'Daring' Gethin is top of Strictly Come Dancing - but Matt fights to survive

Meanwhile heartthrob Matt Di Angelo found himself fighting to stay in the competition.

The Blue Peter presenter and dance partner Camilla Dallerup mesmerised the judges and audience alike with their "daring" American Smooth and "great" Jive - securing them an impressive 75-out-of-80 points.

It's an almost certainty that Jones will meet previous firm favourite Alesha Dixon and her dance partner Matthew Cutler in the final on 22 December.

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'Daring' Gethin Jones and Camilla Dallerup topped the judges' leaderboard with their energectic American Smooth and Jive

However it was the other male to reach the quarter-finals who was overcome with "nerves" and led to the most heated exchange yet between judges Len Goodman and Craig Revel Horwood.

Instead of wowing the judges, Di Angelo and dance partner Flavia Cacace's Foxtrot merely "saddened" them, while their Samba ended up being described as a "great pity".

They scored the lowest points of the night with 55-out-of-80.

As Goodman told Di Angelo after his mistake-ridden samba: "It's a bitter pill to swallow. Nerves have done you (Di Angelo) in.

"It was a great pity," he added.

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'Nerves' got the better of Matt Di Angelo (above with Flavia Cacace) during his Samba and Pasa Doble. He is sure to be in the dance-off after scoring a low 55-out-of-80 points

It was left to Revel Horwood (as always) to stamp the point home.

"You were counting all the way through (the samba) which annoyed me... Your timing was out the majority of the dance," he said.

"You (Revel Horwood) are here to encourage not criticise," an angered Goodman told Revel Horwood.

"I'm here to judge," Revel Horwood argued back.

"You got on my nerves today," Goodman retaliated before threatening to walk out.

As always it was left to the show's sage presenter Bruce Forsythe to diffuse the situation with his quick-witted humour.

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Head judge Len Goodman was furious with Craig Revel Horwood's constant 'negative' comments and threatened to walk off the show as a result

Earlier in the night, an "unleashed" Jones had once again created a frenzy with his new dance floor persona, "casting off that cloak of modesty forever" according to Arlene Phillips.

"You (Jones) remind me of myself... Boyish grin," Goodman told a beaming Jones after his American Smooth.

"Keep your eyes on the prize. On that performance, you're in next week's semi-final," he added.

"You've (Jones) got the final. You can smell the final," Tonioli said.

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This week's runners up: Alesha Dixon and Matthew Cutler once more impressed the judges - this time with their Pasa Doble and Viennese Waltz

Jones' biggest rival, Dixon, also put in two impressive performances with her "wonderful" Viennese Waltz and "dramatic" Pasa Doble, securing 74-out-of-80.

"The fairytale is just beginning," Tonioli told Dixon.

"How can anybody resist your beauty, your radiance?" he added.

"If you (Dixon) don't get four tens for that, I'm going to go home and pickle my walnuts," Goodman joked.

"Matt and Alesha, you turn a simple Viennese Waltz into a magical memory," Phillips said.

Di Angelo is likely to meet Letitia Dean in Sunday's dance-off.

While the former Eastenders actress won praise for her "star turn" during the Viennese Waltz, her Jive "overwhelmed" her, according to Revel Horwood.

The big question is, will Di Angelo be back next week to perform the tango?

The scores:

1. Gethin Jones and Camilla Dallerup - 75

2. Alesha Dixon and Matthew Cutler - 74

3 Letitia Dean and Darren Bennett - 65

4. Matt Di Angelo and Flavia Cacace - 55