Strictly 2023

[sheepdog]

Strictly is back and I've just realised how long ago I logged in. Still, it's that time of the year when our Saturday evening viewing highlight is Strictly. @Cleoriff we get to fill the off-topic section for a couple of months 🙂

This year, the BBC seems to have discovered "celebz" by utilising the Sonar Mapping technology. Just watch this informative video on how the BBC uncovers the latest contestants for this year. Yep, it's not going to be pretty again...

To start, it's Layton Williams who's apparently an actor and starred in such things as musicals so obviously the ringer of the series. Sonar ping did take a while to return: 

Next up, is someone who has apparently been acting for 3 decades and yet remains completely anonymous to me. Here is Amanda Abbington who's claim to fame is Martin Freeman's ex. Apparently causing a stir on Twitter for a tiny minority. 

Lo and behold, we now have a household name: Angela Rippon! Apart from reading the news way back when there were 3 channels, she's also presented Strictly's predecessor Come Dancing for a while.  Also 79 so out by week 2. 

Celebz number 4 is Channel 4 news presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy. Since I have never watched C4 news ever, I've just seen clips of him in passing. Sheepdog's Strictly Score: probably mid-table mediocrity.

Sonar pinging is really taking its time with our next Celebz: Eddie Khadi. According to the webpage: "Recognised as one of the most globally celebrated stand up personalities...". Though the page fails to specify which planet. Could be fun, could be gone before his time and maybe putting in a job application for Claudia.

Returning an audio signal is the nice but rather bland TV presenter Angela Scanlon. Could be the dark horse of the series or could be a better presenter than Claudia next year.

Come in Contestant number 7, your time is up. This year's nominee for "Who's that?" award is Zara McDermott. Her wiki page classes her as an English media personality which you can guess, means looks pretty for the cameras. Cynicism aside, seems to be forging a career in documentaries and has a bit of career on television shows before Love Island.

 

So that's the first un-magnificent 7 announced. I suspect that we'll be getting the current vogue of a Drag Queen announced as a new feature and some other obscurities over the next few days. Maybe we may see a controversial choice of Philip Schofield now he's out of work on ITV. 

Unfortunately, we're still stuck with the same judges as before so more Motsi who's bound to be even more annoying this year so I shall look forward to muting "Motsi's Mumblings" and the still boring Tess and more of the same from Claudia.  Only real change (so far) from the pro's is that Amy Dowden won't be there due to recent cancer/Chemotherapy treatment. 

As for It Take's two, Jeanette Ranarama is back but seems someone likes Fleurgh East enough on the Beeb to give her a job co-presenting as Rylan's replacement. 

I think I'll be using iplayer on fast forward rather a lot this year.

[sheepdog]

Week 6 is sticky tape and bog-roll week aka Halloween. So prepared to be amazed at the producer who thinks any of these tunes are related to Halloween. Also look forward to lots of pointless CGI dotted around as they had a week off. 

Adam and Luba: American Smooth to Magic Moments by Perry Como

Annabel and Johannes: Tango to Need U Tonight by INXS

Angela R and Kai: Charleston to Murder She Wrote (TV Theme)

Angela S and Carlos: Paso Doble to BLACK swan SWAN lake by District 78

Should be a breeze for Adam, an interesting one for Annabel and Angela Scanlon needs this week to be very good. I'm rather looking forward to hearing this tune but after Ellie's interpretation last week, it will be hard not compare. 

I really can't fathom Angela Rippon doing a charleston to Murder she wrote? Oh wait, is that a hidden suggestion she might be killing the charleston and not in the crowd pleasing way? This weeks vote for "absolutely no link to halloween" award. 

Bobby and Dianne: Cha Cha to Come-On-A-My-House by Della Reese

Ellie and Vito: Salsa to Murder On The Dancefloor by Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Krishnan and Lauren: Viennese Waltz to Kiss From A Rose by Seal

Can Ellie maintain the momentum after last week and will Bobby be able to match? As for Krishnan, think he's quite safe this week. 

Layton and Nikita: Tango to Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo

Nigel and Katya: Cha Cha to I Was Made For Lovin’ You by KISS

Zara and Graziano: Charleston to Jeepers Creepers by Al Donahue and his Orchestra

Layton has a pretty awful tune that is definitely not a tango. See Dave Arch has requested a rock/metal track every week now but Cha-cha? Well its up to Zara to show us if she's worthy of staying in as she's got the tune/dance combo of the night and her direct competitor is Angela Rippon now. 

