Strictly 2022 Thread 2 - Who's your favourite...

[xsquared]

Hello folks,
Last one filled up and I was surprised another hadn't been started for a while.

First thoughts:
I like this year's cohort and I recognise a few faces.

• Jayde reminds me of Dawn French. Wasn't expecting her to be paired with Karen.

• Carlos and Vito will be interesting to watch in their debut. Molly went to Sylvia Young Theatre, so she could be a ringer.

• I've seen Jowita in The Greatest Dancer and she was phenomenal. Hamza looks like he'll be good fun.

• Luba looked amazing during John Legend's performance and it's a shame that neither her celebs went very far. Maybe she's better suited to dancing in the background.

• When Helen Skelton mentioned needing someone who could understand a northern accent, I immediately guessed it was Gorka.

• Ellie and Johannes look good together. She's absolutely delighted with him, and I hope we get to watch them for a good while.

• Matt Goss seems rather subdued, but I think he'll have a good work ethic and deliver a good performance.

Actually, thinking about it, Kai would be good in a Catherine Cookson. He's Bert the drayman who rejects Effie the piecework seamstress, who's slowly going blind because she can't afford a gas-jet, as he's in love with Maude the brewery-owner's daughter. He returns from the Great War with only one leg to discover that Maude likes more legs than that. He now appreciates the true worth of Effie, but she is now a successful, and completely blind, milliner who values self-respect and independence over any man. Only when he rescues Effie from being trampled under the hooves of Jemmy, his old dray-horse, do the two admit their true love for each other.

Ha! Cross-post! There must be something in it. Come on, BBC casting directors!

Tyler for us - his brother was DD and DS singing teacher and DD follows his (the brother) bakery on instagram and live local to us.

Also DD loves Nikita and I like Ellie

Jayde is an interesting one - very open about dancing with her sister who has died - disco - suspect that might be a dance

To be fair, Maude had her head turned by Charlie, who'd been on stage in a Music Hall act with his brothers and could buy her ribbons and a whale bone shoe horn. Charlie retained both legs, but alas, went off with Jessie who had an allowance from her late uncle who traded in printers ink.

Happy about the pairings last night and haven't found anyone that grating. Yet. Gio won last year so of course he gets the lemon this time round. It's always the same. I loved Rose getting all tearful about missing dancing with him.

I think Kaye may be first to go, too, unless the Loose Women fans keep her in. Molly is this year's Ringadingdinger fo' sho'.

I think it's the first year where I've known most of the contestants. Don't know Tyler, EastEnders guy (DH thought it was Dane Bowers on the first shot of him), Molly or Hamza. Love Ellie S to pieces - always have - she's so bubbly and enthusiastic. She & Hannah Cockcroft are my favourite female Paralympians. I'd love to go on a girly night out with them.

@PigsInBlanketyBlankets - do you know Hamza The Hair IRL? He came across as very earnest but we shall see.

I have outfits older than Kai and he's not for me. Agree he's a Catherine Cookson down t'pit, up t'chimbly, round t'mill leading man. Maybe a musical version?

Vito looks very hot when he's dancing but then he's all twinkly & cute when he's chatting. DH said he comes across like a spaniel puppy 😂.

Pad & pen ready to make notes for me blog tomorrow. Wish me luck reading what my handwriting looks like after after a couple of gins.

Great minds x

www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/strictlycomedancing/entries/596e2916-46ff-4017-ab63-6cbde45bca87

Placemarking
6.45 start tonight
Yowsers!
Songs and dances are up.
Have put the link, so as not to spoil if you wanted not to know, but there are (as always) some questionable choices of music there. Jayde's and Tony's stand out.

iklboo Mollie? Her timing was flipping awful in the group dance. Fleur, on the other hand = finalist.
Look forward to reading your blog x

I also thought Mollie looked unexpectedly ropy in the group dance. Maybe a one-off mishap?

Ah, x post mrsjayy I do not use fb, but saw from twitterfeed they were up, as monkseal berating no waltzes.
Am seeing your Catherine Cookson fantasies in a contempowaft. Kai can use Aljaz's wuthering breeches and boots and Joe's peaky blinders cap. 💕

Loving the Catherine Cookson tales

Kai would definitely be the type who'd stand by and marry his adored Ginny, despite her being put in the 'family way' by the dark and brooding rich pit owners son.

one song spoiler
In fact, was Go West (last used by Jeremy and Karen just as they were jumping the shark with a plastic horse prop) meant for Tyler, but Dianne told them to do one?!!
Id

I'd have given it the swerve for that dance style. Thought maybe Tony had played for West Brom but no, so assume it is a fitba link I don't know. Knew nowt about Tony but can now understand why he mentioned being sober yesterday, to put all that to bed.

@SequinsandStilettos - I reckon she was deliberately messing up so we won't be on to her <taps side of nose>. Fleur is definitely up in the belfry!

Tony played for Arsenal back in the day. Maybe he could dance to Fat Bottomed Girls and I Like Big Butts 😂

Rolled up sleeves and braces? swoon…

I'm liking both Ellie's, Tony and Jade.

I think Fleur will do really well... Kay not so much (maybe the Judy Murray of the bunch!)

I used to love Bros back in the day but think Matt will be high maintenance and not that likeable.

I'm looking forward to watching tonight!

I think this one is going to be a really good series.
Loving all the Kai fantasies!
My favourites so far are Fleur, Ellie and Tyler. I haven't heard of Tyler before but he is rather easy in the eye, although the torch collection was a bit weird.

Is Jayde straight? I assumed she was a lesbian and that's why the same sex pairing. I think they look great and very sexy together!

Completely agree

Richie and Jayde are already irritatating me. I want them out asap. However, Gio and Karen are my favourite pro dancers, so am majorly conflicted here.

True true 😃

According to her details, she's heterosexual and married to a man, but requested a woman partner.

Jovita is an outstanding dancer and I hope she goes far. I will also be rooting for Ellie S.

I think we had the conversation about Kai last year in that he’s kind of “old school Hollywood” in looks. So many of the golden era greats looked like they were in their 40s when they were actually mid 20s!

Case in point - Cary Grant pictured here in his first film in 1932. He was 28!

Also Clark Gable - he was 38 in Gone With The Wind, looks more like 50!

I adore Kai but I'm older than his father who is only 50!