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

I don't think it will be a pro if the bbc have known since March as they wouldn't have risked renewing their contract.

The live tour was male heavy and if you remove Wyn and JB Gill who is now on the One show you are left with Jamie and Shayne.

I have finished listening to his statement and the Q+A. It was interesting. Wish there was a transcript.

Can you do a basic summary? I can’t be arsed to give him my time. @SequinsandSoleros

I don’t care about the coke. Perhaps I should, but I just don’t.

I am disappointed in Wynne, I enjoyed some of his routines with Katya (including the oft-derided Blackpool one, which I thought was joyous and fun) and I thought he did very well to get to November. I also thought that he seemed cheerful and hardworking, if a little infantile. However, it turns out that he’s a total twit.

Tbh I don't care about who is having affairs with who, as long as they are consenting adults and not in a power imbalance.

Agreed. I’ve said this before but as well as that there’s been real imbalance in the coverage of affairs Matt/Flavia and Natasha/Brendan were seemingly condoned even though it was infidelity whereas Katya took a kicking over Seannn.

Cos I love you Reise:
Q+A edited/condensed:

Who do you consider to blame, press or BBC?
I take accountability, I was naive, but I was denied an independent investigation - senior manager did it instead, who was on the BBC payroll.
Let go from tour - found out via the Daily Express. I was in a Liverpool hotel room. Had an HR meeting, 3-4 people knew I was going to be dropped. Noone has found out who leaked it.
A month later told I wasn't suspended - my choice to take time out. Not true.
Suspended - sexualised comment to a woman (He denied this, says edited and not directed at J - sequins). Charge changed to bringing BBC into disrepute. (Is that even possible nowadays?)
Never had a meeting about a complaint yet found 4-5 things on file - shouting at a producer to back off. Has asked for SAR as date cannot be correct 1/7/23. He was in N Wales.
Says BBC constantly changing narrative. Ultimately stated he broke the BBC pledge.

Still in contact with any pros or slebs?
No. A few messages but now, no contact at all.

Support from show?
Welfare officer following on from Gio/Amanda.
Zoom with therapist who could report back to BBC.

Hand thing - insists it was an experiment. He and Katya had talked about viewers even looking at body language. Naive/stupid. Katya complicit. Worded in HR file - Katya admitted it was her idea. Video made - body language experiment - deemed too long - (This is on Facebook - sequins) Optics awful on the video that went out as opposed to this one.

2016 Had previous mh struggles so the hand furore led to meltdown. Booked to see psychologist. Paps outside house in Cardiff. Psych said it was really bad/they're going after Strictly which isn't run very well/you've been hung out to dry. Not helpful.

Different pro would have been better?
Won't criticise Katya, they got on well.
Asked BBC for help with press. You problem not a Strictly problem.

Repercussions?
Been through worst. Daily Mail awful relationship. Have not sued them. Legal advice cost over 100K and still without contract with BBC.

Jamie B situation
Does not reflect on Jamie but reported something illegal that happened. Response: don't tell me or I'll have to investigate it. HR cover up very difficult to swallow.

Independent investigation into HR dept - told no. He had complained about not being provided with facts, suspended on DM article only, sharing of info and personal data with member of public (human error), lack of transparency and independence. No checks, oversight of structures, conflict of interest, no clear grievance process, person pledging DoC refusing to meet. Worked over 12 years for them.

No support in L'pool. Subject of press scrutiny. Not allowed to attend own bday meal. Broken ankle. Told to leave at 11am No transport from L'pool to Cardiff. Had to be picked up by friend and bundled out through kitchen.

Pros too scared to speak out?
Yes - their job at stake.

Journo - heard Spitroast comment
Did her job, doing what a lot would do but DM relentless, after he reported them to ipso.

Listeners are behind you
Have to apologise for own actions. Always been outspoken/sailed close to wind. Do/am taking responsibility. Beeb ignore criminal act/own reputation before duty of care.

Pilloried by press
Not in favour for working for BBC Wales. Some press do have agenda against Beeb

Cast behind scenes
Some could have done more/said they had to check with own PR
Some really good, some no messages
No contact with crew. Couple of judges good. Got on well with Katya but not in touch now. Regrets in January, not now. No slebs, pros in contact - Strictly is all they have.

General Strictly questions
Made in one day. Outfits reused. You can buy. Team decide the music. He cannot do splits. Only allowed to train for 8 hrs/day. Doubtfire was his favourite routine. Singers good/hard gig.

