On DWTS, there has been many cases of celebs requesting pros (e.g. Michael Waltrip asked for Emma, Jennifer, Nicole and Ricki all asked for Derek, Erin and Kirstie requested Maks etc.)
Has this happened on SCD?
Has this happened on SCD?
Do Celebs request Pros?
Kellie seemed delighted she got Kevin last year and Jamelia was pleased with Tristan. We'll never know if they asked for them or not. I can imagine to some celebs it could be quite an important clause in their contracts that they get certain pros. I bet Lulu regrets not having one. I think she could've specified which pro she wanted as she's still quite a bit name for Strictly.
Originally Posted by Joe14:
“On DWTS, there has been many cases of celebs requesting pros (e.g. Michael Waltrip asked for Emma, Jennifer, Nicole and Ricki all asked for Derek, Erin and Kirstie requested Maks etc.)
Has this happened on SCD?”
“On DWTS, there has been many cases of celebs requesting pros (e.g. Michael Waltrip asked for Emma, Jennifer, Nicole and Ricki all asked for Derek, Erin and Kirstie requested Maks etc.)
Has this happened on SCD?”
I'm sure some people ask; not so sure they get.
Originally Posted by JamieHT:
“Kellie seemed delighted she got Kevin last year and Jamelia was pleased with Tristan. We'll never know if they asked for them or not. I can imagine to some celebs it could be quite an important clause in their contracts that they get certain pros. I bet Lulu regrets not having one. I think she could've specified which pro she wanted as she's still quite a bit name for Strictly.”
“Kellie seemed delighted she got Kevin last year and Jamelia was pleased with Tristan. We'll never know if they asked for them or not. I can imagine to some celebs it could be quite an important clause in their contracts that they get certain pros. I bet Lulu regrets not having one. I think she could've specified which pro she wanted as she's still quite a bit name for Strictly.”
Originally Posted by fridgesoup:
“I'm sure some people ask; not so sure they get.”
“I'm sure some people ask; not so sure they get.”
I read before that Russell requested Flavia, and not sure if Jimi also asked for her as he said on Twitter when they got paired on launch night that he 'got the one he wanted' (or words to that effect).
Harry Judd wrote in his book that he was shocked and disappointed when he got paired with Aliona as he was sure he was getting Flavia, so again I'm not sure if he asked for her. He also said though that he ended up with a good relationship with Aliona so that it had worked out well in the end.
Those are only the ones I know about but I'd presume that other celebs will have asked for certain pros too but it might not be certain that they'll get them. I had wondered if BOTH Russell and Harry had asked for Flavia but obviously they were both in same series so it wasn't possible.
Celebs can, and do, definitely put in their requests, but there is no guarantee their request will be granted. Couples are put together in what the beep sees as being most beneficial to the show. Quite rightly so, as the show is bigger than any individual celeb, or pro dancer come to that!
It's the same as they can request certain pieces of music. Sometimes the request can & is granted, other times it's just not possible.
It's the same as they can request certain pieces of music. Sometimes the request can & is granted, other times it's just not possible.
I'm not sure, but I think some celebs are brought in with certain pro's in mind. I can remember as soon as Andre was confirmed last year there was instant speculation that he would be paired with Janette (which proved to be correct)
Originally Posted by Monkseal:
“Widdy refused to do the show unless she got Anton.”
“Widdy refused to do the show unless she got Anton.”
I remember that like it was only yesterday. doesn't seem nearly 6 years since she did it
Originally Posted by kaycee:
“Celebs can, and do, definitely put in their requests, but there is no guarantee their request will be granted. Couples are put together in what the beep sees as being most beneficial to the show. Quite rightly so, as the show is bigger than any individual celeb, or pro dancer come to that!
It's the same as they can request certain pieces of music. Sometimes the request can & is granted, other times it's just not possible.”
“Celebs can, and do, definitely put in their requests, but there is no guarantee their request will be granted. Couples are put together in what the beep sees as being most beneficial to the show. Quite rightly so, as the show is bigger than any individual celeb, or pro dancer come to that!
It's the same as they can request certain pieces of music. Sometimes the request can & is granted, other times it's just not possible.”
This is not completely true. Officially celebs can't insist on particular pros, that's what the BBC want us to think of course.
But stories have leaked out about certain people refusing to do the show, unless they get their choice of pro, such as Ann Widdicombe and I think also Katie Derham wanting Anton. If the producers really want a celeb on the show that much, then I think they will go along with it, although obviously they can't admit to it!
Originally Posted by Midnight Moggy:
“This is not completely true. Officially celebs can't insist on particular pros, that's what the BBC want us to think of course.
But stories have leaked out about certain people refusing to do the show, unless they get their choice of pro, such as Ann Widdicombe and I think also Katie Derham wanting Anton. If the producers really want a celeb on the show that much, then I think they will go along with it, although obviously they can't admit to it!”
“This is not completely true. Officially celebs can't insist on particular pros, that's what the BBC want us to think of course.
But stories have leaked out about certain people refusing to do the show, unless they get their choice of pro, such as Ann Widdicombe and I think also Katie Derham wanting Anton. If the producers really want a celeb on the show that much, then I think they will go along with it, although obviously they can't admit to it!”
