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Strictly Come Dancing returned to our screens on Saturday (14 September) night time with a giant, glowing launch present that proved the present intends to dazzle its method via its twentieth anniversary sequence after months of scandal surrounding the programme’s skilled dancers.
The BBC’s Saturday night time tentpole kicked off this weekend in a pre-recorded particular. It not solely gave viewers a primary glimpse at who is perhaps good because the movie star contestants carried out, Bambi-esque, for the primary time, but additionally celebrated the comeback of beloved professional Amy Dowden after her most cancers journey.
Issues started with an uber-camp opening quantity, that includes a inexperienced screen-heavy VT wherein the professional dancers bought caught on the Vengabus and needed to be saved by mechanics Tess Daly, Claudia Winkleman, and the Strictly orchestra’s long-time conductor Dave Arch. Within the studio, the day-glo dressed dancers then launched right into a fast-paced routine to a medley of Nineties and Noughties bangers from everybody from Gina G to Steps.
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After that, viewers have been launched to the 15 contestants participating this yr and watched as they met their companions for the primary time (you will discover the total record of {couples} right here). The celebs, who vary from Love Islanders to Olympians, all appeared equal elements scared and nervous, except former England footballer Paul Merson, who simply regarded fairly bewildered and unimpressed by the entire thing. How he’s going to fare when Strictly goes full Strictly, I’m not fairly positive.
That apart, these are the 5 largest speaking factors from Strictly’s launch present:
Amy Dowden’s triumphant comeback
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Normally, the Strictly launch present is all in regards to the celebrities. However this yr carried particular weight for the professionals too, because it marked the return to the dance ground of fan favorite Amy Dowden. The Welsh professional joined the present in 2017 and reached the ultimate in 2019, however was pressured to drag out of final yr’s sequence after she was recognized with breast most cancers in Might 2023. She underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy and fertility therapy, and was instructed she had “no proof of illness” earlier this yr.
Naturally, Dowden’s return was by no means going to be a half-baked affair. As a substitute, she was welcomed again with a triumphant celebratory dance quantity that includes her fellow professionals, who held Dowden aloft on the finish of the quantity like her very personal Glitterball Trophy. And given her movie star accomplice, it seems like Dowden might have a shot at the true factor too. Her movie star accomplice was revealed to be JLS star JB Gill (greatest recognized, at the very least to these of us who’re very on-line, for that one clip of him saying the phrases “Merry Christmas”), and Dowden couldn’t include her pleasure. “I’ve bought a sense my comeback goes to be fairly robust now,” she mentioned. With the general public so firmly on her facet, it’s probably we’ll be seeing her go far this yr.
Chris McCausland, unsurprisingly, is a proper snort
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A lot of the chatter round comic Chris McCausland competing on the present this yr has centered on the truth that he’s Strictly’s first ever blind contestant. However from the launch present alone, McCausland asserted himself as this yr’s comedian reduction. He was readily available to crack sensible all episode and was self-deprecating about his probability of doing properly on the present; he even warned Aussie accomplice Dianne Buswell that she’d at the very least have a pleasant November off, as he clearly wouldn’t be making it additional than Halloween week.
The CBeebies star additionally bought within the first of what I count on shall be many NHS-themed gags made about TV physician Punam Krishnan this sequence. Because the Morning Stay presenter defined that she could be readily available to supply her castmates medical recommendation and therapy, McCausland quickly interjected: “None of us can imagine we’ve got managed to get in the identical room as a GP.” Cue raptuous applause from the contestants and Tess wanting flustered. Let’s hope he lasts lengthy sufficient for extra jokes like these.
Strictly remembers two greats
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The launch present ended with a suitably sparkly group quantity, which was adopted by a poignant tribute to 2 greats who the present – and the world – misplaced earlier this yr: former contestant Dave Myers {and professional} dancer Robin Windsor. TV chef Myers, greatest recognized for his work as one half of The Bushy Bikers, appeared on the present with professional dancer Karen Hauer in 2013. In February, he died of most cancers on the age of 66. That very same month additionally marked the dying of former British professional Windsor, who competed on the present for 4 sequence from 2010 to 2013. He was 44.
