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Strictly Come Dancing 2018

LAUNCH SHOW

Blimey, it's that time again!

Strictly's been going for 15 years!

Launch VT with first glimpse of this year's celebs.

Now it's the pros - all the men are really ripped!

Nile Rogers & Chic supplying the music!

Craig pretending to DJ!:laughing:

Whenever I see the stairs, I have ADWD flashbacks!

Blimey, Anton's sat on a giant glitterball!

Claudia's trousers are too short and Tess looks like a roll of tinfoil!:laughing:

Ooh, I love Darcy's dress!

Introducing the celebs.

Comments from judges.


Pairing Up:-

KATE SILVERTON (Newsreader) & Aljaz

VIC HOPE (Radio Presenter/DJ) & Graziano

FAYE TOZER (singer from STEPS) & Giovanni

SUZANNA CONSTANTINE (Author & TV personality) & Anton


Introducing the three news pros.

Graziano reminds me of Matteo Rossini from Holby!


Pairing up 2:-

LEE RYAN (singer from Blue) & Nadiya

DR RANJ (Cbeebies and 'This Morning' and is a real doctor) & Janette

DANNY JOHN-JULES (actor/singer/dancer, credits incl 'Red Dwarf' and 'Death In Paradise') & Amy

JOE SUGG (Youtube Blogger) & Dianne


The 'Pros meeting the Celebs' VT.


Pairing up 3:-

KATIE PIPER (TV presenter, Journalist and Author) & Gorka

STACEY DOOLEY (TV investigative reporter) & Kevin

LAUREN STEADMAN (Paralympian) & AJ

ASHLEY ROBERTS (singer/dancer from *****cat Dolls) & Pasha


Musical guests - Nile Rogers and Chic


Pairing up 4:-

SEANN WALSH (Comedian) & Katya

CHARLES VENN (Actor - 'Eastenders'/'Casualty') & Karen

GRAHAM SWANN (Cricketer) & Oti


Group Dance - Charles, Danny, Ashley seem to be the standouts at the moment based on that.

LAUNCH SHOW on 22nd Sept (in two weeks!)

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

Matteo Rossini? I must not miss the next show!

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 1

So, slightly dela*** (thanks to a night out), here we go with Week 1! I was going to watch on catch-up last night, but then I remembered how long the early eps tend to be!:laughing:

"I have my eyes set on that trophy. I don't do second place..." Blimey!

Lovely opening pro dance to 'Your Song' from 'Moulin Rouge' (if that comes to the WE, Lee would be perfect as Christian!:heart_eyes: ).

Claudia looks like the bottom part of her dress got ripped off when it caught in the lift doors, and Tess looks like she's wearing the missing bit of Claudia's dress as a top!:laughing:

Loving Darcy and Shirly's dresses - very elegant. Bruno's jacket looks a bit short.

Introducing the couples - Charles Venn has his chest out already!

DANNY JOHN-JULES & AMY (Foxtrot)
He's very elegant - holds himself well. A bouncy and energetic start.

KATE SILVERTON & ALJAZ (Cha-Cha-Cha)
Not bad for a first effort. Could have done with a bit more bounce and fluidity, but a solid start.

LAUREN STEADMAN & AJ (Waltz)
Wow, Lauren won the gold medal! Well done! A nice dance - graceful and well done. Wow, only two days of training!

SEANN WALSH & KATYA (Tango)
"I'm going to be on top of you...dancing":laughing: "Sexy in on the move...I'm bringing Sexy back":laughing: A bit stompy and stutter. Needed more punch and lighter on the feet.

VIC HOPE & GRAZIANO (Jive)
"Bring your Italian Stallion To Work Day":laughing: Good start. Leggy and elegant. Could have done with more speed and the kicks needed to be a bit sharper.

SUZANNA CONSTANTINE & ANTON (Samba)
Totally bonkers! Fun, but Suzanna needed to be more fluid and less stompy.

CHARLES VENN & KAREN (Cha Cha Cha)

He's very muscly - and he sounds just like Jacob when he's speaking. Ooh, Casualty set visit! He's good - sharp moves and good speed. Strong start.

ASHLEY ROBERTS & PASHA (Viennese Waltz)
Graceful and elegant. Lovely.

DR RANJ & JANETTE (Cha Cha Cha)
Starting in a doctor's coat. Lots of energy and bounce. A fun start.

KATIE PIPER & GORKA (Waltz)
Graceful and elegant. Nicely done.

GRAHAM SWANN & OTI (Samba)
Lots of energy and fun. A bit stompy in places.

STACEY DOOLEY & KEVIN (Quickstep)
A daring choice for a first dance. Lots of energy and speed. Pretty good start.

LEE RYAN & NADIYA (Waltz)
Lee could have been lighter on his feet but overall a pretty good attempt.

JOE SUGG & DIANNE (Jive)
A fun, high energy jive. Well done.

FAYE TOZER & GIOVANNI (Cha Cha Cha)
A good affort - Faye seems confident on the dance floor (see also Danny, Charles and Ashley)

New this year - Strictly on social media and Strictly podcasts! I remember when ADWD did podcasts - they were fab!

A good first show, I thought. It's going to be interesting to see how everyone does next week (when the voting starts!).






Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

The standard of the dancers in Week 1 of recent years is astounding! When you think of the first series, at least half of this week's contenders would have been in the final back then … yes, I know you wouldn't have that many finalists, but you get the gist ...

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 2

This week, the GBP will vote...and the first couple will leave!

Tess and Claudia both wearing the same colour - they look like sticks of licqurice!:laughing:

Charles Venn is covered up this week - no chest out!

Anton looks like he's off to a wedding...as the groom!

Kevin is wearing Joseph's Technicolour Dreamshirt!

This week's points totals will be added to last week's to get the bottom two.


STACEY & KEVIN (Cha Cha Cha)
Fake 'Investigative Reporter Ambush':laughing: Looking OK. Struggling a bit with the turns. A few little errors creeping in.

I wish they'd just read out the Ts & Cs without all this palava. Graham Norton managed it every week on ADWD!

CHARLES & KAREN (Quickstep)
Charles' legs out in the VT. Not as light and bouncy as some QSs I've seen, but seemed OK. Blimey, those splits!:astonished:

KATIE & GORKA (Paso Doble)
Needs more sharpness and passion. You really need attitude and confidence to make it work. Katie seemed a bit lost in places.

GRAEME & OTI (American Smooth)
Lacks a bit of grace and elegance, but a decent stab at the dance.

KATE & ALJAZ (Tango)
Perhaps could do with a bit more attitude, but otherwise, looking good!

JOE & DIANNE (Charleston)
Lots of energy and bounce. A fun routine.

SUZANNA & ANTON (Foxtrot)
A better effort than last week. A bit flat-footed in places, but OK.

LEE & NADIYA (Jive)
It feels weird typing 'Lee':laughing: Energetic and good speed. A couple of the flicks were off. A decent effort.

DANNY & AMY (Cha Cha Cha)
Fast, stylish and slick. Well done!

VICK & GRAZIANO (Waltz)
Light, graceful and elegant.

DR RANJ & JANETTE (Salsa)
Lots of energy and bottom shaking. A lively and fun dance.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Viennese Waltz)
Strong and confident. The start seemed more like a tango or a paso. Perhaps could have done with more grace and elegance. Well done, though.

LAUREN & AJ (Charleston)
Needs a bit more bounce and speed. Timing was a bit off near the end. Overall, entertaining, though.

SEANN & KATYA (Jive)
Again, some timing issues. Lots of energy and fun, though.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Cha Cha Cha)
Slick, confident and on point. Well done.

Overall, the first part of the show was weak, while the second half was much stronger. They made some errors with the running order there. Faye and Ashley should have been at opposite ends of the running order, whilst a couple of the less able put into the second half.

Top for me tonight were Ashley/Pasha, Faye/Giovanni, Danny/Amy.

I think the bottom two should be the bottom two currently on the leaderboard - Katie/Gorka and Suzanna/Anton.


Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 2 - RESULTS

Apologies for the slightly later than normal post. Here goes.

A moody, intense Pro dance to start off with. The lighting reminds me of Lee's PIB performance on ADWD!

Claudia is wearing a frezer bag, while Tess apppears to be wearing toilet roll!:laughing:

Highlights of last night VT.

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - to be revealed later in the show! What? This isn't X-Factor! Get on with it!:rage:

Chat with the judges.

Claudia chatting with couples already announced as through.

RESULTS Pt 2 - First couple in the DO - Lee & Nadiya

Really? They were quite high on the leader board.

Ooh, Danny is dancing to a song from 'The Greatest Showman'!

Guest performer. George Ezra. Enjoyable performance.

DANCE DEBRIEF
Craig making a valid point about people needing votes to stay in.
Joe's lift
Susanna & Anton - I agree with Shirley, there was improvement.
Faye's VW - Craig said that he isn't normal!:laughing:
Graeme & Oti - Hybrid between an Ostritch & a Rhino!:laughing:

RESULTS Pt 3 - Second couple in the DO - SUSANNA & ANTON

Agree with that.

Next week is Movie Week!

THE DANCE-OFF

SUSANNA & ANTON
No real improvement from their main show dance.

LEE & NADIYA
Good job, as with their main show dance.

Couple Leaving - SUSANNA & ANTON

Right decision IMO. Susanna was bad, but lacked the humour, fun or enthusiasm that make for an entertaining duffer. Shame for Anton, though.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 3 - MOVIE WEEK

Pro dance - Harry Potter theme! Looks like they filmed the first bit at the 'Making Of HP' studio tour.

Tess is missing a strap from her dress, while Claudia looks like she's wearing a giant bandage!

Charles Venn looks like a male stripper in that uniform!

Blimey, Kevin and Stacey look...interesting!:laughing:


VICK & GRAZIANO (Salsa)
Seems a bit slow for a salsa, and one of the lifts looked a bit ungainly, but a bright, fun dance to start.

Unnecessary faffing with the Ts & Cs again!

DR RANJ & JANETTE (Quickstep)
Ranj gets to meet the cast of Aladdin. The Aladdin actor has Lee hair! Could have done with a bit more bounce, but nicely done.

LEE & NADIYA (Cha Cha Cha)
Not bad. Could do with being a bit sharper in the movements, but pretty confident and a fun routine.

