Forgive me if this is mentioned a million times on other threads, but just after Peter and Janette have appeared in the title sequence there's a brief overhead spinny shot of one of the female pro dancers, is it Joanne? I don't think it's Janette again as her outfit is dark and this girl's I think is white... Was over too quick for me to see for sure

I thought it was Joanne too

Yes, I believe it is as it has led to speculation as to whether she was in fact rostered til the last minute but they either had a male drop out or could not find one for her?

It just looks a bit odd, but maybe it's just because she'll be in all the pro group dances.

I just thought it was nice that they'd squeezed her in

It looks so so tragic.

I suppose it is ☺

"Tragic", why?

Am I right in thinking that after having been partnered with Scott Mills last year, she hasn't been paired with anyone for this season? If so, why is she always front and centre in the balcony after each dance?

She's still part of the professionals' ensemble; she'll be in group dances and presumably will feature on It Takes Two. And she's just supporting her fellow pros

She was in the black and white pro dance at the beginning of the Saturday show. I *think* Kristina had dropped out of that one (though someone might correct me!)

It's great that the budget can stretch to a 'spare' pro...

I feel so sorry for Joanne . A recent world champion dancer rejected for many inferior pros .

Kristina was in it wasn't she?

Yes, they were all there. 8 pairs of pros.

I've not seen every series but is it not the case that in some series' there have indeed been spare "pro" dancers who participate in group dances and act as stand-in in the case of injury or illness?

Seems like common sense really.

I don't know if I've missed something but has there been an explanation why she has no partner this year? Did a male celeb drop out? Have the execs decided to drop her?

I'm sure they have standby contestants in case of dropouts, I can't think that they wouldn't have a contingency plan in place. I remember reading somewhere that Gregg Wallace was a standby, possibly in a couple of years, before making it onto the show.

Matt Baker was infamously a last-minute drop in for Richard Madeley.

I heard a rumour that Joanne Clifton was due to be dancing with Bernie Clifton, but the producers realised that having FIVE Cliftons on the show might just be a bit too much...

(actually it might have even been SIX Cliftons, as I'm not entirely sure what Momma Clifton looks like, but good ol' Pop Clifton was definitely there again, as always, I noticed...)

Also, Blackpool Tower has apparently been scrapped this year, in favour of a live show from The Clifton Suspension Bridge...

Serious question though : Do the other pros still call KFG: "Go-for-it-Kev" !? I doubt it, somehow... but I'll award two bonus points to the first person that can name the two pros who came up with that nickname...

Best of luck everyone.

Something tells me it would have probably been Brendan & Anton when's Joanne's first appearance on ITT does anyone know?

I'd pay a king's ransom for the opportunity to see Madeley dance 'Hoooooooo Nooooooo Yaaaaaaaawk' with Aliona.

Could it be possible that they had contracted her because there was a chance Ola wouldn't have recovered by this year. Then when Ola's ankle did heal they ended up with an extra female and instead of facing the consequences of terminating a contract early they just kept Joanne on as a 'spare' pro. I just don't see why else they'll try so hard to make Joanne feel included.

I haven't heard anything other than that panel of the hour-long Friday show, along with Karen, Ian and Robin. Not much of a gig if that's all she gets

They did send her round to rehearsals before this past weekend but I think all she did was tweet about it. But maybe she'll be part of the rehearsal peeks?

Maybe I'm wrong, but there's a sadness in her eyes this year - and I think I just saw a tweet of her with jet black hair. Sometimes fiddling with your looks over much signals some kind of depression or something.

It is nice she is being included but what you say could be a possibility. I remember Aliona and Iveta being drafted in as replacements for injured pros before and don't think either of them were in the opening credits from the start. Maybe someone can confirm or correct me on that?

From memory, I think the series 10 titles showed Johnny Ball with Aliona for the first week and during the first week of ITT, then swapped to Johnny and Iveta starting with week 2, before swapping back to Johnny and Aliona in the final week, when Johnny was dancing with Aliona in the group routine. I think that makes series 10 the only series with two versions of the titles sequence!

Edit: Looks like they swapped back to Aliona by the Quarter-final stage.