GEMMA Atkinson survived to dance another week on Strictly despite judges handing her the second lowest score of the round.

The Bury actress wowed last week and was handed a score of 38 but alongside partner Alijaz Škorjanec struggled to reach those heights on Saturday.

They danced a Samba to The River of Dreams by Billy Joel and failed to impress.

They were handed three sixes and a seven, for a total score of 25.

Judge Craig Revell Horwood labelled the dance sleepy and Darcey Bussell said it was 'too sleepy'.

The show also featured Strictly's first ever 'Paso doblathon' where all seven remaining couples took to the floor at once to compete for extra points.

Gemma came fourth and won three extra points.

The combined score of 28 put the couple second bottom on the leaderboard and they then had to rely on the public vote to see them out of danger.

Fortunately for the former Emmerdale actress she had done enough to convince the public she deserved to dance another week.

Comic Susan Calman was the ninth star to be voted off the show after she was placed in the bottom two and forced to take part in a dance-off against singer Alexandra Burke.

The judges voted unanimously to save the former X-Factor winner.

There are now just six couples left fighting it out for the glitterball trophy as the show enters its final weeks.

Soap stars Joe McFadden and Davood Ghadami, Debbie McGee and singer Mollie King are also still in the running.

Saturday night's show saw Holby City star McFadden top the leaderboard as he scored a new high of 38 for his 1920s-inspired quickstep with Katya Jones, while combined with a further six points after a second-place finish in the bonus group dance pasodoblethon.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 7.05pm on BBC One.