Anyway, on to the launch.
It all kicked off at a special red carpet event, with this years celebs, judges, presenters and pro dancers all strutting their stuff, looking super glam and generally setting the mood for the new series. Bring it on!!
The fantabulous Pro dancers dressed in an assortment of skimpy, skimpier and skimpiest pink sparkly costumes, then launched into a truly brilliant opening routine to a new 'Special launch show ' version of the Strictly theme tune, dancing from the red carpet out into the street to greet the judges, before heading back inside where they continued in front of the studio audience. Great start to the show and as always our Pro dancers were a class act. Lovely to have them all back on our TV's and a big welcome to new girl Karen Hauer, a Nicole Scherzinger lookalike and Artems new pro partner. She is very friendly on Twitter, so is already gaining quite a lot of new fans and settling in well.
Next up came the judges and we have another new(ish) face there with Darcey Bussell, dressed in a gorgeous purple dress with lace front and black bow belt. *Dress score 8*. I'm hoping she also settles in well and gives some positive feedback to the couples when the time comes.
Bruce and Tess appeared next, with Tess looking beautiful in what looked like a similar version of the Stella McCartney dress that Katherine Jenkins and Victoria Pendleton wore a couple of weeks back. Tess's dresses are always a HIT or a MISS and this one I would say is a definite HIT although I would have done without the gold belt. *Dress score 9*
Some Bruce jokes came next and I *really* must have missed the show because I found myself chuckling along to some of them.
I'll skip to the other dances now and save the pair ups to last and do them all together instead of in stages.
Pro Cha cha : 'On The Floor' - JLo
Another excellent one from the pros and great to finally see what they have been working on for the past few weeks. Every year these dances are a highlight of the show for me and they rarely disappoint. Great song and fab routine... nice one all! :)
Ian & Darcey : Set Fire To The Rain - Adele
This was a lovely American Smooth/Rumba type showdance which really showed off the graceful elegance of Darcey. Legs that go on for miles and probably longer than an entire Flavia!
Celeb pair up time and their predicted finishing position according to me.
Fern Britton & Artem Chigvintsev :
After getting Kara in his first year and Holly in his second, then it was only fair that Artem got someone a little bit more challenging/different/older/whatever.... Fern took part in a Xmas Special before partnering Matthew Cutler and she wasn't too bad from what I remember, so maybe with some patience from Artem they might last a few weeks but I'm predicting they will finish in position number (12)
Dani Harmer & Vincent Simone :
There was only really one person that Dani was ever going to get I think and that was Vincent :) He had a rubbish year in 2011 with Edwina so I really hope he has a great one with Dani and they go far. Lots of similarities to him and Louisa from 2006 who to this day still remain one of SCD's favourite partnerships and hopefully he'll have as much fun with Dani as he did her. (3)
Victoria Pendleton & Brendan Cole :
One of this years two Olympic medallists and Brendan looked like he had won a Gold when he got her. Last years Lulu encounter seemed to scar him for life, so hopefully Victoria will help erase the memory and this year the job of Rent-A-Pro will fall to someone else if need be. I don't think she will have the head start that likes of Kimberley and Denise will have but think she will be good as the weeks go on and she will be very popular following Olympic fever and should last at least halfway (6)
Sid Owen & Ola Jordan
Well there was no denying Sid was feeling lucky to get Ola... and meanwhile I was ALSO feeling lucky that he had got Ola as I had worried Flavia might get him! He's probably a nice enough guy and might do better than I had originally thought, but while there was Louis and Nicky in the line up, I sure didn't want her to get Sid! (8)
Nicky Byrne & Karen Hauer
Karen didn't half strike it lucky when she got Nicky and quite unusual for the new girl to get such a strong contender. I reckon it is because there wasn't much point in bringing in ONE new dancer to then saddle her with a duffer and therefore wave bye bye to her in the first elimination. Like Pasha getting Chelsee last year, if you are lucky enough to be brought into the show on your own, then chances are you will get a good start. These two will get to the semi-final I reckon finishing in position number (4)
Johnny Ball & Aliona Vilani
