Strictly Come Dancing 2020

[Cleoriff]

So it will be going ahead this year, despite Covid 19. It will start a month later than usual in October.

They have announced the first 6 contestants

I presume each couple will maintain their own social bubble and I think they are planning a limited audience (the info is so limited, which is why I'm late posting!!)

I do know that Bruno Tonioli's appearances will be limited due to his appearances in the US.

So I'll post this in case @sheepdog @Anonymous @jonsie @MI5 and @Mi-Amigo are still interested.

Actress Caroline Quentin is the first contestant announced

Then we have Jason Bell, a former professional American football player living in the UK now

Third contestant is Max George from the group The Wanted (We all remember Jay McGuinness from the same group)

Max George

4th Contestant is Ranvir Singh (Good Morning Britain)

5th Contestant is Clara Amfo from BBC Radio 1

And just announced this morning is Nicola Adams the boxer, who will be dancing as part of a same sex couple

I'll update the thread when further contestants are announced.

[Cleoriff]

Problem is, I was expecting more of Bill as he was quite good in the group dance last week.

I hope Anton fans don't keep him in. Jacquie has no comedy value at all and hopefully people are so against the government in general they kick her out. Even though she is an ex-minister.

[Cleoriff]

Songs and Dances for Week 2.

Bill and Oti: Quickstep to Talk To The Animals by Bobby Darin

Caroline and Johannes: Paso Doble to El Gato Montes by Ramon Cortez

Clara and Aljaž: Viennese Waltz to You Don’t Own Me by SAYGRACE

HRVY and Janette: Viennese Waltz to Stuck With U by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber

Jacqui and Anton: Samba to Help Yourself by Tom Jones

Jamie and Karen: American Smooth to Night and Day by Frank Sinatra

Jason and Luba: Salsa to Get Lucky by Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers

JJ and Amy: Paso Doble to Believer by Imagine Dragons

Maisie and Gorka: Tango to Midnight Sky by Miley Cyrus

Max and Dianne: Jive to I’m A Believer by The Monkees

Nicola and Katya: Couples’ Choice (Street Commercial) to Shine by Years & Years

Ranvir and Giovanni: Quickstep to You Are The Sunshine Of My Life by Stevie Wonder

Look @sheepdog HRVY (who you call Justin Bieber) is dancing to a Bieber song

Not keen on the jive music for Max and Dianne. The Monkees? FGS!!

Obviously won't be a patch on Jay and Aliona with Misirlou from Pulp Fiction

This could be the end for Anton and Jacqui....a Samba, we all know Latin and Anton don't go together at all

[Cleoriff]

I'm doing this in dribs and drabs as I have been buying up toilet rolls before Lockdown Thursday

Max and Dianne....Jive. Pretty good and undermarked. Scored 20

Clara and Aljaz...Viennese Waltz....Missed most of this. Apparently a wardrobe malfunction? Scored 17

JJ and Amy ....Paso. Passable I suppose ...Scored 17

Bill and Oti....Quickstep ...WOW....Well done  Scored 24

Jamie and Karen... Just ok ....Scored 17

Maisie and Gorka... Tango. What a great dance for the 2nd week. Scored 25

Jacquie and Anton...Samba...FGS!! Scored 12

HRVY and Janette ...Viennese Waltz..... Damn good job... Scored 24

Ranvir and Giovanni ...Quickstep.....I thought they did ok. Overmarked? ...Scored 21

Nicola and Katya. I thought it was a bit early for the Couples Choice  but damn well done. Scored 24

Caroline and Johannes... Paso Doble.....A good dance although a bit safe...Scored 21

Jason and Luba ...Salsa....Quite well done (apart from the slip) Undermarked....Scored 17

So top are

Maisie and Gorka

HRVY and Janette

Bottom two

Jamie and Karen

Jacquie and Anton

Now off to eat.

[sheepdog]

Missed Max again. Good show tonight, lots of improvement bar one...memo to Tess's wardrobe assistant: Jumpsuits were not fashionable in the 70's. Or ever. 

Think Clara might be in the bottom two in the next few weeks (if not tonight), not exactly shining so does need to up her game. Liking JJ Chalmers a lot so like to see more of his progression. 

