Strictly Come Dancing (series 8)
Couple Score Dance Music
Jimi & Flavia 26 ( 6,7,6,7 ) Cha-Cha-Cha Do n't Upset the Rhythm ( Go Baby Go ) - Noisettes
Peter & Erin 21 ( 4,6,6,5 ) Waltz Take It to the Limit - Eagles
Michelle & Brendan 24 ( 5,6,7,6 ) Cha-Cha-Cha Stone Cold Sober - Paloma Faith
Gavin & Katya 28 ( 6,8,7,7 ) Waltz You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone
Tina & Jared 24 ( 5,7,6,6 ) Cha-Cha-Cha California Gurls - Katy Perry ( ft. Snoop Dogg )
Ann & Anton 17 ( 2,5,5,5 ) Waltz My Cherie - Al Martino
Kara & Artem 30 ( 7,8,8,7 ) Cha-Cha-Cha I Like It - Enrique Iglesias ( ft. Pitbull )
Weekly scores and songs -- Week 1
Running order
Strictly Come Dancing returned for its eighth series on BBC One with a red carpet launch show on 11 September 2010, and the competitive live shows began on 1 October. The series concluded on 18 December when Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev won the competition. According to BARB data, this series was the consistently highest rated of the show to date, peaking at 14.28 million viewers. Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Alesha Dixon returned as judges. Five professional dancers from the last series didn't return for this series, Matthew Cutler, Brian Fortuna, Ian Waite and married Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova. Three male professionals joined this years series, Artem Chigvintsev, Robin Windsor and Jared Murillo. For series 8 the set has been totally revamped to try to attract more viewers to the programme, the backstage room where scores were given has been replaced by a tower above the dancefloor so the couples can watch as their teammates perform (much like the so-called 'celebriquarium' on the American version of the programme). In week 8 of the competition the live show was transmitted from the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly returned to present the main show on BBC One. For the results show, Daly is joined by Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two presenter Claudia Winkleman. The celebrities did not know their professional partners until they were introduced to each other at the launch show. At the age of 61, Pamela Stephenson became the oldest contestant to ever make it to the finale.