BRADFORD'S own entry in this year's Strictly Come Dancing, TV presenter Anita Rani has made her debut bid for glitterball glory.
The 37-year-old, whose mum still lives in the city, had judges gushing over her first dance on the show and got the audience up, cheering on their feet as she wowed them with the cha, cha, cha.
The former Sunrise radio presenter and Countryfile host is being partnered by new professional dancer Gleb Savchenko. Their routine to Rather Be by Clean Bandit earned them 27 points from the judges.
The 37-year-old looked relieved when it was all over but the judges gushed over her the performance which saw her whip off a bright yellow raincoat to reveal a short sparkly silver dress with tassels with and red high heels.
Judge Bruno Tonioli said: “That’s how you interpret the cheekiness of the cha cha cha! Well done!” while Craig Revel Horwood admitted he was surprised, he said: “I was shocked that it was so good, to be honest.”
And Len Goodman added: "You gave that plenty of welly!”
It was singer Peter Andre who raised the roof and topped the leaderboard with his red-hot cha cha cha in the second part of Strictly Come Dancing's opening double-header.
The 42-year-old justified his position as the bookmakers' favourite to win the glitterball as he strutted across the dance floor to Christina Aguilera's Ain't No Other Man with partner Janette Manrara.
The audience rose as one at the end and the judges were full of praise as they awarded 30 points.
Elsewhere, broadcaster Jeremy Vine had judge Darcey Bussell in giggles as he and partner Karen Clifton danced a rip-roaring cha cha cha to September by Earth, Wind And Fire but he ended up with a score of just 20.
Broadcaster Katie Derham had a ball dancing a jive with partner Anton Du Beke and earned 26 point, singer-turned-presenter Jamelia with waltz partner Tristan MacManus totted up 21 points.
Former athlete Iwan Thomas and Strictly favourite Ola Jordan did not quite make the grade with their tango scraping only 17 points while pop star Jay McGuiness from The Wanted and partner Aliona Vilani earned 27 points.
TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher was noticeably nervous and it showed in her performance with partner Brendan Cole getting 20 points while - celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott scored the same.
Former Coronation Street actress Georgia May Foote and new professional Giovanni Pernice matched Ms Rani's 27 points for the effort - the lowest marks at 16 went to BBC Breakfast's Carol Kirkwood.
The next episode of Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One on Saturday at 6.20pm.
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