I just got the email telling me I've got tickets for Blackpool! It says that admission is from 2.30pm, with the ballroom doors opening at 4.30pm. What time should I aim to start queueing? I know the Tower Ballroom is bigger than TV Centre, but they've probably issued more tickets to cover it!

I don't know if the BBC oversubscribe Blackpool also but I'm sure someone who has been will give you some pointers. Sadly I haven't been there.

I think you'll need to be there extra early ! If they over-subscribe (and why wouldn't they - they don't want empty seats) then it would be awful to travel there and then be turned away...

I would say as soon as you can possibly get there,I went last year and started queueing at 1.30pm and only ended up on the second floor.It has probably changed this year as last year people didn't get in until well after 5,30

Can I still get tickets or is it too late. Tried really hard last year but no luck.

We got tickets for last year and queued from about 12.15pm (freezing cold, pouring rain!). We were the lucky ones though and managed to get just underneath the canopy outside the Tower. I reckon there were around 70-80 people ahead of us but, on admission inside at about 4pm (but had to queue inside for another hour) we were given the numbers 196-199 and seated at the rear of the ground floor - couldn't see much as the floor isn't raked. I think the number of admissions was around 600 in total but about 100 of the 'prime' seats were guests of the show - family, friends and others. At the time last year. I think there were 9 couples left in the show and each of them could have had 3-4 guests (I know Craig Kelly had a few more as it was his home town), plus other special guests. It was Remembrance Weekend and there was some Armed Forces reps on the front row in front of our seats.

It's pot luck where you get seated as a friend was quite a lot further back in the queue but ended up with a prime position seat on the first floor balcony just above the judges seats. They seat ground floor first and work their way up.

However, despite the (very) limited views, the atmosphere was incredible and I'd go again just for the amazing Viennese Waltz done by the professionals - breathtakingly beautiful.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think I'll just aim to get there as close to 12 as I can and hope for the best. The queue is around the back of the building this year so I'm not sure how much cover there will be.

Does anyone else have tickets? What time are you planning to join the queue?

For people who went last year, is there somewhere to get changed and stash bags and coats? I'm planning on wearing warm things and comfy shoes for queueing, then changing inside if I can. I don't think I could manage hours outside in my party dress and heels, I'd freeze to death!

According to the Radio Times, the guest singer is Duffy, which is a bit disappointing. I was hoping for someone like Kylie, or even someone like Alice Cooper from a few weeks ago would've been better!

Don't join the wrong queue and end up in the circus!

There was no cloakroom facilities last year,in fact you were asked not to bring coats/bags/cameras/mobile phones.Most people ignored all of this.I had a coat on as it was non-stop rain whilst queuing as I was upstairs we were allowed to put on back of seats not sure what happened downstairs as they don't like coats on show.

I had an email on Monday saying that although I hadn't got tickets for show they were keeping my details on file in case of returns!Wonder how many thousands of other people received this email

I did - sadly

Applications for tickets to Strictly closed in September - sorry

Thanks = at least I didn't suffer the crushing rejection as last year when me and many mates got turned down - I only live a couple of miles away as well

i live in Blackpool and I've never had as much as a sniff of a ticket.

Hi all,

Myself and my wife managed to get tickets for Blackpool. As long as flights car hire etc. are all OK we should get to start queuing at around half 12 or 1 o'clock. Do you think that would be time enough to get in? We're flying into Liverpool just after half 9 so after security and picking up car etc. we should be on the road at around half 10. How long does it take to drive from Liverpol airport to Blackpool? Website say about 1 hour and 15 minutes so thats what I'm basing my queuing time on. Thanks guys!

Can you recommend any clean and reasonably priced B&B's there, please?

In case still waiting for a reply,
all hotels and B&Bs are situated along the seafront running south to north, where the Tower complex is also situated. South of the Tower are 2 piers, theatres, cinemas, beach bathing, and the huge scary rides park (not running if windy), plus any number of fish and chips shops etc. The Tower in off season opens only on weekends and Wednesdays.

Best to stay in a B&B 10-15 minutes walk north along the beach from the Tower. Blackpool summer season ended last week, so with 70,000 beds in town there are plenty of vacancies desperate for visitors: £20 or even £15 per night will buy a very good room.

Best not to stay too close to the Tower, as some B&B's there hold discos downstairs complete with late night noise enough to wake the dead and drunks looking for a fight. Simply arrive in daytime, then after a £10 taxi ride from the airport arrive at a point on the seafront half a mile north of the Tower, then select from numerous B&B's by sight. The New President Hotel next door to the Imperial Hotal is well regarded, no more than £25 per night if that.

Have fun.

Others have reported as much last year. With ground-floor seats not tiered, the 8th row will only see the backs of heads. Dizzie, would you say you would have done better to choose a seat in the dress circle had you been given a choice? Upstairs would also offer a superb view of the form and grace of the professionals' Viennese waltz.

Thats great, thanks.
Info isn't for me - its for two of my cousins who have just got tickets for the 20th.
They think they might travel up on Friday and stay two nights - they have never stayed in Blackpool before, nor have I, so any info is welcome.
I will pass the names of those two Hotels on to them.

Thanks.

The Edwardian Imperial has the charm of the best English seaside hotels. It is the acknowledged HQ for all dancers coming to Blackpool who can afford it. The entire Strictly and BBC circus plus camp followers will for sure be encamped there.

The Imperial has learnt from opportunist budget airlines, and jack up their prices for late bookers, so their price could be £100+ per night , I hope not.

The Tower complex is on the seafront, the Winter Gardens complex 3 minutes walk inland, always open. If there is no event in progress, visitors can walk on the enchanted Empress Ballroom floor with footsteps echoing from generations of happy dancers, still the centre of the dance world.

Another little tip is that after the show last year I was in Funny Girls in Blackpool and a load of the dancers came in - Ian, Brendan, Matt, Aliona (I think) Darren etc etc.

The British Nationals are on in the Winter Gardens the same weekend as Strictly is in the Tower. Anyone going to Strictly in The Tower on Saturday should have a peep at those championships on the Friday night. There are usually still tickets available on the door. Darren Bennet is a judge at the Nationals, so if he's missing from the showdancers, you'll know why - he's down the road at The Winter Gardens.

Sorry not to answer you about B&Bs, chitarivera, but I can't really recommend any, seeing as I live here I've never stayed in one. And anyone who comes to visit me stays with me.

S'okay thanks.
My cousins have got somewhere. One of their mates recommended somewhere and they are booking that one.
The Cliffs I think they said.
The Imperial was asking for silly money.

I had an email on Monday saying that although I hadn't got tickets for show they were keeping my details on file in case of returns!Wonder how many thousands of other people received this email[/quote]

Me