Sunday Service: Week 5

Halloween was one of my favourite shows of last series. Last night's show didn't quite live up to last year, but there were a couple of gems. And it's worth tuning in just for the costumes and make-up.

After Russell's comments throughout the week ("I am samba"), I was expecting somthing pretty special, but I found his samba a little disappointing. There were a couple of mistakes, and a few times he seemed to be looking to Flavia to remind him what to do next. For me it just didn't have quite the same amount of charm as some of Russell's earlier routines.

Sometimes, I don't notice when music is reused, but when it's a dance that sticks in my head, I find it jarring. Love Potion No. 9 will forever be Bill & Karen's cha cha for me. However, Chelsee & Pasha's tango was pretty good. It had pleanty of content. Chelsee could have been sharper, but it was still good and less wild than her earlier routines. It was a shame that she felt as though her costume was letting her down, as it made her lose it. Usually I would usually expect the participants to carry on regardless, but not when they're in danger of exposing themselves. I'm sure Chelsee will be demanding something with more support and control from future costumes.

The jive was never going to be Audley's dance in a million years. It was very heavy footed, and his feet were like massive hooks on the flicks and kicks. I didn't really like that Natalie repeated the chorus choreography, but I presume this was because they were limited for training time this week. On the plus side, Audley looked like he was having fun with the routine.

I found Alex & James' paso a bit cringy. Alex's arms still tend to be a bit scarecrow-like, and she just doesn't seem to feel the music. I liked the story and choreography from James, but if Alex can't raise her game soon, she be heading out the door. And Bring Me To Life is another one of those seminal Strictly songs for me - Sarah & Brendan's paso.

Holly & Artem's American smooth was one of the most original routines we've seen on Strictly. For me, it didn't have enough foxtrot content, but that's usual for one of Artem's routines. Holly's legs were a bit too flexed throughout the section in hold. Holly's lines are lovely, but some of the transitions between steps are a bit clunky. But it was so intriguing, and it seemed to suit Holly quite well.

Nancy & Anton's routines, which started off straight, are now deliberately comical in places, but are still tragic. Nancy really does need to keep her legs together more. Nancy is an attractive woman, and looks great when she's posing, but her dancing is just abysmal. I cannot believe that she is still there. It's just not funny anymore. I presume they were aiming for 'sexy' with the rumba, but is was just embarrassing.

I loved the opening of Harry & Aliona's tango routine, with the masks. In fact, it was some of Aliona's best choreography to date, even if it was still lacking in content a bit. As Len remarked, when he's in hold, Harry is great. Let's see more please! Although I doubt Aliona will listen - she didn't when they made similar comments about Matt Baker. Harry's characterisation was great, and of course, he has excellent musicality. Harry's best routine to date.

Yes, Robbie is a great performer. Last week he was channeling the Swayze, this week it was Michael Jackson. The little Jacko notes were quite nice. But otherwise, Robbie & Ola's paso was just mid-table for me. I want to see more of Robbie's own style again. There were so many other interesting routines this week that this one was just lost in the middle.

Anita & Robin's tango was another one that was just mid-table. Anita's characterisation was excellent, but the tango just wasn't sharp enough for me. The judges were right about her posture, and perhaps that was all that was missing to turn a good tango into a great tango.

Lulu & Brendan's paso was OK, but not mind-blowing. Lulu's entrance, exit and costume were the most interesting parts. Lulu does seem to have more focus now than she had in earlier weeks, but I'm starting to question if we have anything more to see from her. Is she already at her full potential?

Jason & Kristina were just brilliant. I loved the quickstep routine, I loved the performance. They were so in sync. Everything worked. It's so good to see Kristina finally show off what she can so. I've not been a Jason fan so far, but last night Jason was gold. Fantastic musicality, and I didn't see the mistakes which Craig commented on. It was brilliant.

Jason was easily the best of the night, followed by Harry. Once again, it should be Nancy's time to go. I'd put Audley in the bottom two with her, as his jive was pretty week. Any other routine, and it could have been Alex or Lulu in danger.

If you are voting for Nancy & Anton, please leave me a comment to explain why...

Here are the videos...

Russell & Flavia

Chelsee & Pasha

Audley & Natalie

Alex & James

Holly & Artem

Nancy & Anton

Harry & Aliona

Robbie & Ola

Anita & Robin

Lulu & Brendan

Jason & Kristina

Industrial Action Threat To Strictly Final

BBC staff are currently being balloted about industrial action over BBC cuts and changes to redundancy. If the members vote in favour of a strike, it could affect live BBC programming, including Strictly Come Dancing.

Bectu union general secretary Gerry Morrissey told The Guardian: "Without a change to the BBC's position, we are under no illusions that a vote for strike action will mark the start of a programme of industrial action which could affect the highlights of the BBC's autumn/winter schedule including the Strictly Come Dancing finals and the Sports Personality of the Year awards."

Due to it's technical nature, I don't think Strictly is a show that could get by with staff filling in (anyone old enough to remember the TV-am strike?), but strike action is not as effective as it once was. Maybe we wouldn't even know the difference (a bit like those journalist strikes, where the only giveaway is the lack of BBC Breakfast).

