I'm glad Pete Wicks is in the Strictly Come Dancing semi-finals & reckon I've predicted the results

This week's Strictly Come Dancing episodes mark the penultimate shows of the year, with the final taking place the following Saturday.

Perhaps unlike most of the Strictly audience this year, I am extremely pleased by the final five celebrities.

After last weekend’s show- which saw Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe leave - various news outlets reported that fans were angry to see that Pete Wickes had made it through yet another week without a sniff of the dance off.

I however am pleased to see Pete make it so far, his dances make me smile every week and I genuinely have loved seeing his progression throughout the competition.

It’s far more engaging witnessing his reluctant body learn to twist and jive like the rest of ‘em than it is to see professional dancer Tasha Ghouri learn how to perfect a new dance style (which by the way she had done by week three when she got 39/40).

Speaking of Tasha, many people were shocked to see her in the bottom two last week but I wasn’t as, to be honest, I thought her dance was slightly boring.

Nevertheless I am still glad Tasha was saved as she is without a doubt the best dancer so it would only be right that she went all the way.

I do however agree with comedian Chirs McCausland’s rather controversial assertion this week that Strictly “'isn't a dance competition”.

Dancing of course plays a huge part as to why people watch and vote on the show, but only as much as each celebrity’s personalities and stories do too.

That’s why I’m glad that Pete is still in the top 5 and why I don’t think the ‘best’ dancer Tasha will win.

Instead I think it will be Chris McCausland who takes the glitterball trophy (not much of a shock there, he has been the favourite since essentially week one.)

Sticking my neck out further I predict Sara Hadland will be second, JB Gill third, Tasha fourth and Pete fifth- but that’s only if Pete finally does make it to the bottom two, where he will without a doubt be sent home by the judges.

But hey Pete’s fans haven’t failed him yet so I also wouldn’t be surprised if this weekend he gets away scott free yet again, in which case I have no idea which couple the judges will save this weekend.

This year there’s a particular sense of unpredictability in the air- even as we enter the semi-final- and honestly, I’m all here for it!