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]

Wrote a piece last night but for some reason the web browser broke it! 

Anyway, opening number was pretty good and whilst not a fan of slowed down simplified covers, this one wasn't bad at all (Belinda Carlisle Heaven on Earth though Summer Rain would have been more apt lyrically). Was it me or did Strictly fail to mention anything about Remembrance Sunday as they normally do?

No surprises on Krishnan being in the dance-off along with the right choice of Angela Rippon. Bit of a mixed reaction in the Sheepdog kennel, I thought Angela was better but the ones with stronger glasses said no she wasn't. Like it was in any doubt who was going to be saved. Either way, she gets to exit on Blackpool which was the aim to end on a high point. 

Noticed The Scanlon is doing an AT which is going to be interesting considering the size of the floor there. Which means, yes, its the annual return of the backing dancers prancing around getting in the way! Guess what, Layton has a CC so its going to be rather loud and proud. 

As for the Borcelli's. Now that was awesome. 

[Cleoriff]

Angela definitely wasn't better. Even Craig mentioned THE stumble, before saving her! Lost all credibility with that decision.

I belong to 3 SCD groups and 90% of comments felt Angela was the worse in the dance off.

Hopefully the farce will be over next week. I also hope that they don't make Blackpool all about her.

[sheepdog]

It's that week that is overhyped every year. Looking at the choices, quite interesting. 

Angela R and Kai: American Smooth to Tea for Two by Ella Fitzgerald

So avoiding the latin's again with another easy ride on Kai. Worse thing is that this will be surrounded by backing dancers and be more like a traffic jam. The worse thing is, she may actually be safe this week. 

Angela S and Carlos: Argentine Tango to Back To Black by Amy Winehouse

Annabel and Johannes: American Smooth to Unchained Melody by Benedetta Caretta

Bobby and Dianne: Jive to Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham!

As on my last post, an AT on a big floor is going to be some challenge let alone to an Amy Whitehouse track.  

Annabel has a quite emotional one there so could be very good. Oh wait, no idea who Benedetta Caretta is but youtube looks like its going to be Haley singing that one. 

Bobby has probably the hardest dance of the week and with that track we are expecting a lot. Hopefully not a of mistakes. Oh yes, we're going to be treated to the Wham"Choose life" t-shirts the BBC have in the depths of the 80's wardrobe. Though I really hope we don't get the visual eyesore that George Michael wears at this particular segment:

 

Ellie and Vito: Charleston to Love Machine by Girls Aloud

Layton and Nikita: Couple’s Choice to Ain’t No Other Man by Christina Aguilera

Nigel and Katya: Quickstep to It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing by Duke Ellington

Can't say Love Machine is a Charleston but this is Strictly so it WILL fit. Again, big floor, big routine, big marks?

Pretty much an awful track for Layton but I say that for the majority of Christina Aguilera songs. Will a CC work in Blackpool as I can't see it even if it is Layton? Expect lots of extra dancers and lighting effects. 

Now Nigel probably has the best opportunity to top the leaderboard as he has the dance and the tune that's perfect for the big floor. 

Thinking it may be Angela Scanlon and Bobby in the dance-off. 

[Cleoriff]

I'm hoping this is the last dance for the Rippon.

I'm finding myself more and more angry at the bias of the judges. It's obvious the people think her time is up but she has been saved twice over better dancers.

I don;t care who she is in the dance off with, she has to go this weekend, otherwise I will probably stop watching.

As i said earlier, I'm out on Saturday so will be watching the show on Sunday.

[sheepdog]

Well it was here and it was live in Blackpool. Apart from the opening number which was to house style music which wasn't bad with a single singer. But the dance number was an utter mess with all yes all of the Strictly troop. A welcome return to Johannes in high heels! Lets just pretend that dance number wasn't filmed earlier....

Tess in her best Blackpool dress, Claudia visiting Blackpool Primark and pretty much awful tonight presenting whilst Motsi, well back to the spangly jumpsuits. Good hair though. 

Bobby and Dianne: Jive. Solid opener and being first did surprise me in how he executed it. Thankfully he was tastefully dressed. I think the main problem with Bobby is that he lacks musicality in his movements rather than the ability to execute. 35 which is quite respectable in any series. 