KATE & ALJAZ (Foxtrot)
Oops, she nearly tripped there. Looking good. Elegant and graceful.

STACEY & KEVIN (Jive)
Lively and bouncy. Good job.

JOE & DIANNE (American Smooth)
Joe looks like he should still be in High School!:laughing: Good attempt - managed to retain some grace while giving it some welly.

GRAEME & OTI (Charleston)
Absailing! Blimey, that looks scary!:astonished: A bit of a weird song choice for the Charleston. Lots of fun though.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Salsa)
Blimey, that swimming pool looks posh! Lots of energy and bags of confidence. Looking really good!

KATIE & GORKA (Foxtrot)
A much happier Katie - great to see! Nicely done. Much better than last week.

SEANN & KATIYA (Paso Doble)
Flying! That could so easily go wrong! Very stylish. Some of the moves could have been a bit sharper, but good job.

LAUREN & AJ (Cha Cha Cha)
A bit stilted and lacking in confidence. Definitely needs more 'ooomph'! Has AJ had a perm?:laughing:

CHARLES & KAREN (American Smooth)
"Charles Venn is a consummate actor...":laughing: Ooh, mum giving him a 5! Graceful and elegant. Nice lifts. Good job. And on a purely shallow note...Charles looks great in Uniform!:heart_eyes:

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Quickstep)
Wow, that was definitely quick! Lots of bounce and energy.

DANNY & AMY (Paso Doble)
Wow, lots of passion and stomp. Danny is able to make some great shapes with his body. Looked pretty complicated - lots of intricate moves. Great dance to end the show on!

Once again, the second half was stronger than the first. They really need to balance it out.








Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 3 - RESULTS

Pro dance - Pearl & Dean cinema ad music in the opening bit! Not sure about this 'Singing In The Rain' remix.

Tess & Claudia in black. Part of Tess' skirt is missing.

Recap of last night's events.

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - CHARLES & KAREN

Blimey, I disagree with that!

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - to be announced in a bit. Why? Just, for the love of Graham Norton, get on with it!:rage:

Guest performer - Gladys Knight. She's still got it!

DANCE DEBRIEF

Kate's stumble. That did look potentially nasty.
Katie & Gorka's dance. It was lovely and she looked like she was enjoying it.
Craig and Bruno's 'barny' over Ashley's hips.
Shaun & Katya's Paso.

RESULTS Pt 3 - Second couple in the DO - LEE & NADIYA

A shame, but they were at or near the bottom of the judges' leaderboard, so not surprising like last week.

DANCE-OFF

LEE & NADIYA
I think that was a more confident performance than in the main show.

CHARLES & KAREN
Again - good work.

COUPLE LEAVING - LEE & NADIYA

It was actually close in my opinion. Both did a decent job of their DO dances, so I don't envy the judges their decision tonight.


Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 4

It always seems a bit weird the week after a theme week.

Claudia's dress is falling off!:laughing:

JOE & DIANNE (Cha Cha Cha)
Joe's hips are still a bit stiff, but the dance as a whole looks OK.

Martin Kemp sounded like Anton then, when he was doing the Ts & Cs!:laughing:

VICK & GRAZIANO (Quickstep)
Not the quickest QS I've ever seen. She stumbled over a couple of the steps. Nice dance, though.

DANNY & AMY (Viennese Waltz)
Floaty and elegant. Good job.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Rumba)
I'm pre-disposed to dislike the Rumba (though I might make an exception if Lee ever did one *THUD*). Looks good, but is rather workmanlike.

KATIE & GORKA (Jive)
Not all that fast, but Katie is acting it well and seems to be having fun. Gorka has c****ographed that to Katie's physical ability. Well done to him.

CHARLES & KAREN (Salsa)
A stripping salsa? How many clothes will Charles have removed by the end of the dance?:laughing: A definite improvement on last week. Could have done with being a bit looser in the hips, but pretty good!

Bruno is all discombobulated!:laughing:

LAUREN & AJ (Quickstep)
Looks good. Light and bouncy. She's definitely growing in confidence.

DR RANJ & JANETTE (Paso Doble)
Blimey, Dr Ranj has been doing shifts at the hospital as well as training! Needs a bit more passion and stomp. Not bad, though.

KATE & ALJAZ (Samba)
A bit 'slow and steady'. Needs more energy and snake hips, I think.

GRAEME & OTI (Jive)
Graeme and Oti dressed as astronauts!:laughing: Lots of fun. Graeme may not be the best dancer, but he really puts oomph into every dance he does!

ASHLEY & PASHA (Tango)
Looks good. Well done! Not a great song, though.

SEANN & KATYA (Charleston)
Could do with a bit more bounce, but nice and lively.

STACEY & KEVIN (Foxtrot)
Looking good, and a lot of fun!

My bottom two would be Katie/Gorka and Kate/Aljaz.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 4 - RESULTS

Odd pro dance- the women seem to be dancing in their underwear!

Tess looks like she's wearing a rubber mat, while Claudia appears to be wearing a tablecloth!

Recap! Because it's been a whole 24 hours since the main show!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - will be revealed later! I really don't like this new habit of leaving people hanging! Just get the #@%$ on with it!:rage:

RESULTS Pt 2 - First couple in the DO - CHARLES & KAREN

I wonder why the public aren't taking to them? A bit odd.

