- The remaining six couples have to include a three-jump in their routines, and the two couples with the lowest combined scores compete in a skate-off after which the judges vote for the couple they want to save.
- Hosts Jamie Durie and Sami Lukis welcomed the viewers once again and announced that this week's show would celebrate the glitz, glamour and good times of Las Vegas. The mentors of the six remaining couples, 1984 Winter Olympic ice dancing gold medallists Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, put us in the mood when they were joined in their opening performance by the six remaining couples, who all appropriately skated to "Viva Las Vegas" by Elvis Presley. Jamie and Sami then introduced the judging panel - Belinda Noonan, Mark Storton, Alisa Camplin, Jason Gardiner and Karen Barber - and the six remaining couples, and informed the viewers that the voting lines were closed. This week, the six couples were required to include a three-jump in their routines, a move that commentator Andrew Voss explained a little further.
The first couple to perform tonight were former cricketer Michael Slater and his partner Anya D'Jamirze, who skated their routine to the Tom Jones hit "It's Not Unusual". Unruffled by his outfit, Michael's pelvis pulsated to the song as the couple had plenty of fun in a hip-swinging performance that included an upside down lift and a lap lift with a half extension. When the performance was over, Andrew Voss took the viewers through a replay of its highlights, then Jamie and Sami interviewed the couple about the routine before the judges delivered their comments. Belinda was impressed by the increase in their partnership skills, their lift whose rotational nature placed it at the more difficult end, and their good toe steps, while Jason had just three things to say to the couple about their performance - it was not difficult, it was not unusual, and it was certainly not nice. The judges then revealed their scores - out of a possible 6.0, Belinda scored them 4.0, Mark 3.5, Alisa 3.5, Jason 2.5 and Karen 3.5, for a total of 17.0 points.
Skating next were politician Jackie Kelly and her partner Pavel Aubrecht. Jackie looked like one hot mamma and decidedly sultry as she and Pavel gave a titanic performance to Céline Dion's "My Heart Will Go On", which included butterflies, a pendant lift, a spin, and a roll-up lift with a slide down into a cantilever position. When the judges delivered their verdict, Mark was impressed with the seamlessness and very good flow of their first lift, while Karen thought that they did a good job of a difficult performance that had a lot of new elements. Jason felt that while the couple's heart did go on and on, their mouth gave it a run for its money - the way they came down from one of their lifts was unsightly to him, "like straddling an oak tree", but on the plus side, he also commented that they had improved their lines. Belinda scored them 4.5, Mark 4.5, Alisa 4.5, Jason 3.5 and Karen 4.0 for a total of 21.0 points, the couple's best score so far.
Next to take to the ice were model Jake Wall and his partner Maria Fillipov, who skated their routine to Barry Manilow's hit, "Copacabana". Their performance included an around-the-house, a backflip lift, a jump into a rotational lift, an upside down cartwheel and a jump lift, and it left the judges in the tizz, with comments causing conflicts that put Jason against Belinda and Karen against Mark. Belinda noted that for the third week, Jake had continued to look down on Maria's head, which Jason explained was natural when a six-foot-five male was partnered with a five-foot female. Belinda scored them 3.5, Mark 4.0, Alisa 5.0, Jason 5.0 and Karen 5.0, for a total of 22.5 points.
Performing next were Today co-host Karl Stefanovic and his partner Linda Aubrecht, who looked every bit like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as they skated to "Mack the Knife" by Bobby Darin in a routine that included a solo from Karl with a one leg hockey stop into a hitch kick, a turn-over lift, a back one-leg lunge with a wick lift on the end, a backflip and a supported hitch kick lift. Mark was impressed by Karl's improvment and interaction with Linda, Alisa suggested that they should work on their posture and perhaps take some dance classes as well, and Jason remarked that although their partnership was great, they were a little sloppy out of the lifts. Belinda scored them 5.0, Mark 5.0, Alisa 4.5, Jason 4.5 and Karen 4.5, for a total of 23.5 points.
Next to skate were Getaway presenter Jules Lund and his partner Kristina Cousins, who performed their routine to "Luck Be A Lady" by Frank Sinatra. Jules had a much more serious look in their performance, of which the footwork and turns, a tower lift, a knee lift and a drape were highlights - this week he was less of a showman and more of an iceman. When the judges delivered their verdict, Karen commented that Jules brought something unique to the competition, and although it looked fun on the night, he worked really hard during the week, while Jason was impressed by Jules' change of attitude and approach and his improved performance, which was no longer the joke of the competition, although he felt that the couple were two weeks behind the others and needed to work even harder. Belinda scored them 3.5, Mark 3.0, Alisa 3.5, Jason 3.0 and Karen 3.5, for a total of 16.5 points, their best score so far.
The final performance of the night was by model Lara Bingle and her partner Matt Evers. Lara's flexibility was put to the test as they skated to the Shirley Bassey hit "Big Spender", in a routine that included a helicopter and a flying teapot. In the judges' comments, Belinda observed that for the first time, she felt she had really seen some personality from the couple, and they had really let loose, but Alisa had noticed that during the week, the couple had an element of self-doubt in them, and she would like them to start talking positively about the way they will succeed. All five judges scored them 5.0, for a total of 25.0 points, the highest score of the night.
Then it was time to combine the judges' scores with the viewer votes and reveal the four safe couples. Once they had been revealed, Jackie & Pavel and Michael & Anya were left in the bottom two. They had already survived one skate-off each, and now they had to do it once again. Both of them put in top-class performances in reprising the routines they had performed earlier, then the judges revealed the votes that would decide who would stay and who would go. Karen, Jason and Alisa cast their votes for Michael, while Mark and Belinda chose Jackie, so a titanic performance was not enough to stop the honourable Jackie Kelly's ship from sinking as she and Pavel were eliminated. The hosts then wrapped up the show by recapping the voting numbers for the five couples remaining and announcing that the voting lines were now open.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content