Friday, 2 September 2016

Pop Kulture's Very Important Rundown Of The Strictly Celebs


It is very nearly time for a new batch of celebs to take to the floor in a bid to win the coveted glitter ball trophy we have all tried to make ourselves at home with a smashed up mirror and papier mache. No? Just us? OK.

The class of Strictly 2016 have had their first spray tan, been pulled and pushed into some very tight-fitting Lycra and, most likely, cried a little bit when they found out just how hard they will need to train.

Before they sashay into the arms of their professional dance partners in Saturday's launch show let us fill you in on this year's movers and shakers and provide you with our expert* opinion.


*We've been watching the show for bloody years and will also take this opportunity to throw our hat into the Head Judge ring for when Len departs.


Ed Balls

Famous For: being the former Shadow Chancellor, unintentional founder of Ed Balls Day on Twitter.
Will He Be Any Good Tho? We hope so. We hope he hasn't been put in as the comic relief but he's a bit of an underdog given how well MPs have previously done in the competition. As long as he isn't dragged around the floor by Anton DuBeke at any point.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Waltz

Greg Rutherford 

Famous For: Olympic long jumper who won gold in London and bronze in Rio, being ginger
Will He Be Any Good Tho?
We have high hopes for Greg's dancing (we also wish he was a high jumper because that would have been an excellent pun). Will probably employ the rip-open-shirt manoeuvre and will almost certainly have a dance centred around athletics/Olympics/gold medals at some point.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Quickstep

Daisy Lowe 

Famous For: enjoying pleather, also a model, the daughter of Pearl Lowe & Gavin Rossdale (and ex-stepdaughter of Gwen Stefani)
Will She Be Any Good Tho?
Despite having no knowledge of Daisy's dancing ability we expect her to score quite high in the competition. May unleash a catsuit. Will most definitely have the best Halloween costume.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Paso Doble

Louise Redknapp 

Famous For: 90s pop star who was in Eternal before going solo, sang about being Naked, is married to Jamie Redknapp, once tried to slim down to size zero for an ITV documentary and we've been worried about her wellbeing ever since
Will She Be Any Good Tho?
She is already one of our faves and she hasn't so much as done a heel lead yet. "Previous experience" may be used against her but Eternal were no Steps as far as dance routines go. Will hopefully dance to one of her own songs.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Waltz

Melvin Odoom 

Famous For: having the most fabulous name in showbiz, presenting last year's Xtra Factor, on the radio every morning with Rickie Haywood Williams
Will He Be Any Good Tho?
Probably, yes. We have high hopes for his Latin abilities however he's rather titchy and will need a small professional dancer to look swarthy in hold for ballroom.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Samba

Judge Rinder

Famous For:
being the British Judge Judy, was Benedict Cumberbatch's best man, Benedict also officiated the Judge (real name Robert) and partner Seth's wedding in 2013.
Will He Be Any Good Tho?
The Judge was one of the first celebs to be rumoured for this year's
competition so we're going to say yes. Will most definitely use a judge's robe as a cape in the paso and use a gavel at some point. May employ the use of video-message-from-Cumberbatch if things go tits up.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Foxtrot

Will Young 

Famous For: beating Gareth Gates in the final of Pop Idol, singing Leave Right Now and other songs you know but that aren't as good as LRN.
Will He Be Any Good Tho?
Without a shadow of a doubt Will will go all the way to, at least, the quarter finals. He can move and act but has the mum vote if all goes to shit. Like Louise will likely have "previous experience" thrown at him. Again, we're hopeful he dances to one of his own songs.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Charleston

Laura Whitmore 

Famous For: Irish TV presenter, was host of ITV2's I'm A Celeb spin off until this year, usually does after shows and red carpets for BRITs/BAFTAs etc
Will She Be Any Good Tho? 
We're going to say yes. Was rumoured to be taking part as soon as she announced she wouldn't be returning to Australia so has probably wanted to do the show for ages and these people usually end up being good. Probably won't suffer the same curse as Daniel O'Donnell last year of Ireland not being able to vote.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Jive

Anastasia 

Famous For: wearing sunglasses, having a huge voice, sang many a 00s bop
Will She Be Any Good Tho?
Again, she was rumoured very early on so we hope she is fab-u-lous but feel she may struggle with some of the Latin numbers and will need to rely on personality. Will most likely wear sunglasses for at least one dance.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: American Smooth

Lesley Joseph 

Famous For: being Dorian in Birds of a Feather and generally fabulous
Will She Be Any Good Tho?
Even if she isn't (which we very much hope she will be) she will definitely inject a lot of fun into her numbers. Most likely to get Anton this year for the lolz unless they follow last year and give him a legit possible winner.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Foxtrot

Ore Oduba 

Famous For: presenting this year's Olympics for BBC Four, see also; Newsround, The One Show, various CBBC things, became Pop Kulture hero when he quoted Richard Blackwood's Mama Who Da Man whilst presenting backstage after the live Eastenders last year
Will He Be Any Good Tho?
He certainly has potential but we don't know enough about him to do a proper Craig Revel Horwood on him. We are hopeful he'll get to dance to Richard Blackwood's hit, however.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: We'll say Jive because he seems fun and fast.


Claudia Fragapane 

Famous For: Olympic gymnast, has just competed in Rio
Will She Be Any Good Tho? 
She ticks all the boxes of a worthy winner as she's young, fit, v flexible and obvs follows in the footsteps of fellow gymnast, Louis Smith who won the show in 2012. Perhaps not as well known as some of the other celebs but will almost certainly impress. Will most definitely dance in a leotard and/or incorporate a somersault/cartwheel/insert own tumble very early on.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Jive 

Danny Mac 

Famous For: Appearing in Hollyoaks, having half a surname
Will He Be Any Good Tho?
Will probably be decent but has a big fan base who will carry him through to at least the halfway stage. Another one who will employ the rip-off-the-shirt technique but earlier than Greg.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Salsa

Naga Munchetty 

Famous For: being on the BBC Breakfast sofa, carrying off a pixie cut
Will She Be Any Good Tho?
She's following in the footsteps of several other BBC Breakfast presenters who have cha cha'd their way across the floor to varying degrees of success. Will most likely be somewhere between Susanna Reid and Bill Turnbull but we're unsure if she has the likability of Carol Kirkwood to stay in the competition a long time.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: American Smooth

Tameka Empson 

Famous For: playing the fabulous Kim in Eastenders
Will She Be Any Good Tho? 
We can't help but feel the Eastenders team have been teasing us for ages since Kim set up her salsa class. She can definitely move and will bring a lot of fun to the floor. Will probably excel at Latin. Is no stranger to fabulous costumes playing Kim. Will definitely involve co-stars in rehearsals.
Best Dance Will Probably Be: Samba

All photos: BBC

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