Complaints about the Strictly line up

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

I've read a lot of complaints (none on here, but that doesn't mean there aren't any) about the line up of Strictly contestants being terrible. Grumbling about them all being Z listers, not knowing any of them, same sex couples, dancing is not about sexuality (as in pairing up gay people with someone of the same sex) and making a laughing stock of Ellie Simmonds.

Personally I would like to see two same sex couples, both of the dancers and celebs being straight. Nobody would then complain about it being "woke" and about sexual preferences (which I don't think it should be. It wasn't for Susan Calman, Will Young, Julien Macdonald, Julian Clary)

What do Mumsnetters think about who should be in the line up? If people moan about Z listers (I do think there's a point about this on Dancing on Ice and Love Islanders) who should be on instead? At what level do 'celebs' become acceptable as celebrities ?

"Personally I would like to see two same sex couples, both of the dancers and celebs being straight."

Why?

I don’t care that I don’t know who they are, you get to know them as the programme progresses.
What I don’t like is the awful way points are given out. The guy that Shirley gave the wrong score to didn’t deserve a 7, and she obviously fancies him. Bring back Len and proper scoring. And don’t get me started on the flat feet dancing and lack of toe leads !

OP explains why in the very next sentence...

I'm another one who cringes at Tess. When she reads the autocue it's like a child sounding out the words without understanding what they mean - she's so dim AND a complete personality vacuum.

Looking at the personalities, I think Johannes and Gio’s partner would have got on well together.

Nightmare “I disagree; dancing is totally about sex and/or relationships or partnerships. What else is a first dance at a straight wedding, if not a simulated and metaphorical first coupling for the bride and groom?”

I find it depressing that someone sees dancing like this.

How so?

Indeed. It can be sensual/sexual but it doesn't have to be. I certainly hope so anyway, otherwise all the times I've danced with my mother, grans, sisters, daughters and nieces should probably be reported to some agency or other. Hell, I've even danced with other men on the odd occasion so does that mean I'm not as hetero as I think, or do I actually just not give a shit?

"OP explains why in the very next sentence..."

In the post where she's complaining about people moaning that it's woke despite there being 2 straight women dancing together anyway? 🙈

I love Bill, but his couple's choice was an inferior copy of Charles Venn #Justice4Chucky

I'm all for having at least 1 person in with some sort of disability, I think it's brilliant as they are usually the couple that develops the most, dances are adapted and they usually do just great. I can't understand why though they didn't pair ellie with a pro dancer with dwarfism, it would have made far more sense as it's very difficult for them to dance in hold. She absolutely should be in it, but it's very tough on her partners back having to band down for anything that requires them to be in hold.

I haven’t read anywhere of anyone ‘making a laughing stock of Ellie Simmonds’ thought she was great.
I do think the programme doesn’t attract any really famous people any more, bit scraping of the ‘celebrity’ barrel going in in recent years.

I can't understand why though they didn't pair ellie with a pro dancer with dwarfism

I would imagine Ellie was asked/consulted beforehand, and she either said she didn’t care, or it made no difference, or she preferred the dancer she was matched with for whatever reason.

They don't technically have a street dance — it's couple's choice and can be theatre/jazz, street/commercial or contemporary. Most of them seem to have picked street recently though (although Rose did contemporary).

was a good theatre jazz one.

The main problem with it is they usually pick a dance style they can already do!

I'll be very interested to see how Ellie is choreographed in dances which require more of a close hold-maybe a ramp up to a platform so she is more on a level with her partner? But part of the fun is seeing how they manage this. I often don't know many of the contestants,but then I don't watch soaps and am not really into sport, and won't know children's TV presenters.

I've enjoyed finding out about Hamza-interesting journey from coming to Sudan to being a top Scottish wildlife cameraman-bet you don't get a lot of those with those wonderful calf-length braids!

I'm interested to see how the Nikita/Ellie pairing plays out. Ellie was really good this first week, but I think the dance was specially chosen so there was not too much close pairing. Part of what they're judged on is their posture and stance, and with the best will in the world, Nikita can't dance with a straight back with Ellie in the ballroom pieces, so I'm keen to see how they make dances such as the waltz work.

I think all the audience watching must be wondering this. I think they will give them more Latin numbers for the first weeks (since mixing up what dances they can do it seems to me that the producers usually try to offer ‘sympathetic’ dances to anyone they think needs it, especially in the early weeks or if they feel a particular couple are being misrepresented or voted against). I also think there will be some clever staging coming into play in the routines - multi-level platforms etc? It’s a huge challenge for Nikita.

Most years there have been celebs that I have never heard of but I like finding out about them, watching them learn to dance.

I had never heard of Jay McGuiness but loved him in Strictly and have since been to see a couple of West End shows just because he was in them.

I love the pairing of Johannes and John last year but just don't think Ritchie and Gio works plus Gio really does not seem happy.

Jayde and Karen I don't like as a pair either. Karen is my favourite female pro and I would love to see her win. I really don't think she stands a chance with Jayde.

I agree with another poster that the difference in size between Karen and Jayde looks silly which it wouldn't if Jayde was with a man.

I also wish they would stick to a couple of different dances each week. So many different ones seems unfair. To get a tango the first week or even a jive is not fair. Also they chose to give the two worst celebs a tango - just why?

In the REAL ballroom dancing world same sex couples are quite common

Especially outside the comp circuit.

So if you want a taste of 'real' ballroom, that's how it is

@NightmareSlashDelightful "Anyone who laughs at or about Ellie Simmonds is simply showing themselves to be an awful, bigoted, small-minded arsehole. They need to get in the fucking sea."

Yup, totally agree with this. I get really miffed every year also when they have actors and actresses who obviously went to stage school and can already dance and have been taught to dance up against those who have never had a dancing lesson in their life. Some contestants don't stand a chance from the off.

I know more of them this year than I have for years.

Kaye Adams, Kym Marsh and Will Mellor are celebrities that have been continuously in the public eye for 20+ years.

Ellie Symonds is another familiar face.

I don't watch football but even I've heard of Tony Adams.

I don't know the rest.

To me not knowing who everyone is becomes a good thing. You learn about someone. Just because I don't know someone like Ritchie or Tyler doesn't mean that thousands of others watching don't. It's all about having a good mix of people to appeal to as big an audience as possible.

I think its a good line up this year only people I don't "know" is Molly from cbbc and Tony from the radio. I have no idea what or who these "complainers" want its a weekend entertainment show chill!

Tyler from the radio not Tony

To avoid any nonsense about the Strictly Curse. John was accused of fancying Johannes last year which was very unfair to John's fiance.

And to focus on the dancing rather than sexual orientation. As with Karen and Jayde.

Ellie's been trolled on social media.

All celebrities get trolled on social media though.