[Cleoriff]

I love Halloween week , although can't see anyone wearing green 'paint'.

Whatever Angela Rippon does she will still be overmarked by judges.

Some very weird music choices, although Murder On The Dancefloor always seems to get an outing during Halloween.

Adam should do well and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Bobby, Ellie and Angela S.

Again a reminder that it's Mexico F1 which will clash with Strictly. I'll record SCD and comment when I can.

[Cleoriff]

Very quick from me tonight

Angela and Carlos. Paso

Not sure about music but loved the dance. Not as good as Ellie's last week Scored 33

Adam and Luba American Smooth

Lovely dance, really captured the mood Scored 32

Zara and Graziano. Charleston.

Oh dear. Not good at all really. Lifts ok but was far too placed in the dance. Dance off candidate for sure.

Scored 25

Layton and Nikita. Tango.

Quite happy with Shirley's comment that they had to remember it was a ballroom competition.

Really OTT in my opinion. For all  that, Craig was gushing as usual. Scored 36

Bobby and Dianne Cha Cha Cha.

I liked this dance. Great footwork. Scored 30

Krishnan and Lauren  Viennese Waltz.

I started off liking this dance but then went a bit downhill. Transitions needed work. Scored 27

Angela and Kai. Charleston (allegedly!)

Was it a charleston? It was a  dance where Kai did all the work. As usual overmarked due to her age. Score 33

Angela and Johannes Tango.

Started well  but towards the end she was a bit worn out Scored 29

Nigel and Katya. Cha Cha Cha

I quite liked it. However there were a few mistakes and timing out at times Scored 30

Ellie and Vito Salsa.

Oh wow, wow, wow. What a brilliant performance. Dance of the night for me (despite the green paint!)

Scored a well deserved 38 and top of the leaderboard! YES!!

Mediocre act on Sunday's show is Rick Astley. OMG!!

[Cleoriff]

Now flicking over to watch Mexico F1 qualifying. Good grief!

[sheepdog]

Cringe factor turned up to 11 and that's before the titles started rolling. Nice to see the judges get into the spirit (that's my one and only halloween pun) by dressing up. No idea what Motsi was wearing yet was still better than both Tess and Claudia. Also, it kind of turned into an umbrella later in the show and still looked fine 😂

Angela and Carlos: Definitely the mis-match of the night for music. Nice flair on the paso and as the starting act, this was one of the better dances to start the show with. 

Adam and Luba: Wasn't this so nice? Getting better each week too. 

Zara and Graziano: Totally bored with it. No performance, rather, she focussed too much on the facial expressions instead of through the dance. Not learned from last week's dance-off. 

Layton and Nikita: "Look at my teeth, don't I have a fabulous dentist. Aren't I just faaaabulous?" Meh, more over dramatisation and not sure the lead/follower thing worked that well. Yet Shirley marked him highly and was critical to him?

Bobby and Dianne: Hmm, kind of didn't quite come off as it should have to me. Maybe a couple more days and it would have been excellent. Which I think may be his biggest problem as he needs a refinement injection or that Diane thinks we won't notice.

Krishnan and Lauren: I liked it overall but obviously with errors. Like Bobby, a couple more days work would have made it better. Great look though. 

Jessica Fletcher and Kai: What was this? Have to say that compared to Zara, this was more energetic and more of a performance. As in the battery level was at one bar. Well and truly overmarked again. 

Angela and Johannes: Another good routine but just lacking something for me. Otherwise she's picking up the judges comments as there were a lot of improvements. 

Nigel and Katya: Again a good routine but too many errors again which is spoiling it. If he doesn't fix it, a dance-off has his name on it very soon as there are continual mistakes. 

Ellie and Vito: Green paint!!! Surprise of the night in seeing that. And being last it didn't disappoint at all. Everybody else was really poor in comparison. 

Unfortunately it is Zara's exit dance and even Angela Rippon would get saved against her. 

So we have Renaissance man Rick Astley on the results show unfortunately doing his new single but we only want that song don't we 🤣 Should be good anyway. 

