How are the celebraties chosen?

[Deleted User] · 05/12/10 - 12:13

I know the celebs are invitedby the BBC but how do they choose them? I could n't recognise half of this years or last years contestants.

Cody1 · 05/12/10 - 12:32

sorry i dont know but i do hope someone replys with their knowledge. I wonder how they get their partners - are they aware of the line up - do they pros have any say in it?

Anton is always teamed up with the underdogs - pity because i would love him to get a partner with the talents of say what Karas got because hes never normally in the competition very long, and if he is its a slower routine cause hes helping along the celebrity. I know we get to see him in the show dances but i would like to see ones hes choreographed with a fantastic partner.

rosco2010 · 05/12/10 - 12:42

Celebrities. Learn to spell.

Ignazio · 05/12/10 - 12:44

rosco2010 wrote: »

Celebrities. Learn to spell.

SCD is a dancing competition not an English exam.

[Deleted User] · 05/12/10 - 13:10

I do know that it is very hard to cast Strictly every year. First of all you have find people who are not only willing to do it but are willing to do it for whatever money and contract the producers have been allowed to offer that year. Then they have to be available for the live shows, the rehearsals, ITT, the training sessions and all the TV, radio and magazine publicity opportunities that go with the show and will be in their contract to attend - there can't be many people who can truly commit to this without any conflict with existing careers. They also have to ensure that the contractual obligations the celebrities have with day-jobs don't prevent them from appearing on Strictly eg some people working for other channels are under contract not to appear on BBC shows etc. Then they have to ensure that the celebrities are the right mix of heights for the professionals or vice versa and that they are actually medically fit to dance. They will also want to at least attempt to reflect the diversity of the audience in terms of age, race etc with the diversity of the contestants and will also want to draw people from various walks of showbusiness in order that, hopefully, viewers with all different tastes and backgrounds will have somebody that they recognise or feel that they can identify with. Finally, they will want a range of abilities to be reflected by the celebrities so they will do their research and find some people who they know can already dance fairly well, some people who will be there for the comedy/car-crash tv and some who are there to show the journey. Of course they also want publicity too so will look for a few attractive and a few controversial contestants.

I imagine that every year they start off with an amazing wish list and that list dwindles and changes rather dramatically once all the people who can't/won't fulfil the above criteria get crossed off it. With so many elements to factor in it is no wonder that some of the choices seem a bit desperate but generally I think the producers do quite well when you consider some of the celebrities appearing on other shows.

funkycub · 05/12/10 - 14:59

They werent exactly Hollywood A list but I knew them all!

lundavra · 05/12/10 - 15:11

I suspect that we will never get the full story because there could be celebrities who claim to have turned it down but have never been asked and some who have tried to get on but have been rejected.....

They probably work at it all the year with production staff adding potential candidates to a list, perhaps discrete enquiries made then filtered down to the right number as they get nearer the time with a few spare in case someone changes their mind.

Doghouse Riley · 05/12/10 - 15:17

I'd suggest that it's no longer the "must be on show" anymore.
Probabably regarded as a show for those with few present employment opportunities and for some hoping to revive a flagging career.
Especially now it's changed to a "pay per show" basis.

gurney-slade · 05/12/10 - 15:47

It has the merit of being about the only celeb participation show requiring long term commitment, where a lot of the participants do it alongside their regular work. I'm A Celeb, BB, Love Island etc all feature has-beens and wannabees who are doing it for money/raised profile. A high percentage of SCD contestants have lucrative 'day jobs' and, as we've seen with Scott and Matt this year, have to make a real commitment to keep both going.

ilovesooty · 05/12/10 - 15:55

Cody1 wrote: »

sorry i dont know but i do hope someone replys with their knowledge. I wonder how they get their partners - are they aware of the line up - do they pros have any say in it?

Anton is always teamed up with the underdogs - pity because i would love him to get a partner with the talents of say what Karas got because hes never normally in the competition very long, and if he is its a slower routine cause hes helping along the celebrity. I know we get to see him in the show dances but i would like to see ones hes choreographed with a fantastic partner.

I remember reading somewhere that Widdecombe turned it down lastyear, and I'm sure she only agreed to it if she got Anton. I think he's done very nicely out of the partnership.I don't get this stuff about him never getting a good partner either. He had every chance with Laila last year if his teaching and Latin dancing had been good enough.

[Deleted User] · 05/12/10 - 16:00

Alan Titchmarsh says he gets asked every year and has to turn it down because work commitments would mean he couldn't devote time to it!

memmh · 05/12/10 - 16:16

ilovesooty wrote: »

I remember reading somewhere that Widdecombe turned it down lastyear, and I'm sure she only agreed to it if she got Anton. I think he's done very nicely out of the partnership.I don't get this stuff about him never getting a good partner either. He had every chance with Laila last year if his teaching and Latin dancing had been good enough.

She said in her Radio Times blog that she didn't imagine she would be paired with Anton because of the height difference. According to someone I know who's been in the audience, when you see them live, the difference in their heights really is quite striking.

