Tom & Amy Test Positive For Covid-19

Tom Fletcher & Amy Dowden have both tested positive for Covid-19, and will have to sit out of the competition next week.

Amy posted the news on Instagram:

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It's really unfortunate this has happened, but hopefully the backstage protocols will mean that they are the only cast members affected.  Unlike real life for most of us now, Strictly still has social distancing rules in place and crew members are wearing masks. I'm sure they are both gutted that they have to sit out. I wish them both well.

Sunday Service: Week 1

What a show! Yes, it was a long one, but the time flew by. This has to be one of the best first weeks in a long time. There is a lot of room for many of the celebrities to improve, but the bar is already pretty high.

Tom & Amy had the tough job of kicking off the series with a cha cha. It seemed to take a while for the routine to get going. Tom's timing is good, but there is a lot of work to do on his body. His arms looked awkward and his legs looked a bit odd on some of the walks. But it was a solid start.

Tilly looked good, she just needs more confidence. I feel as though Nikita could have drilled her footwork a bit more - there were definitely a few too many toe leads. Their waltz was sweet, though. She has potential, and looked better than she did in the group number on the launch show.

Ugo's samba was a good first attempt. I thought that his hold of Oti was a bit ‘firm’, which gave it an almost brutish look at times. The hip action didn’t come off but his timing was pretty good. I liked the choreography, and it was well pitched. Probably a good idea to get the samba out of the way early.

A Viennese waltz is a really challenging dance for Week 1, but Rhys & Nancy did a good job. Rhys' hands looked a bit odd out of hold - they should be a continuation of his arms., but they seemed to stick up or down. Lovely timing though, and a nice frame. Rhys could use a little more drive, but he certainly wasn’t afraid to cover the floor. Definitely one to watch.

I loved the song choice of The Boss for Sara & Aliaž's cha cha. Sara could do with more core strength, the whole thing felt a little woolly. It definitely felt like watching a pro-am rather than a partnership. She looked like she was having fun, though, as if she spend the whole routine thinking “OMG, I’m dancing with Aljaž”. Improvement to be made, but not a bad start.

Dan & Nadiya were next with their quickstep. Dan's lunges looked a bit ungainly, but generally not as bad as I feared. There were glimpses of a quite nice routine, and I think his ballroom has potential. I look forward to seeing him do something slower.

I was looking forward to watching Rose & Giovanni, and their jive didn't disappoint. Rose had really good timing and lovely movement with so much energy. She needs to point her feet more, but the technique will come.

Katie has been the celebrity that I have not paid much mind so far, but after her tango she has my attention now! That tango was fierce. A fantastic base to work from. There was one moment where she puffed out her cheeks. I think it was part of her being in character, but it looked like her psyching herself up for the next section. Lovely routine from Gorka, straight down to business. 

Robert & Dianne played their cha cha for laughs, and it was entertaining. Robert's rhythm was good, but his footwork was a little poor and arm lines need work. I look forward to seeing something straight from him, if he decides to go that way.

Greg wasn't as bad as bad as I feared he would be after the group dance. I thought he was better in hold than out of it – he’s not great at creating pictures with clean poses. He’s very charming, and that might be enough to keep him in longer than his talent perhaps deserves. The American smooth is a tough week 1 dance, though, and he and Karen made a good start.

I really enjoyed Nina & Neil's samba routine. Nina was a bit stompy, and could have had more hip action, but I loved the attitude. Lots of great samba steps in the choreography. I can’t wait to see more of Nina.

John & Johannes' tango was a bit of a showstopper. It was a complicated routine, including changes of lead, and it was very well executed. John had a lovely top line on both sides of the hold. It was sharp and staccato, with lots of drive and attack. They match each other so well. Surely John has danced before. That was not beginner level stuff.

Judi & Graziano was hampered by a poor song. Chain of Fools is really a cha cha, not an American smooth. They made the best of it. Judi was in control, and gave it everything. I can’t wait to see them dance to an appropriate song, but this being Strictly I might be waiting a while.

For one with such long limbs, AJ's jive was really neat. She had so much energy, which she kept until the end. There might have been one tiny mistake toward the end, but for the first week, that was very impressive. Kai did not go easy on her. I think she could do really well.

Adam & Katya's cha cha was a really good effort. It's a shame the leg pot stir thing didn’t come off. It would have been a great end to the routine. It was quite a busy routine, but Adam seemed to do OK with it. After John and AJ were so good, it was going to be hard to follow and he held is own.

It really was a high standard, and all of the routines were very enjoyable. Even those at the weaker end still showed that they have potential and there were no car crashes. Bring on next week. I can't wait to see how the leaderboard changes and if those who were strong this week have another good week.