Bill Bailey, the dark horse of the series! Can it make it to the top 5 though? I hope so. Tiffany, still annoying though can't fault her dance, top 3 I think. Needs to tone down the bronzer.  Bieber, another top 3 contender if not a potential winner. Played the Nan card way too early. 

Ranvir was a bit flat after last week but she now sees the competition to beat or equal or she's out early. I'd say Jamie looks good but needs more improvement to stay in longer in this shorter series. Both need to be as equal to Jason to get anywhere. Really liking him and Luba's partnership and him going out too soon will dim the light of the series. 

Agree with you @Cleoriff, Caroline was safe but lets hope Johannes pushes her a bit more. Latin maybe her downfall. Nicola/Kataya thought was ok but messy and overmarked. Needs more next week to avoid the dance-off. 

Which brings us to the Anton & Anon exit dance. Started off badly and had zero redeeming features until they decided to shove her on the stannah chair lift for the last 30 seconds. Even a double appearance by Ed Balls couldn't save this. Worse, we have to endure it again in the dance-off! Or not, I think I'll be finding a cat video to watch instead. 

Did they forget to let Bruno out of his closet or is he still MIA for a while longer? I am really disliking this augmented reality rubbish they keep adding in "for the viewers". Its just needless and takes away from the dancing. 

[Cleoriff]

@sheepdog 

As you missed the start, it was Bruno (or his voice) who opened the show. All a bit weird as he was not seen at all...or heard... after the opening credits.

It was nice to see Jay on a zoom call to Max, and they showed a snip of HIS jive. I think this is why Max was undermarked if honest. Jay's jive, along with the superb music choice v Max with the bloody Monkees!!

Love your reference to Stannah stairlift for Jacqui. As Craig said, that was the best part of the dance.

I don't hold out much hope for Jamie Laing. Thank god he went out with a leg injury last year and we got Kelvin instead. Really no comparison at all. Kelvin was superb from the start with 2 weeks call up. Jamie? Nope.

Please god Anton's many fans do NOT vote for him to stay. Unbearable. No-one is as bad as Jacquie (except Anne Widdicombe)

Now the tricky business about JJ, who I like and think he is brave to attempt this, considering his injuries. That's the sticking point for me. Much was made of his injuries in the show preamble and I think his points are higher because of this. We'll see.

Nice to watch this show tonight, even more so after it followed THAT news!

[Cleoriff]

So Jamie and Karen are the first couple in the dance off.

Joined by Jacquie and Anton....

Fingers crossed....

Thats it. Jacquie and Anton are gone. Good job.

Next week it's Movie Week...

[sheepdog]

Probably the least unexpected exit  

So tonight's result show review in short:

Tess looked better in the jumpsuit

Claudia must have been on stilts

Sam Smith is incredibly mediocre

Bruno is a bore

I still don't get the halloween pro-dance routines but if you're wondering what tune was butchered, it is this classic from Flock of Seagulls:

Movie week next week and Max's face when being told he's going to be Homer Simpson was hilarious. Though like everyone else, Marge & Homer doing Strictly has got to be intriguing to see if its not bottom two material. 

[Anonymous]

I  BILL BAILEY

Could do without Bruno

Thought James was not going to get through because of his 'limited' fan base?

Bill's body line was 100% ... and ... his feet had pointed toes when doing kicks and flicks in the quickstep

Liked Clara and Aljaz Viennese Waltz ... difficult ballroom dance ... good midriff contact = what Craig would call 'gapping' ... Aljaz will sort out her shoulders rising when she was on her toes

Liked JJ's cape work in the pasa doble ... he did well considering

Pleased for Nicola and Katya

No comment, particularly on Maisie ... and the rest

Shirley seems to have blossomed this season so far.

[Cleoriff]

@sheepdog 

You talk about Max's face when he found out he was going to be Homer Simpson? You should have seen mine!!

Are they deliberately doing their best to make sure he compares badly to Jay McGuinness?

Jay and Aliona did Pulp Fiction and THAT jive.

Agree about Sam Smith....can't stand the guy.

Bruno adds nothing. In fact he is far better in that box!

I'll post the dances when I find out next Tuesday...

[Anonymous]

Correction to my post No. 38 above  ^  ^  ^

Line 3 name should be, of course, Jason and not James as I had typed.