Unveiling the Extraordinary: Get a Live Glimpse of the Spectacular Strictly Come Dancing Launch!

2023-09-16 17:40:31

It's the Strictly 2023 launch show!

Staircases. Sequins. And as if by magic, we're in the Elstree Studios ballroom.

And we're off!

No new-look title sequence yet. That has to wait until after the couples are revealed. Instead we get a dramatic performance from the professional troupe, set outside BBC TV Centre at night. Music and moonlight and love and romance...

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Take your sofa seats and charge your glasses, glitterati. We're about to go over to the Elstree Studios ballroom.

Not long now. How are we feeling about this year's line-up? The usual blend of "ooh!"s and "who?"s. Here's my initial insta-reaction when the cast was unveiled.

Meep! It's a mere two minutes until showtime...

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Can you hear the rustle of satin and spot the glint of sequins yet? With a running time of 105 minutes, tonight's launch show is the shortest we'll get for a while until the 15-strong field is whittled down. Next weekend's first live show is a whopping 140 minutes. A real test of sparkly stamina. A mere 10 minutes now until choreographic kick-off...

News on Strictly: It Takes Two. Former pro Janette Manrara will continue to host the BBC2 weekday spin-off show, alongside new co-host Fleur East, who was a finalist last year and replaces the departing Rylan. It starts at 6.30pm on Monday 25th September. But back to tonight, it's just 15 minutes until glittery curtain-up...

R.I.P Len

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Hearing we'll get a tribute tonight to the late Len Goodman, who sadly died in April, aged 78. The former head judge hung up his Strictly scoring paddle in 2016 but continued to work on US edition Dancing With The Stars. Hope he's pickling walnuts up in heaveennnn.

Let's play launch show bingo

I'll be continuing the noble tradition of a spotter's guide to things we're likely to see on-screen each week. Tick them off! Take a drink! I'm not judging. So for tonight's launch show, here are your 10 predictions:

• Craig cracks a rare smile before getting his game-face on for the judging next week
• There are two pros you don't recognise because they're always on the subs' bench/have had a haircut
• Johannes wears a scene-stealing garment in a group number or training VT
• Reigning champion Hamza Yassin advises this year's cast to "enjoy every minute, guys"
• Shirley and Anton are described as "the Queen of Latin" and "the King of Ballroom" respectively. Or, more fun, vice versa
• A male celebrity insists he's looking forward to being spray-tanned and "Strictlyfied"
• An "Our survey said..." gag about Les Dennis, even though he presented Family Fortunes fully 21 years ago
• Ginger Neil elbows his way to the front of a pros' group shot, bless him
• A celebrity demonstrates their dance ability by doing the robot or running man, complete with white man's overbite
• Claudia Winkleman mentions crisps, cheese or naps

Are you enjoying Alan Carr's Picture Slam while you wait? Oddly addictive. Although I might have slight sunstroke, so my testimony is unreliable.

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The queen's speech
I also come bearing glittery gifts. Consider me a royal herald from the court of Queen Heidi, who asked me to deliver this farewell message:

Hey glitterati, just wanted to say a huge thank you for 13 incredible years as your Strictly liveblogger. It was a really hard decision to activate my glitter cannon and shimmy off the dancefloor, but it felt like the right time for me to hang up my sequinned heels.

We've built an incredibly special community here and I'm delighted that Michael is taking over - genuinely can't think of a better person to hand the sparkly baton to.

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Thank you for all the joy and laughter and support over the years, and keeeep dancing!

I'm not crying. You're crying.

It's showtime at 6.35pm on BBC One. I'll be liveblogging from 6pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction, and mildly sarcastic asides. So gather snacks, drinks, friends, family members, and a hired skip full of fake tan (shade: terracotta tango) and see you on the sofa. Yes, Strictly season is upon us, which I think means you're legally allowed to pop the central heating on.

Are we all limbered up, carb-loaded, and wearing our Saturday night disco pants? Nearly time to staaaaaart pro-celeb pairing!

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