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]

Hmmm, I found the HD experience on iplayer rather nauseating. Apart from the harsh lighting, the makeup is really horrendous when they do close ups. 

I thought I recognised Fleurgh East in there and also noted the not so professional bum wiggles too. I'll give a pass for an opening number even though you really couldn't tell the remarkable quick change for a "live" show 🤣

Couldn't find the subtitles to Jorja Smith as it was completely unintelligible. I think thats the first time we've seen Carlos and Nancy dance together so at least a good thing came out of it.

No surprises Les was kicked out but I wasn't expecting Nikita. Oh well, lets see how she gets on next week. 

As for movie week, I shall be very disappointed if Bobby does not come out as Edward Scissorhands. I wonder who'll be getting the full body green paint this year. 

[sheepdog]

@Cleoriff  @RunrigForever Week 3's Horror show being movie week. Quite disappointed there's no hint of green paint this year so here's the dances:

Adam and Luba: Jive to Take On Me from The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Amanda and Giovanni: Rumba to Out of Reach from Bridget Jones

Annabel and Johannes: Waltz to Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Angela R and Kai: Quickstep to Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music

Angela S and Carlos: Charleston to Who’s Got The Pain? From Damn Yankees

Think top marks for Adam being Mario but maybe not so high in the scoring. 

Guess Shirley gave the game away last week telling us what Amanda's dance will be. Will it be enough to impress me being a) she's very good and b) I hate the rumba. 

Angela Rippon: well, its right on her level I think as is Annabel with the waltz. After last week, Angela Scanlon should pull this one off. Bonus video - its actually Bob Fosse dancing

Bobby and Dianne: Samba to Young Hearts Run Free from Romeo and Juliet

Eddie and Karen: Couple's Choice to Men in Black from Men in Black

Ellie and Vito: Viennese Waltz to Waiting On A Miracle from Encanto

Jody and Jowita: American Smooth to Married Life from Up

Krishnan and Lauren: Charleston to Money Money from Cabaret

This one may be a bit difficult for Bobby so expect lots of arm-ography! First couples choice for Eddie so either its meh or yeah. Big week for Jody to avoid the dance-off and technically could be quite difficult with his leg. Intriguing. Ellie, I expect it to be good. As for Krishnan, it will be his gurning that may save him. 

Layton and Nikita: Viennese Waltz to There Are Worse Things I Could Do from Grease

Nigel and Katya: Jive to Batman Theme from Batman

Nikita and Gorka: Jive to Kids in America from Clueless

Zara and Graziano: Paso Doble to The Puss Suite from Puss in Boots

"There are worse things I could do"? Yes, I could be watching Layton camp up a song from Grease that few people remember or I could be watching Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest. Choices choices. The tune Zara is dancing to is rather good for a Paso so it could be a good night for her.  

I can definitely say that Kids in America is not a jive so it may be a ticket to the dance-off for Nikita. Again.

Now Nigel has a really relentless beat to Jive to and unfortunately the director on the night is going to give us "special effects" as per below. What could be worse is the grating DAO singers shouting Batman every 10 seconds. 

[Cleoriff]

Looking forward to Angela S and their Charleston.

I imagine Angela R will be doing a very level 1 Quickstep but still will be overmarked by the judges. (Shirley was on This Morning raving about her)

I fully expect Layton will be OTT with his V.W.

The rest off the dances, I'm looking forward to. (Apart from Krishnan!!)

[RunrigForever]

Annabel's waltz to Moon River I am looking forward to & listen to the DAO male lead singer with this song.

To see how Jody does with the American Smooth

Nigel with the Jive to that ridiculous Batman theme, which is not a jive piece of music

Anyone got the Rumba ... ? ... ah Amanda, let's see what she makes of it, I'm not hopeful

Angela R will do an adequate Quickstep - already seems to be a Favourite with the Judges

Looking forward to the weekend shows.

[Pipstop78]

Nigel Harman now I do like him and he's got the moves on the dance floor 

[RunrigForever]

Just something came on my phone feed as I was browsing yesterday evening ... ... ... lots of dances by Artem & Natalie Gumede + Bad Boy Brendan & Sophie Ellis-Bextor + Aljaz with Abbey Clancy ... = ... spent a good 1.1/2 hours re-living their well entertaining and crafted dances ... ... ... Sopie Ellis-Bextor was good enough to win, but I don't think she did = @sheepdog c/o (check / out) their rumba danced in the final = they both wore sparkly but deep Midnight Blue = the whole ballroom was sparkly Midnight blue so easy to miss the artistry of this beautifully formed dance with a couple making you believe they are in love dancing as One ... ... ... I didn't take to Abbey Clancy from the get go = a cat walk model who could comport herself = Judges Favourite from Day One = Aljaz did well with her toffee-nosed self-centred attitude ... ... ... Artem & Natalie won their SCD show & rightly so ... = ... sheer delight to enjoy watching them again ... ... ... Just sooo special when you can view dance after dance without that whole lot of packing material ... ... ... Looking forward to the weekend shows ... = ... only tv I watch ..... XX

Vertical Expression on the Dance Floor may lead to Horizontal Expectation in the Future ... * Winks * 

[Cleoriff]

Just to update posters on this thread. I'm afraid SCD takes second place to Formula 1 in Qatar this weekend as the times clash.

This means it will be recorded and I may not watch it until Sunday/Monday. I will post after I've after I've

watched SCD. Enjoy it all.

[pgn]

From sashay to chassé to chassis 😆

Enjoy the competition, whichever one you're watching 👍

[Cleoriff]

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@pgn wrote:

From sashay to chassé to chassis 😆

Enjoy the competition, whichever one you're watching 👍

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I think I'll be the only one looking at the chassis @pgn 😂

[RunrigForever]

Sad to hear about Jody during the week ... he has been hospitalized.

I still have head & body pain so will miss tonight's show as going back to bed

Hope to catch up tomorrow

Yes, @Pipstop78 Nigel Harmon is my favourite, hope he wins ... 50 & very easy on the eye ... *winks*