Strictly Come Dancing has reached one of its most unpredictable weekends of the 2026 series, with EastEnders star Lacey Turner and professional partner Vito Coppola finishing Halloween Week at the top of the judges’ leaderboard. Their Charleston earned 36 points, putting them one point ahead of John Nellis and Katya Jones as the competition prepares for its first three-couple dance-off.
The Halloween special brought a tightly packed scoreboard and several major changes in form. Turner, who had scored 28 for her Tango the previous week, delivered four nines to take first place on Saturday night. The result gives her and Coppola their strongest judges’ position of the series so far, but it does not guarantee safety because the public vote remains crucial.
Lacey Turner takes first place with 36
Turner and Coppola closed the Halloween show with a Charleston and received nine points from each of the four judges. That total of 36 was enough to place them at the top of the Week 6 leaderboard.
John Nellis and Katya Jones followed closely on 35 after their Tango. Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby shared third place with Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington on 33, while Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin and Will Best and Dianne Buswell both finished on 32.
The narrow gaps underline how competitive the middle of the table has become. Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu scored 30, Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu received 27, and Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystał finished on 26. Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita and Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley were tied at the bottom on 25.
A major turnaround for the EastEnders star
Turner’s Halloween result is particularly notable because it follows a more difficult Week 5. Moving from 28 points to 36 in the space of one week represents a significant judges’ score increase and puts her back among the strongest performers going into the results show.
It also adds another crossover story for soap viewers following the competition. Turner is closely associated with EastEnders through her long-running role as Stacey Slater, while Robb is familiar to Emmerdale audiences as Mackenzie Boyd. Their presence means this year’s Strictly continues to have a strong connection with British soap drama.
Saturday’s scores, however, tell only part of the story. Strictly combines the judges’ rankings with the public vote, so a high position on the leaderboard improves a couple’s position without making the outcome certain.
The first triple dance-off raises the stakes
The biggest change this weekend is the format of the results show. Instead of the usual two couples, three pairs are due to perform again in the dance-off. The judges will then decide which couple leaves the competition.
That twist makes the close lower half of the leaderboard especially important. Only five points separate Bethany and Nancy in seventh place from the two couples tied at the bottom, leaving plenty of room for the public vote to reshape the final positions.
The confirmed Saturday leaderboard should therefore not be treated as an elimination result. The identity of the couples in the dance-off is determined only after the public vote is combined with the judges’ scores, and the official result is revealed in Sunday’s programme.
Halloween Week sets up a tense results show
The Halloween special is traditionally one of Strictly’s most theatrical weeks, but the 2026 edition has added competitive pressure as well as costumes and themed routines. Turner’s first-place finish gives her a strong headline moment, while the triple dance-off creates uncertainty across a much wider section of the field.
For Turner and Coppola, the immediate achievement is clear: four nines and a 36-point total have put them ahead of the field after Saturday’s performances. Whether that momentum carries them safely into the next week will depend on the combined vote.
For the rest of the cast, the unusually crowded leaderboard means no assumption should be made from judges’ scores alone. With three couples required to dance again, Halloween Week could produce one of the most consequential results shows of the series so far.