Exactly. It depends on the bargaining power of the celeb in negotiating contractual terms. Widdy was her usual indiscreet self in letting the cat out of the bag in early interviews that she had only agreed to do the show on the basis she danced with Anton. There was a certain amount of finessing the story for public consumption subsequently but I don't think there is much doubt that she is an example of a celeb the Beeb wanted enough to agree to her terms as to which pro she got.
IIRC, Lisa Riley put in a request as well (she said as much on the launch show if my memory is working) but I can't remember whether she did request Robin or if it was one of the other pros. I think it was Robin she requested.
Originally Posted by Midnight Moggy:
“This is not completely true. Officially celebs can't insist on particular pros, that's what the BBC want us to think of course.
But stories have leaked out about certain people refusing to do the show, unless they get their choice of pro, such as Ann Widdicombe and I think also Katie Derham wanting Anton. If the producers really want a celeb on the show that much, then I think they will go along with it, although obviously they can't admit to it!”
“This is not completely true. Officially celebs can't insist on particular pros, that's what the BBC want us to think of course.
But stories have leaked out about certain people refusing to do the show, unless they get their choice of pro, such as Ann Widdicombe and I think also Katie Derham wanting Anton. If the producers really want a celeb on the show that much, then I think they will go along with it, although obviously they can't admit to it!”
I did say that celebs can request - or "demand" even - a particular pro partner, but that there was no guarantee that request would be granted. If the beeb think a certain celeb will be a benefit to the show then obviously they will grant their wishes. Widdy - love her or hate her (or her politics) - was clearly going to be a draw as being someone so far out of her comfort zone that she would almost definitely draw viewers through curiosity, if nothing else. I can't think they would necessarily abide by Katie Derham's wishes, unless they thought it was the right partnership.
But it still gets down to, for the majority, they can request who they want, but they will have to put up with who they are given.
Originally Posted by kaycee:
“I did say that celebs can request - or "demand" even - a particular pro partner, but that there was no guarantee that request would be granted. If the beeb think a certain celeb will be a benefit to the show then obviously they will grant their wishes. Widdy - love her or hate her (or her politics) - was clearly going to be a draw as being someone so far out of her comfort zone that she would almost definitely draw viewers through curiosity, if nothing else. I can't think they would necessarily abide by Katie Derham's wishes, unless they thought it was the right partnership.
But it still gets down to, for the majority, they can request who they want, but they will have to put up with who they are given.”
“I did say that celebs can request - or "demand" even - a particular pro partner, but that there was no guarantee that request would be granted. If the beeb think a certain celeb will be a benefit to the show then obviously they will grant their wishes. Widdy - love her or hate her (or her politics) - was clearly going to be a draw as being someone so far out of her comfort zone that she would almost definitely draw viewers through curiosity, if nothing else. I can't think they would necessarily abide by Katie Derham's wishes, unless they thought it was the right partnership.
But it still gets down to, for the majority, they can request who they want, but they will have to put up with who they are given.”
Certain celebs were guaranteed which pro they would get, such as Ann, that's the whole point here.
Originally Posted by TheAuburnEnigma:
“IIRC, Lisa Riley put in a request as well (she said as much on the launch show if my memory is working) but I can't remember whether she did request Robin or if it was one of the other pros. I think it was Robin she requested.”
“IIRC, Lisa Riley put in a request as well (she said as much on the launch show if my memory is working) but I can't remember whether she did request Robin or if it was one of the other pros. I think it was Robin she requested.”
She said she wanted to get Robin (not specifically request him AFAIK), and according to Robin the original pairings had him with Victoria Pendleton but they decided to change things after seeing how well they got on in rehearsals.
Originally Posted by cwickham:
“She said she wanted to get Robin (not specifically request him AFAIK), and according to Robin the original pairings had him with Victoria Pendleton but they decided to change things after seeing how well they got on in rehearsals.”
“She said she wanted to get Robin (not specifically request him AFAIK), and according to Robin the original pairings had him with Victoria Pendleton but they decided to change things after seeing how well they got on in rehearsals.”
I'll assume the original pairings were: Lisa/Artem, Victoria/Robin, Fern/Anton and Jerry/Brendan.
Jerry is a couple of inches taller than Brendan, even without heels so not sure that would be an ideal pairing.
Originally Posted by Midnight Moggy:
“Certain celebs were guaranteed which pro they would get, such as Ann, that's the whole point here.”
“Certain celebs were guaranteed which pro they would get, such as Ann, that's the whole point here.”
As I said (I think!) they will only be guaranteed which pro they get IF it suits the beep. I think if Ann had requested one of the others, her request may well not have been granted. She was clearly going to be the comedy act, and that's the part Anton can play. The beep has such a huge list of people wanting to do the show that they don't have to bow to requests if if doesn't fit the show.
Originally Posted by Joe14:
“I'll assume the original pairings were: Lisa/Artem, Victoria/Robin, Fern/Anton and Jerry/Brendan.”
“I'll assume the original pairings were: Lisa/Artem, Victoria/Robin, Fern/Anton and Jerry/Brendan.”
Originally Posted by aggs:
“Jerry is a couple of inches taller than Brendan, even without heels so not sure that would be an ideal pairing.”
“Jerry is a couple of inches taller than Brendan, even without heels so not sure that would be an ideal pairing.”
Lisa/Artem being the original plan rings a bell, though - might have been in the same interview where Robin said originally he was with Victoria.
