Silverstone Leasing’s Sophie Norville has secured a standout second-place finish at Strictly Northampton, rounding off months of training with a confident performance in front of a packed audience at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton.

The annual dance event, which featured 36 couples divided into six groups, saw each pair perform one classic ballroom routine — either the jive or the waltz — alongside a Latin number such as the tango or cha cha cha. Only eight couples progressed to the final stage of the contest, adding extra intensity to an already competitive evening.

Sophie, encouraged to take part by her husband and Silverstone Leasing managing director Scott Norville, said she felt overwhelmed by the result. She said: “My aim was simply to reach the final eight and have the chance to dance alone on that stage. To make the final four and finish second was incredible. I still can’t quite believe it.”

This year’s show raised £48,000 for charity, supporting Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity and Step by Step Dance School, which organises the event. Sophie contributed £1,735 to the overall total through her individual fundraising efforts.

Reflecting on the experience, Sophie said: “I would recommend it to anyone. It brings people together, and our group really bonded. We’re all different ages and from different backgrounds, but it worked. This is just the beginning.”

Sophie and several fellow competitors now plan to continue their dance journey by joining weekly classes at Step by Step to work towards their bronze, silver and gold dance medals.

Scott said watching Sophie’s progress throughout the year has been inspiring. He added: “Seeing her go from sitting in the audience at Strictly Northampton to finishing second on that stage has been a privilege. I’m incredibly proud of her. She trained hard for this and completely deserved her moment.”

He also highlighted Sophie’s wider achievements throughout the year, noting her recent commitment to fitness challenges including the Northampton Half Marathon and the Summer Games at her gym. “Sophie has pushed herself out of her comfort zone time and again. Strictly Northampton is just the start of her dancing journey, and I’ll be supporting her all the way.”

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