The oldest SCD contestant ever and probably only right that Aliona be paired with him. She had practically been handed the final on a plate the last two series with Matt Baker and Harry Judd, and I think there would have been all out war if she had been given another proper contender over some of the other females! Johnny will be pretty popular I think, and will be lovely to see on ITT with daughter Zoe, but he could possibly be the one sitting on her sofa on the Monday after the first elimination. (14)
Kimberley Walsh & Pasha Kovalev
Already my second favourites and will definitely make the final I think. Pasha was great with Chelsee last year and he'll be same with Kimberley, and with her already having a bit of dance experience they are off to a flyer! I had hoped these two would have paired together and already looking forward to seeing them on the live shows. WTF has Pasha done to his hair though?.... (2)
Jerry Hall & Anton Du Beke
I didn't think I'd be too keen on Jerry, but I already like her. Love her sense of humour and she doesn't seem to be taking herself too seriously which is just as well given that she has been paired with Anton. I hope they stay a few weeks as she could be another crazy Nancy type character and between her and Anton I think they could be pretty entertaining. (9)
Lisa Riley & Robin Windsor
Apparently Lisa is a pretty good dancer but I would have given Robin more of a proper contender this year since he hasn't quite had one yet. I do think they are a well matched couple though and he will be good with her. They looked very pleased to be paired but I think Robin would have loved to have got Denise when there was only her and Lisa left. I'm thinking the halfway mark for them. (7)
Denise Van Outen & James Jordan
I don't really think James should have been given such a ringer as Denise given he has never really had a duffer in the entire time he has been on Strictly. His safe choreography with his average partners usually gets him pretty far so with Denise already having masses of dance experience, I hope he doesn't play it quite so safe. They should get far but the general public might not take to her if she is too good and her experience too obvious. (5)
Michael Vaughan & Natalie Lowe
I know literally nothing about cricket and even less about Michael Vaughan. I'm not expecting them to last too long but Natalie generally does well with her partners and disguises a multitude of flaws with skirt wafting and hair tossing...... (10)
Louis Smith & Flavia Cacace
Flavia looked very much like she couldn't believe her luck when she got Louis and he looked pretty stunned to have got her. She had a great year with Russell last year but going out much earlier than she should have the year before with Jimi had always been an absolute travesty :( and so this year most everyone was wanting her to get the best the show had to offer and he seems to have come in the shape of Louis! She will no doubt put his talents to good use but in keeping with the show and using them appropriately. I can imagine her being pretty keen to pick up some of his gymnastic skills too given she always comes across as a bit of a daredevil with some of her lifts etc, and can already see her performing a string of backflips across the judges desk while performing a Charleston! :D
They seemed to be pretty shy and reserved when they got partnered up, but hopefully once they start their training and get to know each other, they will have a great time and finish in the Gold medal position. They are without doubt my winners! :) (1)
Richard Arnold & Erin Boag
I think these two will be good fun but not likely to last too long. Erin, much like Anton are getting a bit too fuddy duddy for the show these days and are looking like they don't quite belong with the other pros. It has been a while since Erin was given a contender and maybe things could have been better for her if partnered with Michael, or even Colin. (11)
Colin Salmon & Kristina Rihanoff
What a strange pairing and surely Colin would have been better with Natalie, Kristina with Richard, and Erin with Michael! I can't see these two being compatible at all in any shape or form and they don't even look right together. I could be wrong but I just don't see any appeal there with this pairing at all....Unlucky for some.... >>> (13)
Pro/Celeb group dance : Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
Like most years first group dances it is all a little bit all over the place but some good potential there too from what we could see and some very impressive cartwheels and backflips from Louis which I really do want to see more of. :D
SO there we have it... .. The class of 2012 and to me it looks a pretty good line up! Can't wait to see just what twists, turns, surprises and shocks it throws at us. Please let the cheesy amateur VT's be gone and in their place the old training room clips that we all loved where you got to see the true partnership forming, and the laughs, tears and tantrums that go with them. Good luck all and may the next 3 weeks go in quickly and it back on our screens again!.....Now let me start thinking what I'll have for my Strictly Snacks.... ;)
