It's not just that Sargeant is an old timer, he's out of shape and unfit too. He seems a nice guy but will be miraculous if he gets past round 1.
However, I must say what a delight it is to have the show back next week. Really looking forward to what will probably be a record year for audience figures and hopefully the standard will be as good as last year.

John may turn out to be the best ballroom dancer you never know.

But John doing a jive?????!!!!

The olympics are not ageist any more than Wimbledon tennis is ageist, it's just unrealistic to expect a 60yo to run 100 metres in 10 seconds and survive. The few exceptional Peter Pans can try if they wish. Great tennis champions still play for fun, but in the senior sections.

There are senior competition sections in Blackpool Festival of Dance -- defined at over 35 so that Karen and Nicole would qualify, with Erin and Camilla in 2-3 years. As good dancers age they do not cease to be good dancers but their repertoirs change, with accent on grace and economy of movement. The views of pro dancers on this topic, retired or not, would be really interesting.

If SCD had any pro dancers aged 50+ they would have available readymade choreography for the age group. Simon Ward used to be famous for his baby face. Joan Collins would undoubtedly put up an outstanding show, not that she would come on SCD.

60s? Possibly not. Being brutal, the physical demands required to be a winner are probably too much for most 60-year-olds; even an ex-sportsman would probably struggle.

There's a reason most dancers retire from competitions early; it's a sport.

But 50s? Yes, maybe - if you're a fit person, I think a 50-year-old could have a shot. But you'd need to also be "hungry", and it seems most older celebs aren't that hungry - they don't really want it as much as the younger ones.

Not quite. It's certainly supposed to be "fair" in that anyone can in theory win.

But it's not supposed to be an equal competition.

And young, fit, competitive people will have an advantage.

I'd agree, if her and James have the chemistry I think they might, she could have a fairly long run in this series.