Victoria Pendleton: Dancing Queen? Photo credit: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com.
The background
The BBC has released the new line-up for Strictly Come Dancing. Among the usual suspects – former soap actors, pop stars and TV presenters, plus the inevitable ‘who’s that?’ contestants – viewers will have the chance to rate the dancing skills of two Olympians: cyclist Victoria Pendleton and gymnast Louis Smith.
Strictly women: Gold-winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton, Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh, presenter and actress Denise Van Outen, model and former Mrs Mick Jagger Jerry Hall, presenter Fern Britton, Tracey Beaker actress Dani Harmer and Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley.
Do the non-Olympians stand a chance?
Pity the poor celebs going up against two London 2012 medal-winners during Olympics year, wrote Vicky Frost in The Guardian. “Producers will be hoping that the pair bring a bit of that Olympic fever to Strictly – and the casting does seem very smart. But, while the dates of the competition would admittedly have made it very difficult in terms of training, the lack of a Paralympian in the lineup does feel like a bit of an oversight.”
Strictly Men: Silver-winning gymnast Louis Smith, presenter Johnny Ball, Eastenders actor Sid Owen, Westlife singer Nicky Byrne, presenter Richard Arnold, cricketer Michael Vaughan and actor Colin Salmon.
Denise Van Outen the one to beat
Presenter turned West End actress Denise Van Outen is the early favourite, reported Michael Hogan in The Telegraph, and Girls Aloud’s Kimberly Walsh also looks promising. Jerry Hall could prove eye-catching: “The 56-year-old former model should at least slink around well and look sophisticated in a sparkly frock.” Among the men, gymnast Louis Smith is the clear favourite, while Westlife’s Nicky Byrne is a dark horse, having “spent most of his pop career crooning ballads from a stool, so his dancing skills remain something of a mystery.”
New judge Darcey Bussell set to ‘crack the whip’
Former ballerina Bussell, drafted in to replace Alesha Dixon, told The Sun she will be “cracking the whip” if the Strictly celebrities don’t perform: “When the celebrities have dancing ability, I will be very harsh. You can’t help but criticize if a dancer should be up to scratch and isn’t.”
The BBC also released a celebrity Strictly trailer. The new series is set to start at 6.30pm on Saturday 15th September 2012.
