My armchair knowledgeable has been much more withering about Alan Carr: “Funny, but he would make it all about him.” An excellent job he’s not accessible anyway as he’s embarking on a Have I Said Too Much? tour beginning in January subsequent yr.
She was, nevertheless, surprisingly amenable to Rylan – “He’s very camp, but then so is Strictly!” – even when mentions of his pal Mel Giedroyc failed to fireside her up. “She’s very likeable but it would come across as a try-too-hard attempt to directly replace Claudia’s battiness, which would be a mistake.”
Five skilled dancers are reportedly being axed forward of the subsequent collection, amongst them the massively widespread Nadiya Bychkova and veteran professional Gorka Marquez. A shake-up or an act of self-harm? Only time will inform.
The sensible cash is on Zoe Ball to host, bookies’ favorite and darling of completely everybody. She hosted the present’s It Takes Two spin-off for 10 years and did a wonderful job subbing for Claudia throughout a three-week absence in 2014.
She has a relaxed on-screen presence and was herself a contestant in 2005 when she got here third (behind Colin Jackson and cricketer Darren Gough), so she is aware of precisely what the celebrities can be going by means of.
And whereas Strictly loyalists get pleasure from heat and banter, they take their dancing very critically – so an honest modicum of information is essential; wisecracking comedians who don’t know a samba from a rumba would hit the flawed word.
But the purpose – as ever – is to draw new viewers whereas holding the common viewers completely satisfied. If Zoe’s in place they’ll afford to take an opportunity; hearsay has it that Strictly bosses are contemplating a roster of three presenters, which supplies them extra leeway in enjoying a wild card.
I do know, what about Matt Brittin? See, we’ve forgotten Mr Google’s identify already. What we crave isn’t an algorithm however couch escapism, a dopamine distraction from actuality – that’s why it issues.
Strictly Come Dancing is the jewel in the BBC’s mild leisure crown; heavy lies the head and all that. Come the darkish days of autumn, licence-fee payers demand to be dazzled.
