Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Michael Hogan

Strictly Come Dancing: launch show – as it happened

This year's 15 celebrities in all their finery
The fifteen contestants taking part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. Photograph: BBC Studios/Ray Burmiston/PA

Thank you and a glittery goodnight

Huge thanks for keeping me company during this curtain-raiser (not to mention my debut dance in Queen Heidi’s sparkly Manolos).

We’ll be back for the first live show, which starts at the earlier time of 6.15pm next Saturday. I hope you’ll join us here again. I’m @michaelhogan on Twitter, so do come and say hello.

In the meantime, thanks for your wit, wisdom and for being so welcoming. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Guardian glitterati. And, it almost goes without saying, keeeeeep dancing!

Updated

Somersetlass says: “Wow, Eddie Kadi certainly has hip action. As does Layton. I think he and Nikita are going to be adorable.”

David Absalom says “Krishnan’s partner Lauren looks so much like Amanda Abingdon, I kept getting confused.”

But the final word goes to avenueman: “After nearly 2 hours, I want to know when I’m going to meet MY Strictly pro.” To which paperview replies: “We’re all getting one right? Heidi would have organised it. Gives Michael a hard stare.”

Oops. Didn’t spot that in the smallprint of my job description but will sort asap.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.