Colleagues in radio support
Accountability is for me to do. Radio Wales - hard for them. One presenter incredibly kind.
But Beeb said he had not abided by pledge - so did not renew his contract.

Some get away with small comments- Naga Munchetty said something offensive.
Beeb scared not to be seen to be acting with a man involved, due to historical events

Immediate aftermath - support incl Janette.
Once left tour, less contact (mentioned close bonds on tour, also earlier thought they'd been told to not contact him anymore).
Can be offended on behalf of someone else.

Sex toy - from Amazon - private joke. Video sent by Jamie to his ex, sharing joke, that footage was shared with press.
Katya hand furore - why not same treatment if her idea - unsure what to say ( I didn't know of the body language experiment explanation til now - sequins).

Wynners (his followers -ick!- sequins) amazing. Glasgow last show/broke ankle in Newcastle. Hold BBC to account. Not fit for purpose. All heads of nations should resign especially when told to stay quiet over illegal things. Fixated with one word. Can't have one rule for one and another for another just because of ratings.

People have a right not to be offended. Holding hands up. Dream - instigate change, easy for critics to say stop banging on, fate sealed but change for others across the Beeb. Culture sec, politicians, hold Beeb to account. Cannot continue to investigate themselves. He put complaint in against HR - refusal to investigate independently. Children marking own HW, never going to find against themselves.
Asked DM to go easier on him. Suicidal.
Lack of Comms 5 months dragging on over one word. Took so long as they had to try and back up with other complaints he had never been privy to. Not provable. (I assume this is the 4 complainants from Radio Wales). Gone against pledge. Loophole/lie.
Corruption within the BBC.
Strictly not the problem - elements beautiful. Others more difficult to come to terms with.

No calls of support from Radio Wales listeners were logged.
Psychiatrists. Go compare did own investigation, still under contract, ignore daily mail.

Change system for those in the future. Don't want being in a TV show to be exposed to danger.

So...
What do I think having tried to condense all that?!

1. That he is right in thinking the BBC shouldn't investigate themselves.
2. That he is right to be angry about leaks to the press/GDPR.
3. That he is right in wanting a clearer, more transparent grievance procedure/HR process (where I work, I think the one word comment/nickname/joke would lead to a final, written warning at worst, not instant dismissal).
4. That the BBC have poor optics when it comes to dealing with things historically and are not transparent.
5. That if it was a body language experiment, being handy was absurd and they should have done something else (but I find this explanation insane as I do Spitroast being a nickname).
6. That 100k spent on a lawyer is more than my mortgage balance.
7. That I do think, like Seann, going on the show has ruined him but that he still has to look at his own part in that and work-placed "banter" is not inconsequential.
8. That if he doesn't see the jokes as problematic then he is part of the problem. Private jokes are rarely kept private and clearly, there is no love lost between him and Jamie now.

Thanks for doing that @SequinsandSoleros regarding the Daily Mail they probably HAVE reported stuff he should sue over. There’s no scruples or ethics there. I’ll never forget reading an article blaming Steve Coogan for Owen Wilson’s suicide attempt and wondering why on earth he didn’t sue. It came up during the Levenson enquiry and SC said that in order to sue, the real circumstances of OW’s situation would have to be revealed and he couldn’t put him through that and that was probably the Daily Mail’s goal in goading him to sue.

I also think that BBC support is weak. They are definitely happy to tarnish or fuck over anyone to protect the brand. That said Wynne was more than foolish, and definitely saw the consequences of that.

Ooh yeah, and get the shit sued out of them. Get real.

Who do you mean ought to be even handed? The gutter press? Good luck with that.

Hardly anyone watched series 1, the standard was dreadful, and even Matt/Flavia was pre tons of tabloid coverage of the programme and didn't feel particularly scandalous at the time. Dancers and actors are always bed hopping.

With Seann/Katya it was a really public and indiscreet kiss that went crazy. Also he seemed such an absolute dick, could not stand him. Katya has done ok whereas he never seems to have recovered from it.

"Steve Coogan on the media: watch the interview in full - video | Steve Coogan | The Guardian" https://www.theguardian.com/culture/video/2012/apr/05/steve-coogan-interview-video

Thank you for the reminder.
It was 13 years ago but he was brave to put himself out there. Cost him 30k to do so, even though he won (30k loss was still better than the £400k it could have been, had he lost).

