As the multi-award-winning Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer, hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman welcome our celebrity contestants onto the Strictly dancefloor - once again bringing glitter, glamour and glorious dancing to homes across the nation.
The celebrities quickstepping onto our screens this year are Adam Thomas, Annabel Croft, Amanda Abbington, Angela Rippon, Angela Scanlon, Bobby Brazier, Eddie Kadi, Ellie Leach, Jody Cundy, Krishnan Guru Murthy, Layton Williams, Les Dennis, Nigel Harman, Nikita Kanda and Zara McDermott.
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Tess Daly
And we’re back! This is Strictly’s 21st series, how does it feel to return to the show for such a monumental series?
It does indeed feel monumental that we have reached our 21st series. Strictly is a now a worldwide hit format. It is known as Dancing With The Stars globally, and it’s just incredible to think that it now plays in so many territories and yet we were the very first!
Every year there is so much excitement when Strictly comes back on our screens, what keeps audiences coming back for more?
It feels like a huge privilege to be part of a TV show that the nation has taken to their hearts. Families have grown up together, watching it on a Saturday night, they tell me all the time! It feels wonderful to be a part of that.
I think the reason it’s remained so popular is because, in a nutshell, it’s joyful, it’s warm and celebratory feel good television, which happens to be made by the most wonderful and talented production crew you could ever wish to work with. I love every last one of them.
What is the biggest joy from your job as a Strictly host, and the biggest challenge?
The biggest joy for me is that this is a live TV show. It’s such an adrenaline rush. I love that it’s completely authentic and anything could happen at any given moment. I absolutely love watching the audiences' faces as they react to the routines in the studio.
And it’s talking about it with everybody I meet and being a part of something that feels authentic and special. The biggest challenge is probably running up the stairs and across the studio at speed in stilettos! My calves do not thank me the next day!
Do you find yourself looking forward to watching particular styles of dance as the weeks go on? Which ones are your favourite?
I always look forward to all of our specials; Musicals, Movies, and Halloween. The hair, make up and costume team surpass themselves each time. And of course Blackpool is a real milestone, not just for the celebrities, but for us too. It’s a real highlight in the series and the whole team decamps up north.
When it comes to dance my favourite has to be the Argentine Tango; when it’s executed perfectly, you can cut the air in the studio with a knife.
Do you have one stand-out dance and/or celebrity dancer from your previous series of Strictly Come Dancing?
Two routines and celebrities that are really stood out for me over the past 19 years are Ed Balls and his now infamous Gangnam Style routine. Once seen never to be forgotten! Ed threw himself into the challenge of learning to dance and thoroughly surprised himself in the process.
Another favourite is Hamza Yassin, 2022 champion. His salsa was on a whole other level to anything we’ve seen before it: he showed such exquisite skill and control -and pure strength when he threw his partner, Jowita up in the air, and caught her. Sublime.
There are so many great departments and roles involved in Strictly, if you could spend a day with one of them, who would it be and why?
One of the reasons the show is so successful is because of the incredibly talented people who work on it. We are spoilt because we have the best in the business.
Dave Arch and his team, are surely the best live music on television? The costumes are absolutely brilliant and sometimes the wardrobe department provide up to three changes for the entire cast during a live show. They work so hard.
I am in awe of the make-up and hair teams if I could, I’d love to spend the day shadowing them watching them work, their magic.
Strictly returned to Blackpool last year, after some time away, how was that, and does it make you excited to return this year?
It’s always a treat to return to Blackpool. We love the wonderfully warm, Northern welcome we receive there - and of course the fish and chip supper! It’s no mean feat, transporting a cast and crew of this size to the Tower Ballroom, along with all the equipment, props, costumes and cameras, but all the hard work is so worth it as soon as you step onto that iconic Tower Ballroom sprung floor and feel the electricity generated by the audiences excitement. The energy is like nothing else.
We have 19 brilliant pros for this series, some being with the show for ten years, how would you sum up their contribution towards making the show what it is?
Strictly is what it is because of our brilliant professional dancers; they really are the best in the world and their contribution to the show is what makes it so special, they are SO talented and not only are they skilled performers, but also nurturing teachers who bring out the very best in their celebrity partners.
Is there a song that will never fail to get you on the dancefloor at parties or weddings?
The one song that never fails to get me on the dancefloor at parties is Calvin Harris and Rihanna's We Found Love.