The membrane of an egg? How do you get it off the egg and onto your foot?

Blimey, Danny's headstand is impressive!

Guest performers - Backstreet Boys. Shouldn't they be Backstreet Men now? Rousing Boyband (Manband?) anthems!

DANCE DEBRIEF

What can Charles do to break through the 25 points?
Dr Ranj's Paso.
Stacey's heel leads.
Graham's Jive - lack of technique.
Vick's QS - marked improvement.

Bruno is off next week - Alfonso Ribero (DWTS winner from 2014) is stepping into his seat next week.

Couples' Choice - Hmmm, not sure about that. It's either going to be spectacular...or a spectacular mess!

RESULTS Pt 3 - Second couple in the DO - KATIE & GORKA

That's fair enough. They were at the bottom of the judges' leaderboard.

DANCE-OFF

KATIE & GORKA
A bit of an improvement on the main show dance. Still quite slow, though.


CHARLES & KAREN
Charles is stripping again (maybe that's why they didn't get votes - people wanted to see the stripping again!:laughing: ). Pretty good job.

Couple leaving - KATIE & GORKA

I think that was the right decision.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 5

Claudia has come as a Quality Street, whilst Tess looks like a tube of toothpaste.

Couples' choice...that's going to be interesting.

Ooh, guest judge - Alfonso Ribero (he won DWTS).

Charles looks very...yellow!

AJ has his chest out!

Danny has come as a WWII Fighter Pilot!

Intro VT for guest judge Alfonso.


DR RANJ & JANETTE (American Smooth)
Ranj is in a choir! Nice, fun dance. Not bad.

More faffing with the Ts & Cs. Anita Dobson (aka Angie in EastEnders and Mrs Brian May).

LAUREN & AJ (Couples' Choice - Contemporary)
Looked a bit clunky and Craig was right - it seemed like a series of still photos rather than a moving image.

GRAEME & OTI (Tango)
Graeme's kids are sooo cute!:relaxed: Weird - I thought they'd use the Moulin Rouge version. A good effort - lots of attitude and passion!

ASHLEY & PASHA (Rumba)
Looking very good, but reminds me of Faye's - technically good, but lacking heart and soul.

SEANN & KATYA (Quickstep)
Plenty of bounce. Perhaps a bit too much? Needs a bit more grace and glide.

STACEY & KEVIN (Samba)
Seems OK. Could do with more snake hips and fluidity of movement. A fun dance.

JOE & DIANNE (Waltz)
That thing Joe's wearing in the rehearsal room looks like a bra!:laughing: Graceful and elegant. Good job.

VICK & GRAZIANO (Cha Cha Cha)
They took ages to get down the stairs. Could do with a bit more flexibility in the legs. Otherwise, looked good.

KATE & ALJAZ (Viennese Waltz)
Lovely - graceful and elegant.

DANNY & AMY (Jive)
Wing walking! Blimey! Loads of energy and bounce. Very fast paced. Good job!

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Foxtrot)
Looking good. Nice footwork. Really good.

CHARLES & AMY (Couples' Choice - Street Dance)
Hmmm. A bit of an 'X Factor' VT - I'm not keen on this kind of mani****tion. Interesting dance. Charles looked better than Karen at times.

Oooh, a tweet from Lee:-


Lee Mead

Verified account

@leemeadofficial

@ChuckyVenn giving a whole new meaning to the definition of smooth. #Strictly

So Charles got Lee's seal of approval!:clap:


My bottom two - I'd say Lauren and either Ranj, Seann or Vick.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 5 - RESULTS

Pro dance - Baseball theme. A bit random to say the least!

Tess looks nice. What's going on? Claudia's dress looks a couple of sizes too big!

Shirley has come as a Quality Street tonight.

The recap. I have to say, Danny's jive was fab!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - SEANN & KATYA

Yes, agree with that.

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - arrrgggggg, I forgot about the dela*** results thingy!:rage:

Guest Performer - Paloma Faith. Her vocal was a bit weird on the low bit, but sounded better when she got to the higher bit. Not sure about that dress.

DANCE DEBRIEF
Danny's jive - Darcey gave it a 10
Joe & Dianne
Craig on Lauren & AJ's 'couples' choice' dance. Craig a little critical
Charles & Karen's 'couples' choice - Alfonso loved it
Alfonso being Craig

RESULTS Pt 3 - Second couple in the DO - VICK & GRAZIANO

Again, agree with that. They were last on the judges' leaderboard.

DANCE-OFF

SEANN & KATYA
A definite improvement on their main show performance.

VICK & GRAZIANO
I'd say that was about the same as in the main show.

Couple leaving VICK & GRAZIANO

I agree with that. They were last on the judges' leaderboard. I liked both couples though. In fact, I like them all this year.


Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 6 - HALLOWEEN

Cheesy opening VT - bonkers!

Now this is more like it - pro/celeb opening dance!

Claudia looks like she's wearing a support bandage, while Tess looks very red!

Loving Shirley and Darcy's dresses!

