Strictly 2022

[sheepdog]

Seems its that time of the year when the BBC license tax earns it's value by making me watch Saturday night TV in the main room. Yes, Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens with the usual list of "celebs"!

Starting with failed pop star turned relatively successful actress and grandmother, it's none other than Kym Marsh with probably a show to promote in between:

Not to be outdone, second on the list is jobbing soap actor and failed pop singer (oh the 90's had so many forgettable acts, cue exhibit 1): Will Mellor

Lets see what tomorrow brings us in the surface analysis of celebrity barrel sampling.

Also 4 new pros to be shoved in the background replacing Aljaz & Oti. No change in the judges other than Bruno will no longer be in the cupboard at all making Anton permanent. Guess we're still getting Craig and Shirley and probably a guest judge as well at some point. Unfortunately the BBC won't get rid of TessBot & Grimace so yet again, the teleprompter will be in full effect with Christmas cracker jokes. 

On the other hand, the Masked Dancer is slated for an autumn release this year. 

[sheepdog]

So the results show opening number brought us a Bollywood inspired routine. As in the same way a Vindaloo is an authentic Indian dish. I've concluded anything that Jason Gilkerson is involved with is just unwatchable. 

Anyway, Tess is back on the bacofoil but I liked her outfit. Claudia with a dash of white. Think Motsi is reading our fashion tips as normality ensued 🤣 Now if she'd take our hint of just leaving at the end of the series.....

Something is definitely wrong with the voting system this year. How does Molly even get to be in a dance-off with a score of 35? I'm going to have to start voting from next week. Anyway, Ellie S v Molly wasn't going to be a difficult choice for the judges though in all fairness, it was a hard one. Molly saved and Shirley had her contacts in as she agreed with the others. 

As for Luke Evans. Still no idea who he is but turns out he's an actor. A bit part actor so lets leave it at that as he did well enough to get the coveted paw of approval. Still wouldn't be adding him to any playlist though. 

[Cleoriff]

I've recorded it @sheepdog as watching The Masked Singer (I'm A Celeb special)

Only 4 on so all unmasked tonight. All have been in I'm a Celeb.

I can't believe Molly was in the dance off. Pleased Ellie S has gone though. I think her time was up.

Off to watch I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

[Cleoriff]

I've checked on Luke Evans @sheepdog 

He's appeared in numerous West End shows as well as films. A good voice though.

[sheepdog]

Week 8 brings us this random tunes:

Ellie & Johannes: Charleston to Friendship by Elaine Paige and Bernard Cribbins

Fleur & Vito: Samba to Hot Hot Hot by Arrow

Helen & Gorka: Salsa to Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber

Kym & Graziano: American Smooth to Chasing Cars by Cinematic Pop

Molly & Carlos: Rumba to All The Man That I Need by Whitney Houston

Hamza & Jowita: Couple's Choice to Jerusalema - Remix by Master KG feat. Burna Boy and Nomcebo Zikode

Tony & Katya: Jive to Land of 1000 Dances by Wilson Pickett

Tyler & Dianne: Paso Doble to Unstoppable by E.S. Posthumus

Will & Nancy: Waltz to Three Times A Lady by Commodores

Hmm. Quite a few nominees for the dance-off not least for Fleur if she repeats her "power moves" shaking in-elegantly. Not exactly a dance for Molly that will keep her out of the dance-off and Tyler needs a good dance this weekend. Think we can safely say Tony is going to be in the dance-off and lets not rule out Will if he's boring or Ellie T if its a below par charleston. 

[Cleoriff]

"Land out of a 1000 Dances" will sort out those who can jive and those who can't!

So I hope this will be the end of the road for Tony....BUT?? ... Sadly I can't be positive about it. He's never been in the dance off yet despite being the worse dancer by a country mile.

Unless people stop voting for him because 'he makes them laugh' or 'he's been on a journey' etc etc, I can see the BBC having to fudge the votes to stop this DANCE competition becoming a mockery!

I hope Tyler pulls off a great Paso.

Same with Molly doing the 'dance of death' (Rhumba)

So many could be in the dance off and I bet Tony won't be there!

[Cleoriff]

@sheepdog 

Just need to add, I will be recording SCD on Saturday and Sunday as F1 is in Brazil and they are 3 hrs behind UK.

After that the final race in Abu Dhabi is the following weekend and wont affect the timing of the show at all.😉

[sheepdog]

Tonights fashion report: Tess - nice boots 😍 Claudia in off-the-shoulder black bacofoil type short dress light pink high heels which she actually looked good in. Motsi: cat scratching post.

Blackpool next week so inevitably the pressure was on. Blackpool next week so we'll have to endure backing dancers. 