Of course, everyone wanted Anton Du Beke, but as he is tall and I am short, I thought such a combination out of the question - unless the producers wanted the Little and Large show. I was therefore hugely pleased when only Felicity Kendal and I were left to be paired and the two remaining men were Vincent and Anton. Either would have been wonderful, but I thought it must be Vincent, as a fellow shorty, before it occurred to me that Felicity is hardly Miss Beanpole. Indeed, it is now Ann and Anton.

http://www.radiotimes.com/blogs/1045-strictly-come-dancing-ann-widdecombe-diary-week-two

Tall Paul · 05/12/10 - 16:34

I'd say it's up to the producers who goes in, then they contact the celebs agents. They then go through the encrypted booking system and if the commisioners agree then the contestants get the passport and thus are booked for the series. What I reckon they could do in the future is if the contestant cannot partake anymore is put a stand in like they do on DOI.:D

One of the things they did wrong this year was putting in Anne Widdecombe, contary to great ratings she did look like a rabbit caught in the headlights lol.

You're always going to come accross a joke contestant, this year however she has gone beoyond a joke. Better contestants have gone in the expense of her. For future series as well they could reduce the call tarrif but have the phonelines on for longer like they do on DOI.:D

Tiger Rose · 05/12/10 - 16:53

Doghouse Riley wrote: »

I'd suggest that it's no longer the "must be on show" anymore.
Probabably regarded as a show for those with few present employment opportunities and for some hoping to revive a flagging career.
Especially now it's changed to a "pay per show" basis.

I don't think it's any different to before. People who are currently very successful are unlikely to do it.

ilovesooty · 05/12/10 - 17:05

Whatever Ann's Radio Times blog says, I'm afraid that I still believe she insisted on having Anton as a partner, or at the very least made her preference known beforehand. In any case, I don't think any other male pro would have been prepared to choreograph dance out of the routines as Anton has, and it was the ideal "rehabilitation" for him after last season as far as the BBC were concerned.Great for Anton too as his questionable Latin skills wouldn't be subjected to examination. I think it's been carefully planned since well before the launch.

Doghouse Riley · 05/12/10 - 17:09

At least Anton entered into the spirit of the thing "If we're here next week, we'll have three dances to do...they may look very similar."

ilovesooty · 05/12/10 - 17:12

I don't call that comment of Anton's "entering into the spirit of the thing".

ceemage · 05/12/10 - 17:25

ilovesooty wrote: »

I remember reading somewhere that Widdecombe turned it down lastyear, and I'm sure she only agreed to it if she got Anton.

To be fair to Ann (and that's a phrase you don't hear on this forum very often

), this time last year she was still MP for Maidstone and The Weald. It would be almost impossible for a (conscientious) serving MP to commit to a full series of SCD. Which is part of the reason that Vincent Cable is just doing the Christmas Special.

[Deleted User] · 05/12/10 - 17:27

DaffyDancing wrote: »

I know the celebs are invitedby the BBC but how do they choose them? I could n't recognise half of this years or last years contestants.

I love the Freudian slip in the spelling of the thread title

Doghouse Riley · 05/12/10 - 17:29

ilovesooty wrote: »

I don't call that comment of Anton's "entering into the spirit of the thing".

On the contrary, we all think she's hopeless and he was just trying to warn people what they could expect to see and excusing it by making a bit of a harmless and inoffensive joke about it.
She, makes fun of her performances anyway.

ilovesooty · 05/12/10 - 18:09

ceemage wrote: »

To be fair to Ann (and that's a phrase you don't hear on this forum very often ), this time last year she was still MP for Maidstone and The Weald. It would be almost impossible for a (conscientious) serving MP to commit to a full series of SCD. Which is part of the reason that Vincent Cable is just doing the Christmas Special.

Yes, fair point. I should have made it clear that I wasn't casting any aspersions on her turning it down last year.

ilovesooty · 05/12/10 - 18:16

Doghouse Riley wrote: »

On the contrary, we all think she's hopeless and he was just trying to warn people what they could expect to see and excusing it by making a bit of a harmless and inoffensive joke about it.
She, makes fun of her performances anyway.

Oh, I see what you mean. It came over to me as "We can be as rubbish as we like and we'll still get voted for".I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong: just a differing perception.

[Deleted User] · 05/12/10 - 18:57

I agree Anton was earmarked for her and am sure they consulted with him beforehand too. Mind you I think Vincent would have done a good job too.

Doghouse Riley · 05/12/10 - 19:09

ilovesooty wrote: »

Oh, I see what you mean. It came over to me as "We can be as rubbish as we like and we'll still get voted for".I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong: just a differing perception.

Well you're not wrong, she has been rubbish and people have been voting for her and I guess Anton is as surprised as we are.

welwynrose · 05/12/10 - 19:13

Well they have a wish list that starts with people like Brad Pitt & George Clooney at the top and ends with out of work soap stars and ex-politicians but then they turn the list upside and start making phone calls

Doghouse Riley · 05/12/10 - 19:17

They're competing with the start of the lucrative panto season for ex-soap stars.

"Oh no they're not!"

"Oh yes they are!"

Hey there!

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