Jamie Borthwick’s dance expertise
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Poor Jamie Borthwick. When the EastEnders star was requested to compete on the Strictly Christmas particular final yr, he most likely didn’t realise that A) he was going to win with Nancy Xu, and B) that win would then be used towards him when he took half within the present the very subsequent yr. Frankly, it’s a little unusual that Strictly would solid Borthwick whereas his festive triumph remains to be so contemporary in followers’ minds, however the different solid members made it very clear they’d not be letting Borthwick go straightforward. Wynne “Go Evaluate Man” Evans, wrestling McCausland for the title of unofficial comedy commentator, was the primary to take a pop on the actor, calling out: “Cheat!” when Borthwick’s expertise was talked about. Later, The Solely Manner is Essex’s tattooed dangerous boy Pete Wicks defined that he’d be taking the Strictly course of severely as he’d solely be there as soon as. “Except you’re Jamie,” he cheekily added.
Maintaining suspiciously quiet about the entire thing was JLS star Gill, who managed to slide underneath the radar although he, too, gained Strictly’s Christmas particular in 2012. Nonetheless, given the reactions on X (previously Twitter) pointing this little bit of trivia out, we suspect this one gained’t be going unforgotten going ahead.
Craig Revel Horwood’s beard
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No, however severely: who’s that man?
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday 21 September at 7pm on BBC One.
Our subsequent 4 contestants getting their companions are Montell Douglas, Pete Wicks, JB Gill and Sam Quek.
Isobel Lewis14 September 2024 20:00
Wynne Evans, the Welsh singer hoping to get his opera abilities into Strictly dance routines
From GoCompare to Cha-cha-cha…
Inga Parkel13 September 2024 13:30
Meet all of the 2024 contestants right here
From Nick Knowles to Tasha Ghouri… right here’s who shall be competing this yr
Ellie Harrison13 September 2024 17:29
Strictly’s first blind contestant Chris McCausland says he and professional accomplice are ‘winging it’
Comic, who misplaced his sight aged 22, mentioned he’s ‘figuring it out’ as he goes alongside
Inga Parkel13 September 2024 19:30
What dancing expertise do the contestants have?
Strictly Come Dancing is sort of again on our screens and followers are as soon as once more placing on their detective hats to seek out out which celebrities have an “benefit” resulting from previous dance coaching.
This yr’s lineup features a professionally educated industrial dancer, a JLS member and a musician with West Finish efficiency expertise. Discover out who they’re, and what they’ve mentioned about their coaching, under.
That includes a professionally-trained industrial dancer and theatre college graduate
Inga Parkel13 September 2024 21:30
This yr’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up would possibly simply be secretly sensible
Strictly Come Dancing is historically the sparkliest present on tv – nevertheless it’s by no means been extra vital for its line-up to shine brighter than a sequin manufacturing unit within the midsummer solar.
After weeks of scandal, there was quite a bit using on the 2024 ‘Strictly’ line-up, however the preliminary response from followers has been lacklustre. Nonetheless, it’s too early to write down off this yr’s contestants, argues Rachel McGrath – they usually would possibly simply shock us
Inga Parkel13 September 2024 23:30
All in regards to the contestants, beginning with Jamie Borthwick, The Strictly 2024 contestant who gained final yr’s Christmas particular
Cleaning soap star finds himself in a considerably advantageous place over his fellow contestants
Inga Parkel14 September 2024 01:30
Olympian Tom Dean’s journey from gold medals to glitterballs
The swimmer gained gold within the males’s freestyle relay at this yr’s Paris Video games
Inga Parkel14 September 2024 03:30
Shayne Ward’s journey from X Issue audition to Coronation Avenue and now Strictly
‘No guarantees on my dancing potential,’ warned the actor and singer
Inga Parkel14 September 2024 05:30
Meet Sarah Hadland, the comic and Miranda star taking to the dance ground
The actor is greatest recognized for her function as Stevie within the BBC sitcom ‘Miranda’
Inga Parkel14 September 2024 07:30
