The Strictly Come Dancing scoring system combines judges and viewers votes. No couple is guaranteed to be safe on Judges' votes alone however, and the viewers' votes can always influence the outcome. This means each week any couple can face or be saved from the dance off with the public vote. In the event of a tie, the viewers' votes will take precedence over the Judges' scoring.
After all couples have performed, the Jjudges' scores will be added together and the couples will be ranked according to the scores received. The couple ranked the highest will be awarded a number of points equal to the number of couples competing that evening. So, for example, if seven couples are competing, the points awarded to the highest ranked couple (based on the Judges total score) will be 7, the couple with the second highest score from the Judges will receive 6 points and so on in the same downward sequential order.
In the event of a tie, where two or more couples obtain the same number of points, the couple below those in the tie will be awarded one point below the points awarded to each of the tied couples. So, for example, if two couples obtain the same rank and obtain 7 points each, the couple immediately below them will be awarded 6 points. The scoring of all other couples underneath will follow in the same descending order.
After the ranking and points based on the Judges' scores have been announced, the viewers will be given the opportunity to vote by calling the numbers announced for each couple or online by accessing http://www.bbc.co.uk/strictly
After the telephone and online voting has closed, the viewers' votes will be collated and independently verified. The couples will be ranked based on the total number of viewers' votes received. The couple with the highest number of viewers' votes will be awarded a number of points equal to the number of couples competing that evening. So, for example, if seven couples are competing, the points awarded to the highest ranked couple (based on the viewers' total score) will be 7, the couple with the second highest score from the viewers will receive 6 points and so on in the same downward sequential order.
In the event of a tie, where two or more couples obtain the same number of points, the couple below those in the tie will be awarded one point below the points awarded to each of the couples in the tie. So, for example, if two couples obtain the same rank and obtain 7 points each, the couple immediately below them will be awarded 6 points. The scoring of all other couples underneath will follow in the same descending order.
Once the Judges' scores and viewer’s votes have been combined, if there is a tie between any couples, then the couple in the tie with the highest number of viewer votes will be deemed to be ahead on the leaderboard.
In the unlikely event that there is a tie in the Judges' scores and the public phone and online vote for the two or more couples at the bottom of the leaderboard the Judges will confer and decide which of the couples to save and which to put through to the dance-off. The format may be altered by Production throughout the series to allow for other routines or group dances.
