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.

1. Yes the footage would have been reviewed in 2023 because that’s how they put the VT’s together BUT let’s just say it wasn’t, I find it just as suspect that BBC employees actually witnessed the hitting, kicking and spitting but chose to keep quiet and not raise it especially knowing it was caught on camera so there was hard evidence (hence reviewing the footage now). It’s not the 1960s anymore and Graziano is hardly the jewel in the Beeb’s crown to be protected at all costs.
2. Yes I know Zara didn’t make any allegations which is exactly why I’m saying I’d rather reserve judgment until we’ve heard from her because she’s the victim in this. Until then, what actually happened are just unsubstantiated rumours.

"Yes the footage would have been reviewed in 2023 because that’s how they put the VT’s together"

You can't possibly know that.

Yes she’s unfollowed him but has Zara actually come out and said she’s instructing lawyers? If not, it’s just as much a rumour as him hitting, kicking and spitting on her. I’m not denying there are allegations or that something happened (that much is obvious) but I’d rather wait to hear from Zara - the victim - about what happened rather than believe unsubstantiated rumours from faceless sources.

And yes, of course his statement is all about him, what else is it supposed to be about when he’s obviously been instructed to NOT talk about specifics? Maybe he’s minimising because whatever happened, it’s not to the extent being reported.

But how do you know they were viewed then? How do you know anyone saw it happen before now?

They will not have crew in the room for every second of filming, and it's highly unlikely that every second of video footage of a week's training for 15 ish contestants will be pored over to create a 2 minute VT

I’ve worked in television production, do you really think they record footage - which has a cost to it - to not even review it? And yes, that’s how the VT’s are put together.

I already said that even if it wasn’t reviewed (unlikely), it doesn’t negate that there were actual witnesses to the incident/s and it would have been known there was footage hence it being reviewed now. So whichever way you cut it, if the rumours are to be believed, the BBC / its employees covered it up which I personally find hard to believe in 2023.

Can you confirm where you've seen that witnesses saw it in person?

I also worked in production, and I disagree with your comments about reviewing every second of video

Having worked in television production, it’s precisely the footage taken without crew that would have been reviewed as you wouldn’t know what’s on it and what you captured, if any footage is going to be ignored, it’s the one taken by crew as they can tell you if they got anything interesting or not.

Ok so she's rumoured to have instructed lawyers. This could have been leaked by the BBC, by the law firm or another way. Just because she hasn't publicly stated what happened doesn't mean it's untrue. Graz has publicly admitted something happened so I will choose to believe she is the victim based on that knowledge. A victim can be a victim without admitting it. If I witness an assault but the victim doesn't want to press charges it doesn't mean I didn't see it. The BBC silence on this is also very telling. There is no personal issue that can excuse assault and I believe there is evidence of assault.

The reality is we may never know the truth.

As I said, having worked in television production, I disagree.

Did you even bother to read my posts?

I literally said she’s the victim several times & because of that, I’d rather wait and LISTEN TO HER than rumours. Not once did I say she’s not the victim.

I am also not disputing that things happened, again I literally said that in my posts so I have no idea what you’re going on about.

All I’ve heard are rumours so far and nothing from Zara, the BBC or Graziano regarding exactly what happened so can you please provide me with the evidence you have of assault? Maybe I’ve missed it.

So, obviously this is a challenging turn of events and upsetting for the fans but can we remember that this thread is about the bonhomie of strangers all enjoying the same light entertainment show and be friendly towards each other where possible

I don't need to provide you with anything and certainly won't when you speak to me like that. You have been defensive of him and replied to any comment mentioning it as though it's personal. Your words are not matching your defensive actions. I am siding with Zara as he has admitted an incident occured which resulted in him losing his job. We will not agree and I don't wish to be insulted by you further so I'm ducking out of any futher discussion with you.

Well how else did it come to light then?

If there were actually no witnesses who reported it (the rumours say they did), the footage wasn’t reviewed at the time so was unknown (as you’re saying is possible) and Zara didn’t make any allegations and instead was called in by the BBC (as per the rumours) then how was it uncovered?

The only other explanation is that the BBC decided to go back and watch every second of ALL footage, for ALL the couples which you are also saying they don’t do.

This is my point about rumours, we can’t pick and choose which parts to believe which is why I’d rather wait and hear from Zara who is the important one in all this.

Hear hear!

I never saw any of that coming, I just assumed that all the professionals would be, well, professional. But I believe the women.

Zara was an early favourite in this household when we realised that she genuinely didn't have previous dance experience and that learning to dance was hard work for her but she was getting on with it and improving. I'd thought she might have another week or two in her when she got voted off.

First of all I didn’t insult you but I was blunt because you deliberately twisted what I said.

I clearly said several times that Zara was the victim and that obviously something did happen with Graziano - it’s all there in my posts - but instead you chose to insinuate that I was saying she was not the victim and that I believe he’s innocent which is simply not true so yes, I do take it personally when someone deliberately tries to misrepresent me.

All this bloody aggravation just because I’m choosing to keep an open mind about RUMOURS and would rather listen to Zara herself if and when she chooses to talk about it.

No, I asked if there were in-person witnesses, as I've not seen anything to say there were.

I also said they prob wouldn't go through every single second of footage at that time (but have no idea whether they did or not)

It has been said on news sites for weeks that the Gio situation opened up a wider investigation. So it seems logical that they might have started going through footage of people/specific people due to the wider investigation.

We don't know how it has happened and it'll be interesting when it all comes out.

(Re your earlier point about going through footage to make the VT, ime they would whizz through it at double/quadruple speed and grab some bits from it to make the VT, then stop watching it - leaving lots umwatched). They would absolutely not watch the entire reel and analyse it all)

Sticking to the topic… I’d like to see no stupid character costumes that stop you dancing, and dance weeks so we compare like with like. No comparing contempowaft with jive with rhumba.

Agree.

Much as though I usually love sleb twaddle and spilling the , this is more toxic than shipping. I am interested in both of your experiences as I've never worked in TV and only know that RuPaul claimed there was no such thing as a bad edit, when we all know about narrative arcs.
I bow to both of your knowledge/experience but neither of you need to argue the toss. <goes all EastEnders> "It's not worth it!"
If they didn't employ physios till recently and still don't have intimacy coordinators/chaperones as the norm then camera may well have been running with no one behind it and it might well be that not everything is seen but I'm sure I read that a production assistant didn't want to lose their job.
Whole thing leaves a bad taste.

Poor Richie and Hakuna bloody Matata.

Quite!

Fingers crossed for a good series this year. Get it back on track.

Poor Dan Walker, the lobster!

It's a shame that they aren't doing the Buckingham Palace Ballroom special. I was really looking forward to that, apparently it's been scrapped.

It would make sense say, if either of the Tindalls were doing it. Bias.

I hope it hasn't been cancelled because it's tarnished.

Yes, bring that back.