Former Love Island winner Dani Dyer tops Strictly leaderboard after first 10

Former Love Island winner Dani Dyer has topped the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard after scoring her first 10 of the series with her professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin.The couple closed Saturday’s live episode of the BBC dancing show with their performance of the American smooth to It Had to Be You by Harry Connick Jr, scoring 36, with head judge Shirley Ballas saying they did “exceptionally well” and standing to applaud them at its conclusion.Judge Motsi Mabuse, who scored the couple their first 10, added: “It was amazing. When I come to the show, I say: ‘Who’s going to light my heart? Who’s going to switch on that light? Who’s going to serve? Who’s going to make me happy?’ And you did that.”It was also the highest score for an American smooth in the 2026 series.Second on the leaderboard was Olympian Tabby Stoecker and her professional partner Mark Karmalita, who danced the paso doble to Supermassive Black Hole by Muse, scoring 33, with judge Craig Revel Horwood saying it was “absolutely connected and fantastic”.In third was Australian singer Delta Goodrem and her partner Kai Widdrington, who performed the cha cha to Let’s Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez, scoring 31. Mabuse said Goodrem’s “heart is on the dancefloor”, adding: “I love the spice you bring to this competition.”At the foot of the table were social media personality John Nellis and his partner Katya Jones, and former Love Island contestant Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby, who were tied at the bottom on 26.Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita performing on Strictly (BBC/Guy Levy)Nellis and Jones performed the salsa to Get Lucky by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell and Nile Rodgers, with Mabuse saying she “loved the choreography”, while Revel Horwood said it was “like a three-year-old having a tantrum”.Mercer and Ingoldsby performed the waltz to That Ain’t You by Mulaa Joans, which Mabuse said was “elegant”, but Ballas said featured “way too many foot errors”, adding: “Some parts are getting better, some are getting worse.”Elsewhere, EastEnders actress Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola followed with their rumba to Yellow by Coldplay, which scored 30, with Du Beke saying he was “really, really impressed” while Revel Horwood said he felt “totally the opposite of that”.House Of The Dragon actress Bethany Antonia and her professional partner Nancy Gu performed the foxtrot to Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis, scoring 30.Du Beke said Antonia had “the most beautiful hold” and added that it was “great stuff”, while Revel Horwood said he would “like to see a stronger impression of leading” but added that the storytelling in the dance was “absolutely exceptional”.Read MoreTV dog trainer Graeme Hall and his partner Lauren Oakley performed their couple’s choice to The Book Of Love by Peter Gabriel, with Hall looking emotional at its conclusion.They scored 28, with Mabuse calling the performance “really moving”, while Ballas said she would like to see the couple “really enjoy the partnership” – although Revel Horwood said it was “not a high scorer”.First to dance on Saturday’s show was Big Brother presenter Will Best and his professional partner Dianne Buswell, who performed the quickstep to Maroon 5’s This Love, scoring 29.Revel Horwood said the performance needed “slight improvements” while Du Beke said Best “looked so lovely”.Ballas added: “This is a definite improvement, we are working in the right direction sir.”At the start of the show, Strictly’s presenters told Jaime Winstone to “get better soon” after she suffered an injury which ruled her out of Saturday’s live show.Strictly hosts Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe (Guy Levy/BBC)PA MediaWinstone and her professional dance partner Carlos Gu will receive a bye to next week’s show, when it is hoped she will return, after suffering a torn abdominal muscle.Speaking at the start of the show, host Josh Widdicombe said: “Now unfortunately we are missing one couple, Jaime and Carlos.“Jaime has been advised not to perform this weekend on medical grounds, under the rules of the competition, she receives a bye through to next week.”Fellow host Emma Willis added: “Now Jaime, we know that you’re watching from home tonight, we miss you so much and we are sending you all of our love, and we hope you get better soon.”At the end of the programme, it was revealed that Ballas would have the casting vote in Sunday’s dance-off.Strictly continues on BBC One with its results show, which airs on Sunday at 7.10pm on BBC One and iPlayer.