The grand finale of Strictly is coming ever closer and the remaining celebrities are preparing to dance for their lives, not once but twice.

The queues are building outside Elstree Studios in Borehamwood ahead of tonight’s quarter finals.

After the departure of the final comedy candidate Mark Benton last week, the remaining contestants are relying on their dancing abilities rather than their fun factor to keep them in the game.

BBC presenter Susanna Reid is at the bottom of the score board after scoring 33 points last week.

She will be hoping to produce moves to rival the King of Pop as she dances the Argentine Tango to Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson.

Natalie Gumede, who has dominated the top of the leaderboard since the competition, had a surprise slip down to third place last week. Will her paso doble have the poise and passion to win over the judges?

Abbey Clancey’s place in the final seems assured after her show stealing salsa last week scored the first 40 of the series. This week she will be performing a Viennese waltz to Tom Jones’s Delilah.

But tonight’s celebrities have another challenge facing them, the swingathon.

This dance off with a difference sees all six celebrities and their partners simultaneously strutting their stuff on stage, until the last one is left standing.

In previous years the winner of the swingathon has gone on to secure the top spot so contestants will be hoping they have the stamina to shine in this new challenge.