SCD 2024 #2 : First slebs announced, warm up continues - No Spoilers Please (added by MNHQ at request of the OP)

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

KEEP DANCING EVERYONE

Hopefully this thread will see some closure to the unpleasantness in the form of findings; as well as the build up to the beginning.

i was pleased about Sam and Nick. never heard of the football guy(no surprise as I hate football lol)

I reckon that's the case (women put off). Either that, or they really want a man to win this year 🤷

Yes, 9 to 6 isn't good. It's 'only' one woman less than 8 to 7, but because you have the extra men it really makes a difference on the overall balance.

There's a few I like the sound of — Sam Quek especially. We haven't had many younger sportspeople doing well recently so I'm hoping she breaks that trend.

Same! Think this is the most uninspiring line up ever tbh.

I suspect the feeling is that their women professionals can be relied on more than the men to be kind to the slebs. For similar reasons male professionals with a good track record for being supportive, like Johannes, are pretty sure of not being benched.

There are a few I'm very excited about, just a shame it is slightly unbalanced as I think it will stand out at a bit at first.. I definitely think a couple of the men will be first to go so then hopefully it will look a bit more balanced!

i must be odd because I don't count how many men are in it. just who I know.

I was convinced sam quek had already done this..if not what has she done that's similar? Or have I got her confused with someone else?!

I'm a celeb and Celeb Masterchef.
Her name, along with Sarah Hadland's, used to be regularly touted on Digital Spy as a possible contestant (along with Gok Wan,Tomasz Schafernaker etc)

This year it really should have been 8 Women and 7 Men. Was 8 Men last year..
Bizzare. Not buying they couldn't have found one or two females last minute.
Another presenter, radio 1/2 DJ,, I mean have both Sarah Cox and Jo Whiley always turned it down.
Female Chef, theatre actor, the list goes on, Someone from the Doctors soap.
80/90s/2000s minor pop star/band member. Weather presenter. I would have been fine with another Eastenders actor.
They actively chose to have 9 male celebs, drafting in Wynn the advert man.

I used to get her confused with Alex Scott, who has done it before - not sure if that's who you're also thinking of

I would imagine both Sara Cox and Jo Whiley have been asked so they must have turned it down.

Women being reluctant to do it is not a good look, particularly not if BBC Employees

Sara Cox has already been on SCD 😅

When?!

Oh a Christmas Special. Doesn't count. It's one dance. Children In Need doesn't count either

I never remember Christmas Specials

I'm not particularly a fan of them. Would rather a compilation episode as was done during COVID

But when your argument is that it's not a good look that BBC staff members are turning it down, it totally counts

But she has obviously declined the full stint in favour of the one off. We are free to disagree. I had zero recollection of her doing Christmas as I said so that's why I made my comment. I stand corrected.

Who can complete this quiz in the time limit?

I run out of time

www.sporcle.com/games/Nitromizer/strictly-come-dancing-contestants-2004-2011

It runs up to last year despite what the link suggests

They must know that it looks bad to have 50% more men than women, and either didn't care, or couldn't redress it by asking more women, neither of which looks good. And Neil who I really like, gets benched again when I bet he's really nice to work with. I just think it's lazy to have people who are either influences, reality stars or have been on loads of celeb TV already. Not a fan of the booker, she needs to go.

I'd rather BBC employees turned it down rather than subject themselves to it like Naga did. She didn't want to do it nor did Natasha.
It's also fair enough that any of them who dip their toe in for the specials - and therefore know what's it like to rehearse for one routine let alone a series - can decide it's not for them.
I like the specials for that reason - and that there's a second chance for early boots to have another go. I'd love to see Richie on a Xmas special with Jojo or Nikita. He was so keen to have a good experience and if he didn't, for whatever reason, it might repair that for him (if he wanted it).
I'd also love Nigel or AJ to come back if they could as their series were curtailed through no fault of their own. Less bothered about Tony Adams but Nicola Adams would be good.

I'd rather BBC employees turned it down

My overall point was meant to be, do employees who turn it down have insider knowledge?

And if so is keeping quiet part of the culture problem that's been highlighted?

Ah, I see. No idea. Richard Madeley hinted he'd heard things and he's ITV.

"I have to say that people I know involved in that program all talk about these issues and they say that they have all known about them for years and years and years but the lid has been kept on it but now the lid is coming off."

Digital Spies claim Richard was down for doing it way back when but dropped out at the last minute.

What interests me is that the bookers have said in the past that it's usually harder to get men signing up.
There was a rumour that GK Barry (who I'd never heard of) dropped out for I'm a celeb and would have been the open LGBT contestant/possible same-sex partnership.

I'm never sure who poaches from who, or whether agents just throw out names and rumours to try and get their client signed up for any of the four lucratives...
/DOI/IACGMOOH/CBB.

Some of the women they have got - Tasha/Montell/Sam/Sarah - look good on paper. I guess if they go the distance, sex-split will have been rectified by Halloween.
Early boots? Harder to call - only three are under 35 - bookies are saying Nick/Paul at the moment, then Wynne, Punam and Toyah. Favourites unsurprisingly are Tasha and Jamie then Shayne and JB.

More controversially - and they'll be aware so that's why they didn't do it - as Monkseal pointed out, they could have used a Drag Queen from Drag Race (it's been done in Oz, USA and Ireland successfully) but the fall out would have been insane (taking a woman's place/a screw you to Amanda/end of Strictly as we know it - I could write all the headlines now). I would say - having seen all of Courtney and Blu's routines - that signing someone like Divina de Campo to go with Kai or Tia Kofi to go with Carlos would have been awesome for drag race fans. I would have been here for it (Tia is very funny and would have loved the glow-up even though their dancing may have been questionable, Carlos would have been living his best life).

IIRC, they did a behind-the-scenes segment on ITT and Stefania seemed fixated on getting Premiership footballers onto Strictly. She said they were her fantasy signings. The problem with that is no current ones can do it and older ones are either too rich to have to or too busy being managers or pundits right when Strictly is on. That leaves the ones who have blown their money due to dodgy behaviour.

I wonder why they haven't done a Drag Queen though it would make sense

I've seen Shane/Courtney dances and some of them were beautiful