Alasdair Lawrance

I see we’re being asked for our favourite “Strictly…” moment.

I’ll start the ball rolling with the – "Produced and Directed by……." caption.

 

Geoff Hawkes

By which I take it you mean that it’s nice when it stops….

In our house it’s on because the Satnav likes watching it, need I say more?

(reference Pam Ayers Poem: “I have a little SatNav”)

 

Graeme Wall

"Next on BBC 1…"

 

Pat Heigham

I used to like “Strictly…“ with the original judges line-up. Len was the sheet anchor, Darcey was kind at offering constructive criticism – always encouraging, Bruno – good value from the comedy side, but Craig could be horribly beastly and denigrating – yes, he’s a professional choreographer, but the guys and girls in the competition are amateurs – you cannot submit them to the same scrutiny as if you were auditioning.

I never took to Claudia, and Tess – well she’s pretty but her northern accent really grated on my southern ears! (“…Joodges   “)

If the new series (Autumn 2020) is really going to involve same-sex couples, I won’t be tuning in! (So which bloke is going to wear the ballgown?)

Further un-favourite moments are with the SteadiCam framing when ‘dancing’ with the couples. Astaire always insisted on being framed top to toe, thus one could see the whole body and footwork. Doesn’t happen on “Strictly…“. The judges can see the feet, but that’s denied to the viewers. Come on, Director, get it together!

 

Roger Long

BBC Bristol NPC once produced a doco  about ice skating, omitting the feet and skates.

It had to be reshot.

It was directed by an ex skater… (who was also the wife of the Head of NPC). 

 

Nick Ware

The 2019 “Strictly…“ Final drew in 11.3 million viewers, so they must be doing something right. Viewing is optional if you don’t like it. Keep Fiddling!

 

David Denness

It seems some people have selective memories on this forum.

Darcey Bussell was not one of the original judges, Tess and Claudia took over presenting role from the dreaded Brucie, and the same sex pairing that is proposed contains Nicola Adams. As I heard one critic say, “…if you don’t like the idea complain to her face to face…” You could get a painful punch on the nose! Not much chance of males wearing ballgowns in that pair.

Craig is the only honest judge who judges the dancing, pure and simple.  He’s not being beastly, just doing what he is asked to and his criticism is frequently constructive and helpful.

By the way Bruno is also a professional choreographer as well as a clown.

I do agree, though, that the direction is appalling.

 

Pat Heigham

Gosh, I think that in my case, the memory is not ‘selective’ but defective! I’d totally forgotten Brucie.

The attached satirical comment was submitted to Private Eye, but rejected! For amusement only.  [[[[News we would like PDF]]]]

In the earlier days of “Strictly…”, it was the only Hi-Key Glitzy programme that smacked of show biz, there being no Palladium or Minstrels or Cotton’s Band show – so it was good entertainment. I got quite good at anticipating the judge’s scores, and correctly predicted Kara Tointon as the 2010 final winner.

I still think that Craig can be unnecessarily harsh, though.

The lighting has progressed a long way since Tommy Moncrieff’s use of Strand 23’s projecting floor patterns in the TVT!

The current BGT lighting stuff is amazing, too.

 

Graeme Wall

Not sure what the problem is with the thought of two girls dancing together! When I was a gawky teenager, at dances all the boys kept to the edge of the room and the girls danced together round their handbags.

 

Pat Heigham

This does remind me of an all-bachelor Irish holiday around the Ring of Kerry. All four of us went to a local village dance, where the girls sat one side of the hall, the boys the other. When the last waltz was announced, there was a concerted rush across the floor by the lads to claim a partner, as it seemed that they could walk the girl home afterwards, with maybe a bit of a snog in the dark. That’s when the fights started: “ I saw her first – she’s mine,(thump)” etc.

Independently, all 4 of us latched on to a very pretty lass, who turned out to be a nurse, working in Bath. She was really friendly and hospitable and organised a picnic for us – but she brought her boyfriend along, a large rugby player!