Ricky Whittle & Natalie Lowe: Video and bios of the Strictly contestants

• Week 14, The Result: Based entirely on the public vote, Ricky was runner-up in the final of 2009.

• Week 14, Show 1: Quickstep 50 / 50 and Lindy Hop: 43 / 50

  Week 14, Show 2: Cha Cha 48 / 50 and Showdance: 49 / 50

  Overall combined score for all four dances: 190 / 200

• Week 13: Waltz 47 / 50 and Argentine Tango: 49 / 50

  Overall combined score for the two dances: 96 / 100

• Week 12: Foxtrot 48 / 50 and Cha Cha: 47 / 50

  Overall combined score for the two dances: 95 / 100

  Then in the dance-off with Laila Rouass and Anton du Beke and saved by the judges.

• Week 11: Rock 'n' Roll 31 / 40 and Group Dance: 9 / 10

  Overall combined score for the two dances: 40 / 50

  Then in the dance-off with Natalie Cassidy and Vincent Simone and saved by the judges.

• Week 10: American Smooth - 36 / 40

• Week 9: Jive - 35 / 40

• Week 8: Tango - 35 / 40

• Week 7: Quickstep - 39 / 40

• Week 6: Samba - 32 / 40

• Week 5: Viennese waltz - 36 / 40

• Week 4: Quickstep - 32 / 40

• Week 3: Quickstep - 35 / 40

• Week 2 - Show 2: Rumba - 32 / 40

• Week 2 - Show 1: Waltz - 33 / 40

View our weekly scoreboards gallery to see where Ricky was placed.

You can read our Message Board discussions on Ricky's progress.

hollymcd said: “He (Ricky) is a fabulous dancer, certainly the best male celeb dancer and maybe the best ever celeb dancer. His performances were incredible and the pro dancers all seemed to acknowledge how good he was which was lovely; a standing ovation from the audience just speaks for itself really...”

He’s hoping to look just as impressive on the Strictly dance floor and would love to receive a perfect 40 from the Strictly judges.

Ricky was born in Oldham. His father was in the RAF which resulted in the family travelling to numerous different bases around the world.

He excelled in many sports at school, particularly impressing at football, representing his country at youth level several times. Despite being scouted by both Arsenal and Celtic, an injury ended any hopes he had to pursue a professional career and so Ricky began a four year law degree at Southampton University. Whilst there he began modelling, securing some high profile campaigns.

In 2002, he successfully auditioned for Sky One's Dream Team and played bad boy Ryan Naysmith. He enjoyed the filming experience so much that he decided to forgo his career in the law courts and opted instead to pursue a career on screen.

In 2006 he joined to cast of Channel 4's Hollyoaks and has set many hearts fluttering as good boy turned bad, Calvin Valentine. He has been nominated several times for sexiest male at various soap awards, no doubt helped by his many scenes featuring him in nothing but scantily clad underwear and Heat magazine Torso of the Week features!

Natalie’s mother and father weren’t dancers, apart from the occasional shuffle around the kitchen table, but she was encouraged by her neighbours to start ballroom dancing at three years old. She started out at the local Seven Hills RSL club in 1985.

Natalie had her first try out in 1986 with Jonathon Doone and she started competing straight away. She later decided she wanted to dance with her brother Glenn, even though he was 5 years older than her. So she missed out most of her junior years to dance with him and went straight to the adult category.

They competed in small, intensive trips overseas and had lessons from some of the world’s best teachers. Natalie was planning to move to Europe to further her dance education and training, but due to a family illness she stayed in Australia.

What she didn’t realise at the time was that this would be the start of her ‘Strictly’ story, as she was picked to be a regular dancer on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ there. Series 7 is her first on the UK's Strictly Come Dancing.