Hyp Action

Lulu has turned to Derren Brown to hypnotise her into remembering her Strictly routines.

A source told the Daily Record: "[Derren] ran Lulu through some of his mind techniques to help improve her memory. He's also helped out with her pre-show nerves, which she's delighted about."

Emily Maitlis For CIN Special

Emily Maitlis has revealed that she will be a part of this year's Children In Need Strictly special.

She told the Daily Telegraph: “This is for charity. It’s going to be something Latin.”

She hasn't been told who will be partnering her: "I don’t even know who I’m dancing with. It depends which of the professional dancers have been voted off Strictly and are available.”

Holly & Artem Are Just Friends

Following rumours that they were getting close, Holly has denied rumours that her relationship with Artem is anything but professional.

She told The Sun: "It's all above board. We have become good friends and my boyfriend gets on great with Artem. That's so important. We get on great and he is a fantastic teacher, but when you are suddenly spending time with a random man, it's important that everything is above board. Artem is a lovely guy and I hope we do hang out after this show has finished. He is extremely passionate about dancing and whilst I tend to do things very calmly and quietly, he goes about it in more of a Russian way."

Holly has also taken advice from Artem's girlfriend Kara Tointon: "Kara has been giving me lots of advice. It's not long ago that she did it and she knows what I am feeling like. That's been so brilliant."

Lulu Was Scared Of Getting Brendan

Lulu has admitted that she was hoping not to be paired with Brendan Cole before the series began.

She told the Sunday Mirror: “I’d heard that he was really tough and a really hard teacher. I was scared of getting him. Couple that with the fact he’s so much taller than me and he was the last person I wanted.”

Now, though, she wouldn't have it any other way: “He’s an absolute sweetheart really. He’s ­adorable.”

MRI Scan For Russell

Russell Grant with have an MRI scan after injuruing his knee on Saturday night. Russell's knee was taped at the weekend.

A source told The Sun: "Russell is so worried. And everyone else is too — they all love Russell."

Sunday Service: Week 4

I didn't watch the show live, so it's now 12.45am, and I'm enjoying tea and toast while watching the programme.

I finally enjoyed one of Jason's performances. The paso was a nice progression from last week's tango, and thankfully didn't have any camp nonsense in the middle. I loved Kristina's choreography and it was a great song choice too. Jason was strong, and made some lovely shapes with his arms and hips. A little gallopy in places, but I liked it. Performances like that make me see what others see in Jason.

Technically, Alex & James' rumba was a failure. Alex's technique was pretty ropy. She doesn't push her feet into the floor. In fact, at times she picks them up, which in turn means she lacks hip action. A brave try, but really not very good. Her arms have improved, and are not so scarecrow. The saving grace of the routine was the choreography. James is an absolute master when it comes to rumbas, and this was wonderful. His and Alex's chemistry was nice, but not smoldering.

I loved the opening of Rory & Erin's cha cha, with Rory bounding down the stairs. I loved Rory's energy throughout the dance. He was really selling it. However, Rory's timing was all over the shop. It was a little uncomfortable to watch. Technically he wasn't great either. A good attempt, but it really wasn't his dance.

There has been a massive improvement in Audley's posture this week. He looked great, and only raised his shoulders once or twice. He seems to have really opened up from his chest now. The foxtrot is a hard dance to sell - it can be a little boring from an audience perspective - but Audley's charm made a simple dance pleasant to watch. Natalie kept it simple. He needs to make sure he brings his feet together properly on closing steps.

Nancy & Anton's paso was not good. Nancy is like a soggy bun. She has no strength in her core, and her posture is pretty bad. She looked as though she was trying to keep up with Anton throughout the dance, like a small child runs after her mummy. She was counting out loud, which is never a good look, and she needed Anton to tell her what she should be doing throughout the second half of the dance. I did not like it at all.

It's such a shame Lulu kept forgetting the routine, because it was a nice performance. It wasn't very strong technically, but it was entertaining and joyful. I'm not sure what running up the stairs for a groove with the other contestants has to do with samba. I presume Brendan put it in because it meant that it was 32 counts where Lulu didn't have to remember any steps.

The Viennese waltz was Holly's best dance by a country mile. I loved the opening, although it took way to long to get into hold. Overall, it was really solid, and it was so good to finally see Holly & Artem do well. It was really romantic, dreamy and elegant.

I loved Chelsee & Pasha's quickstep. The unlikely aviation theme actually worked really well. There was lots of quickstep content, and Chelsee seemed a lot tighter and in control. I think it was Chelsee's best dance. A total delight.

Harry & Aliona's waltz was very pleasant. Harry found his feet last week, and his confidence has not waned. I just wish he didn't look so serious. The waltz is supposed to be romantic, and I found the whole thing a tad formal. I am so glad that Alesha made the point not to penalise the celebrities for the choreography. Harry did a good job with what he was given.

