Strictly Come Dancing 2008: My Thoughts

The BBC's big announcement was tarnished by the leak in The Sun last week, which sadly was right on the money. But now we know who is dancing with who, so here are my first impressions.

Andrew Castle and Ola Jordan

I'm really looking forward to this paring. Andrew should be quite light on his feet and nippy after years of playing tennis, and won't be afraid of training. Let's hope he is more talented than his GMTV colleagues Fiona Phillips and Kate Garraway!

Tom Chambers and Camilla Dallerup

Camilla has lucked out by drawing another young, good-looking partner! Tom spent time with the National Youth Music Theatre, so he probably has dance experience. Camilla is always committed and determined, and will be itching to get to a final.

Phil Daniels and Flavia Cacace

I don't know anything about Phil as a person, but in my head I imagine he'd be a pretty laid back kind of guy. Flavia is a great teacher, and I'll be interested to see how they get on.

Mark Foster and Hayley Holt

Swimmers are some of the most dedicated athletes. They are used to training in the early morning and late evening, and I would imagine that Mark will train very hard. Hayley is a newcomer to the show, so we'll have to wait and see what kind of teacher and choreographer she is.

Austin Healey and Erin Boag

Like Mark, Austin is used to hard training, having played for Leicester until a couple of years ago. Can Austin follow in Matt Dawson's footsteps and make it to the final? Erin managed to make a dancer out of rugby player Martin Offiah. She is a patient and empathetic teacher, but will crack the whip when necessary. A strong partnership.

Gary Rhodes and Karen Hardy

I think Gary and Karen will be great fun to watch, and Gary could be a dark horse. As a chef, he'll be dedicated and meticulous. Will that transfer to the floor? Karen will work him hard.

John Sergeant and Kristina Rihanoff

The odds are more stacked against this couple than any other. John does not have the instant support base of EastEnders or GMTV behind him. And, though it pains me to say it, he doesn't appear as though he will set the floor alight. He has a lot to prove. Being partnered with a newbie pro doesn't help his case either, as Kristina will have to prove herself to the viewers too.

Don Warrington and Lilia Kopylova

Don is an accomplished actor, but I wonder if he has had any dance training at any point in his career. He's done lots of TV work, and lots of theatre, but mostly drama. Will Don spin Lilia around the floor like a pro?

Christine Bleakley and Matthew Cutler

I am excited about this pairing. Christine is charismatic and fun, and has demonstrated on The One Show that she is up for a challenge. Christine is a little bit like Carol Smilie in personality, so Matthew and her should get along well.

Jodie Kidd and Ian Waite

I'm a little worried about Jodie. Having been a model, I expect she can walk in time to music and should have poise. But I worry that she might be gangly and awkward. Hopefully, she'll be elegant. Height doesn't have to be an issue.

Cherie Longhi and James Jordan

Cherie has a long list of acting credits, but can she dance? She has to be committed to training to get the best out of James. He is driven and ambitious, and will want to make up for last year's premature exit.

Heather Small and Brian Fortuna

Heather is a musician, which I always think will be an advantage, but no musician has won the show yet. Brian is this year's only new male pro, but viewers may remember him from Season 4 of Dancing With The Stars which was broadcast on the BBC.

Lisa Snowdon and Brendan Cole

Lisa is a former model who now presents. She looks like she could be a good dancer, but who knows? Has Brendan bagged another Kelly Brook? He will be wanting to make up for 'what might have been' last year. I can imagine that Brendan is pretty pleased with his partner.

Rachel Stevens and Vincent Simone

It's going to be tough for Rachel. I think she will suffer from the 'Emma Bunton Effect'. Like Emma, Rachel is known for being a singer and dancer, and people may punish her for having what they might perceive as a head-start. But she does have Vincent in her corner. There could be some magic chemistry on the way.

Gillian Taylforth and Anton Du Beke

Gillian is famed for two characters. Let's hope that vampy Jackie Pascoe-Webb turns up on the floor and not dowdy Kathy Beale. I think she and Anton will have bags of laughs, and I think she'll give Strictly a damn good go. I can't wait to see their training footage.

Jessie Wallace and Darren Bennett

Jessie will always be rough-around-the-edges Kat Slater to the British public, but she now has a fantastic opportunity to be a graceful swan on the floor. Jessie appeared in Rent on the West End stage, which I think has some dancing in it. Jessie is Darren's third EastEnder, and he was successful with both Jill and Letitia. Can he threepeat with Jessie?

If you haven't seen it, here is the reveal trailer. The new series begins on 20th September.