Ah, Blackpool Week: forced VTs, drama, sky-high scoring and the odd great performance amidst the hysteria. The best part for dancers is the chance to use that giant sprung floor – or at least it would be, but once again … Continue reading
Has anyone checked if the Strictly studio is built on an ancient Indian burial ground? Or has a disgruntled crewmember started compiling voodoo dolls? For there is a curse afoot, and not the usual home-wrecking one, with this drama-laden series … Continue reading
True to form, there was something of a post-theme comedown in this week’s show – at least until that climatic flurry of 10s. Is Week 4 too soon for such a high score? Was the sudden mano a mano rivalry a … Continue reading
Theme weeks are normally a horror fest of props and rampant theming, but – miracle of miracles – this was actually a strong Movie Week, with mercifully little faff in the actual dances (VTs were another story) and plenty of … Continue reading
It wasn’t just The Fall that suddenly resembled a particularly well-styled episode of Casualty this week. We had (in retrospect fairly insensitive) muscle-pulling jokes from Will Young, and – more significantly – the series’ first elimination notching a solid five … Continue reading
Never question the commitment of boyband voters. A final that zigzagged between possible winners (well, apart from Katie) ended up feeling somewhat redundant as Jay’s fans carried him over the finishing line regardless of his distinctly underwhelming performance. Aliona’s dubious … Continue reading
Ah, two dances. Either double the fun, or a gruelling reminder that these people have lives and jobs and adding a cha cha to a Viennese waltz at the end of a long series is just asking for a nervous … Continue reading
We need to talk about music. Strictly precariously straddles the worlds of ballroom and entertainment, so it can’t – and shouldn’t – be wall-to-wall Victor Silvester, but we’ve reached a crisis point. Song and theme choices (as I understand it, … Continue reading
Phew! A return to form following last week’s Halloween hellscape, with some great performances, the series’ first 10s, and Jeremy Vine riding a horse. All that, AND copious amounts of genuinely informative training footage? You’re spoiling us, Mr Ambassador. Read … Continue reading
Bitter experience has obliterated all possible hope for Strictly’s annual fright fest – best watched several dozen drinks in, when the more disturbing details begin to blur round the edges – but this was an abysmal show even by Halloween … Continue reading