Anita & Robin's American smooth left me a little bit cold. I wasn't blown away by it, but I can't quite put my finger on why. The lifts were very ambitious, and they were executed well. Anita's leg was very bent on the arabesque spin, which I didn't like. Otherwise, it was pleasant, but lacked wow factor.

As an homage to Patrick Swayze, Robbie & Ola's routine was brilliant. Robbie was Johnny Castle. As a jive, it wasn't quite so convincing. Robbie was a bit stompy when he should have been up on the balls of his feet, and it lacked precision. But in performance terms, it was my favourite Robbie number so far.

Russell & Flavia's tango was very good. It had plenty of tango content (you wouldn't expect anything less from Flavia), and Russell executed the routine very well. I just wish it had been a bit more strong and arrogant. Russell need to find his inner swine, but he has such a sweet nature I'm not sure its possible.

Chelsee & Pasha were streets ahead of everyone else this week.

Nancy remains in my bottom two, and this week it's Alex who should be joining her. The rumba was just not Alex's dance. Alex still has more to show us, but based on this week she should be in the bottom two. Naturally, it should be Nancy on her way home.

Here are the videos...

Jason & Kristina

Alex & James

Rory & Erin

Audley & Natalie

Nancy & Anton

Lulu & Brendan

Holly & Artem

Chelsee & Pasha

Harry & Aliona

Anita & Robin

Robbie & Ola

Russell & Flavia

I Carried A Waltz-ermelon

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few days, you'll know that the BBC has announced that Dirty Dancing actress, and Dancing With The Stars champion Jennifer Grey will be the guest judge on Strictly while Len takes some time off. She will appear on 5th November.

Jennifer said: "I am delighted to be involved. I so look forward to making the pilgrimage to the birthplace of the greatest dance show, the mecca of spray tans and tangos, and to sit in for the great and pernickety Len Goodman."

I'm worried that Jennifer will be Alesha Mark II, and will add little more than fluff to the panel. I undertsand why they have chosen Jennifer - she is a massive international star - but I still would have preferred to see someone who would have a more critical eye like Karen or Matthew.

Stage Show For Strictly Pros?

Craig Revel Horwood is reportedly working on a Chorus Line-esque production for 2012, which will feature some of the Strictly Come Dancing professionals as its stars.

The Stage reports that each dancer will speak to the audience, and talk about why they dance. The show has the backing of BBC Worldwide and will tour from April.

Craig told the paper: “My aim is to show them off in the best possible light. They are real people with real personalities. Strictly is usually always about the celebs, so it’s nice to be able to create something wonderful for them.”

Flashback!

I was looking through my YouTube favourites earlier, and came across this. Series 3 highlights from It Takes Two. Still my favourite series.

Rory's Night Terrors

Rory Bremner has admitted that he woke up in the night in a panic before the first show.

The Press Association reports that he told the Radio Times: "Two nights before my waltz, I woke in a muck-sweat, panicking that someone had broken into my head and taken out the file marked 'choreography'. I got up, plugged in my iPod and danced around the bedroom, bouncing off the furniture. Every time I spun around, the iPod jumped to the next tune, a salsa. After half an hour of waltzing to a combination of Barry Manilow and hot salsa ... I slumped back into bed, exhausted."

The Annual Is Coming

This year's Strictly Come Dancing annual is published next Thursday (27th October).

Here's the cover...

Kara & Artem Fall Out

Artem and girlfriend Kara Tointon have reportedly been having crossed words about Artem's routines with Holly.

The Sunday Mirror reports that Artem had to cut short rehearsals on Friday while he tried to calm down Kara, whom he has been dating since the conclusion of last year's series.

A source told the paper: “­Artem was in a real state at the studio ­because he is finding it really difficult to deal with Kara’s ­jealousy over him and Holly. It all got too much and he broke down in tears at crucial stages of rehearsals – he doesn’t know how to deal with Kara’s ­concerns about him dancing with his ­partner. Artem has told ­people Kara has been yelling at him. No one knows why she is so insecure as she is so beautiful herself. Also, Holly is totally smitten with her own ­boyfriend and isn’t interested in Artem.”

I can't help but be a little suspicious of this story. Kara & Artem appeared to be blissfully happy as they attended the International Dance Championships at the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday evening. Besides, Kara is an actress, and has herself dated actors, so should be used to seeing her boyfriend in the embrace of someone else, and should know that what is portrayed on screen is only a fantasy.

Nancy's R-Anton

Nancy & Anton are reportedly not getting along, and Nancy believes Anton is trying to steal all the limelight.

A source told the Daily Mirror that Nancy was ranting about Anton in the BBC bar after Saturday's show: “Nancy was having a good old moan about Anton – saying he thinks the show is all about him. Clearly they both have enormous egos, but she wants him to realise that she is the star and his job is to get her through each week. She is finding some of the steps he chooses too difficult, but he enjoys doing them so he keeps them in. Then she announced that he must be gay and was astonished to hear that he most definitely is not. She did seem genuinely surprised to learn that he’s straight and is known to have an eye for the ladies. Perhaps she thinks that any man who doesn’t flirt with her must be gay.”

What Nancy needs to realise is that it is Anton's popularity that is keeping her in the competition. If it wasn't for his fanbase, she'd have been out by now.