Angela R and Kai: American Smooth. Needed a map and compass considering how many times she got lost. Truly awful only saved by the VT at the beginning showing her presenting old Strictly Come Dancing for 5 seconds. 

Layton and Nikita: Couple’s Choice. Third on which I was surprised at so expectations lowered proportionally. Controversial opinion: I thought this is one of the worst CC's for actual content. Yeah he executed it well but again he's inability to step back and see what Nikita is doing is his undoing. Usual acrobatics and flamboyancy and Motsi, he's a ******* professional stage dancer so what were you expecting when he told you that in the VT for 5 mins? Scored 39 and for once, Craig remarked on his timing. 

Annabel and Johannes: American Smooth/VW style. Oh wow. Building and improving each week. The three male dancers were just looking bored in the background but that lift was great. Definitely her best dance and used the entire floor very well. 

Ellie and Vito: Charleston. Being saying for weeks, its the details that make her outstanding and lots of it in this Charleston. It's not the lifts that were spectacular but the dismounts and exit followed by transitioning into the next sequence. Scored 39. 

Angela S and Carlos: Argentine Tango. Didn't have high expectations for this one being a big floor but glad to say I was completely wrong. No backing dancers to spoil it. Total focus and intensity made this one of the best AT's of the series. Of the three so far this series... but Craig only gave her an 8 just to make sure it didn't equal Layton's position. 

Nigel and Katya: Quickstep. What could have been and should have been is the outcome. Guess the rehearsal was far better and you could see why it was chosen for the closing. Unfortunately due to errors, second bottom. Safe to say, if voting stays the same as the leaderboard he is going to be saved against Angela Rippon. 

Angela Rippon v Bobby or Nigel is the more likely scenario and we can say goodbye to her at last.

As for the not quite live at Blackpool results show, the Monster Musical Madenning act is the ever enduring Madness! Who cares what they'll sing, it doesn't matter, it's Madness!!!! I may regret declaring that after tomorrow nights performance 😂 Coincidentally this appeared in my Instagram random feed today:

[Cleoriff]

I've read the above @sheepdog but have still to watch it. Out till midnight and up at 5am for the bloody Las Vegas F1 (which I am beginning to regret!!) 😂

[Cleoriff]

Very brief from me. F1 and bringing son home from hospital has got in the way of things today.

Bobby and Dianne. Great jive. Enjoyed it. Scored 35

Angela and Kai What a mess  Wandering around aimlessly is the best I can say. I lost count of the amount of  mistakes Scored 28

Layton and Nikita. I agree with everything you said above @sheepdog Pleased Craig had the 'brass neck'to  criticise him. Scored  39

Annabel and Johannes. American Smooth.

What a beautiful dance. Really gets better each week. Scored 35

Ellie and Vito. Charleston

Just flawless and such trust in those lifts Scored 35

Angela and Carlos Argentine Tango

Wow just wow.  What an AT. Beautiful legwork Great music. Scored 38

Nigel and Katya. Quickstep

Quie a few mistakes. Scored 31.

Looking forward to Madness.

[Cleoriff]

THANK GOODNESS!!

Bobby v Dianne

Angela V Kai

BBC have at last serrved the contract of getting AR to Blackpool

Now she's gone. Hooray.

Loved Madness but thought they were subdued?

[jonsie]

Disappointed in Madness

Seen them live a few times and they can do so much better

[sheepdog]

Loved the opening number, suited the ballroom nicely and not done by Jason Gilkerson. Thought it was Prince inspired and more Carlos/Nancy please. 

Tess in green dress illuminating Blackpool whilst Claudia was wearing the Blackpool illuminations. Oh for goodness sake, please stop that woman growling along attempting to sing badly when they do the next weeks tune. 

Ha. No prizes for me at guessing the bottom two 🤣 Next week it's anybody who isn't at the top of the leaderboard gets to be in the dance-off. Here's hoping it is Layton as they've got a Celine Dion's "It's all coming back to me" which means rumba. 

As for Madness, still better than a lot of the musical monstrosities we've seen. Looked a little tired but given the years they've been around and performed, they get a pass especially for playing instruments and not to a backing track. Not sure why we needed the dancers which probably didn't help Madness but given Nadiya got an outing, I'm definitely not complaining 😍