Ed's highest score so far in TV's Strictly scary special

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Undated BBC handout photo of Ed Balls MP and Katya Jones during Saturday's live edition of the BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday October 29, 2016. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption. — For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only Undated BBC handout photo of Ed Balls MP and Katya Jones during Saturday's live edition of the BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday October 29, 2016. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.

Former Morley and Outwood MP, Ed Balls conjured up a magic potion during Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing Halloween special as he scored his highest points total for the series.

Dressed as a mad scientist the ex-Labour MP was awarded 26 points for his cha cha cha with partner Katya Jones to Hansel Martinez’s version of Love Potion No. 9.

Full of pelvic thrusts and crotch-grabbing, the dance wooed the judges with Bruno Tonioli deeming it “toxic, addictive and horribly fabulous”.

Craig Revel Horwood, who has awarded the pair two points for their last two performances, was hysterically laughing as he admitted the dance was “on time” .

Head judge Len Goodman called it Balls’s “best dance yet”.

For the first time since week two the pair were not bottom of the leaderboard as singer Anastacia and partner Brendan Cole collected just 25 points for their jive to Bat Out Of Hell by Meatloaf.

At the top of the leaderboard was Laura Whitmore who missed last week’s show with an ankle injury.

The Halloween special opened with a tribute to Pete Burns who died last week after suffering a cardiac arrest.

The weekly group dance was performed to the former Dead Or Alive frontman’s biggest hit, You Spin Me Round (Like A Record).

Show bosses revealed the routine had been in the planning for months, adding: “We couldn’t think of a better way to honour his name - and this brilliant track - than to make it the most spectacular Halloween Special group dance in the show’s history.”

Burns co-wrote the hit track which went to number one in the UK in 1985.

Following the dance, host Tess Daly said: “We send our love to his family and friends.”

After finishing bottom of the leaderboard Anastacia became the favourite to leave the competition on Sunday’s show.