[Cleoriff]

I actually laughed at Motsi's outfit @sheepdog. What started off as a spiders web attached to the top of her cloak, must have bent during the course of the evening and ended up as an umbrella 😂

Shirley couldn't turn her neck properly with her stiff standup collar and I couldn't take anything  Anton said seriously, in his mad professors outfit.

I actually thought Claudia looked the part in her black lace dress, whilst Tess made no effort at all in her red. short, split to the thigh, tasselly s/l/u/t dress. 😂

PS Good grief, I remain constantly amazed at the forum filter! (Seems worse than ever nowadays) 🙄

PPS,  No I have no interest at all in Rick Astley. Never liked him in the good old days and less so now!

So if  we are looking at those in the 20's scoring,  we have

Zara, (Lowest) Krishnan and Angela S in that order.

It should be Angela Rippon really. I'm getting tired of her being kept in with OTT scoring and due to her age and so called 'legendary' status.

[sheepdog]

@Cleoriff Rick Astley was bit bland but he did actually have a guitar and it was plugged in. Plus the strumming matched so I'll give him a pass. 

Opening dance was an Addams family inspired routine. Not really that impressive but Luba as Mortica was rather inspired 😍 Tess and Claudia's outfits, well probably the worst ones yet. Again, Motsi is the winner.  How is this happening!

As for the dance-off, no surprises in Zara being there and rightfully booted off but did anyone expect Adam and Luba to be there? 

Best part was the trailer for It Takes Two and rather scary Jannette Bananarama doing The Shining twins. 👻

Next week will see the wrong two in the dance-off so no chance of Angela Rippon v Layton happening. I kind of suspect they'll be keeping Angela Rippon in till Blackpool so it will be Krishnan, Adam and Annabel on the danger list. 

[Cleoriff]

@sheepdog 

I loved the opening number, probably because it wasn't Jason Gilkerson doing the choreography.

As for Motsi, she obviously had words with Oti about her stupid hairstyles last year!

Shocked beyond belief to see Adam in the dance off.

Not shocked at all to see Zara joining him.

No surprise that the judges saved Adam.

Yes Scary Janette doing the Shining twins.

I'm not giving Rick Astley anything. I don't care if his guitar was plugged in or not. I can't stand the bloke and that's it.

I agree they are aiming to keep Angela Rippon until Blackpool which is a shocker really. Better couples will be eliminated just to save her.

Oh well onto next week.

[jonsie]

---

@Cleoriff wrote:

@sheepdog 

I'm not giving Rick Astley anything. I don't care if his guitar was plugged in or not. I can't stand the bloke and that's it.

---

I couldn't agree more @Cleoriff 

Hate the guy with a passion and always have done. Can't stand his voice or his poncy looks

Stock, Aitken and Waterman produced so much garbage! (never really liked Kylie or Jason either - still don't...)

[Cleoriff]

@sheepdog @RunrigForever 

DANCES and MUSIC for WEEK 7

(PS, won't be giving a precis as you do @sheepdog) Never heard of some of the songs. 😂)

Krishnan and Lauren. Couples Choice to You can call me Al By Paul Simon

Nigel and Katya. Tango to Nothing Breaks Like A Heart by Mark Ronson ft Miley Cyrus

Angela and Kai. Waltz!! (let's keep her in another week) To Fascination . By Nat King Cole

Annabel and Johannes. Couples Choice. To Wings by Birdy

Ellie and Vito. American Smooth. to Aint that a kick in the head by Robbie Williams

Layton and Nikita. Jive. to Shake Ur Body by Shy FX, T.Power, Di. (WHO??)

Adam and Luba. Rumba to Dancing on my own by Calum Scott

Bobby and Dianne. Argentine Tango. To Sail by AWOLNATION (WHO?) 😶

Angela and Carlos. Samba. To Aint it Funny by Jennifer Lopez.

So all I can say is this....I'm sure this will be a week when we lose a favourite. Adam doing a  Rumba which is the dance of death for so many male celebs

Bobby dancing an Argentine Tango when he constantly has a happy cheeky chappy smile all over his face. Not sure he has the body core to stop himself hunching over.

Ellie should be fine.

Layton will be overmarked as usual.

Angela Rippon gets another pass with a waltz

Angela S needs to pull off a great Samba.

However, we come to the two doing a Couples Choice. Anabel and Krishnan.  I'm sure there will be a back story to both these dances and choices of music.

I'm hoping that they are in the bottom two....but I get a feeling we will have a shock eviction Saturday.