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 thinking Jowita with Jamie..I think they'd make an incredible pairing!

Oh I think the actors athletes comedian are of the same standard as past years I see the reality stars aren't really scraping it's just a shift.

That's rose-tinted glasses/wishful thinking.
5 years ago, 2019 cast was:
James sportsman Tom Olympian

Anneka older throwback presenter Toyah throwback singer
Dev DJ JB singer
David footballer footballer
Catherine Coro Shayne Coro
Will Paralympian Chris 1st blind contestant
Emma Viscountess Tasha Love islander
Mike BBC breakfast Punam Breakfast doc
Michelle RPDR Sarah older woman well-known/slight dance background
Saffron influencer Pete Towie
Alex female footballer 2 x sportswoman
Chris comedian Wynne presenter on Welsh TV
Emma Eastender Jamie Eastender
Karim CBBC presenter
Kelvin Emmerdale (sub)

You can make parallels with them all.
We all know we'll see an older contestant, a contestant with additional needs, 1 or more soapstars, sports people, a presenter or two etc
This year is no different.
I defy anyone to tell me Viscountess Emma or Saffron were a cut above this crop SALMON!

Karim, Emma and Saffron were very much at the same level as the Love Islanders/TOWIEs

HOLD THE PHONE!

Anneka was FIVE YEARS ago?

I'm so old

(Mourns for my thirties)

Ok if you think I'm looking through rose tinted glasses, perhaps I am, but this cast hasn't set me alight with enthusiasm

This years cast feels the same level as previous years to me - several I haven’t heard of, some I have, two or three I’m excited about watching. Mix of soap stars, reality, sports people, actors/presenters.

That was the worlds worst kept secret. Hope he's good. I love him as Jay in EE

Haha, I must be living under a rock as I had no idea!

So is it 3 more left to be announced?

Yes I think so.

I know I could find out who they are but I like finding out as they're announced!

You're still younger than me, don't worry!
And you're right that Stefania casts in a "trying to pull in new/younger viewers" way including reality TV contestants and she took over casting in 2018.
Many agree with you on other fora that names are less recognisable/dumbed down since she took over.
She says she needs cast completed by July but starts January. She freely admits trying to get younger viewers in the interview below (mentions Joe Sugg).
I Book All The Celebs For Strictly – I Probably Hounded Bill Bailey For 3 Years To Do The Show | HuffPost UK Entertainment (huffingtonpost.co.uk)

It was Vinnie Shergill before Stefania took the reins.
But I still think they haven't changed the winning formula that much. If anything, it's more diverse/interesting now than when it first started.

I'd like to see a Chaser, a Ghosts cast member, a female chef, an academic, another politician, an author etc but it must be hard when they're all trying to get the same people or people are tied to ITV.

I was thinking of Steve Borthwick the rugby guy who’s about 6’7” so was a bit surprised to see the height at 5’7”. 😀I hadn’t heard of Jamie because I don’t watch EE but he’ll be recognisable to many.

People who have turned it down/been unable to do it when approached (list goes back a long time!)

Diane Abbott
Rick Astley
David Baddiell
Rob Beckett
John Bercow
Mary Berry
Edith Bowman
Fern Brady
Jo Brand
Gyles Brandreth
Jeff Brazier
Fiona Bruce
Rob Brydon
Alan Carr
Brendan Carroll (Mrs Brown)
Amy Childs
Linford Christie
Joan Collins
Michelle Collins
Jodie Comer
Brian Cox (actor)
Peter Crouch
James Dreyfus
Danny Dyer
Noel Edmonds
Jessica Ennis-Hill
Chris Evans
Leigh Francis
Dawn French
David Harewood
James Haskell
Lenny Henry
Mrs Hinch
Kate Humble
Nadiya Hussain
Maya Jama
Greg James
Ronan Keating but did Children in need one-off
Michelle Keegan
Lorraine Kelly
Martin Kemp
Maureen Lipman
Richard Madeley
Miriam Margoyles
Steph McGovern
Ed Miliband
Scarlett Moffatt
Piers Morgan
Clive Myrie
Amy Nuttall
Dara O'Briain
Paula Radcliffe
Gordon Ramsay
Romesh Ranganathan
Sophie Raworth but did Children in need one-off
Harry Redknapp
Levi Roots
Jennifer Saunders
Ben Shephard
Frank Skinner
Patrick Stewart
Mike Tindall
Alan Titchmarsh
John Torode
Louis Walsh
Michael Whitehall
Joe Wicks
Bradley Wiggins
Matt Willis

I did a double take when I saw the name!

Wow, that's interesting! Surprised by a couple on there that turned it down!

Except Shayne Ward is still alive, so it's more likely to be him 😬

I love the turned down list. Tbh most of them do Strictly for money and exposure it's work and people who don't need or want exposure won't do Strictly.

I didn't know Shane Warne died!

I was just going to say a dead celeb would really be pushing inclusion to the limit.

Ooh I dunno - we've had Anton going off into the light a couple of times and the there was Will's looking up to heaven for GhostofDeadDad.
I liked Shane, less keen on his Rylan teeth around time he was dating Liz, but he seemed a decent guy - 52's no bloody age. Heart attack. Liz Hurley who'd once been in a three year relationship with him wrote a sweet tribute - I do remember that.

Movie Week
Weekend at Bernie's

yes I'm going to hell

Halloween couples choice - zombie theme? The biggest sob story ever.

Are the last few being announced today then?

Seems to have been and gone very quickly.

People who claim they were rejected/not the right fit/never been asked:

Michelle Ackerley
Rebecca Adlington
Laura Anderson
Cheryl Baker
Angelica Bell
Frank Bruno
Caprice
Gemma Collins
Charlotte Crosby
Joel Defries supplanted last minute
Owain Wyn Evans
Matt Hancock
Kerry Katona
Bobby Norris
Jake Quickenden
Katie Price
Simon Reeve
Martin Roberts
Penny Smith reserve only
Michaela Strachan
Kimberly Wyatt