Russell: "Forget The Spray Tans"

You won't be seeing Russell with a spray tan or skimpy outfit ant time soon.

Despite losing lots of weight, Russell wants to keep his non-tanned flesh under wraps. He told the Sunday Mirror: "Costume have taken my pants in five inches and my ­collar three sizes since I started ­training. I’m losing weight every single week. You won’t be seeing me in anything slashed to the waist. Can you imagine? I still got quite a way to go... about three stone... All my costumes have been very much high-necked. I wear outfits like Maggie Smith in ­Downton Abbey. While I’m dressed like the ­Dowager Duchess, we can leave it at make-up... forget the spray tans.”

Russell is doing it for all the larger dancers out there: “I’ve always loved music and ­dancing. People tend to forget that fat people can dance. It’s about rhythm, and you can have that no matter how big you are.”

Strictly Wins Ratings Battle

Strictly Come Dancing pulled in more viewers than The X Factor on Saturday night during the two programmes' overlap.

The Press Association reports that Strictly had 9.6 million viewers at the end of the programme (8.15pm). The X Factor, which was 30 minutes in, had 8.8 million.

A BBC spokesperson said: "It is great that more and more viewers keep tuning in to enjoy what is turning out to be a fantastic series."

Robbie's Sensitive Side

Robbie has admitted that he's not as tough as people think, and Craig's comments even made him cry.

Robbie told The People: “Before live shows I’m a bag of nerves and I go pale, in spite of the fake tan. The minute the music starts I’m gone. After Craig gave me two out of 10 for my cha cha cha on the first show, I went back to my hotel room with my mum and just cried. I was devastated.”

He also thinks that Strictly Come Dancing is changing people's attitudes toward him: “I’ll be mentioned in 500 tweets [on Twitter] every day and about 250 of them will be full of hate. But I’ve had a lot fewer hate-filled messages since I’ve been on Strictly.”

Sunday Service: Week 3

We're now at week 3, which means I am slipping back into my regular Strictly routine. Snuggle up on the sofa, dim the lights, crack open a bottle of wine and order in yet another Domino's (should I be ashamed that my local Domino's ends up being one of the most frequently called phone numbers by the end of the series, alongside my mother and the Strictly voting? But who can resist their extensive pizza menu on a cold autumn night?). But enough of my evening, on to Broadway week...

Graphic: BBC

I have to say that last night's show was one of the worst episodes of Strictly Come Dancing I have ever witnessed. Theme weeks are hit and miss, anyway. You needed a map to find the dance steps and actually work out which dance each couple was doing, since there was so little to go on. And then Len Goodman, rule obsessive in the past (remember the 6 for Kara & Artem's American Smooth which didn't have enough foxtrot?), says "Sometimes you have to break rules to make a routine complete". For goodness sake. This has just gone beyond a joke. Why not just call the show Dancing With The Stars and be done with it? Everything which made Strictly so much better than its international franchisees seems to have been eroded away.

Anyway, I'll try to evaluate the couples as best I can.

Holly & Artem kicked things off with their tango. Holly still looked nervous. You could drive a bus between them in hold. It lacked passion for me, and did not have enough attack. Or tango. Holly shows potential, but needs to raise her game soon.

Dan & Katya's Viennese waltz was quite nice. But remember when there was lots of talk about the dreaded fleckerl, and the technical challenge it posed? It was so hard, they only did it at the end of the series. Now they don't even bother to put it in. But then, none of us are expected to remember past series. Natasha who? Anyway, I liked the storytelling, which was quite romantic. Dan still needs to pull his shoulders back and keep them down. They seemed to creep up as the routine went on.

How much was Anita loving it? Almost as much as I was loving Robin's wig! Anita's jive was a little stompy. She needs to be up on the balls of her feet more, and needs to point her toes on the flicks and kicks. She needs to keep her legs together more to keep it neater. But I love how Anita sells everything she does. Often it's not the most technical dancer who gets the job, but the one who draws you in with their performance. That's Anita.

Alex & James made me feel a bit better about the world. Their routine was elegant, and actually resembled a Viennese waltz. It was simple, but effective. If only the standing spin at the end had been a fleckerl (I presume it was a standing spin, the cameraman cut off their feet), it would have been one of the best dances of the night. I liked the continuity of the open and close. Of course, Len thought it was too simple, but a few years back, he'd have loved it. Maybe when he has his week off in America, he should stay over there...

Rory & Erin's quickstep was lovely, very showbiz. It had excellent choreography from ballroom queen Erin, and a solid performance from Rory. Like Dan, Rory needs to watch his top line still, as he often becomes hunched over.

Lulu & Brendan's rumba was very lyrical and romantic, but was a bit lacking in content. But hey, it's Broadway week, so we weren't supposed to notice between all the smoke and mirrors. It was Lulu's best performance so far. She looked confident and in control.

I loved the song choice for Nancy & Anton's tango - Be Italian. It's a shame that was the best thing about it. Nancy was very limp. She had no attack. Nothing was staccato. She stomped around the floor like she was walking to the bus stop (not that Nancy ever does that, but you know what I mean). But at least it was a tango, and Nancy did seem to be getting into the character of the dance. Her best dance so far.

