of the first ‘ten’ also went on to win the series (Kelvin Fletcher & Oti in s17)
• Eight years since the first ‘ten’ arrived as late as ‘week five’ of the series (Danny John-Jules & Amy in s16)
• Eleven years since the last time a male judge awarded the first ‘ten’ (Bruno in s13)
• Thirteen years, and counting, since the first ‘ten’ was awarded for a ballroom routine (Natalie Gumede & Artem in s11)

Delta and Tabby became the 110th and 111th contestants to have received their first ‘ten’ on Strictly. How does their ‘week five’ accomplishment compare with their peers?

By splitting the data between female and male contestants, some interesting patterns emerge…

• ‘Early risers’ (wks 3-4): At this stage of the competition, it is male contestants who are more likely to receive a ‘ten’, and of those who have done so, six went on to win the show
• ‘Steady progress’ (wks 5-8): The tables have turned, and in these weeks, female contestants are much more likely to receive a ‘ten’. This grouping already contains nine female winners, which is a promising sign for both Delta and Tabby’s chances of victory
• ‘Better late than never’ (wks 9-14): Contestants who receive their first ‘ten’ at this point tend to be those who are described as having been on ‘a journey’. This grouping has previously delivered six male winners

Of course, it shouldn’t be forgotten that this is also a first ‘ten’ for professional dancer Mark. How does receiving a ‘ten’ in only his fifth routine compare with his current colleagues?

* Julian (17 routines), Neil (14 routines) & Maddie (5 routines) are still awaiting their first ‘ten’.

And finally, how does Mark’s accomplishment compare with notable professionals from the past? I feel confident that Anton’s long wait for a ‘ten’ will be a record that is never beaten!