Ranj looks like he's escaped from a production of 'Cats & Their Technicolour Dreamcoats'!:laughing: Graeme looks like he's been in an accident!:laughing: Kevin looks like he's been wrapped in tinfoil!:laughing:

GRAEME & OTI (Cha Cha Cha)
The 'Thriller' dancers are good! Graeme's moonwalk is good. Seems a bit steppy - lacking in 'cha'. Good fun though.

Blimey, Moira Stuart looks great - she's ageing well!

STACEY & KEVIN (Tango)
A Tango to 'Doctor Who'? Looking good actually, though Kevin's headgear is a bit distracting!

DR RANJ & JEANETTE (Jive)
Fun and colourful. Not bad but could be a bit sharper and faster.

KATE & ALJAZ (Rumba)
A little stiff. Nicely done, though.

DANNY & AMY (American Smooth)
Looking smooth. Nicely done.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Charleston)
Well done. Those costumes are a potential hindrence, but luckily, Ashley and Pasha are good enough to handle it.

SEANN & KATYA (Viennese Waltz)
Looking OK. Some nice spins. Reminds me a bit of the 'Doll On A Music Box' scene from 'Chitty'.

CHARLES & KAREN (Jive)
Fast, furious and with lots of bounce. Good job.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Couples' Choice - Theatre Jazz)
Not overly keen on the 'emotional' VT, especially when everyone else has had a comedy one this week. Looking good, but as with their rumba, tachnically strong but lacking in emotion. A bit of a strange one.

JOE & DIANNE (Foxtrot)
Looks OK. Footwork could be a bit sharper.

LAUREN & AJ (Paso Doble)
Full of attitude. A bit out of sync in a couple of places. They sold the dance well, though.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 6 - HALLOWEEN - RESULTS

A suitably spooky pro dance to start off. Very atmospheric!

Tess in looking nice shocker! Claudia's dress looks too big for her.

Ooh, Shirley in trousers. They're very nice, though.

Recap. Ooh, like that slow mo of Danny's leapy/spinny moment.

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - Grr, I forgot about the "Rest of you will have to wait..." thing! Blimey, I'm glad they didn't do that on ADWD!

RESULTS Pt 2 - First couple in the DO - SEANN & KATYA

Yes, agree with that.

Guest performer - Rita Ora. I think this song's called 'Wish I Could Let You Go' - How many times is she going to say that?:laughing:

DANCE DEBRIEF
Darcy on Stacey 'changing roles' during her dance.
Shirley on Kate's Rumba - backwards walking.
Craig on Faye's dance.
Bruno on Joe. He thinks Joe looks like a pro.

RESULTS Pt 3 - Second couple in the DO - GRAEME & OTI

Not sure I agree with that. To be fair, it was a close run thing with three couples at the bottom, though.

Ranj looks like he's wearing a rug!:laughing:

GRAEME & OTI
About the same as in the main show dance, I think.

SEANN & KATYA
Again, about the same as in the main show.

Couple leaving - SEANN & KATYA

It could have gone either way, but I think that result was about right.

Blimey, an upbeat 'last dance' song! I like that!

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 7

Tess looking quite nice, though that slit in her dress is rather long. Claudia in trousers again. Looking smart.

Darcey's dress is gorgeous!

LAUREN & AJ (Jive)
Looking ok. Perhaps could do with a bit more bounce.

Boyzone. Shouldn't they be Manzone now?

GRAEME & OTI (Waltz)
Loving Oti's dress - she looks stunning! A bit stiff, but nicely done.

KATE & ALJAZ (Argentine Tango)
A bit steppy. Seems a bit awkward in places.

DR RANJ & JANETTE (Samba)
Fun and bouncy, but needed more hip action and more fluidity.

STACEY & KEVIN (Couples' Choice - Street/Commercial)
A lot of pointing and reaching. Looks good, but I always find it dofficult to judge dances like this.

DANNY & AMY (Quickstep)
Bouncy and energetic. C****ography seemed overcomplicated.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Foxtrot)
Nicely done. Looks good.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Tango)
Very good, but a bit mechanical for me. Lacks passion.

CHARLES & KAREN (Viennese Waltz)
Piano Man - this reminds me of Rob singing it on ADWD! Graceful and elegant. Well done.

JOE & DIANNE (Paso Doble)
Looks OK - good, strong paso moves.

Random thought to end on - I'd love to see Lee doing a paso!:heart_eyes:

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 7 - RESULTS

Aretha Franklin themed pro dance. Fabulous! Special mention for the singers, who are excellent!

Tess' straps have shrunk, and Claudia's dress looks like it was made of Quality Street wrappers!

The recap!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - CHARLES & KAREN

Blimey, Charles is the Lewis of Strictly (three DOs)!

Guest Performer - Jess Glynn. She has an unusual voice. Pro dancer Graziano forgot to fasten his shirt before walking onto the dancefloor!

DANCE DEBRIEF
Darcy on Danny's QS
Shirley on Ashley's Foxtrot
Craig on Lauren's jive
Bruno on Ranj's Samba

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - DR RANJ & JANETTE

Not a complete surprise, it has to be said, though he was fun this week.

THE DANCE-OFF

DR RANJ & JANETTE
As fun and bouncy as the first time, and seems to be improved!

CHARLES & KAREN
Ooh, I didn't notice the pub was called the King CHARLES! Nicely done. This seems an improvement on the main show dance.

