Elsewhere, daring twirls and plucky pirouettes were to the fore as the ratings juggernaut returned with a fresh batch of contestants vying for the Glitterball Trophy. Among the celebs stepping into the spotlight in a fast-paced and enjoyable first episode were newsreaders Angela Rippon and Krishnan Guru-Murthy. They were joined by comedian Les Dennis, former tennis pro Annabel Croft and EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier– son of the late Jade Goody and bookies favourite to win.
Though their journey in dance has only started, they were keen to get moving. As was judge Du Beke, who declared, “The children back at school, the world is right again – Strictly is back on the telly!” The applause was especially thunderous for Rippon as she learned her pro dance partner will be Kai Widdrington.
Rippon, dressed in shimmering gold, creates history at 78 as the oldest-ever contestant on the series. She also comes full circle, having previously hosted Come Dancing. The ballroom competition ran for decades on the BBC and was eventually rebooted as the more glamorous Strictly.
Asked how it felt to be dancing rather than hosting, she told Tess Daly: “It’s weird not being in your place and being in this place, but I’m going to enjoy it I think”. Dennis, the second oldest participant, added that he’d do his best – creaking limbs allowing . “I’m touching 70 – lifts are going to be a problem,” he informed pro partner Nancy Xu.
Strictly remains a jewel in the BBC’s family entertainment crown. The broadcaster will hope the 2023 lineup will strike a chord with both those who grew up watching Rippon read the news and today’s TikTok generation. Around two million fewer tuned in to last year’s final compared to the 2021 decider. Any further slide will surely cause concern.
