Thought all the celebrities danced well and that they ended the launch night on a high. Few things that caught my eye:

A bit surprised to see the spring in Naga's step (in the partner pairing and group dance) and thought she danced nicely in her tight fitting costume. Wasn't too sure what to expect initially.

Ore looked to be the showman on the floor, dazzling with his varied facial expressions, hands and playing in tandem with the camerawork. He seems to have a natural charisma to him.

Thought Louise radiated a soft, warm feeling to her dance; she seems multi-dimensional and for some reason blended in with the dancers and performance well. She seems to have a good feel of space.

Definitely early days and would be interested to see how everyone progresses and changes through training and in the weekly episodes.

Hello there. I remember you from the forum last year where you posted thoughtful and very well informed write ups on Georgia, Helen and Jay. So I'm intrigued to know if your focus this year will be Louise, Naga and Ore. I noticed Ore and thought he moved well. Louise seemed a bit awkward, self-conscious, but was not as poor as others have been suggesting. I was not much impressed by Naga.

Anyway I look forward to reading your write-ups and had cause to revisit the ones you wrote on Helen, which I c&p to the appreciation thread.

1) I loved Natalie's reaction to Greg!
2) WHYYY did Kevin get ANOTHER ringer!
3) Laura, Rinder, Ore and Anastacia came across really well
4) Oti is STUNNING.
5) The group number was a tad dissappointing compared to last year's.

1/ The FF button is the best thing ever invented!! Cut the show down by at least half for me.
2/ Impressed by Naga, thought she could really move which surprised me.
3/ Unimpressed by Len's comments without making a comment.
4/ I am either going to love or loathe Tameka, haven't decided yet
5/ Talking over the audience noise, its starting to grate.

Did anyone else think Kevin acted like Julien Macdonald when he heard he had Louise?

1) What were they thinking with that opening?
2) The comedy which works on Strictly is subtle - not 'Claudia' doing unncessary backflips.
3) Laura and Giovanni/Lesley and Anton - dull, uninspiring, predictable pairings.
4) Tameka is going to be so much fun and Robert could be too.
5) Now we have to wait nearly three weeks for it's return!

Is there a reason the quality is blocky on iPlayer on iOS? Yet other programmes are not. Or rather the fast motion is causing all the macroblocking. It certainly isn't in HD.

1 Showing my age, but back in the day pop singers were also lookers, like Elvis, Fabian, Ricky Nelson, Prince and even Donny Bloody Osmond... and now we get Olly Murs?

2 Did Gorka speak? Who cares? He GORgeous! Hope he's a keeper because we keep losing cuties like Gleb, Tristan and Trent and keeping Anton... But I love Anton anyway.

3 The 11 year old can dance!! But he looks like a ventriloquist's dummy. The last one of those, Brian Fortuna, didn't last long and I wonder about this one – projecting a personality is hard when you're still a babe in arms.

4 If they're expecting Oksana to be a spitfire, they've pinned their hopes on the wrong Russian (think Katya.) Oksana's got the chutzpah of a newborn kitten, if her 10 troupe seasons in the US were anything to go by – but she's sweet. Never noticed a personality but hope springs eternal.

5 Katya looked a bit sad at times, and Karen clambering onto Will made me feel a bit sick - oh another dulled-out one was Louise, but maybe she's always like that Anyway, makes for a change from screechy Kellie. And I thought Laura looked uncomfortable with Giovanni as well but maybe I was projecting.

1 - Anton/Lesley was a bit obvious, but better for him to be back in his comfort zone than trying to win - and she seemed very pleased.

2 - Ore looks like he can move - so a good chance to see whether Jo is as good as her reputation (I think she will be, but who knows...).

3 - Claudia and AJ was again an obvious pairing - but they are very cute bless them.

4 - Nice to see Natalie looking overjoyed with her partner.

5 - Strictly's back

#1 = Already loving Melvin and Janette, Naga and Pasha, Judge Rinder and Oksana, Tameka and Gorka. Also like Will and Karen, Ore and Joanne
#2 = Annoyed that Oti got Danny, always annoying when your favourite pros get someone you don't like or don't know
#3 = I think Olly Murs wants to do Strictly, thinking of Will Young's performance last year
#4 = Felt sorry for Katya, hope she stays so she can have someone with potential
#5 = Looking forward to series, although hopefully judges scoring is miles better than last year, as in overmarking certain celebs and undermarking others etc etc

1) Anton's contribution to the group dances is even more minimal than last year. Still, if we are for another year of non-specific ballroom and non-specific latin, I can't say I blame him.

2) I see that the group dance camerawork was left to the work experience kid. Considering the show wasn't live the camerawork was poor, even the Holy Jive suffered.

3) AJ needs to start having heavy nights out on a Friday night. It might just take the edge off his dazzling youth. And, maybe not shave for a bit, if he's actually started that is.

4)Janette seems to attended Karen Hardy's pointing and winking school. Please stop.

5) Judge Rinder can move and was loving it!

1. Pasha has lost his holiday weight.

2. Ooooh, hello Gorka .

3. The pro dances actually looked like recogniseable dances rather than a hot mess of random steps and lifts. Bet that won't last.

4. I really like Lesley Joseph, she has a great smile and energy.

5. For a duffer, Ed Balls isn't THAT bad. There have been far, far worse - at least he had a go and remembered the steps.

1. So glad Strictly is back

2. Really looking forward to Greg and Natalie, Will and Karen, Ore and Joanne

3. No-one looked awful

4. The partnerships all look good, even the predictable ones (Anton, Natalie and AJ)

5. Three whole weeks

1) I loved Natalie and Oti's reactions to getting their partners.

2) I thought Will, Tameka and Judge Rinder were all funny.

3) I'm looking forward to seeing Will, Melvin, Greg, Tameka, Daisy and Judge.

4) I thought Jay and Aliona's jive was mediocre, it wasn't a patch on last year's. Jay just didn't seem that in to it.

5) I thought that beginning section was tacky and they didn't show enough of the new professionals. Why didn't they give proper introductions, like they have in previous years! Also, wish they had shown more of the rehearsal dance.

BIB: Quite agree

Loved Rebecca.
Show went in a bit too long in my opinion.

AJ needs a tough paper round - that would do the trick

1 Disapointed Anton has a duffer
2 Judge Rinder could supprise everyone
3 Cut out Claudia's long jumper joke& Acrobatic routine
4 Don't like AJ
5 Fuming all cliftons have potential finalists

I wouldn't write Lesley off just yet - she did ballet as a kid (so even after all those years, you'd expect her to remember basics) and she's done some recent dancing in musicals.

Also, she's in good shape for a 70 year old...she may surprise.

Only one I am discounting is Ed...sorry Ballsy!

1. AJ and Claudia will win
2 Melvin was surprisingly bad, he looked like a lost old man
3 . Lesley shaking her hips - never do that again!!
4. I like the new pros thank goodness so many left last year

yeah that's it.