Bless Audley. He almost tripped over his own feet. Audley was very nippy on his feet during the fast sections of the quickstep. Natalie needs to work on his posture. He also needs to pull his shoulders back.

I'm not sure what Robbie & Ola's tango had a paso opening. Just one of the many questions I was left with after this week's show. Once they got into hold, Robbie did a decent job. Robbie is quietly getting on with things, and could be around for a good while yet.

Russell was nervous about doing his first ballroom dance, but he didn't need to be. He did a great job. He just lights up the floor whenever he is on it. He has so much charisma that you just love to watch him. Flavia's foxtrot choreography was lovely. The routine was pure Broadway. Russell is one of the most popular Strictly participants ever, and unlike Ann or John Seargent, it's for the right reasons. Russell deserves his place in the competition.

When Jason & Kristina's tango got going, I was pleased to finally see what I wanted to see from Jason. The cheesy Strictly Ballroom guy was gone, and had been replaced with a fiery, passionate tango dancer. I was so impressed. But then the illusion was shattered by that ridiculous, camp, Priscilla interlude. That totally killed it for me. What was Kristina thinking? I'm not sure why everyone thought it was so clever. I thought it was dance suicide. Still, even though I hated that, it was still the best tango of the evening.

Chelsee is so good. I think she's underrated. There were a couple of wee mistakes in her and Pasha's cha cha. She needs to watch her arm placement at times, as she can throw them around a bit too much, but I love her attitude and sass on the floor. Also, you have to remember that Chelsee & Pasha are regularly training at 10pm. Chelsee has the toughest schedule of any of the celebrities. Yet she gets it done every week without complaint.

The jive was Harry & Aliona's best performance so far, despite the routine's lack of content. It was actually a nice routine, but just not really a jive. Maybe it was because Harry could play Danny rather than be himself. He seemed to find the character. Can someone please explain to me Aliona's obsession with bodyrolls, though? They seem to be in every latin routine she does.

I think that Jason (aside from the interlude), Chelsee and Russell were the best this week. Of course, Nancy is still the worst, despite the improvement. But who else in the bottom two? It's so difficult to pick. Maybe Dan or Audley. I don't think it would be a miscarriage of justice if either of them were sent home.

Here are the videos...

Holly & Artem

Dan & Katya

Anita & Robin

Alex & James

Rory & Erin

Lulu & Brendan

Nancy & Anton

Audley & Natalie

Robbie & Ola

Russell & Flavia

Jason & Kristina

Chelsee & Pasha

Harry & Aliona

More Nancy Drama (Sigh!)

The tabloids are getting so much milage out of stroppy drama queen Nancy Dell'Olio, I'm starting to wonder what they'll do when she leaves (which will probably involve her walking off in a huff rather than actually being voted out!).

Today's randomness comes from the Daily Mail (of course). The paper reports that Nancy was so enraged by Bruno's comments on Saturday night ("inhaled two gallons of Veuve Clicquot"), that she told friends she would sue.

A friend of Nancy's told the paper: "She was having trouble walking and her leg was in real pain – but she thought the show must go on, so took to the floor. To then have Bruno accuse her of being drunk, she found very upsetting. She has considered legal action – but everyone’s been calming her down."

Why was Nancy so upset about Bruno's comments? No smoke without fire, if you ask me...

Keeeeeeeep Voting!

It's time again to vote in the National Television Awards. This is the 'longlist'. Shortlist voting will happen in the new year. We have to make sure Strictly gets on the shortlist!

Strictly Come Dancing is listed in the Talent Show category, up against Britain's Got Talent, Dancing On Ice, Got To Dance, Let's Dance For Comic Relief, Popstar To Operastar, So You Think You Can Dance and The X Factor.

It's interesting that half of the shows shortlisted are dance shows. That is the "Strictly Effect" in operation!

Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly are also both nominated for Entertainment Presenter (alongside Alex Jones).

Click here to cast your vote.

You can also support former Strictly participants Laila Rouass or Jaye Jacobs for Drama Performance: Female and Jessie Wallace for Serial Drama Performance.

Lulu Doesn't Want To Let Brendan Down

Lulu has admitted that it has taken her longer to pick things up than she expected, and it was her stint on Let's Dance For Comic Relief that name her think she could do it.

The Daily Mail quotes an interview Lulu has give to this week's Woman: "I am good for a few moves but I am not a dancer. I did Let’s Dance for Comic Relief this year performing Soldja Boy’s Let's Crank and it went so well that when Strictly came up I thought ‘OK I can do this’. But I think I was lulled into a false sense of security because this is very technical it’s all about precision and it’s hard for me. Brendan will go over and over and over a move again and again until I am embarrassed because I am slow. I have to say he is a great teacher. The reality is that I am older and I am anxious about forgetting the dances and letting Brendan down again. He’s been great and we’re working twice as hard."