Couple leaving - DR RANJ & JANETTE

That was really close. Both couples improved in their DO dances and I liked both dances (and couples). I'm glad I didn't have to make that choice!

Dr Ranj is lovely - I'm going to miss his spark and sense of fun. It's all going to be a bit serious from now on, I think.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 8

'Everyone wants to go to Blackpool' VT.

Tess' dress would look gorgeous if it wasn't for the weird lop-sidedness of the top. Claudia's looking very sparkly!

Loving Shirley and Darcy's dresses!

Dancing in dungarees? Not sure about that. Graeme in blindingly bright 80s inspired fitness gear!

KATE & ALJAZ (Quick Step)
Wow, Kate's real wedding dress was gorgeous! Quite fast, but she seems to be keeping up so far. Good job.

Rylan doing the Ts & Cs this week.

DANNY & AMY (Samba)
Fun and lively. Looked OK from what I could see.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Couples' Choice - Contemporary)
Contemporary fills me with dread. It's so...overwrought! These 'Couples' Choice' VTs really grate as well! Looks very good, but there's a lot of lifting and posing.

GRAEME & OTI (Salsa)
Loads of fun, but seems more fitness class than Salsa.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Jive)
Looking good. Lots of bounce. Did she go slightly wrong then? Not sure, but otherwise pretty sharp.

STACEY & KEVIN (Waltz)
Things looked a bit squashed on the 'pier' thing, but nicely done once they got onto the floor.

JOE & DIANNE (Samba)
Lots of bounce, suppleness and snake hips. Good job!

LAUREN & AJ (Viennese Waltz)
Graceful and elegant, but a bit 'steppy' on that first spin. Looked good, otherwise, though.

CHARLES & KAREN (Charleston)
Lots of bounce and lots of lifts! Great job.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 9 - BLACKPOOL WEEK

The "I can't believe I'm going to be dancing here!" VT!

Ooh, an opening pro number! Blimey, Gloria Estefan!

Both Tess and Claudia have come as Roses chocolates tonight!

Ooh, loving Darcy's dress! Craig and Bruno look like waiters!:laughing:

Charles has his chest out again! As does Giovanni (thanks to that see-through shirt!).

STACEY & KEVIN (Salsa)
Blimey, I forgot about the extra dancers. A messy start with the giant props and extra bodies. Hard to see waht's going on, but seems bouncy and energetic.

A glimpse of Ranj in the audience.

Ooh,a glimpse of the band and singers - they're normally kept under wraps!

Paddy McGuinness doing the Ts & Cs!

LAUREN & AJ (Argentine Tango)
This aquarium VT reminds me of the one Ben did in the London aquarium on ADWD! Making some nice steps, but needs to be sharper and more sizzling.

GRAEME & OTI (Couples' Choice - Theatre Jazz)
A bit heavy footed from Graeme. It needed more bounce and character. A fun dance, though.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Paso Doble)
Blimey, this is overdoing it a bit - fire and drums. As with Stacey's a bit too busy! Looks good, though.

KATE & ALJAZ (American Smooth)
Looks OK. Some nice, graceful moves there.

CHARLES & KAREN (Samba)
Looking good! Full of energy and bounce!

JOE & DIANNE (Quickstep)
Joe's brought his nan with him! Looks OK - quick and bouncy.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Jive)
Really good! It was genuienly hard to tell who was the celeb and who was the pro!

With three couples tied on 38, the result could be interesting!

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

Aquarium? I'm suddenly glad I fell asleep and missed the show after all!

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 9 - BLACKPOOL RESULTS

Pro dance. Liking this. A bit 1940s/50s in flavour. Ooh, you can see the floor bouncing! Blimey, two men nearly kissed! I bet 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' is emailing as I type!:laughing:

Tess is wrapped in tinfoil and Claudia is wearing an animal print throw!

Recap!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - GRAEME & OTI

I'd say that's about right. Incidentally, is it me, or are the announcements taking ages tonight? It's like the ADWD final all over again!:laughing:

Guest performers - Take That. Quite a catchy song. The sound seems a bit tinny on my TV.

DANCE DEBRIEF
Darcy on Joe - like Fred Astaire.
Shirley on Charles in slo mo!
Craig on getting out his 10 paddle.
Bruno on next week's Lindy Hop-a-thon.

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - KATE & ALJAZ

Again, about right.

DANCE-OFF

GRAEME & OTI
Pretty much the same standard as in the main show.

KATE & ALJAZ
Again, on a par with the main show dance.

COUPLE LEAVING - KATE & ALJAZ

It could have gone either way, both dances were much of a muchness.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 10

Tess and Claudia's dresses seem to be made from the same material!

GRAEME & OTI (Quickstep)
That's a yacht? Blimey! A lively start to the show. Lots of energy and bounce. Good effort.

Ooh, Countess of Wessex and her daughter in the audience!

Catherine Tylsley (from Corrie) doing the Ts & Cs this week.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Samba)
Once again, it's difficult to tell the celeb from the pro. Very good. Is Ashley the Lee of this competition?

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Waltz)
Moving nicely. Elegant and graceful.

JOE & DIANNE (Couples' Choice - Street/Commercial)
Mad, bouncy and loads of fun!

