IT TAKES WHO TO TANGO?
As Strictly gains another Z-lister, try to identify the ‘stars’ with our fun clues
FANS of Strictly Come Dancing are used to a few unfamiliar faces twirling across the screen.
But this year’s line-up seems to have a stark shortage of household names, if the contestants announced so far are anything to go by.
With eight of the 15 revealed, thousands of fans have complained about an excess of little-known soap stars and TV personalities. Even former head judge Len Goodman has taken a swipe at the numbers being afforded star status.
Suggesting he might have struggled to recognise some Strictly contestants, he told Radio Times that ‘there are so many celebrities now’.
While younger fans have hailed many of this year’s choices, older viewers have been forced to resort to internet searches to discover who they are. Many have argued that the calibre of this
‘I had to use Google to find out who they are’
year’s line-up pales in comparison with previous years, when the likes of Jason Donovan, Peter Andre, Will Young, Denise Van Outen, Carol Vorderman, Ed Balls, Victoria Pendleton, Judy Murray and Jeremy Vine were familiar to most of the audience.
Comments on social media have included, ‘Am I the only person who has to Google to find out who these so-called celebrities are?’ and ‘I’ve not heard of anyone as yet’. However, last year’s winner Ore Oduba was unknown to many at the start of the series, as was runner-up Danny Mac.
TV presenter Carol Smillie, a contestant in 2006, said she didn’t know several in the line-up but added: ‘They are obviously trying to attract a younger audience. People will get into it as they always do.’
A source close to the show said: ‘It’s definitely not as strong a line-up this year. I think the BBC would have been bracing themselves for criticism. There is no one to really grab people’s attention. Producers will be hoping the personalities come through. Sometimes it is the people who are least well-known who go on to win.’