Strictly 2021

[Gangster Octopus]

I've heard of two of the slebs. And this opening episode is far too long.

[Southport Zeb]

I imagine I'll keep up to date with it in my normal way - going round for meals at my parents and looking at the scorecard my mum keeps over each series on the back of an envelope.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I am contractually bound to watch this now until Christmas, with the possible exception of next weekend when Signora Rogin is in Dublin.

[Gangster Octopus]

I've heard of two of the slebs. And this opening episode is far too long.

That's unfair on my part, four slebs...

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Had heard of: Webb, Walker, Peaty and (sort of) Wise.

I love hearing A J Odudu speak.

[Gangster Octopus]

You never watched Goodness Gracious Me?

[jwdd27]

I think Webb, Walker and Peaty are the core three who most people (or most of OTF) would know by name. I also "know" Wadia, and I'd heard the name AJ Odudu, but thought she was someone else. And I recognise the McFly lad ("the one with glasses"), but not the name. That's it.

I was working tonight, so have yet to discover if we are watching every episode, or if it's a fallow year, as about 1 in 3 are. It will depend on whether one of the celebs offends Mrs D in some way. Tilly Ramsay's profile might be enough to swing it.

[steveeeeeeeee]

I thought it was quite a strong line up of celebs, knew 7 of them immediately and there were 2 others who are celebs, but just not in my orbit of knowledge.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

You never watched Goodness Gracious Me?

No. I mean, I've seen the odd sketch or two from it (Going for an English etc) but not the whole thing. Meera Syal has since become a familiar name to me, but not NW.

[Gangster Octopus]

Is there actually an audience there?

[Hot Orange]

Strictly's great, isn't it? Everyone - judges, presenters, musicians, pro dancers - are so incredibly good at their jobs, it seems to bring out the best in people, it promotes diversity. Love it.

Been on a 100-mile bike ride today and had some wine, so I'm tired and emotional, but, really, it's such good, worthy entertainment.

[Etienne]

It'd promote diversity more if it didn't continue to employ that frightful racist Anton du Beke.

But otherwise, yes, I agree.

[Hot Orange]

Oh yes, just looked that up. Apart from him, then.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Some idiotic crap in the media today about Shirley making barbed points at the expense of Claudia and Tess etc. re Greg Wise's poor "fundamentals". Vox pops from idiot viewers saying she was spoiling the feel good atmosphere etc. By actually doing her job as an expert judge. Clearly some fools in the viewing public just want points chucked at any contestants who entertain, regardless of technical merit. I'd give Greg Wise points for "crappest one liner" with his surreally nonsensical "mine's in a trust".

[Come along, Min]

I have been enjoying this show, and would have money on AJ or Rose to win.

I find Tilly is decent and quite sweet but was amusingly distracted by her behaviour of obsessively turning to her partner Nikita to look at him every few seconds when they were stood there receiving judges comments or when speaking to the presenters. Does anyone else know what I mean?

[diggedy derek]

The bookies have Rose as strong favourite, followed quite distantly by John and AJ. All of those I'm a big fan of.

Everyone else you can get massive odds on. The two dark horses are Tom and Tilly, both of whom are really quite decent dancers and seem decent people, for my money (Tilly starting university and doing Strictly at the same time is faintly mingboggling). Is she annoying? She's really young, genuinely young, in contrast to say Rhys, who the judges seem under the impression is essentially still a child. So I give her a lot of slack.

The problem is dark horses don't win events like this, and I can't really see Tilly summoning up a groundswell of popularity, given her dad.

[Various Artist]

mingboggling

That's a fabulous typo, it sounds like something Roald Dahl would've had the BFG say.

[NHH]

I'd be pleased for Giovanni who seems like a genuinely good egg and a brilliant choreographer; they're always totally watchable. I hope John and Johannes a) get to the final b) fall in love and c) cause kipper racist homophobes to literally choke to death on their Saturday night tea and whilst I'd like them to win it, they're clearly not going to but the final would be a marvellous return on the first all-male pair and some of their dances have been amazing, but they seem to have dropped a level since the early rounds. AJ is brilliant and utterly captivating and down to earth, and someone I'd equally like to win but seems to be in the distance from Rose and Giovanni.
Those three for the final, with Tom making up the 4th, after narrowly edging out Rhys, who edges out Tilly the previous week. Rhys is great, but clearly doesn't have an audience batting for him, so will be in the bottom two when Dan leaves. Dan is on borrowed time, as is Sara, for whom I can't work out who on earth her constituency/demographic is.

[E10 Rifle]

Middle-aged Daily Mail reading women, I suspect, are rallying behind the wholly mediocre Sara. In terms of quality dances, AJ's come through the middle to lead in recent weeks. It'd be great if she wins.

[Etienne]

Little Miss Etienne who is the most engaged in our household has now firmly put Rose as her favourite ahead of AJ. Dan to go out next please.

[steveeeeeeeee]

I haven't seen as much of this season as I would like and have missed the increasing prominence of AJ, but just to echo NHH, I really like Giovanni and would love to see him and Rose win.

When I first started watching Strictly, Giovanni was generally the most disliked professional, due to his countless contestant romances. Do you think he was misunderstood or has worked hard on his public persona to become more likeable for UK audiences?

[NHH]

I don't see any of the tabloid gossip, so that was all news to me. He just seemed really nice and various dancers - Faye Tozer, Debbie McGee and Michelle Visage all seemed to like him and stay friends with him.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

It's probably been pointed out but Dan's continued presence on the "Sunday night results show" finally destroys any fourth-wall pretence that they are actually "there" on a Sunday. He famously doesn't do anything on Sundays so would certainly not be there.

[diggedy derek]

What in God's name was Tilly's so-called dance that ended up getting a perfect score on Saturday? In no dimension was that 'good dancing'.

In other news, Dan is dancing somewhat better, but it still looks more than likely that AJ, Rose and John make the final three. No-one is obviously breaking that triumvurate.

[Etienne]

yeah, I think dances like that are very tough for contestants because they are standing two feet away from a professional dancer doing the exact moves immeasurably better - so it's much easier to see the faults than if they are in hold or something. Presumably the judges are aware and take into account of that. But it looked mediocre to me, and I said I thought this would finally be the end of Tilly and was startled by the comments and marks.