Strictly Come Dancing: Latest line-up rumours...(the men)

So the Olympics have dominated our TV for the last few weeks, but with the end of the summer on the horizon, it means out tv screens are going to be dominated by one thing; celebrities covered in sequins trying to do their utmost to dance gracefully on tv. With the rumour mill going into overdrive, I thought it was time to give you a rundown on the rumours of who could be stepping on to the dance floor for Series 10 of the hit BBC show.

Nicky Byrne
The Westlife singer has a lot of spare time on his hands after the band’s recent farewell tour and seperation, and having appeared on the show with the band last year, has Nicky set his sights on the glitter ball too? The papers seem to think so, and he’d be a popular choice with viewers.

Ronnie O’Sullivan
Another name who keeps on popping up in the papers for a stint on Strictly is the former World Snooker champion. With retirnement beckoning, Ronnie would be a fantastic addition to the numerous sports stars who have competed on Strictly before. A pin-up, he’d get the women’s vote too.

Michael Vaughan
The only confirmed celebrity for the show is former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan. The Ashes winner, who is now a pundit for BBC Radio 5Live, has been confirmed by BBC’s Newsbeat to be appearing on the show, and could be the third cricketer to win the trophy.

Chris Evans
If the rumours are true then Strictly has bagged itself a fantastic coup in the shape of Evans. The famous broadcaster and media personality has millions of fans, and would definitely add a comedy touch to show. Personalities often make the show, and Chris would be a fantastic addition. I just hope it’s true!

Ken Livingstone

Although the paper’s haven’t mentioned him in the rumours columns, I have my eye on the former London Major to be making an appearance on the show. He made a remark earlier this year on Have I Got News For You about joining the show, and would certainly be another Ann Widdecombe-like character that would keep audience’s entertained. But would he get your vote?

Lemar and Craig David have both said they’re not interested in joining the show, both citing their music careers as the reason for being too busy to compete. But who knows, maybe they’ll be tempted.

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia

Katya Virshilas axed from Strictly Come Dancing

We all now what a big fan of Strictly Come Dancing I am, so you can understand why I was eager to await the news of which professional dancers would be facing the cull this summer ahead of Series 10 of the award-winning, successful BBC dance show.

But alas, I feel slightly disappointed that the Beeb have only decided to axe one dancer, the strikingly beautiful but frequently irritating Katya Virshilas. Only one female dancer, what's all that about?

Ok, so Katya wasn't the strongest professional. She's only been onscreen for three seasons, and in the latest series, she was helpless at training bookie favourite Dan Lobb. In fact, he only lasted a few weeks before they were sent home by viewers.

Katya is pretty, yes, and she certainly has the skills but I don't think she had the personality to match. She seemed to be very cold towards the celebrities, the other professionals and the judges. Maybe she thought it was all about her, but I and a lot of other disgruntled viewers seem to think the same - she had too big an ego for the show to care about her celebrity partner.

But why stop the cull there? Why not get rid of a few others? The BBC have said that by axing Katya, they can bring in new, fresh dancers. But Katya was hardly old, and was one of a new bunch of dancers who shimmied across the dance floor a few years ago. And even with her faults, she wasn't the first name that came to mind.

So who else should have gone? Well, I personally feel that Erin, Anton and Brendan have had their time now. All three have been on the show since the start, and with the boys cases, their ego's seem to get ahead of themselves. Anton really has become the joke of the show, and yes the Beeb bosses use this to entertain the audiences, but even Anton must realise he's becoming the pantomime dame of the show (although I'm sure he doesn't mind too much.) Brendan's Mr Mean persona has now been stolen by James, and he's too old now. Erin, bless her, always gets the older celeb and, if I were her, I'd leave in protest.

I think Vincent and Flavia are contenders for the axe too. Vincent, the Italian lothario who comes across like an overdone chirizo sausage, has lost his cheeky chappy persona to the likes of Artem and Pasha. Flavia had a good year last year, where I think we finally saw her smile for the first time since Series 5, but would people really miss her if she was axed?

New dancers always bring new skills and talent to the dancefloor and it shows. The last few winners of Strictly have all been celebrities that have been trained by new professional dancers, with the oldies flagging from the start.

I realise that viewers have grown accustom to some of their favourite professionals, but like that old teddy bear you've had since birth, you've got to let go someday, and I for one am disappointed that the Beeb didn't get rid of more.

Maybe the move was to calm the already disgruntled audience, who are disappointed from the recent signing of Darcey Bussell as replacement judge for Alesha Dixon, who left for rival reality show Britain's Got Talent.

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia

Review of the Week: Glee live!

After the end of Season 2 and what with all my exams to contend with, I was definitely missing the Glee club, along with Sue and all the others. So what better way to ‘reaffirm’ my love with the hottest American export than see the cast dancing and singing live at the UK’s biggest venue, the 02, London.

