They are, according to Blueroom :

Kyran/Melanie
Clare/Andre
Kay/Fred
Neil/Pam
Stephen/Kristina
Phil/Natalia
Duncan/Maria
Ulrika/Pavel
Lisa/Matt
Lee/Frankie
Emily/Dan

What an uninspiring line-up! :yawn:

http://danceriviera.blogspot.com/200...e-returns.html

Kyran Bracken (Rugby Player - wonder if he can cook too) and professional partner Melanie Lambert
Clare Buckfield (Actress) and professional partner Andre Lipanov
Kay Burley (TV Presenter) and professional partner Fred Palasck
Neil Fox (Radio DJ) and professional partner Pam O'Connor (who partnered David Seaman in Series 1)
Stephen Gately (Singer/Actor) and professional partner Kristina Lenko
Phil Gayle (Newsreader) and professional partner Natalia Pestova
Duncan James (Singer/TV Presenter) and professional partner Maria Filippov
Ulrika Jonsson (TV Presenter) and professional partner Pavel Aubrecht
Lisa Scott-Lee (Singer) and professional partner Matt Evers (who partnered Bonnie Langton previously)
Lee Sharpe (Ex-Manchester United Footballer) and professional partner Frankie Poultney
Emily Symons (Actress) and professional partner Daniel Whiston (who won Series 1 with Gaynor Faye)



Well, there's a very experienced Pairs skater [former British Champion, European and World competitor] Mike Aldred, currently competing in the Dutch DOI 2, so I wouldn't think that's an adequate reason.


That's because she skated with a very good celeb partner!


No, he was considered too short.

Remember that Kristina Lenko partnered Stefan Booth in series 1.

La Rhumba, I think it's best to wait until the series begins to make a jugement on the lineup. They could be very good, we haven't seen them skate yet!

Yes, I'm aware of that, I'm just saying that as a die-hard skating follower for years I've not even heard of half of the Pros, and I think it's a shame that more talent from the UK wasn't utilised.

Video of Kay's partner Fred, the new Fred & Ginger, he's cute, but can't stand her already!

Lovely to have Dan & Kristina & Pam back!! I really loved Maria and Frankie's dancing tonight too. And Fred is rather gorgeous!!!

I agree with La Rhumba (and not just coz we're friends anyway, lol) i wanted to see a few more British skaters. But after seeing Jonathan O and his bleached hair at British Nationals last week, i think it might be a good thing he wasn't picked.

I will give these pros a chance though as i ended up loving Matt in the last series, and i'd never heard of him before! Lovely to see him back.

Which of the pros are British? Apart from Pam and Daniel.....

No one! Unless Frankie is British, i haven't heard of her as i'm not familiar with many of the touring show skaters.

LOL after hearing her accent on Defrosted i think she is British.

Frankie is apparently from Sheffield.

3 out of 11?!! That's not great. Good job the british pros are so fab!!

I miss Marika.


Where are all the pros from then?

But they booted Pam off first show! Down to just the two now. Maybe we can adopt Kristina?

Dave

Ha, you wish!

Aww, poor Pam!

Wheeee Miffy!!!

Sooo nice to see familiar old friends here.

Poor lovely Pam. I thought she looked beautiful tonight, and Foxy did his best, but was never a winning partner, so....... I still wish they were there for another week though.

I sooooooo miss Marika too. There's no reason why her husband Vitaliy couldn't have been invited, he's very strong in the lifts, and could've danced with any celeb as he's v. tall aswell.

When you put it like that Cat - 3 out of 11 - it sounds really bad. Ofcourse we don't know who the remaining pro was who sadly had to drop out cos Sarah Greene pulled out?

But of the other pros - although they were described as being "Bulgarian" and "Czech" Maria Filipov and Pavel Aubrecht both live in Australia and were in the Oz DOI. Fred and Melanie are American, Kristina is Canadian. Andrei Lipanov is Russian/Ukrainian, Natalia Pestova is Russian, and......who's the last one....? Ofcourse lol! Hunky Matt is American, but we've all adopted Matt & Kristina as our own.

In a Scottish newspaper article today, Pam is interviewed, and May 1st is named as Pam & Jon's wedding day.

I thought the pros were rather ignored last night, they seemed to be left standing there & all the talk was about the 'sleb'. Much as I love T&D having them saying how proud they are each time does slow the job down!

Aww its all about Matt for me- but I kinda like Fred too........!!Glad Kristina and Pam are back- shame about Pam!!

I thought that, I don't think Maria said a word, or Andrei. For a while I thought they couldn't speak English. They need to get more coverage, after all they put it a lot of hours too.

Dave

With regards to the pro's, has everyone forgotten about Daniel? He won it with Gaynor last time and seems to have a really good partnership with Emily this year.

He's more popular that Matt on the Blue room forums. They are actually voting for Emily just to keep him in the competition.

Haha, I've not forgotton about him! I think Dan's fantastic!! I was so glad he won!

I love Kristina too, she's all cute and bouncy and squeaky!! Of the new guys, Fred's veeeeeeeery cute And I like Maria and Frankie's dancing.

kristina is my fave but frankie seems great too
i do like matt

I fear we won't see much of the lovely Kristina if Stephen doesn't improve...and fast