Brendan admits that he was surprised to be paired with Lulu: "Lulu never came into the equation in my mind because it’s unheard of in ballroom dancing to have a 6ft man like me partnered with someone just 5ft 1in. Holly Valance and Alex Jones were the two tall ones I would have been happy with either of them. I am from New Zealand and Holly is from Australia - it would have been fun if nothing else."

How To Get A Body Like Katya's

Katya has been explaning to the Daily Mirror how she keeps looking so good.

Sadly, not all of us have the same incentive as Katya: “Believe me,” she says, “if you were dancing in front of millions of people wearing hardly anything, you’d make sure you were in shape, too!”

But she has some tips for us mere mortals. Read the full article for her advice.

Strictly Sober

Nancy may be banned from drinking before the live shows, reports the Daily Mirror.

A source told the paper: “Nancy is the ultimate lady who lunches. She only drinks champagne, never wine, and it has to be vintage. She has structured her training so that it is always after lunch and more often than not she will have lunch with Anton who is teetotal. The main problem is that Nancy has between five to 15 bottles of champagne in her dressing room on any given night – all sent to her by friends and celebrities. She likes to have a drink with wellwishers after each live show, and be social. Before Saturday’s show she had a quick glass or three of bubbly after lunch, and then kept getting her glass topped up backstage afterwards. Following her mauling by the judges, a furious Anton issued her with a strict drinking ban on rehearsal and show days. Surprisingly, Nancy agreed.”

Let's hope that her performances improve as a result, or I might turn to drink to make watching her bearable.

Jason's Extra Tuition

Jason Donovan had some dance lessons before the official start of training, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The paper reports that Jason had extra tuition from former Strictly showdancer Shem Jacobs. A source said: "A lot of people on set, including the contestants and dancers, are aware of the extra lessons Jason had been having. You could tell from the first live show. His technique was too good, not that of a complete novice."

Jason claims that this was merely advice from a friend, and not formal lessons.

Len To Take A Break

Len Goodman will take a week off during the current series of Strictly Come Dancing, as he finds the commuting between London and LA is getting too much.

He told the Daily Star Sunday: “Flying back and forth between London and LA doing the two shows is very gruelling, so this year the BBC have kindly agreed to give me a week off to rest.”

A source explained further: “Len absolutely loves doing both shows and there was never any question about him leaving either of them. But he really felt it last year. By the time it got to November he was absolutely shattered. It’s a gruelling schedule for anyone to do year on year, so when he asked for a break they had to listen. Discussions went on for a while and in the end they agreed to give him one week’s break off from Strictly. It means he’ll be able to rest up in Los Angeles for a week and a half before having to fly back to London. The show’s bosses know how important he is and were more than happy to let him have some time off to re-charge his batteries.”

Personally, I'm a little put out by this. Not that Len is having time off, but that it comes at the expense of Strictly Come Dancing. Strictly is the original show, and that is was what led to Dancing With The Stars. And they have two seasons a year, while we only have one. Why can't he spend the extra time here? I guess because LA is warmer...

It is not stated when Len's break will come.

It will be interesting to see who stands in for him. The article name checks Karen, Matthew and Camilla. Camilla is on tour with Calendar Girls until 3rd December, so it's unlikely to be her unless her producers are willing to let her miss a couple of performances. Camilla has expressed an interest in being a judge in the past. Karen would be a natural choice. She is still a part of the show through It Takes Two, and is a professional judge. It would be fun to see Matthew sitting next to former partner Alesha for a week.

I think most of the former pros would be welcome as a judge, and it would be great to have some more technical critiques.

Len may have to watch out...

Sunday Service: Week 2

It's early in the series, and few couples have found their path in the competition yet. There are a couple of early leaders, but otherwise, it was a whole lot of OK. It's hard to lose anyone this early on, but someone has to go. Who will it be?

I'd like to stress that at the time of writing this, I don't know who is going home. I'm not a fan of spoilers, and prefer to watch the show on Sunday. It makes me feel like I'm living it with the participants.

I thought Chelsee & Pasha were great. Chelsee's work is really neat and tidy, aside from a wobble here and there. She has excellent turns, possibly some of the best celebrity turns we've seen. I loved the salsa armography. Chelsee was a little flat footed, but with a little work, she could be even better.

I felt that all of the foxtrots were more like American smooths. There was not enough in hold. Edwina & Vincent's routine was one of the worst for that. It took far too long to get into hold. When they finally got there, Edwina's footwork was poor and her frame was weak. Her performance, however, was very nice once again. You can see she's having fun on the floor, and she has to be commended for that.

It's clear that Audley has a sense of rhythm, but for some reason his feet seemed half a beat behind his body throughout the salsa. His personality comes through on the floor with Natalie, but his dancing is a little casual in style. He needs to be more solid.

Alex looked fine in hold with James, aside from sticking her bottom out just a tad, but she had scarecrow arms when out of hold. Alex looked beautiful. The foxtrot seemed to suit Alex much more than the cha cha last week. Maybe the security of the hold is when Alex is most comfortable.