When we had no audiences in the studio, we would play it between shows to lift the energy in the studio and me and Claudia would dance around like no one was watching!
Finally is there anything you are particularly excited for this series?
This new cast are so exciting. They’re so full of fun and just totally up for it and they’re also completely adorable. I fell in love with them all from the off at the launch show. I have high hopes we are in for a spellbinding series.
Claudia Winkleman
And we’re back! This is Strictly’s 21st series, how does it feel to return to the show for such a monumental series?
I am so excited to be back. There is a real buzz about the 21st series and we are all sort of beside ourselves.
We’ve asked all our pros what they were doing when they were 21, what were you doing at 21, and what did life look like?
21 years old for me was... I just left university, I was doing my first job which I was absolutely rubbish at. I don’t think I had a fringe, which is alarming.
Every year there is so much excitement when Strictly comes back on our screens, what keeps audiences coming back for more?
We never take it for granted that audiences will come back and we didn’t take it for granted this year either but we are so grateful when they do.
What is the biggest joy from your job as a Strictly host, and the biggest challenge?
Just being part of this show is a total joy. I know this might sound revolting but it is a family and we can’t wait to all be back together.
Crew, production, hair, make-up, the pros and Dave Arch. My husband, we love to get back together... The biggest challenge is walking in heels.
Do you find yourself looking forward to watching particular styles of dance as the weeks go on? Which ones are your favourite?
I so look forward to the Argentine Tango. It never comes up early but the moment I get a whiff of it or someone mentions it, I start making sort of weird clicky noises with my tongue and I can’t wait to watch.
Do you have one stand-out dance and/or celebrity dancer from your previous series of Strictly Come Dancing?
There are so many standout moments from past series.
So, Ed Balls, obviously was extraordinary. It was the only time the floor manager sent a message to everyone to come to the floor. Alesha Dixon once did a Viennese Waltz which made everybody cry. Another standout moment was Gloria Estefan in Blackpool. That speaks for itself.
There are so many great departments and roles involved in Strictly, if you could spend a day with one of them, who would it be and why?
There are so many extraordinary departments in Strictly. The band, hair and make-up, direction, lighting. But if I could be with anyone all day it would be with Vicky Gill because those costumes are extraordinary. The colours, the way they move, the way that everything is recycled. That woman and her team are genius.
Do you have one stand-out dance and/or celebrity dancer from last year’s Strictly Come Dancing?
I loved everybody on Strictly last year. Hamza was unbelievable. He did a dance in week four where he threw Jowita up in the air. And then again and again. We were all pinching ourselves, staring at each other and saying what are you talking about, is it week four?
If you could only pick one favourite performance from all your series so far, what would it be, and why?
A standout performance from all Strictly is so hard. There is Alesha Dixon’s Viennese Waltz, Rose and Giovanni’s Couples Choice, there’s Ed Balls' Gangnam Style.
I have too many. I just have too many. Bill Bailey and Oti’s Couples Choice. I am going to get into trouble because I can’t choose.
Strictly returned to Blackpool last year after some time away. How was that and does it make you excited to return this year?
Blackpool is genuinely magical. We love it. The people are so lovely and so welcoming. We all look forward to it and for everybody who is taking part, all the celebrities, when they start off, they don’t say it in the beginning but once they make it to week three, week four, there is just a hunger to go to Blackpool, and when we get there, the whole town sort of welcomes us.
Best fish and chips you can ever have in your life. The ballroom is extraordinary. The sprung floor. We are so lucky to be going back. We really missed it when we couldn’t.
We have 19 brilliant pros for this series, some being with the show for ten years, how would you sum up their contribution towards making the show it what it is?
Strictly, is not Strictly without our pros. They are absolutely the best at what they do. They are Olympians. They are heroes. They are the masters of dance. Not only are they amazing at dancing but they are such brilliant teachers and to get both in one in human...
They are amazing. They take our celebrities on the journey of their lives and they make sure that they feel good about themselves. That they are happy and they feel safe. That they teach them this unbelievable skill.
Is there a song that will never fail to get you on the dancefloor at parties or weddings?
Almost any song, but if Beyonce Crazy in Love came on, I have to move and I am not good at moving. It's not something you want to see... But yes, then I will get up and jig about.
Finally is there anything you are particularly excited for this series?
The thing I am most looking forward to this series is us all being together. I love standing next to Tess and love trying on sparkly outfits. And mainly, I cannot wait to watch these people learn to dance.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 23 September at 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer