Like in previous years the purpose of these threads are to post your five initial thoughtsafter the show each week.

1) Loved the reaction from Anatascia and Brendan of being paired - he will do a fantastic job with her and good chance of getting to final.
2) Would have loved Lesley to be paired with Kevin but am getting Rachel Riley vibes from Louise - surely Kev won't make 4 finals?
3) Loving Danny/Oti, Tameka/Gorka and Ore/Joanne partnerships - Tameka I found hilarious and I'd put money on Ore winning.
4) Will comes across as subdued and looked more enthused dancing with Jo in group dance - don't think him and Karen will work.
5) Hated the opening intro of the space theme - talk about dumbing it down. Compared to other launch shows I felt genetally it fell flat?

1) Absolutely loved the show! What a feel good atmosphere it has this series and you can see all of the celebrities get along great. I'm hoping for a great series.

2) There's no celebrity I instantly dislike, surprisingly.

3) Initial favourites are Anastacia & Brendan, Tameka & Gorka and Rinder & Oksana.

4) The only celebrity to stand out as a weak link at the moment after the group dance is Ed.

5) Ms Winkleman was hilarious - as always!

1. Liked the opening dance.
2. Liked the Celebs.
3. Judge Rinder Is Hillarious
4. I can see Olly Murs doing the programme
5. I loved the show.

1) Loved seeing Craig do more dancing in the intro number.

2) I didn't see the reality show where Will won, but he's a sweetie. #helpwill

3) Why did they give Oti Danny? She's one of my favourites and he's the only male celeb who is currently leaving me cold. I hope for her sake that he can dance, even if it means I have to put up with him for longer.

4) I was hoping that Ed (my current favourite male celeb) would get Karen. They've obviously decided that he's unlikely to go the distance or they wouldn't have given him one of the new pros.

5) I'm really liking Ore, and since I also like Joanne, I think they might be my favourite couple at the moment.

1. Was surprised how much I liked Judge Rinder, and he seems to be able to move.
2. Thought that Wardrobe had taken a dislike to Louise already but reading online it appears that she liked her dress as it was.
3. Tameka and Gorka are going to have a great time and looking at the group dance could be in for the long haul.
4. Apart from Ed, there didn't seem to be any real duffers (and I had hoped that he wouldn't be as bad as he was) and it could be the closest contest in years which would be great.
5. Ore looked good in the group dance and it will be good to see how he works with Jo. The next three weeks are going to go v slowly.

1. Poor Katya- Ed's a duffer.
2. Ms Winkleman was hilarious tonight!
3. Jay's Jive didn't wow me this time around.
4. Really excited for some pairings. Especially Danny and Oti.
5. Sad that all 3 Cliftons have possible contenders- although Louise didn't look great in the group dance.

1. The male celebs have been paired up well imo
2. The female celeb pairings are not good at all and I suspect will hinder any female celebs chance of victory
3. I think the final will have at least two male celebs in it and possibly three despite the 7-8 imbalance of male and female celebs taking part
4. The opening space related sequence was pretty tacky and desperate.
5. Great to have Joanne back as a competing pro.

1. Lovely to have Strictly back to cheer up those cold, miserable, dark winter days

2. Thought they were all reasonably paired well, although I might have switched Daisy to Brendan and Anastasia to Giovanni and Laura to Aljaz

3. Loved Will and Karen reaction - they looked very pleased

4. Doubts about Greg, didnt look like a good mover - hope to be proved wrong

5. Really enjoyed this even more thanks to Stig's report ( spoiler thread ) great to know all the behind the scenes joins !

1) Number one priority for me this year was Joanne getting someone who looks half decent. VERY happy she got Ore. I think he has some moves

2) Was very happy with what I saw in the group dance. Most of them seem to have potential. We have a few obvious front runners from the get go but also a number of dark horses as well. Exciting!

3) Really liking Katya so was disappointed she got Ed. Having said that I think she'll do a good job of not making him the joke contestant, which would perhaps have been a risk had he been paired with someone like Karen.

4) I was finding it a bit tricky to differentiate Danny and Gorka

5) Don't want to wish September away but I'm already getting impatient for the first show

1. Who thought a space theme would be a good idea?

2. Claudia outshone Tess again.

3. I do wonder if the pairings are already known-Ore and Joanne did a well-rehearsed (or a totally fluke) performance when they were announced.

4. Anton is partnered with Lesley but she looks like she could be a nifty mover and says she loves the Latin dances.

5. The group dance looked great and everyone seemed to having a fab time although they must be incredibly nervous.

1. The first 10 minutes really dragged - I thought the space nonsense was awful. Thankfully the show got better as it went on.

2. Will & Karen My favourite celebrity (based on what they've done before this) with my favourite pro dancer - RESULT!

3. Ore is looking very promising indeed - I expected him to be pretty beige but he was superb in the group routine and looks like he could be a lot of fun too. Excellent choice for Joanne.

4. I don't get the love for Daisy so far; I don't see this ridiculously attractive and lovely lady that others do. Hopefully I may warm to her as time goes on but she seems less likeable than most to me at the moment.

5. Overall, they look like a good bunch of people and hopefully there will be plenty of magic on the dancefloor this year!