CHARLES & KAREN (Tango)
Moody and some strong moves. Could have done with being a bit tighter in places.

LAUREN & AJ (Salsa)
Looking good. Could do with being a bit faster.

STACEY & KEVIN (PASO DOBLE)
Took a while to get started. Looking good now, though.

LINDY HOP-A-THON
I'm not overly keen on these -a-thons. It's hard to tell what's going on with all the couples on the floor at the same time, plus the poor camerawork!

Blimey, judges making a mess of the marking there! Bonkers!


Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 10 - RESULTS

Pro Dance to 'Life On Mars'! Ooh, disabled dancers. They're very good, as is the singer!

Tess looking like a lipstick, and Claudia is looking like a rug!

A reminder of the result of the Lindyhop-a-thon!:laughing:

Darcy looks like she's been covered in that alien goo from tonight's 'Doctor Who'!:laughing:

Recap!

RESULTS Pt1 - First couple in the DO - GRAEME & OTI

Not a surprise.

Guest Performer - Rod Stewart. Voice not what it was, but still better than a lot of much younger singers.

DANCE DEBRIEF

Darcy on Stacey & Kevin's Paso.
Shirley on Faye & Giovanni's Waltz
Craig on his marking of Joe & Dianne's CC
Bruno on Ashley's Samba

Results Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - ASHLEY & PASHA

Now that is a surprise! Though saying that, they were third (out of seven) on the judges' leaderboard. I think I cursed them by saying that Ashley was the Lee of this competition!

Blimey, that was a bit of a pretentious VT for Musicals Week!

DANCE-OFF

GRAEME & OTI
Good effort.

ASHLEY & PASHA
Very good - an improvement on their main show dance.

Couple leaving - GRAEME & OTI

Yep, agree with that!

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

I've just seen the song/dance list for this weekend (Musicals week). Joe will be doing the salsa to the Joseph Megamix!:laughing:

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 11 - MUSICALS WEEK

Joe - "Any moment I get, I try to get into the zone!" Would that be the Joseph Zone by any chance?:laughing:

Pro dance to songs from 'Mamma Mia'! Cheesetastic!:grin:

Tess is wearing a chesterfield sofa cover, while Claudia has come as a stick of licquorice!

Faye & Giovanni!:laughing: Joe is wearing a technicolour dreamcoat! Though it's clashing horribly with his technicolour shirt!:laughing:

LAUREN & AJ (American Smooth)
Lauren's Great Grandma is fab!:relaxed: Oh blimey, extra dancers! Nicely done - loving the spins. Incidentally, Lauren looks lovely - she suits that hairstyle! Ooh, I like that projection of a sandy beach on the floor!

Ooh, Trevor Dion Nicholas (genie from Aladdin) doing the Ts & Cs tonight - and doing them well!

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Charleston)
Blimey, yodelling woman! Lots of bounce and looking well executed. Not keen on the extra dancers and the repetitive bit at the beginning.

CHARLES & KAREN (Rumba)
Not keen on the Rumba. Could do with a bit more fluidity. Looks nicely done, though, and the acting was good.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Quickstep)
Ooh, that train looks lovely! Very good. Polished, elegant and bouncy.

STACEY & KEVIN (American Smooth)
Ooh, Carley Stensen! Sorry, but this seems a really odd song for an AS! Took a while to get started, but graceful and elegant. I wish they wouldn't smile, though. It's not a happy song!

JOE & DIANNE (Salsa)
I was excited for a minute then, when the voice-over mentioned a former Joseph! Hmmm, not sure about the Joseph Megamix as a Salsa...it actually seems a bit slow! Joe gave 100% there, though. I have to say, that coat looks like a cheap version of Lee's! Incidentally, am I the only one now thinking of Lee in a Loincloth?:heart_eyes:





Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

I would have loved Lee to have made an appearance as just for once I sta*** awake and watched the whole thing live. Didn't like the Joseph salsa. I would have loved it if Faye and Giovanni had had a real goat on stage. I would love Lauren to win.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

When the voice-over mentioned a former Joseph, I was thinking "Oooooh!"...then Jason Donovan appeared!:laughing:

I remember one year, there were two live Dalmations incorporated in someone's '101 Dalmations' themed dance (I'm assuming for either Movie Week or Halloween). Anton was the pro, but I can't remember the celeb.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 11 - MUSICALS WEEK - RESULTS

Pro Dance to 'The Rhythm Of Life' - sung by Trevor Dion Nicholas (Genie in 'Aladdin'). Great stuff!

Blimey, Tess and Claudia looking nice. What's going on?:laughing:

Ooh, Darcy's dress is lovely!

Recap.

Results Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - CHARLES & KAREN

I can think of at least one other couple I'd rather be there.

Guest Performer - Adam Lambert. Fabulous voice!

Dance De-Brief

Darcy on Faye & Giovanni's Charleston
Shirley on Ashley & Pasha's QS
Craig on Lauren & AJ's AS
Bruno on Stacey & Kevin's AS

Results Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - ASHLEY & PASHA

Blimey, not again!

DANCE-OFF

CHARLES & KAREN
As good as the main show performance - possibly a bit better.

ASHLEY & PASHA
Very good, as in the main show.

