Strictly Come Dancing 2011

[CeliaFate]

News! Jared is replaced . I'm glad they replaced him as I felt he was too inexperienced and out of his depth to be a good teacher.
Starting to get excited and it's not on for 3 months!
Da da da da da da da, da da da da da...DA DA DA DA!

[kiwibella]

thanks, that's so terribly sad reading her (MK) newsletter. So beautifully honest though.

[hotcrossbun99]

BTW darren and Lilia are still around, they are doing a performance at Accrington town hall on 30th July...tickets still available! :)

[tribpot]

This is Claudia's second son. I think Zoe Ball will be fine as a replacement (Claude thinks so, Tweeting yesterday: "Zoe is going to ROCK ITT.") but I hope Claudia will be back when she's ready.

I'm hoping Marian Keyes is feeling better - her most recent newsletter is from May last year.

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

Marian Keyes, author and regular guest on ITT in the past. She is hilarious and genuinely obsessed by the show. Sadly she suffers from depression and went into a very bad patch a while ago. Although I don't know how she is now.

[kiwibella]

"don't think m keyes is well enough at the mo to consider claudia's role"

who is m keyes?

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

I never watched Live and Kicking. I think I only know Zoe B from her Radio 1 days, and I didn't listen regularly, and from her being on Strictly as a contestant and ITT as a guest. She and Ian did have the most gorgeous relationship (God I miss Ian!!!) and yes, she genuinely loves the show I think. It will be fine. Claudia's just such a one-off though ? funny and smart and a genuine eccentric ? I can't help but miss her! How sweet about her new baby. Did she already have a son and a daughter or is this her first boy?

[HappyAsIAm]

Zoe Ball will ne great, I think. She's an incredibly experienced presenter on TV (remember Live and Kicking?) and radio, and a huge fan and ex-contestant on the show. She's really fond of Ian still, and from her appearances on ITT, she seems completely absorbed by each series. I am vry hopeful! Though Claudia is THE BEST. She's had a baby boy BTW.

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

Zoe Ball will be presenting ITT, apparently. Not sure how I feel about that. I quite like her as a guest on it, but haven't seen her presenting anything.

At least it's not Justin LC though. Narrow escape.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Yes LadyClarice, that was mine in a nutshell too!
Craig would be a great presenter for ITT. Let's hope they don't get someone really dull to do it...

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

I wrote to the Beeb too! They sent me basically a form letter back: 'Thank you for your feedback but here's a list of justifications for why we did it this way so fuck off', to paraphrase.

I'd like Craig to present ITT, as part of a panel also featuring Pauline Quirke, Marian Keyes if she's better, and a different member of the public every day.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Just marking my place. ITT will not be the same without Claudia. They need a celeb super fan to take her place.
Agree it was too gimmicky last year. I wrote a letter of complaint to the Beeb, but got the impression they thought what i was saying was a load of crap! :o

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

[ScatterChasse]

Yes he did. See .

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

Didn't watch the first series, so I don't know. Would rather gouge out own eyeballs than watch his mug on ITT five days a week.

[CaveMum]

Didn't Justin Lee Collins do the ITT equivalent for the 1st series of SCD, or did I imagine it?!

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

[CeliaFate]

Claudia's baby is due in August and she couldn't bear to leave her little one every day for ITT. She's still going to do the results show.

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

I found last year's so gimmicky and brash. They seemed to really take 'inspiration' from the American version, and lost a lot of its British light-entertainment charm along the way.

I'll still be watching though.

Why no Claudia??!!?? ITT won't be the same. I adore her and she's perfect for it.

[ScatterChasse]

Yes, I wasn't keen on all the themes and props last year. The themes were ok I suppose, in terms of music, but some of the 'extras' got in the way of the dancing. And I'm not even going to mention the lifts.

Is Claudia not doing it because she'll have just had a baby or is there another reason?

[sharbie]

read today in fail that danii m is considering dancing

don't think m keyes is well enough at the mo to consider claudia's role

[FoundWanting]

Just marking my place for September.

[CaveMum]

Ooo are we starting a new thread now?! Count me in!

I'm hoping for some, at least, B-list celebs this year rather than the F-listers they've used for the last few years.
Dancer wise there are lots of good dancers out there that they could use. My dance teacher always said that she was surprised that Darren and Lilia took part as they had the potential to be World Champions.

I'm hoping they don't go too much down the Dancing With The Stars route which is a bit too gimmicky for my liking! I'm a bit of a dance snob purist

[VeryHungryKatypillar]

Ooh, good idea, Miranda gets my vote.

[CeliaFate]

I hope they don't get someone boring to replace Claudia on ITT. They should ask a die-hard fan like Miranda Hart, Marian Keyes or Arlene!

[MediumPretty]

Oh no, Brucie will be back too.