Ellie & Johannes with a charleston. Looked perfect in that outfit but sadly lacked wow. Otherwise competent but being first, the dance-off might be next. Scored 31
Tyler & Diane Paso no. Can't say the choice of outfit was suitable for him and showed up his posturing issues especially with the shoulders. Music was dramatic but didn't work with the routine. 31
Kim & Graziano doing an American Smooth or was it a rhumba meets Argentine tango with a foxtrot thrown in. Really went with the sympathy pleading at the end. Competent but scoring 31 and being third on means it isn't looking good having scored the same as the others so far. 
Helen & Gorka Salsa. After last weeks, it was going to be tough to meet that standard. Good thing is that she's now got the performance aspect but this dance had a few issues. Still a strong contender otherwise a respectable 32 from the judges. 
Tony & Katya Jive rather, Tony does defending.  Was a score of 24 unexpected? No not really but I must say he didn't go out of time but as Craig said, this dance is way beyond him. Spent most of the dance being guided by Katya. As a side note, the Wolves v Arsenal game was also on so maybe not so many votes being cast in his favour. 
Molly & Carlos Rhumba. Arm-ography and hair-ography! The second half of this dance which I hate normally was fantastic. Ruined by the shoddy camera work. Best so far with 37
Fleur & Vito Scored an overmarked 39 by the sycophantic judges. Competent yes but repeated her "power shakes" again (for the 3rd dance!) with all its ugliness yet obvious the judges want to make sure she's not mid table. In fact they made her top of the leaderboard so unlikely to be in the dance-off. Unless nobody votes for her. 
Will & Nancy with a waltz. Was expecting a poor effort but no, Will came back from the wilderness with a big 40 ton truck in tow! Classic waltz and just about the best of the night for me. Yeah, give him the emotional aspect card but it showed in the dance. Scored a highly respectable 38. 
Hamza & Jowita Couples choice so we get whatever's thrown at us. Oh boy did we! Should have guessed being last one this one was going to up there in the uniqueness of CC's. Loved the fast and slow aspects, some timing/synching issues and not really sure what happened at the end. Scored 38 and overmarked even though I liked it, it wasn't 10's.

So Ellie T may be safe if she gets Tony, possibly safer against Tyler on the virtue of being more distinct in the Charleston but I'd rather Tyler go through. If the voting public saves Tony and the BBC hasn't "fixed" its voting system in time, its going to be one of the hardest dance-offs of the series. 

Looks like no MMA on Sunday night as there is a Remembrance theme dance.

[Cleoriff]

A very quick one from me.

Ellie and Johannes. Charleston. I didn't see this as I was busy. Scored 31

Tyler and Dianne. What a shame. I like this couple but agree with Craig, Tyler had no real Spanish lines in the way he held his body. Also the outfit was a bit silly. Scored 31

Kym and Graziano. American Smooth. Annoyed about that little mistake. Another 31

Helen and Gorka. Really enjoyed this. She gets better each week. Scored 32

Tony and Katya. Jive. What can I say. A bit pin toed but I quite enjoyed it and his energy 😂 Katya had to slow down to make sure the dance stayed together   Scored 24

Molly and Carlos. Rumba. 'Walk like a cat' For me, this was the dance of the night. Undermarked with 37

Fleur and Vito. Samba. Mmmmm. I liked it but I see what you mean about these power shakes. Overmarked with 39

Will and Nancy. Waltz Lovely dance. Like Kym, used the sympathy card but 2nd best of the night for me

Scored 38

Hamza and Jowita. Couples choice. I didn't get this at all, (maybe I was still thinking about the Sprint race in F1) I thought the dance was good and bad. The timing was out a lot and I certainly didn't understand the end Scored 38.

Why did Motsi keep crying?? Stupid!!

[sheepdog]

So the Blackpool preview show threw up some interesting things. First, that was probably the most unimpressive Remembrance theme dance opener that I can remember. Coming from Jason Gilkerson, that really had no effort put in it. 

Claudia gets outfit of the night by virtue of Tess wearing flares again. Surprise musical act appearing. Well, it was dull and forgettable that wait, is that a cat video I need to see again 😁

Dance-off nominees in between the Blackpool bits were Tyler & Tony. Then the BBC decided to tell us after yet another Blackpool segment Tony had "retired due to an injury" thus saving Tyler from having to perform again in his outfit. Long goodbye speech which was kind of nice for a change. Not that the BBC could have extended the Blackpool highlights a bit more...

Anyway, I'm predicting Fleur for the dance-off next week as she's doing a couples choice to a mash-up of Destiny's Child and Beyonce. So that means more power shakes with backup dancers. Rather a case of we're not going to see any sort of progression and in the big floor of Blackpool, this is not going to impress. 

[Cleoriff]

I was so disappointed with the so called 'Dance Off'.

I thought we were going to have a hell of show from Tony but suddenly he was injured?

Nothing much to say really.

I tried to watch the opening dance and I agree it was poor.

No idea who the singer was, but i fast forwarded through him as well.

I felt the whole show was a let down.

Pffftt!!