With just seven contestants remaining and Blackpool a distant memory, things are getting close as the celebrities compete for the glitterball trophy.

Looking back at the series so far, we’ve rounded up each of the contestants’ best and worst dances – and their thoughts on the Strictly experience so far.

Anita Rani

Partner: Gleb Savchenko

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Anita Rani
Strictly Come Dancing contestant Anita Rani (Ray Burmiston/BBC)

Worst result: 27/40 for week one’s Cha Cha, week two’s Charleston and week four’s Samba.

Best result: 37/40 for week nine’s Paso Doble.

Anita on…

Gorgeous Gleb: “Is he gorgeous? I haven’t noticed! We now have a running joke, he’ll come in and say, ‘Anita, how do you cope?’ Because it’s the one question people keep asking me. He is beautiful and it’s very nice to dance with a man who looks like that.”

Anita Rani and Gleb Savchenko
Anita Rani and Gleb Savchenko (BBC Pictures)

The dresses: “I prefer the Latin outfits. When in your life would you ever wear anything that sexy? My launch outfit, I just could not believe it, it was like, ‘Where are my clothes?’ There was side ass on show and now I’m like, ‘You’re going to cover me?’ It’s a huge part of getting into the character, you sort of owe it to the outfit.”

Anita Rani and Gleb Savchenko
Anita Rani and Gleb Savchenko (Ray Burmiston/BBC)

Wardrobe malfunctions: “I’ve seen pretty much every celebrity in their pants. It’s the most strange, weird world that we’re living in. I’ve not suffered any malfunctions – touch wood.”

Georgia May Foote

Partner: Giovanni Pernice

Strictly Come Dancing's Georgia May Foote
Strictly Come Dancing’s Georgia May Foote (Guy Levy/BBC)

Worst result: 25/40 for week two’s Waltz.

Best result: 39/40 for week eight’s Charleston.

Georgia on…

Suffering for your art: “I couldn’t walk at last Sunday’s rehearsals because my calf was torn from the Charleston. When I did the flip, my leg gave way a little bit because I had no strength in it, but no pain, no gain! It hurts your neck doing a lot of ballroom because there’s a lot of tensing.”

Being mates: “Giovanni and I are like brother and sister, he does my absolute nut in. When you dance with someone every day, [you just think], ‘No, I’m all right thanks’. I’ve got a beautiful boyfriend [former Corrie star Sean Ward] who’s even more gorgeous!”

Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice
Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice (BBC Pictures)

Losing inhibitions: “I’m quite a self-conscious person, but the longer you’re on the competition, the more it’s normal that that’s what you’re wearing.”

Helen George

Partner: Aljaz Skorjanec

Helen George
(Ian West/PA)

Worst result: 29/40 for week one’s Waltz and week two’s Cha Cha.

Best result: 35/40 for week five’s Quickstep.

Helen on…

Getting fit: “It does change your body, definitely, because you’re using muscles you don’t usually use. It’s a different form of exercise than I usually do. I don’t think I’ve necessarily lost weight.”

Helen George and Aljaz Skorjanec
Helen George and Aljaz Skorjanec (BBC Pictures)

Aiming to please: “I think all of the judges are as important as the next, because they all stand for something different in the competition and you’re there to please them, ultimately. Like a good student, you want to turn up at the end of the week and present something that’s all right and have them say nice things about you. That’s the whole point, really.”

Reaching the final: “It would be the icing on the cake, because for me, it was never about getting to the final but about doing it. But we’ve had a lovely time and if I left, I’d be sad and sat at home doing nothing, but happy because one of your mates has stayed in.”

Jay McGuiness

Partner: Aliona Vilani

Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani
Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani (BBC Pictures)

Worst result: 25/40 for week four’s Quickstep.

Best result: 37/40 for week three’s Jive.

Jay on…

Learning from the best: “I feel like I’m learning fast. I couldn’t ask for more. Aliona’s really awesome. She’s the one in control and I’m the one who needs to be constantly told what the hell it is I’m supposed to be doing.”

Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani
Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani (BBC Pictures)

Remaining open-minded: “Wearing the infamous Strictly costumes was something I was nervous about. but I decided to be open-minded about it, if a little hesitant. I realise the sequins and shininess are a necessary evil.”

Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani
Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani (BBC Pictures)

Letting his hair down: “We have a few drinks after the show and then head to our local pub. It’s something we do every week now. It’s my family and I, and Aliona and her husband Vincent.”

Katie Derham

Partner: Anton du Beke

Katie Derham
Katie Derham (Ian West/PA)

Worst result: 20/40 for week three’s Cha Cha.

Best result: 35/40 for week nine’s American Smooth.

Katie on…

Getting glam: “The outfits are always amazing, it’s just whether you can do the dance, and that’s been pretty mixed for me. You have that conversation at the beginning about bits you’d prefer covered up.”

Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke
Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke (Guy Levy/BBC)

Being the people’s favourite: “Anton’s very popular. I laugh at his jokes. Anton’s never done a show dance and he’s got years of choreography in his head, so it would run about 15 minutes.”

Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke
Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke (BBC Pictures)

Proud hubby: “John [Vincent; restaurater] has known me 20 years so there’s not a lot I can surprise him with, but he’s very proud and really enthusiastic, and leads the troops behind the scenes. He did like the Rumba outfit. It hasn’t come home but my mother-in-law said I had to buy that one to show the grandchildren one day.”

Kellie Bright

Partner: Kevin Clifton

Kellie Bright
Kellie Bright (Ray Burmiston/BBC)

Worst result: 27/40 for week one’s Tango and week two’s Cha Cha.

Best result: 37/40 for week nine’s Quickstep.

Kellie on…

Needing a break: “I recently had a week off from EastEnders so I could focus just on the dancing and it was amazing. I needed it. If Strictly was a marathon, I’d hit my 17-mile mark, where I was either going to end up in a heap crying or push through it and come out the other side. Now I feel like I’m over that hump.”

Kevin Clifton and Kellie Bright on Stricly Come Dancing
Kevin Clifton and Kellie Bright (Guy Levy/BBC)

Tightening up: “Everything’s gone tighter and sucked itself in a little bit more. I’ve lost about half a stone since the beginning of the training.”

Kevin Clifton and Kellie Bright
Kevin Clifton and Kellie Bright (Peter Byrne/PA)

Upping her game: “I thought I was going to enjoy it – but had no idea I was going to enjoy it this much, and I thought it was going to be hard work – but had no idea that it was going to be this level! Each week, it’s like being a beginner. There’s so much to think about and you’ve still got to go out and perform. It was a shock to me how terrifying that is, it doesn’t get any easier.”

Peter Andre

Partner: Janette Manrara

Peter Andre and Janette Manrara
Peter Andre and Janette Manrara (Guy Levy/BBC)

Worst result: 28/40 for week three’s Paso Doble and week six’s Foxtrot.

Best result: 38/40 for week seven’s Charleston.

Peter on…

Keeping upbeat: “I love the high energy dances. The day before the Charleston, I was thinking, ‘Geez, I’ve got to get this’, and on the day it was right, but you never know whether it will be.”

Peter Andre and Janette Manrara
Peter Andre and Janette Manrara (BBC Pictures)

Losing weight: “I lost a lot weight at the start, about 4kg – to the weight I was in the Mysterious Girl video. Do you know how nice it is to eat what you want and not worry?”

Strictly Come Dancing's Peter Andre
Strictly Come Dancing’s Peter Andre (BBC Pictures)

Gaining confidence: “I feel a lot more confident now than before, because you think, ‘I can do better than I thought’. It’s that final stretch and I’m going to put in more effort than ever. Anyone would love to get to the final, but we’ll see what happens.”

Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One on Saturday nights followed by the results show on Sunday evenings.