I'm not watching Strictly this year, anyone else?

[Lucelady]

That's it really. I've watched every year since 2004 but all the controversy last year has put me off.

But it is not an either or. They are two completely separate programs, aimed at (mostly) different audiences. It is a bit like comparing Love Island or Big Brother with Strictly. Different things for different people.

Used to love it, now don't bother watching. Not because of any controversy, I just got bored of it. Plus my kids are older so I can actually go out at the weekend!

Rose & Giovanni was the best year.

I’m not watching. I used to watch with my mum but she has dementia and now isn’t interested. My 2 girls have both grown out of it (teens now) and I don’t think it’s worth sitting by myself for 2 hours every night to watch. And Sunday too!

It’s so predictable now and i don’t really like the judges or decisions they make.

End of an era for me!

I shan't be watching, same as every year. I've never seen a single episode, probably only watched about 15 minutes of it in total. I can't stand the way it seeps into everything on the BBC.

I haven’t watched it for years.

We noticed that Tess only seems to do Strictly on TV now. Claudia gets lumped in with Tess but Claudia is a much better presenter.

I agree with the music, costumes, fun and dancing being needed as the nights get darker and the weather gets colder. I get SAD and Strictly helps a little to counter that.

Yes, I've just watched last night's 2.5 hours in about 45 mins 🤣

I get dreadful SAD and this dross makes me want to slit my wrists.

Was just coming here to say this! Was bad enough when the young guy from Dr Who was prancing round in a skirt pretending to be a poor ‘woman’. This year they are celebrating womanface. No thank you!!

😂😂😂

The drag queen Chris is the only one performing as their stage character, this is just womanface. Other actors don’t perform as their characters, they perform as themselves. Sportspeople don’t only perform in their kit. Why is a drag queen getting special dispensation?

It got silly once the dancers are the celebs and the contestants are nobodies

I love dancing and used to live Strictly. But find the presenters and drama so tedious now that I have stopped watching it. So many programmes are so juvenile now and they insult our intelligence.

Still watching this year, but not wyth as much interest. The format is stale.

I mean in every dance through the run, not just the first dance.

No one said it was about trans. But it is about womanface. It's misogyny and a bloody insult to women.

They wouldn't dare allow a blackface contestant on. But hateful contempt of women - misogyny, is the last (and only) acceptable bigotry allowed.

I wasn't going to watch it again after the shitshow that was the opening programme. The excruciatingly unfunny skit about Chris 'keeping' the trophy was truly painful to watch. And set the tone for the whole show.
But decided to give it another chance on Saturday as the actual dancing was starting, and really enjoyed it! Especially Karen and Carlos's jive.

I started watching the year Victoria Pendleton had a short stint on the show, have watched and voted every year since then (DH even set up a VPN so that we could watch from overseas last year). I intended to watch this year too, but spent most of Saturday's show just wanting the damn thing to finish, and I think I'm out. I might start watching again when the numbers have been whittled down by half.

I'd like to see a model that uses REAL unknowns - competent and enthusiastic amateur dancers picked from applications from members of the public with a bit of substance to their real world back story - rather than niche celebrities.

You could buy a tin of paint!

I've never watched it.

Agree with this. I have a lot of understanding for transgender people. Drag is completely different and just plain offensive.

For the first time ever we decided not to watch it. Primarily because we don’t know most of the celebs (ok we are old), and the ones we did we only vaguely recognise. Just seems pointless and a bit Z listers now.

I don't watch it. Think it's mind numbing drivel.

Won’t watch a drag queen - so offensive . Used to watch it every season but I’m over it now