The night belonged to just one man... and there wasn’t a dry eye in my house
SHE was scary, determined… and a woman on a mission.
No, I am not talking about Shirley Ballas, the new head judge, but Ruth Langsford, the middle-aged, proudly menopausal breakfast TV presenter who announced she wants to swap hot flushes for even hotter dances. And golly, does she mean it. Anton du Beke may need to start taking HRT himself just to keep up with her.
By comparison, the diminutive Debbie McGee glided around like a sequin on legs. Her bright pearlised up-do outshone even the glitterball – but not the Scottish comedienne Susan Calman, who burst into tears when she was given Kevin as a partner: she has posters of him stuck all over her house.
Obviously it’s too early to pick favourites but, hey, it is Strictly and that’s exactly what we do. And from last night’s display, Debbie is one of mine, along with the utterly adorable Rev Richard Coles. We can only pray that his dance partner concocts a routine to Song Of A Preacher Man so Mr Coles can give us a twirl in his cassock.
Jonnie Peacock, the gorgeous Paralympic gold medallist, has balletic moves that could have rivalled Nureyev’s. Could he win? If tonight’s judging reactions were anything to go by, it’s going to be tough.
Judge Shirley doesn’t look like she takes prisoners or gives away 10s. She is no Len Goodman and the line-up misses him but maybe she will bed in.
The night, though, belonged to Brucie, with surely one of the most moving tributes ever paid to someone on TV. There wasn’t a dry eye in my house.
There have been those who have suggested that the show was Strictly Over.
But Brucie’s legacy to us all is the opportunity to sit down on a Saturday night with the family to watch a programme that is pure, playful, smut-free entertainment. He was our favourite.