Strictly 2025 : Build Up To The Final

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

KEEP DANCING

I do wonder what the other contestants really feel about ringers.
Bal might as well have not bothered to dance in the DO.

Yeah. Although I remember Alison Hammond saying to someone on the Bake Off, by way of a pep talk, that when she went out of Strictly Aljaz said to her about her opponent before the DO, 'She could still fall over.'
So I guess there's always hope

I think whoever signs up slebs will have to consider their core audience next year, if it takes place. They need mainstream people that many will be aware of, otherwise the viewers aren’t invested to start with.

I don't agree with this. I almost never know the majority of them but I don't care; the point is to get to form opinions on them as the show goes on.
But in any case they do seem to have a spread of soap people, musicians, actors, presenters, and 'yoof' people.

Yes it is usually the same categories of celebs
Eastender
Other soap person
Comedian
Serous Actor
TV presenter
Ex sports person
Hopeless one for comedy
Ex pop star
RINGER or two
And more recently You Tuber/Content creator/etc

Not forgetting well-known person with disabilities.

I'd like to see a wheelchair user on there. It would break down so many barriers and challenge the choreographers.

Wheelchair dancing or wheelchair dance sport as it sometimes called would be great to see, I mentioned i used to be a wheelchair dancer up until my 30s it was great fun.

They did a whole wheelchair dance series, years ago now though

The wheelchair dancing on Strictly in the past has been amazing. I'd love to see more.
I see the final dances are out. Reminded me that I think it's weird that they revealed the songs for the show dances on the results show; I'm sure they used to keep them as a surprise.

The distain with which some posters on here speak about the programme and the contestants. I am surprised you are prepared to watch or post.

As usual the sports people this series (Jimmy, Chris R and Kaz) are by no means 'very minor celebs' they are all very much A listers in their fields. None of the sports stars that have ever done Strictly have been minor - they have all been either international players with high numbers of caps for their country or olympic medalists.

I assume the internet famous folk they hire are likewise 'big' names in their sphere. Just because I have no idea who they are doesnt mean they arent genuinely famous, I'm just not their target demographic.

This isn't the 1970s when there were 3 channels and very few households had more than one tv so anyone famous was know by all the genetations because everyone watched the same thing. Very few people have that type of reach these days.

Slightly off tangent, but related to @WarrenTofficier’s last paragraph. I was randomly thinking about Telly Addicts the other day (quiz show presented by Noel Edmonds in the 80s, for you youngsters). Just wouldn’t work nowadays would it - very few tv shows or moments that the whole family sit around & watch together.

My kids say they “don’t watch tv”, by which they mean they only stream or watch stuff online. Their generation seem to be a mix of ‘stream whenever/wherever suits’, and ‘OMG I’ve got to be online at exactly x time because <insert social media person> is doing a live!!!’

If BBC want to tempt that generation to a Saturday night dancing show, seems quite a feat to balance that without alienating us core, ahem slightly more mature, audience.

It’s their second highest rating show this year after celeb traitors. Usually it’s their highest (unless there’s a royal wedding/funeral or large sports event)
They absolutely do need to get younger people watching otherwise it won’t last long term.
Dancing with the stars in America now has a huge young adult following due to some clever casting and use of content and clips on social media.

So taking a random year (2015) the line up was-

Soap stars
kelly bright
Georgua may Foote
actor
Helen George
Singers
jay mcguiness
peter andre
jamelia
Daniel o’donnel
Presenters
aniti rani
jeremy vine
carol kirkwood
kirsty Gallagher
Sports
Anthony ogogo
iwan Thomas
Chef
Ainsley Harriott
Jornalist
Katie Derham
I’m in my forties, I’ve heard of 8 of those 15 people and there’s no big actress like Alex Kingston there .
This years line up I recognised 9 of the 15 so fairly similar really.

I usually don't know the majority of celebs beforehand. I'm not into sport, soaps or things like Love Island.

This year I knew Alex, Harry (Gladiators), Stefan (distant youth Neighbours years) and Tom Skinner; that's only a quarter of the starting line up.

Karen and Balvinder quickly became favourites of mine because of the way they have danced and developed along the way.

The spread of who is approached is pretty similar from year to year although they seem to have worn thin on newsreaders in recent years

I think whoever signs up the contestants considers their core audience every year (why wouldn’t they) the majority of whom are probably families and older people who often watch with children and grandchildren. You often get celebs saying they grew up watching Strictly, so I don’t think producers need to worry too much about their audience dying off with no one to replace them.

The presenters are never involved in any scandal though. It's always the dancers / celebrities for various reasons.

Of course but before Tess and Claud said they were leaving, the various scandals were all anyone was thinking about. Strictly had lost it shine and started to look a bit grubby. There was talk about whether it had had its day.

Tess and Claud leaving, while really sad, has massively distracted from the previous unhappy narrative, and is a golden opportunity to make some changes to the format and behind the scenes arrangements. Not sure what, but a few ideas have been suggested on here.

I only started watching Strictly last year so I don’t have the same feeling as others that it needs an overhaul, although I’m sure you’re right. However, I haven’t enjoyed this series anywhere near as much as last year. I am wondering if it’s because my first experience with Strictly involved Chris McCausland and I was so blown away and in awe of him. I watched every one of his dances with a smile on my face and felt so emotional. Voted for him every week and was so so happy when he won. I don’t feel that passionate this year. I don’t really care who wins. Most of the dances have left me underwhelmed, apart from Lewis and Katya 🤷🏻‍♀️

I believe much depends on the presenters, as well as the celebrities next year. Claudia seems to be universally liked. Tess has been criticised in the past, but they’ve done an excellent job between them. Different judges over the years don’t seem to have had a negative impact on the programme, although that may be different if Craig were to leave.

I’d still like there to be a few weeks at the start where no one is eliminated. That would give them some time to develop, time for viewers to get to know them better and engage with the audience.

On Saturday I'll be quite sad that it's Tess and Claudia's last show. The dancing will be less of a focus - and I'm not bothered who wins. Au Revoir Tess and Claudia - end of an era 😥

I like Tess and Claudia.
For me they are part and parcel of the whole Strictly show.
Are they presenting the Christmas special (which I've never watched tbh!)

I think so?! They said this would be their last year so I assume it meant both shows. Plus someone from the bbc was on Richard Osman podcast recently and said they hadn’t started looking yet and it would be after this series before they do.

Yes the Christmas show was filmed last week.

What do people think of La Voix as a possibility for new presenter?

I don't mind her in small doses, and she has provided some quick witted comments during this series.

The reason I'm asking is I keep seeing her on the Strictly social media bits even though she withdrew weeks ago. Nobody else is getting that level of exposure after they've been eliminated, so what's going on?