Faye Tozer jives through to the Blackpool ballroom after wowing Strictly Come Dancing judges

Faye Tozer and Giovanni Pernice perform their jive

The Steps star collected a 10 amongst her scores as she and partner Giovanni Pernice wowed the judges on Saturday night.

Faye, who lives in West Boldon with her family, performed a jive for the audience in the BBC One show, and earned a second place on the leader board with 36 points.

Now they will go on to dance at Blackpool’s world-famous Tower Ballroom next week.

While judge Bruno Tonioli awarded them a full 10 and his fellow panel members Dame Darcey Bussell and Craig Revel Horwood gave them a nine, head judge Shirley Ballas gifted them just an eight, saying: "I think it was extremely competent and I think it was extremely capable and I think you’re an outstanding dancer, I want to say that first.

"But we are now going into Blackpool week and I just get the feeling that most people are fighting, truly fighting for their position."

This evening, viewers saw Danny John-Jules eliminated after the dance-off.

The Red Dwarf star had been the subject of a string of headlines about a disagreement in the dance studio with partner Amy Dowden but after he got the boot he paid tribute to her, saying: "Everything I have done on this show is because of Amy."

Dowden had reportedly walked out of a session on Wednesday, before the pair resolved the row and returned to training.

But their Caribbean-themed samba to Feels Like Home by Sigala, Fuse ODG, Sean Paul and Kent Jones landed them at the bottom of the leaderboard for the second week in a row.

He eventually got the chop after landing in the dance-off with cricketer Graeme Swann and his professional partner Oti Mabuse.

After both couples danced again, judge Craig Revel Horwood chose to save John-Jules and Dowden saying: "Just for sheer level of difficulty and who I think is the best dancer. That is Danny and Amy."

But Darcey Bussell chose to save Graeme and Oti, saying: "I wish you didn't put me in this position, I am not enjoying this at all.

"The couple I would like to save, on a more finished performance without any mistakes, is Graeme and Oti."

Bruno Tonioli and Shirley Ballas both echoed Bussell's sentiments, with Ballas saying: "Both couples were really wonderful. I think they both put the best step forward but with a more flawless performance, more energy packed, with more excitement, I'm going to go with Graeme and Oti."