Dan & Katya were pretty good. I think the judges were a bit harsh on their salsa. Dan looked relaxed during the dance. It may have lacked fluidity, but it appeared that Dan was leading Katya, especially on the basic steps.

Lulu & Brendan were much better than last week. Lulu needs to develop her posture, and as the judges pointed out, her head placement was odd. The routine had a nice mood, but the foxtrot was an improvement on last week. She seems to have more discipline.

Holly needs to finish her moves more cleanly. There were a few errors in her and Artem's dance, but she had the most challenging choreography of all the salsa routines and coped well with it. Her performance was still a bit careful, but she clearly has a lot of talent. I look forward to seeing her have a go at ballroom.

Rory & Erin's salsa was a bit messy. He seemed to be chasing the music throughout. He lacked flow and fluidity. But what I like about Rory is that he is enjoying himself. Dancing should be about having fun, especially on Strictly. Dancing to Vehicle was brave, as Matt & Flavia used that for their memorable routine. I liked the fact that their routine contained the same shimmies, a nice nod to those who had gone before.

Robbie's performance was charming. He needs to keep his shoulders down when he has Ola in hold, but otherwise it was very good. I liked the choreography, but again it was bordering on American smooth. I wish the routines had been a bit more 'pure'.

It's a shame that Anita & Robin's salsa had a few errors because it was nice otherwise. Anita is a lovely performer, and has an effortless elegance.

The most special part of Jason & Kristina's foxtrot was the choreography. I loved it. Kristina makes a wonderful Jessica Rabbit. I liked Jason's performance better than last week, although I can live without the cheesy Strictly Ballroom smile which seems to come across his face every so often for no reason. That aside, there is no question that Jason is an excellent dancer, and he and Kristina have a great partnership.

The best word to describe Nancy & Anton's salsa is stampy. Nancy was off time in a number of places and it was littered with errors. It was uncontrolled. They did get through it without stopping, which is an improvement on last week. Nancy doesn't do herself any favours with the drama queen routine ("Do you know I have injury?"). We don't want excuses.

Harry & Aliona's foxtrot was good enough, but didn't really sparkle. Harry had scarecrow arms now and then when out of hold. Like Holly, he has the potential and just needs to find his groove.

Russell & Flavia's salsa routine was very cute. He just makes you smile. He was a bit flat-footed, but has great rhythm. Russell is bar far the most entertaining. And he actually appeared to have a nice lead for Flavia's turns.

I think Jason and Chelsee are the strongest right now, with Holly and Harry displaying all the potential to be up there with them in the coming weeks.

Nancy is bar far the weakest, and it's hard to pick anyone else who could be in the bottom two with her. The other contestants who are low on the leaderboard either have technique or personality in their favour. If I had to pick someone else to be in the bottom two, it would probably have to be Edwina, but her personality sparkles on the floor, and it seems a little cruel to single her out above Lulu or Dan or Audley or Russell who are all of a similar standard.

I would like to see Nancy go home. No-one else deserves to leave.

Here are the videos...

Chelsee & Pasha



Edwina & Vincent

Audley & Natalie

Alex & James



Dan & Katya

Lulu & Brendan

Holly & Artem



Rory & Erin

Robbie & Ola



Anita & Robin



Jason & Kristina

Nancy & Anton

Harry & Aliona

Russell & Flavia

Kelly Sotherton: "It Would Be My Dream To Be On Strictly"

Former heptathlete and Olympic medalist Kelly Sotherton enjoys watching Strictly Come Dancing, and would love to be on the show.

She told ESPN.co.uk: "It would be my dream to be on Strictly Come Dancing. I think it is the ultimate celebrity reality show. I know of one or two people who have been on the show and I know how hard they have to work. I'd love to get dressed up in all the beautiful outfits and I've always wanted to learn how to dance properly. I haven't had the opportunity before because I've always been training, but hopefully one day I'll get that call."

No Dancing For Lineker

Gary Lineker would not do Strictly Come Dancing, and he wasn't too fond of Robbie Savage's pink shirt on Saturday night.

He told ThisIsLeciestershire: "Robbie popped in with his outfit on and it was really off-putting for us all in the Match of the Day office – I was nearly sick. I'm really not sure about his chances and he's been saying how hard it is but it's good for him to go through with it. I would be way out of my comfort zone. I wouldn't even go on it for the comedy value because it's quite a serious show. Brucie is always a great comedian on it, though."

Kristina Wants Children With Joe

Kristina admits that she will hang up her latin sandals to have children with boyfriend Joe Calzaghe some day, but not yet.

She told The Sun: "We will have children in the future, I'm sure. It's not the subject of now, but we both know this day will come as we both want children. I'd have to give up dancing. I don't see myself continuing dancing if I have children because I'd like to give myself to my children and family."

Strictly Sabotage?

BBC bosses are investigating after Nancy Dell'Olio's was found soaking wet with a ripped hemline minutes before she was due to perform on Saturday night.

The dress was hastily dried and repaired before Nancy took to the floor for her disasterous performance.

