Strictly 2025 : Warm Up Chat

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

Thought I’d sound the KLAXON and round everyone up for some Strictly chat about possible/rumoured contestants. They usually start announcing soon!

I’ve heard Dani Dyer, Stacey Solomon, Ashley Cain and Tom Parker Bowles

So once again we have a very male heavy line up.
No one from the world of pop (unless we count Stefan Dennis). I'm not full of anticipation for this series at all I anticipate Shirl banging on about the amazing high standard while they are all (or at least mostly) a bit shit.

Kristian Nairn, yes. Hard of hearing these days! (I don’t watch GOT).

Im almost not surprised at the male heavy line up.
I remember producer commented last year that they dont ever care about even numbers... hmm
So they've just done the same again this year!
They dont care about what the viewers want.
Even if the drag act counts as they it would still be 8 men 7 women.
When it should be the other way around

I don't know him but 6ft 9 definitely a Nancy partner.

9 men v 6 women. Honestly BBC, is it really that hard to find women to take part? I guess I shouldn't be surprised given that this is the organisation that has to include a few men in their 100 Women list every year.

i stand by what i said about the majority being old. (and i'm 44)
I'm not that excited this year.. i think Harry is probably the only one that'll hold my interest because i'm curious to see how such a powerfully built athlete will adapt to ballroom.

I'm not a fan of seeing the old ones in their 60s creaking around in the hope their age doesn't get the better of them while the judges nitpick about them being stiff or not getting a leg up high enough, or be loose enough in the hips, or move quick enough in the latin dances.

My only thought is perhaps they found themselves needing to quietly drop bench a couple of male pros. I suppose it gives the female pros a chance to shine!

Maybe Kai or Johannes, they’re both over six foot. I’m not sure how tall any of the new dancers are.

Maybe here is me assuming 😀

Im not sure there will be a female same sex partnership this year.
Apparently Karen Carney? Didn't mention wanting one and Eastenders actress is straight I think.
Tho im sure any one could ask for same sex partner.

i expect the drag artist will get a male partner.

I've read online 6ft 10 and 7ft about the GOT guy . Should be interesting.

Sorry to quote myself but a quick Google tells me Kristian Nairn is gay and at 6'9 would probably struggle to match with any of the female pros so probably a same sex partnership for him and for the drag queen so probably not even lots of female pros to make up for the lack of female contestants. Jobs for the boys ehh.

It is still possible for La Voix/Chris Dennis to be paired with a female pro.

Well I have to say that I'm feeling a bit meh about this year's line up.

Kristian will be interesting to watch. Maybe he'll do a elegant Viennese Waltz to the GOT soundtrack or something else to The Doors.

Will Karen Carney do a couple's choice to. Roar maybe?

Are there any known ringers? I know that La Voix is an excellent singer, but can she/he dance?

Still think Harry is my favourite so far, but we will get to know them as the show progresses, and maybe I'll have a few more favourites.

There’s normally quite a few contestants I’ve never heard of but this year is the worst.

There’s only 3 contestants that I know anything much about - Alex, Stefan and Jimmy.

I am aware of Dani and Vicky but haven’t ever seen them in anything. I am only aware of Harry from the Christmas special and to be honest had forgotten him from that anyway.

The others I have literally never heard of before now.

Oh well, I shall look forward to getting to know them!

Like others though I am very disappointed in the male heavy lineup.

50% more men than women again! That's just shit. The bantery, blokey atmosphere of the last series got very tiring very quickly. The cast also seems very heavy on sportspeople and reality types. No musicians, no comedians, no presenters, no journalists.

Unfortunately I think many women have been put off participating.

I know the same people as you @ChessieFL but with added HODOR (Kristian Nairn)

I am undeterred - unknowns have done well before, just got to hope for a good series fingers crossed 🤞

anyone could ask for a same sex partner

Jayde Adams did!

Harry - Jowita
Jimmy - Michelle
George - Alexis
Chris - Luba
La Voix - Carlos (Karen)
Thomas - Katya
Ross - Lauren
Kristian - Johannes (Nadiya)

Alex - Aljaz
Dani - Nikita
Balvinder - Vito
Ellie - Neil
Vicky - Julian
Karen - Kai (Luba)

Benched:
Nancy, Amy
Karen, Nadiya (pending pairing preferences)

Hodor on Strictly! I have heard of Kristian.
Kicked for that.

Hopefully, they have the Game of Thrones music permission now? Didn't they try to get it for Kevin and Susan of but had to use Killer Queen instead, to his disappointment? And her bad wig. 👀 But we also had Aljaz and Sara do a s+m couple's choice I have bleached from my brain!

Would have loved to have Lena Headey.

This means no male reserve though (although if anyone gets injured, they could always call Joshua or just grab an early boot, I guess).

I will be fascinated to see what they do do.
Certainly heights/chemistry will be used as the reason for pairings.
Whilst I do feel sorry for whoever gets benched every year, I still would like to see the two new pros get a partner.
Some choreo/pros, it does feel a bit stale now.
Also some pros are interchangeable for me with the line up.
So you could easily give Harry to Lauren (Harry expressed an interest in three pros, we'll see), Thomas to Amy and Chris to Karen. Would make no difference to me apart from I'd love to see Luba with the lioness

Unfortunately as last year proved going with the 'we are struggling to get women so let's have a blokefest' approach hasn't helped.

They need to address the problems that are putting women off and make them want to take part not try to pretend that everything is fine with an increasingly male heavy line up. That way lies a spiral into fewer and fewer women wanting to give it a go.

I do agree @GetDressedYouMerryGentlemen but I’m not sure what can be done if potential participants say No, they say No but yes the Why Are They Saying No? Needs to be examined