Yes, I am aware. It is just infuriating as someone who does still pay their license fee, that it's all done behind closed doors with no redacted documents available on Huw, Gio, Gregg etc but some of my work involves GDPR so am aware never gonna get it.
That said, an investigation should mean evidence unearthed...if sources are redacted and some facts are indisputable, especially if the evidence is on tape/messages etc, then you are suing for invasion of privacy not libel...which then comes back to the arguments above.
When is something in the public interest, rather than just interesting to the public.

@spoonbillstretford Hey there, welcome to a friendly, respectful thread for fans of the show! My point was that on the show itself these relationships used to be hinted at by Brucie to camera, in a nudge nudge wink wink way, but Katya and Seann were hung out to dry. I’ve actually read Rebecca Humphries book (Seann’s ex that he cheated on) and he was abusive towards her, and so was a massive dick anyway so maybe got what he deserved, but other people got a much easier ride was my point, by the show, not just the press!

Can I join the party please?

On the subject of Noel Edmonds, I was gobsmacked to learn the other day that he helicoptered Phil Collins from Wembley to Heathrow to catch the plane to New York for Live Aid. A bit of trivia I honestly didn't know!

Seann Walsh made a bit of a comeback - was a main prize nominee three years ago at the Edinburgh Fringe, was on Silence is golden (U channel, presented by Dermot O'Leary), Battle of the box (Jimmy Carr) and Backstage (Katherine Ryan). Also tours/hosts awards.
Had he not been a cock to his gf, he would have been a household name by now - pre that kiss, he was very likeable.

Katya had flak for it, yes, but it didn't ruin her. I think in the circumstances, Neil was beyond dignified. Katya also had the negativity re the near-kiss with Adam's AT so knows what the press are like. I love her choreo, I really do, but if she was part of the handsiness joke, she must have realised the optics and subsequent publicity would be awful.

www.facebook.com/WynneEvansBEM/posts/the-video-that-was-too-long-for-the-bbc-and-they-wouldnt-let-us-post-instead-we-/690244223869386/

Hello tuning <waves>
Did you see him on ITVX?
I didn't know that either.
Don't think he'll ever come back to the UK/do Strictly though.
He would have done better on I'm a celeb, had he gone in and got his hands dirty from the off - was shocked he was First Boot when he was on but going in later then being put into a powerful position made him more odious/unlikeable. Huge dent to the ego.
Sharon Osbourne on Celeb BB played a blinder in having the luxury bedsit and the roommates in her thrall but no chance of elimination as wasn't officially playing. Canny move - he should have done something similar.

Hi tuning I do think Noel Edmonds once king of Light Entertainment would be an interesting shout. I doubt it’ll happen though

But in what way is anyone given a rough ride by "the show" while they are on it?

I think reise means that the earlier Strictly shows almost encouraged couples in an Aw look how sweet they are/what chemistry etc ignoring that poor Camilla was stood there like a lemon.
Same for Vincent.
Single pringles like Kara and Artem/AJ and Mollie were pretty much egged on.

Whereas Katya and Seann had to do the red R on her top/monologue of shame and apologise to the public on It Takes Two like they were war criminals.

The show must go on so Saturday night is all nothing to see here but the narratives on Strictly/the optics are well thought through and the show itself feeds to the press/relays the chosen narrative. (It's a symbiotic relationship. Krishnan spoke of it in detail).
It was therefore fine to let Amanda be seen as awkward rather than address what was going on in the training room. Can't burst the Strictly bubble, can we?

Rough ride by the press and intrusion/breach of privacy beyond what you might expect?

Laura said she had paps outside her house and she wasn't even courting a showmance

Seann's world pretty much collapsed - he talks about it in his show Kiss. It wasn't pretty.

Trolling of Shirley online. Trolling of even bland contestants like Mike Bushell. And I really think in hindsight they did not due due diligence/duty of care with Will Young either.

That's before you even get onto physical injuries. Not sure about Nigel's but Will B's could have been avoided. Think AJ was overtraining and Jamie Laing/Jade just unlucky? Tameka, Wynne and Mark like me, are perhaps fuller figured which will knack your knees. And Anastasia could have had easier dance order which weren't stretching her arms as much.
You cannot prevent injuries from happening - and this might be why there is an 8 hour max on training now - but you can and should do risk assessments throughout.

Please God not Vicky Pattison. 🙏
Strictly used to have standards, are they really going to go the barrel scraping route with someone as foul as her?

They usually put up a CBBC presenter. I'd like to see Adam or Joe from Bros in Control. Funny, funny guys!

He was really "difficult " when he was on imacaleb he wasn't entertaining viewing it was really awkward,I doubt he would do Strictly, I imagine he has been asked.