A source told The Mirror: “The dress was hanging with all the others on the communal rail outside the dressing room area. After having her make-up done Nancy went to collect it and saw it had had water chucked all over it. It was drenched. Also the hem had been altered, it was fraying. Nancy was stunned. She was asking ‘Whodunnit?’ but no one had any answers. It was pretty strange. The wardrobe department tidied up the worst of the damage but it disarmed Nancy. She felt it badly hampered her dance.”

It's hard to imagine that anyone in the Strictly production would want to do something like that. Especially on Week 1, when things haven't got that competitive. If press reports are to be believed, Nancy does seem to be a bit of a drama queen. Could she have done it herself to cause a drama? Or did a hapless production runner have some sort of accident, and was too embarassed to 'fess up?

All good plotlines for the next abysmal Strictly novel, no doubt...

Zoe's Grand Entrance

I just loved Zoe Ball's grand entrance to Television Centre at the top of yesterday's It Takes Two.

If you missed it, here's the video...

Anton Wanted To Cut Boa

Nancy is upset about her poor performance on Saturday night, especially as Anton wanted to cut the boa out of the routine, but she insisted on keeping it.

A source told The Sun: "Nancy was really upset. A similar thing happened in rehearsals and Anton told her to cut it but she over-ruled him. He was rightly furious when it happened again on the actual dance."

Nancy's Diva Demands

Nancy threatened to quit unless she could have her own Harrods stylist to do her hair over the weekend.

The Daily Mail reports that she placated by production staff, before being told that they would not meet her demands. A source told the paper: "Initially the priority was to calm Nancy down when she said she would quit. Production told her, 'It is the first live show, can you put up with it this week and we will look into how we can resolve this next week?' But it was later made clear that the hairdresser on the show would be the one Nancy would have to use and that the matter wasn’t up for discussion."

Nancy should worry about her performance before she starts worring about her hair, her costumes or her potential rivals on the show. She really needs to put up or shut up this week, or she could be off the show. She's not as big as she thinks she is, and the competition will survive without her.

Keep It Strictly Clean

The Strictly pros have been told to keep their routines clean this year, and producers have already stepped in to chop out some of the raunchier moves.

A source told The Sun: "Strictly has made a name for itself with its raunchy costumes and sexy routines. But bosses felt things had gone too far this year and stepped in before the show aired to get some of the moves clipped. They were concerned viewers might be shocked at some of the more sexy moves planned for the first two live shows. Dancers could get away with more on Friday's show because it aired after the 9pm watershed. But Saturday's went out at 6pm when a lot more families were watching. Going forward, that will be the time it normally airs, so you have to be careful about these things."

There's no mention of costumes, though, so Ola's catsuit could still see the light of day again yet.

Sunday Service: Week 1

If you haven't already seen it, you can read my thoughts on the first seven couples here.

Moving on to Saturday night's crop, Harry & Aliona made a pretty good start, but to be honest, I was a bit bored. The cha cha was well danced, but it was lacking in personality. Harry has loads of potential, and I'm sure there will be lots more to come from him.

Rory & Erin did a reasonable first job with the waltz. Rory's knees were a little bit flexed, and I agreed with Alesha (I know, the horror!) what he was hunching over Erin a bit. He needs to work on his posture. He also needs to work on his facial expression. I have never been a fan of the Chris Hollins gerbil look. However, another good first effort.

Alex needs to pull back her shoulders back a bit more. Everything about her cha cha with James seemed a bit 'spiky'. She needs more flow and finesse. I'm sure it will come as she becomes more comfortable on the dancefloor.

Chelsee could be the one to beat. She had dance lessons as a kid, and it shows. She has neat lines and a natural flair, similar to other past participants who have also had dance lessons. The judges comments about her headline were justified, and there were a couple of small errors, but otherwise it was excellent. Chelsee has great musicality. And I liked new boy Pasha's choreography.

Edwina & Vincent's cha cha was fun, but clunky. Edwina is more fearless than I would have expected. She really went for it. I think this will be a great partnership. Edwina needs to watch her arms, as they were about wayward.

After watching Nancy & Anton's waltz, my reaction was 'what was that?'. The comedy at the top was naff and unnecessary. With Ann, Anton needed to use comedy, but with Nancy he shouldn't need to. The handling of the wardrobe problem was unprofessional. And Nancy's standing spin was the worst I have ever seen. It was all a bit of a disaster, and I just hope things get better next week. Although they have salsa, so I won't hold my breath.

There's no denying that Jason has lots of talent. He was easily the best of the male participants. He has excellent feet and a good hip action. Kristina has taught him well. However, I wasn't keen on his performance. I found it a bit camp and cringy. It was all a bit Strictly Ballroom - all those stereotypes that still haunt latin and ballroom dancing. I liked Jason's dancing, but I was his performance to be a bit more from within. It seemed a bit 'learnt'. I'd like him to be more natural.

So, Week 1 is in the books. If I was going to send someone home this week, it would have been Nancy & Anton. She's lucky she has another week to regroup and prove that this performance was a one-off.

Here are the videos...

Harry & Aliona



Rory & Erin

Alex & James



Chelsee & Pasha



Edwina & Vincent



Nancy & Anton



Jason & Kristina