Chris Hollins and Ola Jordan get the evening off to a sizzling start with a raunchy rhumba.
The audience love it but Craig isn't so enamoured: "There's been no real improvement from week one," he tells Chris. "Your hands are absolutely dreadful."
Darcey wasn't impressed either: "Chris, you were being a very good partner, but I was expecting more moves this week," she said.
At least Len was more positive: "Okay, Chris, you may not be the most fantastic dancer, but if it were all down to entertainment, hard work and dedication you would top the leaderboard every week," he tells him.
An excited Bruno gushed: "Talk about determination. You went for it like a sex-starved fiend. Oh la la!"
They get 38 points.
BBC Pictures
Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna deliver a passionate Argentine tango for their first dance of the evening.
"Beautiful," Darcey tells them. "You did go a little wrong with nerves. You could have made the steps sharper and cleaner but I liked it."
Len agreed, adding: "If you want to be here next week you've got to kiss goodbye to your nerves. I know it's easy to say 'just relax' – but just relax!"
Alesha admitted she was distracted by Ali's nerves, but said: "That aside, I thought it was great."
Bruno said: "Sometimes I think nerves stop the flow. Nevertheless you are a great dancer."
They get 42 points.
BBC Pictures
For their first dance, Ricky Whittle and Natalie Lowe perform a graceful waltz.
"Beautifully executed," said Alesha. "The way you lead Natalie is remarkable. You've been the strongest contender since week one. That was incredible. Well done."
Bruno loved it too: "Smooth, refined and romantic – a waltz of timeless elegance. You make it look easy but it requires so much control and technique. Fabulous!"
"Simple, elegant, gorgeous," announced Craig.
Darcey was impressed too, saying: "That was beautiful choreography - so simple. You were true quality and class, Ricky. You held your posture. You look like a real man out there. Fab!"
They get 47 points.
BBC Pictures
For their second dance, Chris and Ola perform a feisty Argentine tango.
Bruno adored the passion but had a problem with 'the face,' telling Chris: "You just have to relax without forcing your face all the time."
Craig agreed, adding: "The trout mouth is back, but I'm starting to find it oddly endearing. I loved the choreography. You danced it really, really, well."
Darcey said it was so much better than the rhumba and Len was full of praise too.
"You epitomise what I love about Strictly Come Dancing," he says: "No dance experience whatsoever but you come out and have a go – and what a go! I didn't look at your face once. I was mesmerized by the chemistry between you."
They get 42 points.
BBC Pictures
For their second dance, Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna perform a stunning American Smooth.
"I loved your American smooth the first time I saw it," said Len: "This was better."
Alesha loved it too: You're the last girl standing, but you're doing us proud. Simple, elegant, classy – classic," she said.
"The ballroom dazzler is back! Fluidity, musicality. You were radiant. I loved it," gushed Bruno.
Even Craig had just one word to say, and thankfully it wasn't a bad one: "One word, three syllables, starts with 'f' darling – fab-u-lous!"
They get 50 points – a perfect score for the second time in the series.
BBC Pictures
For their second dance, Ricky Whittle and Natalie Lowe perform an amazingly passionate Argentine tango – earning them a standing ovation from the audience.
Craig picks up on the one small mistake of the routine telling them: "You came down the stairs at the wrong time together but... I LOVED IT!"
Darcey was full of praise: "The intensity was wonderful. Your timing and musicality were perfect," she said, adding: "I couldn't tell that you weren't a professional dancer."
Alesha added: "Sexy, hot, passionate, intense. That made the hairs on my arms stand up. Fantastic!"
Len said: "The British love an underdog – but more than that we love justice. If you're not in the final there is no justice."
They get 49 points – one away from a perfect score thanks to a nine from Craig.
BBC Pictures
The results of the public vote are in. As there is no dance-off this week, It's announced that Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna have the fewest votes and will be going home.
This means Chris Hollins and Ricky Whittle will battle it out in next week's final.
BBC Pictures
BBC Breakfast sports reporter Chris Hollins has won this year's Strictly Come Dancing, beating favourite Ricky Whittle to the title.
Reader Comments (460)
Laurence at 5:31PM on Dec 19th 2009
Ricky robbed. This result had nothing to do with dance ability.
alan walker at 5:23AM on Dec 20th 2009
I think Ola probably got more votes than Chris. Ricky was robbed.
Gaynor Fury at 5:21AM on Dec 20th 2009
Absolute wrong decision! Ricky was by far the better dancer and as so many have said it's a dance competition!! Perhaps future shows should be decided by judges only.
roni at 6:07AM on Dec 20th 2009
wake up...they were both good and Ricky could certainly dance but for sheer magic he was way out of his league.
Nobody watched Ola..Chris is such a super guy too..he first thanked Ricky for the final and also the rest of the dancers..nothing 'ego' about him.
Des Diamond at 7:14AM on Dec 20th 2009
I agree entirely...the winners in my opinion were put out last week and the runner up yesterday deserved second place, if not first, but no-way did the winner deserve his place...third place yes but not first. This means, again in my opinion, that the JUDGES should judge and not the public...what do we know when it comes to what the judges know and have learned over many years of dedicated hard work...they see things we wouldn't know about and that is how you judge properly. I refused to watch the final as this contest has become a sham and as it is a dancing competition the public should NOT be invited to vote, they've ruined the whole thing, those who deserve better got less as a result. Change the voting system!!!
V Cundall at 7:33AM on Dec 20th 2009
The programme is about entertainment, and on this Chris Hollins came out on top. His dancing was superb, his entertainment value even better, Ricky may have been technically better his enterainment value was not
Judy at 8:28AM on Dec 20th 2009
Here here!
Chris at 8:59AM on Dec 20th 2009
Ricky is no doubt the best dancer and will probably dance professionally in the not too distant future.
However, Chris I think won the title because the public considered him as the best all round entrant for entertainment throughout the series. Also for his relationship with Ola, his partner and their amazing journey of hard work and determination to take Chris from non-dancer to an extremely proficient and successful one. He has also provided the non-dancers of the public with the self belief that they too could achieve what Chris has at ballroom dancing. Well done Chris & Ola.
BROWNING at 9:28AM on Dec 20th 2009
I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. WHAT A FARCE. NOT ONLY WAS RICKY ROBBED ON THE FINAL NIGHT, BUT HE WAS CONSTANTLY ROBBED THROUGHOUT ON POINTS FROM THE VINDICTIVE JUDGES. THE FACT THAT HOLLINS WORKS FOR BBC DOES NOT SURPRISE ME WHERE THE RESULT IS CONCERNED. RICKY SHOULD NOT BOTHER TO GO ON THE TOUR. HE MADE THE MOST EFFORT DURING THE WHOLE SHOW. SO WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? BBC SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. I SMELL SOMETHING FOUL .
patricia at 12:44PM on Dec 20th 2009
Its a contrived result, as it has been before, and Len Goodman not only must have known the result, but encouraged the public to vote as they did.Why else would he have made the remarks he made to Ricky He of all people should encourage voters to choose the BEST dancers not just the second rate dancers,much improved though they may have been. The runners up were mugged.!!!