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.

I'll be honest, I wasn't too fussed about watching it this year though. I'm usually a religious viewer. My mum and I record it then watch it after DD is in bed so we can just watch the dances, the judges comments and the scores...we even just fast forward the dance-off on Sundays as well.

Every year I watch less and less of it. I record the whole programme and used to skip the monotonous films about training. Now I skip absolutely everything apart from the actual dance. We’ve seen and heard it all before.

But once or twice in every programme it all comes together. A beautifully song (usually sung by Tommy), great costumes and wonderful dancing and it’s magic to watch!

Genuine question re drag (and I hate it):
Is it less tolerable now than it was in the days of people like Danny la Rue / Dame Edna and even Julian Clary and Paul O'Grady? They were all quite clever and funny and I have had no problems with accepting / enjoying them. Whereas I find current drag repulsive and insulting.

Was Julian Clary a drag? Didn’t know that.

I wasn't going to watch it but have been sucked in already.

Actually, no! Was just coming back to the thread to say that (had hazy memories re his Joan Collins Fan Club).
But the others were, in my defence 🙂

I'm old, I don't understand womanface. What the hell is going on? I feel certain contestants are being paraded about as some sort of very uncomfortable spectacle. The rest are nobodies. A sort of Victorian Freak Show for the 21st century.

I definitely watch it less and less. Used to watch every episode in full. Now will probably skip most weeks. Plus, I now start watching an hour later so I skip through the training room bumf. I probably just watch it out of habit.

This was a fuss made over “big changes” made to the results show. But it’s just that the judges will take it in turns to have the casting vote. I think the BBC haven’t grasped that the show needs a much bigger refresh.

Might just watch next week, the Halloween show and then the semi final and final. Wouldn’t be disappointed nor surprised if the BBC decide to “rest” Strictly next year. But would be sad for the professional dancers and crew who rely on the show to pay the bills.

I will be watching as I'm a Neighbours fan and love Stefan Denis.

I won't be watching this year. Cannot listen to all the screaming. Don't want to watch the same dances churned out yet again or listen to the endless clichés. There are so many other dances that could be introduced. It's become a caricature of itself.

Nah…not watching it.

Started watching the opening show, thought it looked crap, and I’m not getting invested in it.

I’m watching Bake-off, but same there, it’s dull.

We’ve googled a list of great movies to watch and are wading through this all autumn/ winter we have decided instead.

I stopped watching when Bruno Tonioli left.

Things might be better if they concentrated on the actual damn dancing (style, technique, improvement week-on-week) instead of so many over the top costumes and dances having a 'theme'. Halloween week I don't mind, nor the movies/ musicals, but give a rest otherwise. Let's just see people in appropriate costumes for the genre they are performing.

Couple's Choice they can get rid of altogether, as it is so often 'contemporary' (and I use the term extremely loosely) in style. It may be a lot of things but proper contemporary it ain't, not by a long way. All that angst-ridden wafting and/or writhing about any old how, using whatever steps they find easy - and none of those judges have a professional background in that genre, so how can they judge it? Grrrrr.

If they want another dance style apart from latin/ballroom in the programme, let's see them try tap and see how they get on with that.😁

Rant over. I'm not watching it anyway, so I don't know why I'm letting it bug me!

I usually watch, but all the drama off screen and the press storring things up has put me off. Also a bit bored of it, and would rather binge a good series instead now.

We're not watching it either. We decided last year not to watch it any more. Too many stupid scandals and bad behaviour has put me right off it. It used to feel cosy and lovely, but it stopped being that after the bullying claims.

I prefer to speed watch and just watch the dances and I never watch the first few of the series.

I don’t remember this, what happened?

Sorry I missed this. It was a singer who was always touching his professional partner. She removed his hands on the final episode he was in.

Tess and Claudia have had enough too it seems. It’s hardly riveting viewing this year. It’s also not up to the presenters to get involved with dramas. The dancer involved was perfectly capable of sticking up for herself!

I am watching bits of it but not due to controversy but not recognising many celebrities the high turnover of pro dancers and the increase in non ballroom or Latin dances.

Now the stupid audience have got rid of another man who was a decent enough contestant. Others have been grossly o over marked. We are close to not watching now as it’s a farce. We’ve got another Anne Widdicombe scenario haven’t we? Who will dare to vote off the real worst dancer?

I watched SCD since the very beginning but I stopped a couple of seasons ago.
DD wanted to watch it so we started with Ep2 last weekend - there were 3 professionals I recognised and I only knew one celebrity vaguely - Alex Kingston.

The clothing & makeup budget has clearly been decimated - most of the costumes on E2 were ghastly & everything looked a bit rubbish.

But the drag queen, being a man who "dresses as a women" therefore he must be partnered with a man was the end of it for us. It was simply a ridiculous propostion and it plays out very badly on the dance floor - he wasn't even funny or in character during the dance. He's a dreadful dancer but will probably get to the final because <reasons>.

What a nonsense SCD has become. I bet Tess & Claudia are both wishing they jumped last year

What wokery? Do you mean male-male or female-female pairings? I had no issue with that, but the recent drag/trans and abuse has made me boycott.

Did you disagree with the male-male pairing before or the Nicola Adams one where there wasn't a drag element?

I loved it years ago as I have done a lot of Latin American Dancing and my dad was a dancer (not professional). But it became less and less about the dancing. Very few proper dance steps, so I have not watched it for several years now. I wish there was a proper dance programme.

I'm the same OP. I loved it when it was first in years ago, was a massive fan and watched every episode. But it's been a few years since I watched because there is so much filler now and it's all so frenetic. It could do with a massive simplification imo.