Strictly launch show (2025)
Sep. 21st, 2025 08:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessOpening skit with a touch of meta, where the Strictly ‘scandal’ was Chris being unwilling to part with the Strictly glitter ball until Craig read some of his poetry at him. The trophy carried by Dianne was the link to the big opening number, where I was gawping to see which pros were back. (As ever, what I know about the Strictly lowdown is…haphazard.) Eventually the celebs, judges and TessnClaud were brought in.
The older the contenders, the more likely I was to know who they were. The pairing off was separated into three groups of five.
So, Le Voix will be rehearsing as Chris (not likely to be confused with Chris Robson or Chris McCausland). I presumed ‘she’ would get JoJo. Dani Dyer, best known for…being Danny Dyer’s daughter – that’s not how she introduced herself, but that’s what her VT was all about. Big ‘newish mother away from the small kids’ energy. Lewis admitted to having played Billy Elliot quickly, although it then emerged he was the last minute replacement for the really tall guy (so I presumed he'd be paired off with Nadiya) who was meant to be on the show.
They then revealed the pros they’d be paired off with, and there was no Johannes, so I guessed again. Nikita, paired with Dani, and Katya, paired with Lewis, should be happiest. Aljiaz (paired off with La Voix/Chris) is probably already worrying about the lifts.
We then got a big on-location routine – camp as chips – to introduce Julian (Australian, has decided sucking up is going to be his thing) and Alexis (north American, if American, possibly relieved to be out of the country), who can dance, obviously, even underwater.
The five female celebs remaining were in a group. Ellie has Down’s, is obviously the shortest, and looked to have bundles of energy that would need to be controlled. Vito’s energy level should work with hers (she feels like probably the contestant they had to be most thoughtful about who they paired up with.) Kai should be able to understand Vicky and calm down her nerves. Elizabeth Corday, I mean Alex Kingston got Johannes. It would be announced there would be a week 1 samba – oh dear.
Jessie J was singing next and it was a very good vocal. All the best to her as she navigates cancer along with a career renaissance. Dancing the dance of the partnerless: Gorka (!) and Luba, Neil and Nancy.
Then we had a VT of Chris and Dianne, who are totally allowed to celebrate their partnership, because it was absolutely a vital part of their success. Their reprise of the ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ waltz felt more celebratory this time. Motsi lied when she said that all the celebs could achieve that level of dancing.
I looked up my thoughts about Harry in the Christmas special: good timing, made the most of his strength for lifts. Still, he’s a much better prospect than Karen could have been expecting. (He was paired with Nancy back then, she was paired with Josh Widdecome.)
Thomas Skinner claimed to be famous for The Apprentice, (like Eastenders and most of the other shows the celebs kept namechecking, I’ve never watched it), but I checked and he’s the one who may be the most controversial contestant this year. Amy was less than delighted about their partnership…when she learned what his favourite breakfast is. Grr, a mature football player isn’t the ringer Lauren deserves, even if his daughters are talented dancers (which may have come from their mother.)
I KNOW I’m not meant to read much from the group number, but Ellie was better than I expected, and Katya seems to have struck the jackpot after the unexpected cast change – she did after all win the last time she had a celeb who’d been on the West End. Of course, the judges may well be pickier with him.
From the second group of reveals on, I did feel as if my level of energy was not in sync with all the hyper energy from the show. Oh well, it’ll start getting real (just as autumn will) with the first live show.
The older the contenders, the more likely I was to know who they were. The pairing off was separated into three groups of five.
So, Le Voix will be rehearsing as Chris (not likely to be confused with Chris Robson or Chris McCausland). I presumed ‘she’ would get JoJo. Dani Dyer, best known for…being Danny Dyer’s daughter – that’s not how she introduced herself, but that’s what her VT was all about. Big ‘newish mother away from the small kids’ energy. Lewis admitted to having played Billy Elliot quickly, although it then emerged he was the last minute replacement for the really tall guy (so I presumed he'd be paired off with Nadiya) who was meant to be on the show.
They then revealed the pros they’d be paired off with, and there was no Johannes, so I guessed again. Nikita, paired with Dani, and Katya, paired with Lewis, should be happiest. Aljiaz (paired off with La Voix/Chris) is probably already worrying about the lifts.
We then got a big on-location routine – camp as chips – to introduce Julian (Australian, has decided sucking up is going to be his thing) and Alexis (north American, if American, possibly relieved to be out of the country), who can dance, obviously, even underwater.
The five female celebs remaining were in a group. Ellie has Down’s, is obviously the shortest, and looked to have bundles of energy that would need to be controlled. Vito’s energy level should work with hers (she feels like probably the contestant they had to be most thoughtful about who they paired up with.) Kai should be able to understand Vicky and calm down her nerves. Elizabeth Corday, I mean Alex Kingston got Johannes. It would be announced there would be a week 1 samba – oh dear.
Jessie J was singing next and it was a very good vocal. All the best to her as she navigates cancer along with a career renaissance. Dancing the dance of the partnerless: Gorka (!) and Luba, Neil and Nancy.
Then we had a VT of Chris and Dianne, who are totally allowed to celebrate their partnership, because it was absolutely a vital part of their success. Their reprise of the ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ waltz felt more celebratory this time. Motsi lied when she said that all the celebs could achieve that level of dancing.
I looked up my thoughts about Harry in the Christmas special: good timing, made the most of his strength for lifts. Still, he’s a much better prospect than Karen could have been expecting. (He was paired with Nancy back then, she was paired with Josh Widdecome.)
Thomas Skinner claimed to be famous for The Apprentice, (like Eastenders and most of the other shows the celebs kept namechecking, I’ve never watched it), but I checked and he’s the one who may be the most controversial contestant this year. Amy was less than delighted about their partnership…when she learned what his favourite breakfast is. Grr, a mature football player isn’t the ringer Lauren deserves, even if his daughters are talented dancers (which may have come from their mother.)
I KNOW I’m not meant to read much from the group number, but Ellie was better than I expected, and Katya seems to have struck the jackpot after the unexpected cast change – she did after all win the last time she had a celeb who’d been on the West End. Of course, the judges may well be pickier with him.
From the second group of reveals on, I did feel as if my level of energy was not in sync with all the hyper energy from the show. Oh well, it’ll start getting real (just as autumn will) with the first live show.
