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.

Was it OK for the producers to put him in that position? Even if it was his choice? Could they have done more?

I think so

Historically, getting on Strictly was the Z list celebrity ambition for "getting exposure"

Just because someone wants to do it doesn't make them a suitable candidate for the show

@FrothyCothy

It probably needs to take a year off, just so they can say "Look, we listened" but it's the 20th anniversary AND it leaves a massive schedule gap even so I think it could go either way at this point

I suppose the other risk is that a judge or a pro may step away to distance themselves and then they’re really in a mess (although assume they’d be at risk from a contract breach).

They've posted this evening, a photo of day one of the pro dance rehearsals

Good to see you polka

Readyteddy
Craig's take from his memoir: It was along the lines of he could call himself a rancid old queen but others couldn't appropriate, that he knew Tony Beak wasn't racist (was dating someone Japanese at the time - although that reeks of Some of my best friends are x), that it was a private conversation in the Star Bar that should never have been leaked.
That led to speculation she used it about herself all the time (so Tony didn't realise he couldn't in private banter between them, overheard in a public space) but that she didn't want her parents to know that. There was also some custody battle between her and her ex so she didn't need any bad PR. Tony didn't defend himself with any of the above to spare her and that's why the Beeb went easier on him than say, Carol Thatcher. Albeit he apologised and she didn't.

All of that was one person's opinion and subsequent hearsay/tattle. Laila hasn't commented much on the whole furore and was upset at the time that it would overshadow them and cause her elimination.
Also Bruce was still a big Beak advocate so that may have played a part. He was made to apologise when he defended him as old school/some cannot take a joke bollocks.
Anton was reportedly being expected to step into Bruce's shoes at some point. This put paid to that. He was lucky not to be fired. That led to rumour that there was more to it than met the eye (although even if someone else has reclaimed a slur doesn't mean someone else should. Quentin Tarantino take note).
Anyway, it was brought up every time he was mentioned as a potential judge. He'd judged one CIN performance but it was only due to Covid - and a reasonable amount of time passing - that he got his shot.
He stands to lose the most from it being dragged up again - especially if Laila does put in a claim rather than the papers just using it as clickbait.

They're not going to dump it at this point.

1. If contracts have been signed the remaining pros could sue, as could slebs who have carved out a schedule/turned down work
2. It's akin to admitting there is a problem they are responsible for, which won't help them if named in lawsuits
3. They'd have a huge gap to fill unless regurgitating The Wheel or The Wall or what have you

They will make sure it's ship shape, double check with the slebs every step of the way, not leak as much as they have in the past deliberately imho and look at the ratings before making a decision. If they do retire it, I'd expect it back as Dancing with the stars rebrand five years from now...

It will definitely be on air this year. It’s too late to fill that amount of time, especially considering contracts will have been signed with everyone who works on it.

whether it comes back next year remains to be seen.

personnally I think there needs to be a mass exodus on the production side. Clearly that’s where the rot starts

I'm pretty sure that they'll gloss over all of this, and present the show as though nothing detrimental has happened.

Well, yes

A representative for Manrara told BBC News: "Janette had a great time dancing with Will and one of her favourite moments on the show was doing their contemporary couples choice. Her celebrity partner’s safety and enjoyment was always the priority throughout her time on Strictly. Janette has never received any complaints and has maintained friendships with all her partners, including Will."

Except, rightly or wrongly, he's complaining now.
Whilst he hasn't complained against her directly, he did say he thought the pros - including Janette presumably - were under pressure from the producers, that she'd told him to execute the jump again after a few attempts were deemed "rubbish" and that he'd wanted to please her.
None of which has been addressed in the above statement that she didn't write herself

Source?
I know it's one of the stories that has been dragged up again from a decade ago but has Steve actually now confirmed it?
At the time they went into damage limitation and he denied it completely.

This is what fascinates me - how many toed the party line initially/went along with the denials/nothing to see here/sleb gushing - only for that not to have been the case at all. Then the fact that there's some kind of contract where you cannot criticise the show - that's the real issue here: how many poor sods work for the Beeb and didn't want to get blacklisted/be out of future work.
I love Strictly. I hate Cover ups. I feel so sorry for whistle blowers. And it makes what Amanda did even more brave given the machine against her, if what she says is true. Has she been vindicated by all the coverage? What is taking so long? I wish there was transparency and all footage available in a The Public Decides kinda way or put Judge Judy on it! normally I'd say Rindy but he has ties with the Beeb too

This is all very sad and no laughing matter but I am trying to picture a Cobra production meeting with sequins… .

@FailBetter

Rinder has made a couple of comments hasn't he? Sorry can't source right now.

Janette and Ola named now.

I think it’s the end of strictly been an avalanche of stuff…every day a new revelation!

Ah, so he has.
More competitive now than when it was all about the J word.
Women had it harder being judged on what they wore and showmancing, on his series..

Okay. Nothing particularly controversial or illuminating, albeit he mentions Laura and seems to confirm her experience of the tabloid interest focus.

