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.

Oh, okay. Jowita is single unless the rumours about Arduino were true. Karen isn't. Katya is, but probably doesn't want to play. But according to that article, Pete's with Maura Higgins. Didn't realise, I thought he was single. She wrote she knew what his hips could do.
Which reminds me of the Fringe festival jokes this week...
Louise Atkinson: 'I call myself the Yorkshire Shakira; her hips don't lie, and mine don't faff about.'
Jowita was with Michael, then Gio, then supposedly Arduino Bertoncello with a lovelorn Hamza and a flirtatious Danny Cipriani to boot.
I still think she'll be with Jamie as he's so short but they could always go Jamie-Dianne, Pete-Jowita with heels and Chris-Katya.

Jowita 5" Pete 5"10
Only one inch less than Dianne/Bobby last year but still annoying she'd have to stretch. Jamie's only 5"7. (Hamza and Jody were both 5"8)
That said, Aljaz and Janette seem to have always managed the foot between them mainly by her being tossed in the air a lot
How tall is Michael Danilczuk, out of interest?

I'm not convinced Pete and Maura are anything more than FWB. Probably fancy each other but I don't see them settling down. Also seems convenient that they're pictured snogging just before Strictly starts - esp since she dated Gio for a while

Was this Toyah's audition tape?

I hope she smashes it. That floaty skirt is fab. Want her to have one like that for jive and arm hankies for waltzing. Robert Fripp interview: how I met Toyah and why I love her | Louder (loudersound.com) Her husband sounds lovely. They've done many videos - he plays beautifully, she's erm a lot I can't stop watching! It reminds me of when the character Perry Cox says of his wife "She was never boring."

Toyah and Vito together might be too much. Gorks will be non-plussed. Maybe Carlos would suit her. I can't decide. If she can channel that energy though, performance-wise at least, she should surprise some people.

I have had a think and I want Stefania to ask one of the following to sign up for next year:

Adam Ant
Chesney Hawkes
Siobhan Fahey
Kim Wilde

Rick Astley said he wouldn't.
Stefania wanted Tim Peake a few years ago - she needs to find another sleb who could do a routine to Adam Ant's Apollo 9 (it's been today's earworm) maybe the other Brian Cox.
And get Charlie Dimmock on. She could dance to "I never promised you a rose garden" even though she probably did.

Any thoughts on songs and puns for this year's cohort?

Apollo 9 is a perfect pop song 😍

I've never seen Toyah actually dancing, so this was lovely to see. Thank you!
She's not wooden at all, and could do something really fabulous

thoughts on songs and puns

Merson and the Match of the Day theme tune

I'd love it if Siobhan Fahey did it! Perhaps her mate Bruno Tonioli could persuade her. I can just picture her being history with the samba to "You're History".

Toyah and husband look like a proper laugh. Love that.

I have been reading all of the celeb announcements here, and for ages, I have had Paul MERTON in my head, not MERSON! MOTD theme and the penny drops.

My dad kept saying Merton til I yelled fitba at him last week. Reise could be right with MOTD. It hasn't been used as far as I know. David James for his sins foxtrotted to Three Lions. Tony Adams cha cha-ed to Grandstand. What could they do, a QS?

IIRC, Maggie Aderin-Pocock has been on ITT. She seems like the most bookable spacey person.

Big Eurovision fan here, so I'd love Montell to get Fuego Eleni Foureira as her fiery-themed song.
Alternatively, (you'll never) Stop this flame (Celeste) is a banger. I think this was her walk-on music but I'd have to rewatch Gladiators.
I don't want Relight my fire/this girl is on fire <gavel>

Lots of options for Fire I would think.

Eternal Flame would be a nice rumba.

Helen Sharman was a guest judge on The Great British Menu and seems really nice and would be very interesting, but I don't think she really does much celebrity stuff.

Yes that's her walk-on song. And jeez, it's a banger!

Still outraged about 9 men and 6 women.
This has never happened before so that supposed bbc spokesperson was talking rubbish saying they don't care about 50/50 split. Ok then why havent you had 10 women before and 5 men??
Let's be honest that would be a much more entertaining.

It's not a great split between men and women no, but I think it speaks more of would be female contestants being scared off than anything else. So either way not a good look.

It's so disingenuous of the BBC to tell us that having even or 8/7 splits between men and women in past years was purely accidental and so the disparity this year is no big deal. I know it's only Strictly and not the Israel-Gaza War or anything but talking to the public as if they are stupid just makes the BBC look untrustworthy.

Yes I almost don't want to believe it was a genuine BBC person saying that.
After everything thing that happened it should have been without fail 8 women and 7 men. Or 9 women 6 men..
The big boss should still be looking now.

In at least one year they started off with a week of just the ladies then a week of just the men. It was extremely lucky they just happened to have even numbers, wasn't it?

And imagine the years when they only had the same number of pros as celebs — we could have had same-sex couples galore if they hadn't accidentally booked equal numbers!

If I remember correctly when Maggie AP. was on House of Games she had a walking stick... Might not be a permanent injury though.

I want them to bring back everyone doing one of two dances.
But I’m looking forward to it. It’s the only programme we watch as a family.

I'm pretty sure that they discussed it on the Monday and she'd literally fallen down stairs the day before or something like that. Sounded very temporary.

Something to 'Stay' would be amazing (I don't know which dance, I'm rubbish at matching tunes to dance types), but I picture awesome costumes.

Abbey clancy and Aljiaz danced the rumba to Stay as part of Halloween week.

I went to see Shakespeare's Soster a few years ago, and Suobhan suggested we Charleston to "I don't care" which worked.