http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-10966707



Strictly Come Dancing stars to be revealed on air

Bruce Forsyth is thought to be stepping down from the results show
Contestants on this year's Strictly Come Dancing will be revealed in a launch show filmed in front of an audience at BBC Television Centre.

They will also be introduced to their dance partners in the one-hour show, to be aired on 11 September - three weeks before the start of the contest.

It is thought stars will be paid on a per-show basis this year, rather than being given a flat fee for the series.

And it is understood Bruce Forsyth will no longer present the results show.

The 82-year-old - who missed an episode of Strictly last year after catching influenza - has already revealed that will be taking a pay cut for the 2010 series.


Ola Jordan and Chris Hollins won last year's series
In the newly-announced launch show, dancers and contestants will be filmed arriving on a red carpet and performing a group dance together.

The programme will be shot on 8 September for broadcast three days later.

First meetings between dancers and celebrities in previous series were filmed in dance studios or workplaces and shown in video inserts during the opening episode.

The BBC's Mark Linsey called the "red carpet event" the ideal way to launch "a series that features more excitement and glamour than ever before".

BBC sports presenter Chris Hollins won last year's contest, beating Hollyoaks actor Ricky Whittle.

The show was criticised for failing to attract A-list names but nevertheless attracted an average audience of 9.16 million per show - second only to the previous year's average of 9.54 million.

That series was won by actor Tom Chambers and also featured contestants including John Sergeant and Christine Bleakley.

It has been rumoured that former MP Ann Widdecombe and actress Felicity Kendall will be among this year's contestants

I was hoping for an intro show like this - can't wait

Yeah, I think it will be great too. Only thing is, we're bound to get spoilers so will know by the time the Saturday comes who has got who...I'll not be able to resist having a look.

Even with spoilers it will be worth it just to see the expression of the celebs/pros when they find out who they are partnered with. I think having a live audience adds to the element of surprise.

I am curious as to how they will be introduced to their partners.

Brendan you'll be dancing with Ann Widdecombe

Yeah, it'll be funny to see the look on their faces when they're thinking "Who the fluff are you...????"

I love the idea of an intro show. I will try not to to read the spoilers.

Why 3 weeks in advance?

I love the idea of the launch show but if this is really the first time the pros meet their celebrities and they are going to perform a group dance when are they going to practise it? Unless this is why the show is going to be broadcast three days after it's filmed and the celeb/pro dance filmed later,

What a fantastic idea. I hope this series of strictly is going to be back to it's best after a flop year in 2009.


I think it will probably be because the celeb's will only be revealed to the public (and press) during this show as opposed to the usual boring press release they've done in previous years. I could be wrong.

If they are meeting their dance partners live on the show, then they need three weeks to prepare the first dance. It has always been that long from meeting to the first competitive dance.

What a great idea. Only bad thing is we have to wait till 11th Sept!!



That bit will be brilliant, can't wait.

PMSL!

I'm gonna try really hard not to look, but it's 3 days, the spoilers are gonna be everywhere and not just on here, nobody is gonna be surprised so the intro show will be a flop!

Yeah that bit doesn't make sense.

Perhaps they will have a draw with all the names going round in drums on balls. Bit like the football draws.

I like the idea of this sounds good seeing there reactions to meeting their dance partners live like that

I like this idea a lot, will generate interest ahead of XFactor and make the show exciting,.. the producers really are trying to revamp the show, and I know this has caused controversy. I just wish theyd been more radical with perhaps changing presenters/judges though...

So Brucie takes a 15% paycut but reduces his hours by 25%.

That's a payrise in my book.

Yeah that bit confused me too! Someone on the Flavia thread last night said maybe the pros and celebs will learn it separately (meaning the celebs would know who each other are) and then put it together either on the night (that would be...interesting...) or film it the next day after a group rehearsal.

I doubt they could film it after just 1 rehearsal, they'd need to learn it beforehand...

What would have made even better TV is that the professionals meet the celebs for the first time live and then the pros pick who they want to dance with like when you werre picking teams at school. Funny to see who is left at the end

Saying that, it's a good idea even if we do have to wait 4 more weeks and 2 weeks later than usual to find out who the celebs are.

Live shows don't start until early October and by then the X-Factor will be 7 weeks into the series and possibly at the boring Boot Camp stage so a good time for Strictly's live shows to start.

I think what they are aiming to do is hook the public into becoming interested in following the series by doing this intro show. I am thinking there will be a lot of time spent profiling the celebs as well as the pros so you get of a sense of who they are and what is to come. It is the time for the personalities to be introduced before they have danced.

I have a feeling they will also announce what the first dance will be for each of the couples so you can look forward to seeing that dance and will tune in for the first show in Oct.

I can only wonder if the people who are steadfastly planning to boycott this year will watch this red carpet live audience show just out of curiousity for the pairings and to see what this new dance troupe is about.

Hehe - I wasn't really sure what I thought about the live show till I saw this message!! This has the potential to be very funny, especially with the Brendan/James personalities who could potentially find it very difficult to disguise their reaction to their partner

The screen caps will be priceless.

I can see it being a really good show. I'm gonna try really hard not to go looking for any spoilers, i just hope they don't mention things on the news or have things on the front of newspapers. The surprise of who the celebs are and seeing who they are partnered with is gonna make this show a really good watch.

Perhaps not if you include the (Friday?) rehearsals that he attends, the Saturday last run-throughs, the time spent in makeup etc and the time waiting around for the live show to start (I seem to recall from previous backstage items on ITT that the participants arrive at the Studios Saturday morming).

I probably will read spoilers - I do for everything else!

I really like the idea of the launch show, though - I think it should be really fun.

The one thing about the news which worries me (as I've said on Greytop's thread), is this revamped studio idea. I get the feeling that this could be the introduction of the horrible "celebraquarium" thing from DWTS - and if we end up with the new "I'M ON A SKYSCRAPER!" opening credits, I will not be a happy viewer!