As the BBC ballroom dancing competition hits the half-way point, it's time to take stock.

With this year's Strictly Come Dancing having successfully waltzed past the halfway marker over the weekend, now would appear to be the ideal moment for a midterm report.

Not least because when this series of the BBC's flagship entertainment show launched back in September, the beleaguered national broadcaster had arguably more riding on it than at any time during the previous two decades.

It would be no understatement to say that a number of backstage scandals, including the much publicised all out war between actress Amanda Abbington and her former dance partner Giovanni Pernice, had cast a huge shadow over the 2024 run, with some observers wondering whether it might even end up being the show's farewell.

So, it must be a relief for the BBC to be able to declare this series an absolute triumph so far -- albeit with all available fingers crossed.

The viewing figures have been as strong as ever, with Strictly taking the top slot in the ratings chart every week and regularly drawing in over half the total number of people watching TV in the UK at that time on a Saturday evening.

The bookers also pulled off a masterstroke by persuading blind comedian Chris McCausland to take part. By his own admission, things could have gone badly wrong, so the fact that McCausland is well on his way to becoming the greatest Strictly contestant of all time and appears to have an entire nation rooting for him is as remarkable as it is wonderful.

Little surprise then that recent research has confirmed that Strictly has been the most talked about UK show in the news this year -- although, admittedly, much of that could have been thanks to the aforementioned scandals.

Still, a win's a win. I must admit I have been impressed by the way the normally po-faced and self-flagellating BBC has handled the pressure. I wouldn't go so far as to say everyone involved has bravely tackled the backstage shame and brilliantly fronted it out.

Chris McCausland admits Strictly could have been a 'disaster'

However, I was surprised -- and more than a little rapt in admiration -- that Anton du Beke felt confident enough to open Saturday's show by asking Claudia Winkleman: "Do you think I'm sexy?"

Even though most viewers of a certain vintage would have instantly seen it as a clear reference to Rod Stewart -- who Du Beke had, apparently, come dressed up as for Icons Week -- it was a risque comment that might normally have had the Beeb's HR busybodies expressing a strong interest.

Luckily, it would appear the adults have retaken control of the room. I mean, imagine if the BBC -- of all companies -- had been forced to issue some kind of "It was acceptable in the 1970s" apology.

Cool heads also took charge when another potential 'inappropriate behaviour' scandal threatened to engulf the show in Week 4, after Wynne Evans was accused of placing a hand a little too tightly around his partner Katya Jones's waist as they stood in the Clauditorium.

Firm rebuttals and apologies quickly nipped that one in the bud, and the incident doesn't seem to have done Evans much harm in the public vote -- although he has perhaps been forced to play the Welsh votes card a little earlier than planned.

Evans aside, Strictly has managed to avoid any major controversy. We can't even really call this weekend's surprise Bottom Two, where Sam Quek lost out to Montell Douglas when neither of them should have even been there, a surprise. The best dancers being shafted by the public vote happens every year.

I do note that animal activists PETA are currently up in arms about Strictly's use of "violently obtained materials" such as feathers, but I fully expect that row to quickly blow over -- not least because the imminent arrival of I'm A Celebrity will give PETA something else to agitate about.

Elsewhere, I have a couple of petty grievances in my notebook. I'm getting increasingly fed up with the fancy dress-obsessed judges increasingly making the show all about themselves. (N.B. Polite plea to Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse: Just let Craig Revel Horwood speak!)

I also think we should all agree that Icons Week, which was a little too Stars In Their Eyes for my liking, was a format-disrupting, back-of-a-fag-packet idea that should never be repeated. I could add that the early loss of comedy contestants such as Paul Merson took a little fun out of proceedings, but that would be far too picky of me.

The truth is that the astounding performances Dianne Buswell continues to tease out of Chris McCausland will always transcend any side issues this show may have.

And although Tess Daly could perhaps do without McCausland cracking jokes while she's trying to host a live TV show thank you very much, the rest of the country can't wait for him to get stuck into the judges. The only problem with Chris is that the BBC may have unwittingly created a monster.

Mark my words, with all due respect to the talent and efforts of the likes of Sarah Hadland, Tasha Ghouri, Montell Douglas and JB Gill, if Chris and Dianne do not lift The Famous Glitterball Trophy next month, it will be the biggest scandal in Strictly Come Dancing history.