1. That opening dance was awful, truly terrible. The only good thing about it was it made me thankful Aliona and Tristan left before having to be part of it.
2. Judge Rinder is a shock early favourite for me for 2 reasons He made me laughb and he can move
3. Very happy for Natalie to get a contender
4. I really liked Laura, she came across well.
5. The highlight for me was the Jaliona recap.

1. loved, loved , loved the show and I am so excited. Sparkle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. she's not looking a very good dancer but I have a huge girl crush on Daisy

3. Ore surprised me, he looks as if he will be fab

4. I love Will. What a lovely bloke. I hope he does well.

5. Natalie looked gorgeous as always. She is a goddess.

1. Should we or shouldn't we activate Anton made me laugh

2. Liked how they introduced all the pros individually including their achievements.

3. Particularly looking forward to Joanne & Ore, Daisy & Aljaz, Brendan & Anastacia, Laura & Giovanni and Tameka & Gorka.

4. Was great to see Jay and Aliona back.

5. Love the whole cast and think we're in for a brilliant series.

1. The space intro was too long, but overall a great show full of energy.
2. The pairings that made me say "great match" were Brendan with Anastasia and Greg with Natalie.
3. I think Laura, Daisy and Louise will be vanilla and overtaken by the greater personalities and performances from Tameka, Ore and Judge Rinder.
4. I love the fact that we do not have the usual stage school/boy band outstanding celeb, and instead have several celebs from different backgrounds with potential.
5. The Cliftons grated; OTT Joanne, Kevin yet again getting a "name" and Karen just desperate for attention and not funny when clinging to Will.

1. I love Oti! And although I don't warm to Danny much, I think he might be a good dancer, so I hope they go far, for Oti's sake.
2. I like Ore and Joanne, they're my early favourites - team OJ!
3. Jay looked SO much more confident in that jive!
4. The 'music' from Rebecca Ferguson and Olly Murs was dire. Had to mute them both.
5. I didn't expect to like Laura so much, I think she and Giovanni could be really good!

1) Thank god Neil doesn't have a celeb, he's like Greg's doppelganger! (Nice to see a redhead among the male pros though)

2) Yep, Ed will be awful. Poor Katya, but I was happy that Karen didn't get him, she deserves another decent one.

3) Speaking of Karen, her partnership with Will will be interesting. Personality-wise he seems a bit similar to Jay or an initial Mark Ramprakash; I do think Karen was probably the right pro for him in that respect.

4) The Rachel Riley award may be going to Daisy Lowe, I'm not sure why, just get the feeling that she'll be a bit like Kirsty from last year.

5) Faves so far are Anastacia, Tameka, Judge Rinder, Ore, and Greg I reckon will be better than he thinks he is

1) One of the best 'as live' launches ever!

2) Really liking this cast. Think it's going to be a fun, competitive year

3) Greg and Natalie, Tameka and Gorka and Robert and Oksana are going to be particularly fun

4) Claudia W is such a fantastic asset for the show. Her bizarro-chemistry with Tess just works!

5) Tameka is going to be a surprise early standout. 'Dem moves in the group dance...

I didn't really like tonight's show I got bored..

1) loved Anastasia and Brendan and the fact she's just been to hell and back and seems genuinely chuffed to be on scd and with Brendan! They must have got on well in training 😊 cant wait

2) Anton cant dance latin, maybe this should be his last season as we all knew he'd get Lesley

3) Kevin getting the price pars EVERY year!! I think that will go against Louise the public aren't daft!

4) loved Greg and natalie!! Natalie for final!;

5) Claudia slighting Anastasia when interviewing the new couples wasn't comfortable to watch!!

1. The opening sequence was horrendous.

2. Taken an instant dislike to Tameka. The last two Eastenders celebs have been way too loud. Please tone it down.

3.Glad to see Joanne has a (possible) good'un, it means we won't see and hear her on ITT (she was great last year). Poor Natalie yet another duffer(Judging by the group dance) destined to be the best pro not to win SCD.

4. Loved Claudia and her 'long jumper'

5. Jay McGuiness has put on a few pounds. Sad to see Aliona leave.

- didnt like the space theme thought it was tacky, and I've seen Italian TV
- no idea who Judge Rinder is, but I liked him very much
- there's a Gethin look alike, at the moment he's under my radar
- hope the gymnasts do well, love both Claudia and Greg
- love Ed Balls, hope he stays for a while

1. Opening sequence with the space thing was a bit pointless

2. Bit gutted WIll is paired up with Karen as I like him but not a fan of her.

3. Claudia, Tameka and the Judge stood out for me in the group dance.

4. Looks like Louise drew the short straw with the costume dept!!

5. Really cant call a winner this year!

Intro was awful and it dragged.

Some natural comedians in this group which pleases me.

They seem a lovely group altogether... not one that jarred.

Not one decent dress among the contestants IMO.

I think we're going to have another male winner.

1. Agree space theme was a waste of space!
2. Thought all the pairings were pretty predictable.
3. New boy with curly/wavy hair loves himself a little too much - kept cheesing into the camera. 😁
4. Alijaz as gorgeous and genuine as ever 😘
5. Really not a fan of Leslie Joseph but I truly hope Anton pays her some respect and doesn't drag her around around the dance floor if she is not as athletic as he would like

I have never liked these launch shows. Especially the wait to the first live show.