Sorry left it too long before editing - this is the complete post:

I cannot vote in the poll - because "NONE" is not an option.

This is, however, what I believe. I think there will be the announcement of a majorly big (probably US) star which they will save for Launch Night. Tess talked of a big star signing who was in attendance at the Elle Style Awards earlier in the year. Looking at who has been named so far, I don't think that box has been ticked yet!

Never mind that the show is pre-recorded so we will all know by the next day - it will still be a massive surprise for those attending the live event.

My guesses - Goldie Hawn or Henry Winkler.

Goldie recently followed Emma Bunton (who followed her back). Emma also recently followed Kellie Bright....

Don't know if this is anything

@TheZoeCole: @BrendanCole I'm excited about the reveal of the last 2 female celebs! If my predictions are right they are good'uns! 😉 #strictly #SCD

So as there are 5 females announced that would mean that it was be a male pro without a partner

Cue Goldie!

I would have used a NONE option too.

I don't think Ola would be left out because of injury. Dancing with a celeb is less energetic than dancing pro dances.
Ola has been cajoling Peter Andre for years to agree to Strictly and he has said he wants to dance with Ola. It was too easy to not hire Ola in the first place rather than hire her and not use her (unless you believe the producer is scared of the boogeyman on twitter, which I think is very far from being the case).

I don't think they would hire Otlile and not use her.

Its possible they have something different for Anton. He is popular and good at a number of things and they may have some function which would make good use of him and have potential for further development.

I think the big star signing that is Goldie will go on to partner Anton.

If they were to do the coupling up on Launch night, I could see them playing up to Anton being "left out in the cold" after a succession of dreadful partners, only for him to end up with one of the biggest stars Strictly have ever signed.

Bigger name than Henry - plus - she was a dancer.

She is such a big name in Strictly terms that they probably would do something special for her entrance. That would be the cherry on the cupcake.

http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/...BsY%2FeZPhk%3D

I was just about to mention this.

She is trained in ballet & tap dance and ran and taught in a ballet school. She was also a go-go dancer but probably never trained in Latin & Ballroom disciplines


Fingers crossed!!!
(Love the image btw!!!)

http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/...BsY%2FeZPhk%3D[/quote]

I think what others have said about Ola are right, they have hyped up a partnership between her and Peter too much {he even talked about her in his press release}

If Zoe Cole is right and their are only 7 female celebs then either Anton or one of the new boys are out. It might be Anton and seeing as he is so popular I think they would either end up giving him a judging role or a presenting one. I could see them putting him with Tess downstairs although I hope not because that would be a match made in hell

would they hire any of the pros and not use them

seems so unfair on the pros if the do this and I really hope they dont!

I presume if any of the pros are being left without a celeb they would know when they signed the contract that that's what they were being hired for. It's not as though they're going to spring it on them randomly.

What about Claudia as the surprise contestant?

Deleted

I said this on the predictions thread if Ola gets Peter....I hope she can up with some more interesting choreography than the repetitive stuff she usually churns out....whatever people think of Andre...he is a high profile signing and looks like he has dance potential...if she just comes out with pivots, knee slides, starfish etc it'll be a waste, I'm glad it looks like he has some real competiton in Jay Mcguiness so perhaps if Ola gets Peter she'll realise she can't get away with the same old stuff she's done before.

*Pivot* *Pivot* *Pivot* *Pivot* *Pivot* *Pivot* *Pivot* *Pivot* Ola Jordan patented Rock Tango

Anton having a presenting role would be a real turn-off for us...

The last time when she had a celeb with dance potential, the time to train. (and she got to choose the music).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dy0WiGg2NM

What about Rosie Huntington-Whiteley?

If you were going to keep a pro just for pro dances, would it really be Anton? As much as I do have a soft spot for him, he hardly fits in with the gimmicky party Latin routines that make up 90% of the pro dances. I understand that in this hypothetical situation he'd be doing a bit of presenting, but I think the producers probably appreciate the value of Anton in partnership with a celebrity.

I think it's more likely to be one of the new boys, or possibly Tristan as an outside bet.

Well its looking like that it will be a male that wont get a celebrity and they won't get rid Anton from the show completely plus he's got presenting experience and there were a lot of complaints about Tess being out of her depth last year

Anton was dreadful in Hole in the Wall or whatever it was called. And wasn't it prerecorded? Presenting a live show is completely different.

He also mumbles and swallows his words when he talks.

Tess may be bland, but she's a far more experienced presenter. The BBC isn't going to trust their flagship show to Anton -- at least, I hope not.

I see it more as having the two of them downstairs with Claudia upstairs

I could see that. Thing is Tess is disconnected from it all. Bruce had an understanding of dance. Claudia did ITT for years so is more connected to process. Zoe was great last year. Been there done that. Tess just seems to be on the sidelines making inane comments.

I'm still clinging to the hope that one of these last four announcements is going to be a couple, and we'll have 16 contestants.... but its not looking good is it?

If not, I think its stupid that they have made a big deal of the 16 pro dancers only to push one of them into the background. IF its Ola because she hasn't recovered fully then fair enough, but otherwise I think its a shoddy way to treat the dancers and also their fans who look forward to seeing them in a new partnership.

Incidentally, the new issue of TV Times says 16 celebs are doing it. This is so confusing!!!

I think that's one of the reasons I really don't like Tess as a presenter - whatever she says, I never get the impression she loves the show or is emotionally invested at all. Bruce, before I started FF'ing him, was often moved by a dance or was driven to comment on something, but Tess never seems to have a spontaneous thought about anything that happens. Even Vernon, when he's on ITT, seems way more invested in the show and contestants than Tess. Claudia (and Zoe when she was on) often looks genuinely upset when they have to say goodbye to a contestant, while Tess stands there looking like she's trying to mould her expression into a 'sad face' for the camera. As you say, she just seems very disconnected from it all. I know she has people talking in her ear and has to keep the show running etc, but presenters on other shows also have this and manage to seem a lot more warm and involved. Having said all that, I don't think Anton would improve the situation as Tess has proved before that she can't really respond to his humour.

Do we need Anton on the sidelines making even more inane comments?!

I appreciate that - hypothetically - with all his experiences on the show, donkeys' years of ballroom and his special appreciation for the stupidity of the Latin dances, Anton ought to be able to offer understanding, empathy and insightful comment.

But when has he ever done that?