Strictly Come Dancing returned for its fourth series on 7 October 2006. Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly returned to co-present the main show on BBC One, while Claudia Winkleman returned to present the spin-off show Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two on BBC Two. Len Goodman, Arlene Phillips, Craig Revel Horwood, and Bruno Tonioli returned as judges.

Mark Ramprakash and Karen Hardy were announced as the winners on 23 December, while England rugby player Matt Dawson and Lilia Kopylova finished in second place.

Format

The couples dance each week in a live show. The judges score each performance out of ten. The couples are then ranked according to the judges' scores and given points according to their rank, with the lowest scored couple receiving one point, and the highest scored couple receiving the most points (the maximum number of points available depends on the number of couples remaining in the competition). The public are also invited to vote for their favourite couples, and the couples are ranked again according to the number of votes they receive, again receiving points; the couple with the fewest votes receiving one point, and the couple with the most votes receiving the most points.

The points for judges' score and public vote are then added together, and the two couples with the fewest points are placed in the bottom two. If two couples have equal points, the points from the public vote are given precedence.

Couples

This season featured fourteen celebrity contestants.

Scoring chart

The highest score each week is indicated in bold green with a dagger (†), while the lowest score each week is indicated in italicized red with a double-dagger (‡).

Color key:

Notes

Weekly scores

Unless indicated otherwise, individual judges scores in the charts below (given in parentheses) are listed in this order from left to right: Craig Revel Horwood, Arlene Phillips, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli.

Week 1

Only half of the couples performed this week, and they performed either the cha-cha-cha or the waltz. The couples who did not compete this week performed a group mambo that was not scored. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 2

Couples performed either the quickstep or the rumba. The couples who did not compete this week performed a group swing dance that was not scored. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 3

Jimmy Tarbuck chose to withdraw from the competition on the advice of his doctor due to high blood pressure.^[1]

Couples performed either the jive or the tango, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 4

Couples performed either the foxtrot or the paso doble, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 5

Couples performed either the salsa or the Viennese waltz, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 6

Couples performed either the American Smooth or the samba, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 7

Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 8

Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 9

Each couple performed two routines, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 10: Quarterfinal

Each couple performed two routines, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 11: Semifinal

Each couple performed two routines, one of which was the Argentine tango, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 12: Final

Each couple performed three routines: their favourite ballroom dance, their favourite Latin dance, one dance performed to the same song, and their showdance routine. Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Dance chart

The couples performed the following each week:

• Week 1: One unlearned dance (cha-cha-cha or waltz); group mambo
• Week 2: One unlearned dance (quickstep or rumba); group swing dance
• Week 3: One unlearned dance (jive or tango)
• Week 4: One unlearned dance (foxtrot or paso doble)
• Week 5: One unlearned dance (salsa or Viennese waltz)
• Week 6: One unlearned dance (American Smooth or samba)
• Weeks 7–8: One unlearned dance
• Week 9: Two unlearned dances
• Week 10 (Quarterfinal): Two unlearned dances
• Week 11 (Semifinal): One unlearned dance & Argentine tango
• Week 12 (Final): Favourite ballroom dance, favourite Latin dance, one new dance & showdance

Ratings

Weekly ratings for each show on BBC One. All ratings are provided by BARB.^[2]