An overview for anyone who feels they’re not ‘cool’ enough to watch the show; it's about a group of ‘misfits’ perform songs, a mix of covers and original music, in order to win the coveted ‘Nationals’ trophy. There teacher, Mr Schuster (Matthew Morrison), guides them through each week - despite the best efforts by his arch nemesis, the comedy genius, Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch). It’s a show that brings people of all ages together, and has proved a hit across the globe. With numerous singles making their way to the Singles Chart, the actors making a name for themselves and with a film and a new series recently released, the only way really is up for the show. Therefore, it seemed fitting that the cast decided to honour their fans by performing at selected venues across Europe. And what a performance it was!

However, I had my apprehensions. Firstly, I had never been to the 02 before, and was worried none the less that our seats, which were not cheap, might leave me with a strained neck when trying to catch a glimpse of the stars belting out popular tunes. But alas, once we walked through an organised security barrier, we quickly found our seats, glanced through the programme and enjoyed the buzz as the pews surrounding us quickly filled up with more fellow ‘Gleeks’ than I thought possible. If you’re looking to go to the 02 in the evening, a quick tip would be to come a few hours early and have a meal in one of the many restaurants - but leave plenty of time for this, the queue’s were long but worth the wait!

With the atmosphere now hotting up, the support act; a dance troupe who mixed mainstream pop with contemporary dance, helped set the tone for a night to remember. Enter New Directions! The first song, arguably their most famous cover to date, ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, was met with wild cheers and clapping from the gleeful audience, most of whom sang along with the stars (including myself!) A fantastic opening, which went from strength to strength with other cover hits such as ‘Bad Romance’, ‘Lucky’ and ‘Valerie’, sung by true musicians (those critics who thought it was all made up in the recording studio were certainly a long way from the truth). All the stars performed, danced and acted as if their life depended on it.

To pick out just a few superstars, Amber Riley (Mercedes) sung her heart out with a rendition of ‘Ain’t No Way’ by Aretha Franklin, which was the only moment throughout the entire show that the audience remained quiet, as her powerful and unpredictable personality and voice touched the hearts of all the fans. In contrast, Chris Colfer (Kurt) provided humour and screams of delight as he performed to Beyonce’s Single Ladies, a routine that undoubtedly Beyonce would find hard to live up to herself! In fact, most of the performances were better than I had anticipated, although a few performers could have performed better. Artie’s voice was particularly weak, despite the actor once being the lead in a rock band. As the many duets, solos and group sing-offs came to an end, my numbing hands and dry throat were an insignificant compromise to the 90 minutes of excitement endured.


Overall, it was a night to remember, and a performance that once ended, I wished could be repeated again and again. The effect of watching and seeing it live was much more than I could ever have imagined. The songs, the dancing, the acting, the audience, even the venue despite the cost, all contributed to a great, unforgettable night that I would recommend to anyone who has the chance to either see the cast again live in concert, or someone else at the O2!

4/5 Stars (reviewed last year)

Review of the Week: Just Dance 2

Computer games. I have often viewed them as a bit of a novelty. From computers to PlayStation's, the world of gaming is now part of our lives whether we like it or not. But does it interest me? Not really. I mean, most of them you end up bored with after one hour, or ranting expletives at the screen. Maybe you do both - as in my case - and then just end up giving up, wondering how you're ever going to get those wasted hours of your life back.

But it's a bit different with Just Dance 2. It has been around for a little while now, but the dancing sensation which sees you moving to songs as they flash up on your screen, is a massive hit worldwide.

I ventured onto the Just Dance scene a year ago, when I was playing with friends at a drunken party. It was so much fun I just knew I had to buy it, despite the £24 price tag. It was hilarious, high octane fun which had me laughing from start to finish, as well as sweating.

It's a simple game. Played on Ninetendo Wii, you basically have your controller in one hand and move about to the music, copying the dancers on screen as they dance to hits such as Outkast's 'Hey Ya' and Harry Belafonte's 'Jump the line'.

You can play on your own, with a friend, or a whole group of friends - just watch the furniture, or each other, as one bruised elbow and a broken lampshade told me! The more the merrier, especially if you have had a few drinks and need to let off some energy.

The song choices vary between each game, with Just Dance 2 offering a competent collection of everything from Katy Perry to Boney M. Dances are usually rated on level, with the player having to copy each dance move perfectly to reach the highest score possible. There are various game modes too, including the complicated 'Simon Says' round and 'Duet' modes.

Ok, the dance moves can be bizarre and very complicated. In just a few songs, I went from Russian dancing to an African raindance, back to shimmying around the room, giving Beyonce a run for her money. Honestly, if I ever went for Strictly Come Dancing, they would sign me up as a professional!

The game also has the song lyrics on screen, forming  a full on affair of music and dance, which together with a tipple or two, results in a rather amusing yet thoroughly rewarding night of entertainment.

Just make sure you have a glass of water with a towel on side ready. You're gonna need it!
4/5 stars

Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia

(Anyone that wishes to challenge me to a Just Dance duel, please leave your name and number and shit will hit the fan!)

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