Strictly Come Dancing '24 Thread 1 : Who will be our celebs and Pros?

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

Starting a new SCD thread for chat prior to the series as the last is about to fill.

These threads are usually helmed by @PolkadotsAndMoonbeams and I normally deputise, but I haven't seen her around in a while

This thread will discuss who has been chosen for the show, but not who has been paired with who as that's a spoiler for the first show.

This is a NO SPOILER thread

Get Ready To KEEP DANCING.

Daily mail now says 'Strictly star Graziano Di Prima has been sacked from the show by BBC bosses after he kicked and hit his former partner Zara McDermott.'

Thank you Reise
Martin Roberts speculated to have been signed. I wouldn't do it, based on Robert Webb's experience, but we'll see. And Chris McCausland - blind comedian - I like him on Celeb Gogglebox. I'd put him with Katya or Karen.
Or possibly Lauren, as I noticed she was cleverly leading Krishnan whilst making it look like he was. But I've seen Karen do that too. Katya always makes her slebs look good.

I always had a suspicion that Robert Webb used his health to get out of Strictly rather than was actually forced out.

Not heard of Martin.

"Kicked and hit?". Madness.

Why do you think that about Robert Webb? What would the reason be?

Bloody hell. That's awful.

I'm so surprised at the comments implying that he was probably just a bit of a taskmaster and the celebs can't handle it. Someone being sacked for gross misconduct should be enough proof that something serious was going on.

Evening all 👋

Martin Roberts, Homes under the hammer.

So that's Graziano and Giovanni gone.
Aljaz back though!

@DelectableMe

I felt like they'd set him up as a comedian to be the joke act, and he didn't want to be a joke act. Of course, I'm just speculating.

Thanks for new thread

Place marking for the drama. As others have said, Giovanni wasn't so much a shock but Graziano definitely is. I do like to see celebs having fun on Strictly and good chemistry but I also miss the days when we used to get a bit of genuine tension (sexual or otherwise) in the training room and the odd argument. It all seems a bit sugary sweet and stage-managed now.

I guess it doesn't help that it's all so cryptic. There's a lot of scandal but not much information at the moment.

One thing I would add is if the BBC is worried about the celebs on Strictly being harmed by the training process then they should consider having a less cut-throat attitude towards the pros. The pros know that if they don't make an impact on the public then they stand a good chance of being benched or dropped altogether. Perhaps the pros wouldn't be martinets in the training room if they didn't think their career was hanging by a thread all the time.

How was he repeatedly assaulting her and no one knew?

How much is true and speculation? Obviously something major has happened but no official source said what yet...

The BBC might make a statement, we'll see

They'd have to be careful as to what they say though, since a lot of the disciplinary stuff will be confidential.

I know, it's so strange, I just can't work it out.

Supposedly it was the production staff who reported it. Presumably they saw it or the footage of it at the time and were ok with it but now, in the light of whatever's going on with the Giovanni situation, have revised their opinion of what is acceptable. I remember Fern Britton complaining about being kicked and manhandled by Artem.

When I learned to dance my teachers used to manhandle me a lot and sort of kick my feet into place, and so on. I guess the question is are the Strictly producers talking about actual deliberate physical violence or, say, using your foot to shove your celeb's foot into place? There's definitely things I put up with as a child which I would find belittling as an adult.

I'm not saying Graziano is so lovely he would never hit a woman but it's hard to believe that any Strictly pro could be slapping and kicking their celeb in rehearsals and everybody thought it ok at the time.

If Robert Webb had really been having a lovely time but was randomly forced out by unexpected heart symptoms then he'd have turned up for the final. They could have choreographed some gentle/sitting down choreography for the group dance, or he'd just have turned up in a sparkly jacket to tell Claudia that he was gutted to leave so early but has been cheering on contestant X from home.

I don't think he was necessarily lying about the heart issues but there was obviously more to it psychologically.

Bloody hell!

Yes I agree with you @EsmaCannonball

What ! I did see he had left why would he assault his partner!

Yikes! Not sure if we should believe the DM though, but that's awful. Poor Zara.

This was grazianos instagram

I know dancers can be rough in training sometimes and maybe this is all he knows. I'm not excusing Zaras upset and experience.

It's a dance entertainment show maybe the training needs to calm down.