Strictly Come Dancing series 3

Strictly Come Dancing returned for its third series on 15 October 2005. 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. Len Goodman, Arlene Phillips, Craig Revel Horwood, and Bruno Tonioli returned as judges.

England cricketer Darren Gough and Lilia Kopylova were announced as the winners on 17 December, while Olympic hurdler Colin Jackson and Erin Boag finished in second place, and television presenter Zoe Ball and Ian Waite finished in third.

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 series featured twelve celebrity contestants.

Scoring chart
The highest score each week is indicated in with a dagger (†), while the lowest score each week is indicated in  with a double-dagger (‡).

Color key: • {{legend|gold|Winners}}

• {{legend|silver|Runners-up}}

• {{legend|tan|Third place}}

• {{legend|lightblue|Bottom two}}

• {{legend|#f4c7b8|Eliminated}}
 * 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
Musical guest: Simply Red — "Perfect Love"

Couples performed either the cha-cha-cha or the waltz, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 2
Musical guest: Westlife — "You Raise Me Up"

Couples performed either the quickstep or the rumba, and are listed in the order they performed.

Week 3
Musical guest: Michael Bublé — "Save the Last Dance for Me"

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

Week 4
Musical guest: Katie Melua — "Just Like Heaven"

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

Week 5
Musical guests: Beverley Knight & Jools Holland — "Where in the World"

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

Week 6
Musical guest: Will Young — "Happiness"

Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 7
Musical guest: Pussycat Dolls — "Sway"

Couples are listed in the order they performed.

Week 8: Quarterfinal
Musical guest: Cliff Richard — "Do You Wanna Dance"

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

Week 9: Semifinal
Musical guest: Sugababes — "Ugly"

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

Week 10: Final
Musical guest: Bruce Forsyth — "Let's Face the Music and Dance"

Each couple performed three routines: their favourite ballroom dance, their favourite Latin dance, 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)
 * Week 2: One unlearned dance (quickstep or rumba)
 * Week 3: One unlearned dance (jive or tango)
 * Week 4: One unlearned dance (foxtrot or paso doble)
 * Week 5: One unlearned dance (samba or Viennese waltz)
 * Weeks 6–7: One unlearned dance
 * Week 8 (Quarterfinal): One unlearned dance & American Smooth
 * Week 9 (Semifinal): Two unlearned dances
 * Week 10 (Final): Favourite ballroom dance, favourite Latin dance & showdance

Ratings
Weekly ratings for each show on BBC One. All ratings are provided by BARB.