Let’s get ready to RUMBA!

Yes, the battle of the ballroom is back! But at 78, can Angela Rippon out-foxtrot West End professional Layton Williams?

It’s that time of year again when, for a few months, everybody is an expert on the rumba, the tango and the American Smooth. People whose knowledge of dance was hitherto unsuspected start airing their trenchant opinions on posture and hip action.

Workplace conversation revolves around presenter Claudia Winkleman’s fringe and which judge is biased against which contestant and whether a particular professional dancer might be giving their partner any extracurricular tuition.

Yes, Strictly Come Dancing is back for its 21st series. Last week, the first episode introduced us to the contestants and revealed which celebrity had been paired with which professional and this week, with the first live show, the competition got under way in earnest. We start with 15 celebrity competitors but participants are eliminated weekly and only one couple will lift the Glitterball Trophy on December 16.

Among those taking part are comedian Les Dennis, actress Amanda Abbington, news presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, former tennis star Annabel Croft and Love Island’s Zara McDermott.

As is traditional, there has already been controversy. Two of the contestants have previous dance experience. West End star Layton Williams has been in musicals such as Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Co Meath television presenter

Angela Scanlon danced with the O’Shea Irish Dance Company. Some fans feel this gives them an unfair advantage.

Meanwhile, Angela Rippon trained in ballet as a teenager and still sometimes does ballet classes. She presented Strictly’s predecessor Come Dancing for a period and older viewers will recall her high-kicking dance routine on a Morecambe and Wise Christmas

special. But Angela gets a pass because at 78 — she turns 79 next month — the former newsreader is the oldest ever competitor on the show.

Aside from the dancing, one of the great pleasures is Winkleman’s banter and quips. She is as quick-witted as the dancers are fleet-footed. Hard-to-please judge Craig Revel Horwood’s acerbic putdowns are always amusing.

Bobby Brazier, son of Jade Goody, is favourite to win and Guru-Murthy the rank outsider. But anything can happen between now and the grand final.

Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One at 6.45pm on Saturday