Strictly Come Dancing 2016 - Glitterballs ready?

[SheHasAWildHeart]

First 'celebrity' confirmed:
Ed Balls

I reckon Ed off first. Having watched the group dance I would say that Louise, Daisy and Ore also need to improve very quickly or risk leaving early. Greg could do a Louis Smith style terrible start followed by amazing improvement, he's an Olympian so will be kept in by the public for several weeks no matter how bad he is (unless he turns out to be a bit irritating as well, but he seemed to have an ok personality to me). I think Will Young might struggle with technique as standards improve, he might not be precise enough. I think I'm going to really enjoy Taneka and Anastacia, both of whom are funnier than I expected.

Apparently Giovannit was supposed to have Anastacia, but they did a last minute switch and gave him Laura instead. I can't help but feel Anastacia would have been a much better fit for him.

I thought that too Runny. I did a prediction of all the couples and put Giovanni and Anastacia together. I think he would do much better with a strong partner than with another girly girl. I saw him dancing a tango at the proms and he was amazing when he was smouldering, but I really don't think that Laura is the smouldering type.

Some of James Jordan's tweets are here for those of us not on twatter, interesting opinions.

JJ

I reckon Anton is a shoo-in to replace Len as a judge next series.

Wasn't there a rumour though that there were feelers out to Arlene?

Anton might be too soft. All "you tried your best my darling". He'd never say a bad word to Brendan.

Personally I wouldn't mind that, but the panel may need more bite to be part of the entertainment.

Judge Rinder was in National Youth Theatre and might have been in a few amateur musicals. Not dance training per se but I think he will be really determined.

If Anton is a judge I will have to mute him, he's too smarmy. I generally only listen to Craig anyway, I know he gets booed a lot but he gives very constructive criticism about what the contestant needs to improve and has a dry sense of humour.

I agree 're Craig. He does give constructive criticism. The panto hoping is the most annoying thing about the show. I think they all give constructive criticism. The difference between having professional choregraphers judging rather than the useless has been of the x factor!

I mean panto booing!

I'd love it if they brought Arlene back. Getting rid of her was the biggest mistake. I'd be extremely surprised if they did though. There was a poll on Monkseal's website and Karen Hardy was a popular choice but I think Anton may be inevitable.

Although I don't hugely like Anton I would hope that his considerable knowledge/ experience could translate into some useful criticism/ advice.

If Brendan decides he's had enough of dancing then I think he's be great as the next judge - much better than Anton!

Brendan has judged the New Zealand version, so will know how to phrase things. I would rather have him as a judge than Anton. I doubt that they will have Arlene back. I still remember her pole dancer comments to Ola.

Yes I think Brendan might be better. He can get amusingly shirty.

Whoever replaces Len should be a Ballroom/Latin trained expert to give Strictly authenticity.

And another female judge would even the panel out - so Karen Hardy for me.

Anton or Karen for me, or possibly Ian Waite though he might be too nice. Karen has experience as a competition judge, as well as her excellent dance career.

On the teaching side of things, sometimes the best dancers don't make great teachers. Teaching is a skill on its own and some people don't have the knack. In the same way some of the best teachers were never top-level dancers themselves.

I'd love Ian back as well. He's the pro dancer I miss the most. I'm not sure about Anton as a judge, but I do like him on the show.

I'd love to have Ian back too, and Matthew Cutler. They were both beautifully elegant and willowy, most of the current pros are either compact or muscle-y.

I've just been browsing the digitally strictly thread. Some on there have virtually gone into mourning over Georgia and Giovanni splitting up! Haven't they only been a couple since the last series, so less than a year? It's all very odd, coupled with the Laura Whitmore drama too! I feel sorry for him that he's going to be involved in showmance drama for 2 years running by the looks of things

I mean digital spy! Id love Ian back too. He'd be tall enough for Daisy for a start!

Loved Karen too!

Timtam, I love Ian and Matthew. It would be great to see them back.

I would also love to see Arlene back as a judge. If I had to choose between Anton and Brendan as a judge I'd go for Anton. That's only because I'd like to see Brendan carry on dancing though.

I think Will and Claudia will be contenders. I might have to watch Ed Balls from behind a cushion!

Yes, the general consensus on Digital Spy was that Giovanni and Brendan were switched at the 11th hour after Giovanni and Georgia split up a week or so ago. The BBC are shameless! It's a shame too as I think Gio and Anastacia would have been a fab pairing - and would have had a blast (he's a bit of a fan boy - there was great clip of him on twitter singing one of her songs after she was announced). They looked great together in the group dance.

Re Joe Varney getting together with Georgia after she split from her last boyfriend - the press were vile to her (I know, surprise huh?) but apparently the previous boyfriend was emotionally abusive for some time and it all came to a head back at their hotel room after the finale, with the hotel threatening to call the police and him smashing a bottle of champagne on his head. Or so it was reported in several places (including by people who saw her distraught at the hotel). And then she got together with Gio but sadly they've just split and she seems gutted.

(I seem to know far to much about last series!) I know nothing about Laura but the poor woman seems to have got thrown under the tabloid bus with this pairing - which is a shame. And I'm annoyed if it has meant that they switched the pairings with Anastacia. She seems fantastic. Her and Brendan could be good - unless it goes down the route of Lulu Mark 2!

I went to the Strictly Prom actually and that Tango that Joe Varney and Joanne did was amazing.

Interesting that Laura and Georgia are friends which makes the pairing even more BBC playing with fire for ratings...