Who has made the 'Strictly Come Dancing' semi-final?

The Strictly Come Dancing 2020 semi-finalists have been named after JJ Chalmers and Amy Dowden were voted out in musicals week.

Royal Marines veteran and Invictus Games medallist Chalmers went up against Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing in the quarter-final dance off, but the judges chose to save Laing and his partner Karen Hauer.

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That leaves Laing, HRVY, Maisie Smith, Ranvir Singh, and Bill Bailey as this year’s semi-finalists.

Chalmers had danced a Charleston to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for musicals week, while Laing had performed a Jive based on the show Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

Laing has been in the dance off a number of times, but said he didn’t mind being in the bottom two as he knew he’d missed a step in Saturday’s performance.

Both couples had also been in the bottom two spots on the leaderboard after the judges’ scoring, with popstar HRVY in top position on 29 points for his American Smooth inspired by A Chorus Line.

Viewers had been outraged that EastEnders actor Smith didn’t score full marks for her Little Shop of Horrors Jive, although she did avoid the dance off this week.

The deciding vote came down to head judge Shirley Ballas as Craig Revel Horwood had voted to keep Laing and Motsi Mabuse had chosen Chalmers.

Talking after the result was announced, Chalmers paid tribute to dance partner Amy Dowden, who suffers from Crohn’s disease.

He said: “She’s been through a lot in her own life...Any day she could wake up and be hospitalised, so she lives in fear of letting people down, but the way you’ve built me up, you could never let me down.”

Dowden said: “I honestly believe working with JJ I’ve become a better person, the way he faces challenges is incredible.”

Chalmers said: “I got half decent maybe at something I had no clue about to begin with. It’s been an absolute blast and such a privilege.

“It’s been an unbelievable challenge and put me well outside of my comfort zone.”

Watch: Craig Revel Horwood talks filming Strictly in lockdown

Chalmers, who was injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011, has recently said that he will undergo surgery on an old war wound after leaving Strictly.

During his time on the show, viewers saw him receive a good luck pep talk from friend Prince Harry, who watched him rehearse over a video call.

It has been a shorter series than usual this year due to COVID filming restrictions, which delayed the start of Strictly and meant that fewer celebrities than other years were signed up to take part.

The live grand final is due to air on Saturday, December 19.

Watch: Who are this year’s Strictly Come Dancing contestants?