Hi Buddy - how you keepin'?

Unfortunately there always IS a token 'oldie' man and woman! I'll ask my friend who is very close to Shirley Ballas, if he can find out any more about Derek.

Not bad at all thanks - you?

Inside ifo is always welcome!

I kept meaning to catch up with DWTS, but it really put me off having Nicole Scherzinger as one of the celebs, because it felt just like Mya all over again. I might still watch!

Sorry Buddy, but I strongly disagree with this. The attraction of Strictly is the range of celebs, including the different ages. Although I would hope that there are no 'token' contestants of any kind i.e. all are selected for viewer appeal or potential.

Not a viewer of DWTS although interested to see what all the fuss is about as far as Derek is concerned.

Hiya Don't get me wrong - I don't have any problem with older contestants.

All I want is to see celebs who are fit enough to stand the pace. Donny Osmond won DWTS when he was almost 53, his sister Marie finished 3rd aged 49. Jane Seymour was 6th out of 12 at age 56. And I loved Cherie Lunghi.

I just don't want to see celebs like John Seargant, David Dickinson, Jimmy Tarbuck, Stephanie Beacham and Linda Bellingham - no matter how much I like them as celebs. I know that others will think differently though.

Oh yes how I would have loved to have had Donny Osmond on SCD...he wasnt too bad either to be honest such a hard worker........in the weeks they were doing 2 dances on DWTS he was also doing a live show with Marie in Las Vagas and he is a Grandfather.

Buddy, we're of the same mind then . I think Strictly doesn't do older people any favours when it selects those who are clearly not fit enough, when there must be lots in the entertainment industry who obviously are in good shape.

(Although I think Stephanie might have been slightly unlucky in that she was knocked out so early,)

Me too watching Donny Osmond on SCD would take me back years;i loved the Osmonds when I was a teenager to see him on SCD would be brilliant!

Derek actually moved to London first, on his own. Julianne did not move over too until some time after.

I will be very surprised if Derek forgoes DWTS to join Strictly. His career is in the U.S., and that being the case, I don't see why he would leave the U.S. show. I'd also be surprised if the bosses at DWTS would let him go.

Stephanie was more than happy to be knocked out so early! In fact, allegedly she only agreed to do the show on the condition she only had to do one or 2 weeks!

I think she was in constant pain too (a bit like Claire King) - but she was a lovely lady.

Poor Vincent then! I certainly don't think celebs should be allowed on SCD unless they want to stay the course.

nearly all of the contestants genuinly do want to go the full way bar stephanie :P

OH PLEASE NO!!!!!! cant stand the guy, and i wouldnt watch, much preferr that maxim (something or other) guy!!!! now HE is HOT!!!!! and would give Brendan a run for his money!!

Maks would never fit in on SCD - he's a fabulous dancer, but far too much of a diva and would struggle with sticking to the SCD rules! DWTS suits him - I doubt if SCD would!

PS Just wanted to add that IIRC, Stephanie was doing certain shows to try and raise money to fund her daughter's rehab costs - sad situation.

I think that you are right Buddy, however any contestant who takes part in any reality show should free themselves up for the duration, not assume that they are going to get knocked out, and book themsleves up - for whatever reason.

I also agree that all the Contestants, regardless of age, should be fit enough to take on the physicality of SCD too.

Re Derek coming onto the show, there have been too many pro dancers culled, I and I think a lot of others watch because of the pro dancers as much as the celebs. Doubt it will happen but the powers that be at the BBC do need to remember that!

I agree Jude about being available for the series - it does rack me off when celebs use work as an excuse for lack of training.

Compared to DWTS there have been far less changes in pros on SCD. Over the last 3/4 series, haven't we only really lost Nicole, Karen and Hayley? I didn't agree with losing Nicole or Karen, but didn't mind Hayley not coming back.

By the sounds of things, I think there will be a fair few new faces this year.

We lost Camilla too, Camilla and Karen chose to leave IIRC.

I think actually, I was incorrect to say a further culling, it's just with the amount of couple increased, there was an influx of new faces.

I'm hoping that there won't be a fair few new faces....

Forgot about Camilla - obviously didn't miss her the way I missed Karen and Nicole! After seeing Ian with Natalie on the pro tour, I haven't changed my mind!

Derek will be a great addition to the family.

His choreography is interesting and innovative (and he's rather easy on the eye!), although I'm not sure we'll be able to fully appreciate his talents given the more conservative approach to Strictly compared to DWTS.

I can't believe all the crap being printed about Derek dancing with Cheryl Coles on her tour. The various jounalists are positively salivating at the moves in the dance - which is basically a bit of an Agentine Tango. They should try watching the one he did with Nicole Sherzinger on DWTS. Total rubbish from the tabloids as usual.

Not so sure dwts has lost many pros ... they have loads and keep most of them on contract, so the same ones are not used every series. I think this is a good idea, and it keeps the show fresher.

As for scd, John Byrnes, Paul Killick and Hanna Kartunen, the other Hanna, who's name defeats me at the moment, and her partner, and who could forget the wonderful Hazel Newberry .... have also gone.

There was allegedly (don't you just love that word?) an "agenda" as to why Nicole was not asked back; Karen was moving onto opening her own studio; Camilla chose to leave. Yet to hear of anyone missing Hayley!

As for the celebs using work as an excuse for being tired, not training etc, I agree with you. They all know well before hand what the show involves; if they are already booked up, then they should ask to be put in for the following year and get their schedules sorted.

Hanna Haarala and Andrew Cuerden... I seem to remember they were really hoping to do SCD4, and only found out a few weeks beforehand that they weren't invited back. Obviously the Beeb had got Vincent and Flavia and the Jordans in by then. As I remember, it was up in the air whether Brendan would be invited back that year, depending on how he behaved on Love Island, so possibly they might have got the contract if he had done a lot of tabloid stuff.

I'm with you both, i really enjoyed watching Cherie. Also loved Donny when he won DWTS. And as much as i found JS a vey likeable chap i just didn't want to see anymore dancing from him.
SOOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to hearing the new line-up

Thank you, there the ones, I should have remembered them.

Hi kaycee, I did know about the DWTS contracts - I really meant who was chosen to pair up with the celebs each time. I'd love to know what Edyta has done to be dancing every single series!

In the early days of SCD I never knew who wanted to come back and who didn't. I was told that John Byrnes played a big part in the original idea for SCD and after the first series went back to his 'normal' job for financial reasons - of course, no one knew then just how successful the show would become. I understood Paul Killick chose not to return because of his work with Dancesport, but I can't remember where I heard that now.

Nicole was the big shocker for me (especialy how she found out) and I don't think we will ever find out what really happened at the meeting last year with the producers and Karen. Having initially said she would be too busy with the new studio, nearer the time she was hinting she would come back to dance if asked. Then after that meeting, she was not dancing, but 'still 'invovled with the show' - yet we saw her less than we did the year before.

I just don't miss Camilla and I didn't think Hayley was that good - it showed in the pro group dances.