Strictly Come Dancing 2016 - Glitterballs ready?

[SheHasAWildHeart]

First 'celebrity' confirmed:
Ed Balls

Can I join you lovely lot please? I am on DS and comment on Monkseal's blogs a lot but the more Strictly devotees I meet, the merrier I am. Looking forward to the new series.
Great Balls of Fire jive (Ed)
Young hearts run free cha cha/samba (Will)
I wanna be like you or bear necessities or Jungle drum quickstep (Laura)
(Or a samba to More than a woman)
Am struggling for Ore as I do not know any sports songs and god forbid they shoehorn a song like they did for Iwan. Is his name pronounced Or-ay? Cannot think of a dance to Ray of Light and don't like the song. Maybe something Latin due to the Rio connection.
Kiss cha cha or samba or kiss kiss samba (Melvin) but that said, Beeb doing advert for kiss FM?

First punt pairings...
Ed - Karen
Will - Natalie
Laura - Gorka
Ore - Joanne
Melvin - Janette

Kiss cha cha

Sorry, posted too soon...Kiss cha cha would have to beat that bloody Rock DJ cha cha poor Jo was forced to choreograph to two years ago, surely?!

The thing about SCD casting is that it's very carefully balanced to hit everyone within the viewing public. So Laura and Melvin hit the X Factor vote, (although I remember Melvin mostly from Dick and Dom and The Slammer, because my DC are of that age). Ed Balls hits the Newsnight demographic (and a certain type of Mumsnetter). And Will Young is very Radio 2 friendly. We'll expect a soap star or two, a couple of sportspeople and a couple of totally random names. You absolutely shouldn't expect to recognise or care about everyone on the list. As long as there's a couple who intrigue you enough to watch the first two episodes then the casting team have done their job.

I quite like the male appointments so far. Now all I need is a new name...

I remember Melvyn from Dick & Dom, DS loved that show!
Anyone think Helen Skelton might be one announced later on?

I like your name. St Peter of Borange has just bought Tom Cruise's old gaff. A lot of cash to be made from pop tunes, OK bollocks and turning on Xmas lights. I rather like Will Young.
OhGod I'm the radio 2 demographic!

Helen has had loads of headlines lately. She'd win BabyWarz outright, her little boy is gorgeous. Brendan would love her, she works incredibly hard so would put in all the hours it took to become decent.

Helen was on a Christmas Special I think. IIRC she worked her little socks off but basically sucked. Some beautiful, determined, agile, physically fit young women (and men) have simply not been gifted by the gods of rhythm (see also: Victoria Pendleton, Mark Foster).

Signing in! Strictly is loved by me in this house so I can't wait for the start!

ED balls - meh
Laura - never heard of her
Will young - love him
Ore - don't know much about him but I like him so far
Melvin - never heard of him.

I'm sure there'll be a couple
Olympians in there, somebody about to retire maybe.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=cI6-SC6VdpA

See what you mean, a bit clunky, although came second with the panel, 37.
But they always overscore at Xmas. Lost to JLS guy.
Poor Brenda with Vicky. He really did think he had a ringah, bless. Then last year, saying, I want THIS one to Helen and ending up with Kirsty who looked good on paper.
What d'ya reckon? He'll get someone decent this year or is resigned to being Anton mark II/Tony from DWTS?

Oh god I'd totally forgotten about Kirsty Gallagher. Definitely exhibit C in my big file of evidence that not everyone can dance.

< Swoops in > aw Helen Skelton was fab on the Christmas special!
Okay, not as good as I'd remembered but she was very cute and bouncy and athletic and Artem really seemed pleased with her.
I think she'd be one of the charming hard workers who goes far on that basis (should she join in). Think I read she lives in France though.

Cross posts!

Big Strictly fan here - rooted for Jay all the way last year (and I'd never heard of him before the show) I've only heard of Ed and Will from this years contestants so far. I like Will - he's funny and seems nice, Ed might be OK - I seem to remember he has learned to lay the piano as an adult - so maybe some musical ability there ??

Never heard of Ore before - but he looks like he'll be good (sporty etc. and at the risk of coming over as an elderly perve - he's not going to be hard to look at )

I'll miss Aliona and Tristan - hope the new pros are nice.

I'll miss Gleb.

I'll miss Kristina.

Ola knees slides anyone?

I feel like such an old fart - I've never heard of Melvin either!

I wonder who'll be the over-50s lady this year? The usual blonde one who just wafts about smiling?

Don't worry Elspeth - I haven't heard of him either and will keep you company on the old farts bench

So who's this year's boy band candidate?

I thiught I heard Lesley Joseph's name as a possibility - can't remember where.

Ah yes, she's signed up as the oldest female scd celeb ever.

I looked up his twitter and saw that he is a Dr.
First thought: real doctor or fake doctor (Dre, Fox, Pepper)
Then Dr O'Doom. An oirish fan 4 nemesis.
But it is an honorary doctorate from Bedford where he did a media studies degree
Sadly I cannot see him now doing Movie Week with Sue Storm (Oksana?) but you never know.

Oh gawd, hope they don't pair LJ with Tony Beak, making her do a Dorien impression to Maneater

Jason from Corrie was very keen to be on it, but haven't heard anything.