He recognises that he avoided all that - because he's gay - but I'm not sure how accurate the above is, even for his series: they had Danny Mac for crying out loud whose cha cha was so good in week one that insiders said he looked like a pro. Will Young was also his year.

Only two years later, you had the Seann furore. And Danny John-Jules.

I'm pretty sure there was some build-up over Chucky Venn's appearance that year and Davood the year before. Press were dropping hints about Joe and Dianne. The year after there was a lot of speculation over David James and Nadiya. Some press intrusion into Kelvin and unfair pics of him and Oti.

Adam Peaty had his fair share of headlines too.

So yes - women are judged on their physicality and clothes - twas always thus on the sidebar of shame.
But I think they've always had a competitive element.
I think men have also had a lot of press intrusion.

Where things perhaps have changed is that previously only stans could name many of the pros whereas now, some of them are as famous or more famous than their partners. That and the advance of social media.

I'm glad Rindy had a great old time though - and him and Oksana got on. He was one of my favourite contestants.

Every day a rehashing.
To be honest (and I did a deep dive upthread) I could have written about ten of the articles I've read in the last week.
It's my fault for clicking on the clickbait but there haven't been any new revelations as such - apart from Will Bayley speaking out - the rest are all old stories that anyone could leap on. Journos haven't had to do much either - they have the stories already and just follow what's on here, Tattle or Digital Spy. Even the old footage has been taken from trending on social media and these sites.
I'm as guilty as anyone else but it's all clickbait/same story repackaged.

The only new one due will be based on Amanda's appearance on Thursday when interviewed by Christine Lampard and even then that's if she actually says anything new (i.e. what he did in detail that was "unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean" and what behaviour was flagged in the past).

"I know what happened in that room, it’s on video and I have no problem with anyone seeing that. It’s a duty of care that is needed.
I know what is on those tapes and I am not frightened of those tapes being seen, It goes way beyond treading on my toe. I know what happened and the fact he is blocking the tapes says a lot."

I hope Christine asks her what lewd comment he is meant to have said and what she thinks is on the tapes!

I can't do links but Rob Rinder was on the times Radio channel talking about strictly I saw the video on my FB reels.

I'm still surprised it's taking months to trawl through 9 years of Gio's training footage - I reckon stans of the show could have done it in a matter of weeks okay, just me then

@FailBetter thanks for the info re Craig's book.
My dear old gran predicted something like this, that they'd maybe had some banter, and he then he'd used the same theme but overstepped the mark when she had a particularly extreme spray tan.

Some papers are reporting that Giovanni is likely to be exonerated. I think one used the words "no smoking gun" which I find so frustrating. Reading between the lines, I think he was likely explosive and subjected people to tirades (although I may be wrong) which can be very damaging - some studies on abuse have reported that shouting can be as damaging as sexual and physical abuse). If he'd spat, hit or kicked even once I think this aggressive shouting would have been seen in a completely different light (as Graziano's was to Zara). But because there was no big incident I think it's all going to be written off as just being strict and having high standards even though I think there are 4 people who have complained about him officially and that other dancer who worked with him professionally who seemed to have been left with psychological scars from the tone of her twitter post.

Remember the tabloids are happy to attack the BBC for their own ends.
I hope all the difficulties blow over. Positive change is good.

It's the subject of The Rest Is Entertainment podcast today, they discuss it at length - Spotify link is here https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cPT07cCLBuHDTKOgdIeMn?si=osUdtuBJQAeR5KsAE7D4HA
I think they're right that they are connecting it with the ridiculously high level of dancing achieved nowadays compared to the amateur styles of the past. Richard Osman thinks they will put changes into place this coming season but it's far too late to pull it entirely. I just hope they don't have a professional dancer as a celeb again, it puts the pressure on immediately. The more this goes on it really taints my view of what's been my favourite TV programme for 15 years 😕

Listening to the podcast now.

Have been avoiding any clickbaity type stuff but DH and I were discussing last night, on hearing Jeanette's name thrown in the ring, whether any contestants who had achieved finals status had complained, and if not did that mean their appetite to win meant they expected it to be tough and were prepared for it to be gruelling. Also how far back are we going with the allegations of rehearsals being abusive/bullying - was there a point when strictly became tougher, or the pros became far more competitve/hungry to win. Although surely the pros don't enter something unless they want to win, like athletes for example.

I don't know if I would be sad if it didn't air this year (not going ahead is almost an admission of "we know it's been bad") as I have felt the change the last few years, but it's become like a countdown to christmas so on the other hand I can't imagine it not being there!

i think Richard and marina take a very nuanced view which is what we’ve all been saying - that the dancers haven’t known anything different,the pressures have got too much and there’s been a lack of duty of care from production.

I like the idea of a tighter set of rehearsal hours and equal hours all round, surely that wouldn't be too hard to implement.

@MeAgainAndAgain i think the opposite, I think they need to be given 3 year contracts so they know if they do get a no hoper that they won’t risk losing their job over it.