Couple leaving - CHARLES & KAREN

I don't think either couple should have been in the DO, but of those two, A & P were clearly the ones to save.

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 12 - SEMI-FINAL

Tess is wearing a curtain and Claudia is dressed as a tassle!

Giovanni has his chest out!

Two dances from each couple tonight!

DANCE ONE

STACEY & KEVIN (Charleston)
Looking good. Loads of energy.

Huw Edwards doing the Ts & Cs this week.

JOE & DIANNE (Viennese Waltz)
Blimey, the smoke machine is fairly belching the smoke out! Looking nice and elegant.

ASHLEY & PASHA (Paso Doble)
Very good, as always.

LAUREN & AJ (Tango)
Looks OK, but a bit 'stompy' in places.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Samba)
Fast and fluid, but was there a mistake near the beginning?

DANCE TWO

STACEY & KEVIN (Viennese Waltz)
Lovely - elegant and graceful. Pity they cut the song to ribbons.

JOE & DIANNE (Argentine Tango)
Some nice shapes. Sharp and strong.

ASHLEY & PASHA (American Smooth)
Again, looking very good. Polished and elegant.

LAUREN & AJ (Samba)
Quite slow and stiff. Could do with more speed and fluidity. Messed up a bit with a couple of steps.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Argentine Tango)
Very good.







Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 12 - SEMI-FINAL - RESULTS

Pro dance, starting with Graziano with his chest out. Other than that, not sure what's going on. Lots of red lighting and writhing around on furniture.

Tess looking elegant and Claudia wearing bacofoil!

Shirley dressed as the purple Roses choc!

Recap!

RESULTS Pt 1 - First couple in the DO - ASHLEY & PASHA

Ashley is now the Lewis of Strictly!

Guest Performers - Little Mix. That first girl's voice sounded shaky! I don't think I've ever seen them wearing so many clothes before!:laughing:

DANCE DE-BRIEF

Darcy on Stacey's Charleston
Craig on Joe's VW
Bruno on Faye's AT
Judges' best bits

RESULTS Pt 2 - Second couple in the DO - LAUREN & AJ

Not a shock. They were one of the weaker two couples on the night.

DANCE-OFF

ASHLEY & PASHA
Very good, again. She's very consistant.

LAUREN & AJ
A good, strong effort from them.

Couple leaving LAUREN & AJ

A pretty predictable result, really.

So, our finalists are:-

ASHLEY & PASHA
FAYE & GIOVANNI
STACEY & KEVIN
JOE & DIANNE

Re: Strictly Come Dancing 2018

WEEK 13 - THE FINAL!!!

Where has the time gone? We're here now...for two and a half bum numbing hours!

Starting off with a very serious VT, followed by the Pro (and Strictly Finalist celebs) dance.

Tess is wearing a bed sheet and Claudia is dressed as the blue roses chocolate!

Ooh, Mary Berry in the audience! A contestant for next year?

Blimey, Darcy's dress is low cut!

The Glitterball Trophy!

JUDGES' CHOICE

ASHLEY & PASHA (Salsa)
Fast, full of energy and well executed.

STACEY & KEVIN (Foxtrot)
Nicely done. Looking good, no obvious mistakes.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Viennese Waltz)
I remember this from last time. Well executed, but felt more like a tango. Same again. The spins are lovely and graceful, though.

JOE & DIANNE (Paso Doble)
Some nice, sharp moves. Good job.

Ts & Cs done this week by Alan Carr.

Vote is now OPEN!!!


SHOWDANCES

ASHLEY & PASHA
Well executed (though she did look like she almost fell out of that first lift). Not overly keen on contemporary, as it always seems to be the same series of moves. Good job, though.

STACEY & KEVIN
Lots of energy and lots of fun. Might not have been as polished as Ashley's dance, but was more enjoyable to watch.

FAYE & GIOVANNI
Classy, elegant and polished. Oh, that's a top hat she's standing on. I thought it was one of those Alexa things!:laughing: Well done, but I wished they could have had a simpler arrangement of the song instead of the repetative bit.

JOE & DIANNE
Loads of energy and a bit rough round the edges. Another good effort.


COUPLES' CHOICE DANCES

ASHLEY & PASHA (charleston)
Fun and bouncy. Well done.

STACEY & KEVIN (Paso Doble)
Lots of passion and attitude. Good job.

FAYE & GIOVANNI (Couples' Choice - Jazz/Musical Theatre)
Very good, as always with Faye. Seems a bit 'by numbers' though.

JOE & DIANNE (Charleston)
Joe appears to be wearing a technicoloured dreamshirt!:laughing: As with Ashley's, fun and energetic.


'Comments from the public' VT.

Guest performer - Michael Buble. Nice chilled performance.

VOTING HAS NOW CLOSED!!!

'Class of 2018' VT

'Class of 2018' group dance. Lots of fun and some nice excerpts of dances from the series!

RESULTS! The Winner of Strictly 2018 is........................STACEY & KEVIN

Craig's face!:laughing: He is a bit of a prat, though! If he has issues with Kevin, he should take themup with him backstage, not on the show.

Happy for Stacey and Kevin.:blush:

Aaah, a 'Meady Winning Moment' - Stacey and Kevin being hoisted onto the other pros' and celebs' shoulders!