The Couples

Ahead of tonight's first show, I thought I would take a look at the pairings and first impressions.

Robert & Dianne - This works for me. I think they will have lots of fun together. They've already started posting lots of comedy clips on social media. However, I think Robert might be one of the celebrities who struggles a bit with the dancing unless he plays it for laughs. I'd love to see him play it straight, at least for some of the dances, but I suspect he might find it difficult.

Katie & Gorka - Gorka has definitely been rewarded for last year's sacrifices by being partnered with Katie who lives in the north. He won't have to spend too much time away from his family. This is Gorka's third soap actor in five series, having previously partnered Tameka and Maisie. I think they'll be a decent match.

Rhys & Nancy - This pair seem to have bags of energy. Rhys also looks like he could be quite the mover. Nancy's participation with a celebrity has been long-awaited, and I am looking forward to really getting to know her. I think this pair will be in for the long-haul.

Sara & Aljaž - This pairing feels about right. Aljaž has had quite a diverse range of partners over the years, with a real mix of abilities, but he has always brought something out of them. Sara is one of this year's taller celebrities, so perhaps that was how they were paired.

Dan & Nadia - It feels that this partnership was inevitable because Dan is so tall. It is rare to see Nadia having to look up so much, but he towers over her. Nadia is always going to get the 'long limbed' pros, which can be quite a challenge if they cannot control their bodies. I think Dan will do alright because he is such a well-known face on TV, but dancing might not be his strong suit.

Rose & Giovanni - This didn't feel like a surprise pairing at all, because for so many years Giovanni has signed his "Thank you"s during the results show. I wonder if that was the reason they were paired. Like Aljaž, Giovanni is really good at changing his style to suit it partner, ranging from the fiery taskmaster that paired Michelle to his softer approach with Ranvir. I fell in love with Rose during her reveal, and I can't wait to see how she gets on. I think they will go far.

Adam & Katya - Think of the lifts we are going to get from this pair! Adam has ridiculous upper body strength, and Katya is so creative and fearless, I cannot wait to see what they come up with. Adam is no stranger to training, so he's going to be driven, too.

AJ & Kai - It's always difficult to assess celebrities with brand new pros. It's also challenging to build rapport with the audience, as the pro doesn't come with their own fans and following. AJ definitely seems the type to throw herself into anything with a heap of good humour, so I think she'll win people over.

Greg & Karen - Karen never seems to be given a 'ringer', but she somehow manages to do well with whomever she is partnered with. She's reached the final twice with unlikely partners Jamie Laing and Mark Wright. Greg is probably the weakest of the group this year, but he seems very charming, so perhaps that will help him stay a bit longer.

Judi & Graziano - This paring feels like one of the most unlikely. I wasn't a fan of Graziano's choreography when he was partnered with Vick, but I've really warmed to him over the last couple of years, and I am happy to see him with a partner again. I just hope that Graziano 'gets' Judi and her fast-talking, east London humour. I hope she doesn't play it for laughs too much.

John & Johannes - I was convinced that John would be partnered with Graziano. I thought the producers might shy away from any possibility of romance headlines by partnering John with a heterosexual partner. Putting John with Johannes is a bold statement, and I am glad to see it. They look great together, and John looks like he can move a bit, so I think they could go very far.

Nina & Neil - I'm happy to see Neil back with a partner. Nina is the oldest of the female celebrities, but is far from the sort of old duffer we'd usually see Anton with. I think they will have a good time together. I think Nina will try hard, but I don't see her progressing beyond mid-series.

Tom & Amy - A very wholesome match for Amy once again. Tom is a Sylvia Young kid, so will likely have had some dance training at school. Comparisons with bandmate and former champion Harry Judd are inevitable, but Tom comes across as much more outgoing than Harry, and Amy is probably more well-liked as a pro than Aliona, so on paper this could be a successful pairing.

Tilly & Nikita - A little known celebrity and a brand new pro means this is going to be a tough series for this pair, and they are going to have to prove themselves quickly. Tilly likes to post dance TikToks, but that's a far cry from partner dancing. I don't see this pair getting that far.

Ugo & Oti - I like this paring. Somehow Oti manages to make magic with ringers and unlikely celebrities alike. This is Oti's seventh series, and her fourth sportsman, so she knows how to get the best from those in this field. And Ugo definitely seems up for the challenge. I think the fact that Ugo has just joined the AQoS panel will boost his profile among those who hadn't already heard of him.

A few thoughts after looking at the group dance. Tilly looked tentative. Robert will need to control those facial expressions. Greg is probably the weakest of the group and will need to work really hard to go far. Everyone else looked pretty solid. It was probably one of the most coherent opening group numbers we have seen. I think this is going to be a really competitive series.

Let's get this series started!