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CHOP: Beeb plan to put beauty before age in Strictly's next series
BBC bosses are locked in discussions about how to save Strictly next year after it was hammered in the ratings by The X Factor.
Show chiefs are considering a raft of measures to boost the four-year-old show, already reeling from last week's voting scandal. They include:
AXING ageing professional dancers in favour of sexier newcomers such as Kristina Rihanoff.
BOOKING A-list celebs and young soap stars instead of golden oldies.
PAIRING single dancers and stars so they get hot to trot.
HAVING a live Saturday results show to whip up excitement and stop damaging leaks.
The revamp comes after Strictly lost its ratings lead over X Factor. Last year it was a million up on the ITV talent show, but this series it has been consistently beaten, pulling in 9.3 million viewers compared to X Factor's 10.6 million.
Last week's final grabbed nearly a fifth more with an audience peak of 12.7 million.
A BBC source admitted: "This has been the most boring Strictly series. There's real concern viewers have turned away and won't come back, so next year the show will be completely revamped.
"X Factor has always been very good at reinventing itself. Strictly has stayed traditional but this series it just looked old and tired."
The source went on: "The only real drama was around John Sergeant and they couldn't even get him to stay.
Popular
"Next year the show will be much more edgy.
"They want it to be more like the American version, Dancing With The Stars which is still hugely popular after seven series."
A new BBC team will sex up the show next year after Peter Fincham and Elaine Bedell- two of the execs responsible for Strictly's recent success- signed up with ITV.
The insider revealed: "There was a decision taken that not much could be done about this year."
Under serious threat are long-term professional dancers such as Karen Hardy, Darren Bennett, Lilia Kopylova and Ian Waite.
The source explained: "They have been with Strictly for a number of series but were overshadowed this year by newcomers Hayley Holt, Kristina Rihanoff and Brian Fortuna. They want more fresh blood like that."
The celebrity booking will also be changed to focus on young, single and sexy stars who are more likely to have interesting personal relationships during the show.
Last year's affair between ex-EastEnder Matt Di Angelo and his dance partner Flavia Cacace boosted viewing figures.
But this year things are very different. The source said: "There's just been nothing to talk about this year, especially after John quit.
Romance
"In previous years the show has really benefited from relationships between the celebrities and their partner.
"Even though Lisa Snowdon is single, Brendan Cole has just got engaged so there was no chance of him going there.
"Next year they're going to book more single celebrities and pair them with dancers who are also single.
"There needs to be romance and scandal behind the scenes to make a show like this work." One aspect that's won't change though are the hosts. Veteran Bruce Forsyth, 80, is likely to return with co-presenter Tess Daly.
But execs are considering having a back-up plan in case Brucie-who's made a joke of his age this series with his "doddery I am not" catchphrase - needs to take time off.
It could involve having new Eurovision host Graham Norton or cheeky dancing fave Anton Du Beke on the reserves bench. Our source said: "Bruce is a trouper but the thinking is that either Graham or Anton, who's a favourite with the female fans of Strictly, would step in."
The final change would see the pre-recorded Sunday night results show dumped in favour of a live Saturday format.
The insider added: "The problem with delaying the results until Sunday is that the show loses a lot of buzz.
"With X Factor there's an excitement about finding out who's going to go that night.
"A lot of viewers haven't bothered to watch Strictly on Sundays and find out the results through internet messages boards. It hasn't worked."
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This article has 29 comments
They should certainly NOT get new dancers to replace Darren and Lilia as they are so many people's favorites and they are one of the best and haven't even been on the show as long as Anton and Brendan so Darren and Lilia should stay! Definately, they are so good and lots of people wouldn't watch it if they weren't in the show... let them stay!!!
By Noni. Posted May 9 2009 at 8:03 PM.
They should get rid of Arlene Phillips and only have three judges. Get rid of Bruce, retire him off, he was an embarrassment this last series. Change Tessa for Claudia and change Craig for Lionel Blair and Craig can present the show with Claudia. Also let more of the viewers have seats to watch the show instead of paying these so called celebraties to sit and watch it. If there is going to be the BBC con again next series with the telephone voting do away with it until the final show.
By Thomas. Posted January 4 2009 at 12:55 PM.
Not Graham Norton please, that would lower the ratings.
By David. Posted January 4 2009 at 12:58 PM.
The BBC has to keep Karen! After so many series and B list celebrities the viewing public end up having favourite professional dancers! Mine being Karen Hardy. She is always fun, enthusiastic and ambitious. She looks great on the dance floor and always provides entertaining and fun routines for her celeb partner. If the BBC wants to revamp Strictly - loosing popular professional dancers is not the way forward. The judges need to go. Perhaps put older dancers as the new panel, the strictly viewers already have a relationship with them and they know what they are talking about. Anton needs to host it with Tess (I love Bruce but he is doddery!)
By Tania. Posted December 25 2008 at 11:00 AM.
The BBC cant lose the likes of Darren and Lilia -or Ian. Darren and Lilia are Mr and Mrs Strictly! They have 5 trophies between them (counting Christmas specials) and may make it up to 6 if Darren wins the Xmas special with Jill Halfpenny. To lose these two would be ridiculous!
By LEEANN. Posted December 23 2008 at 4:33 PM.
I cant believe what I just read. The BBC would lose more viewers than they would gain if they try to sex it up. This is a family show, if they want to go down the road with fake contrived romances I for one would switch off. ITS A DANCE SHOW!!
By susie . Posted December 23 2008 at 9:37 AM.
The show dosen't need sexing up or new dancers, and the idea of the BBC "creating" affairs between the contestants and dancers is pathetic! It is not a soap opera...watch Eastenders for that!
The only thing that needs fixing is to put the results on the Saturday night. I don't know why they moved the results till Sunday...I am a big fan but confess I hardly watched the Sunday Results shows, and instead watched the X Factor.
By Georgina. Posted December 22 2008 at 9:27 PM.
Oh wow so bbc want to change the show to make it more viewable well would take more than that to get me back.I have always watched the show right from the begining but not any more no matter who was on.All bbc have to do is run a show without fixing it then maybe views would be happy to watch and pay good money to vote for the best dancers , oh sorry its a personality show not a dance show oh well bring on the stars that should fix it .
By Val . Posted December 21 2008 at 11:39 PM.
If the show needs sex as dance is not enough that says the programme itself is flawed. It has worked but there comes a point to quit when ahead. Bruce is not for me and Norton def not at all
Good luck reinventing it
By Sue. Posted December 21 2008 at 10:04 PM.
If this is true, I'm absolutely disgusted. Strictly is one of the few chaste programmes on tv. It's usually a diet of sex for breakfast, sex for dinner and sex for tea. If strictly is turned into a sexual playground then what hope is there for morality. The idea of jon seargeant in a thong leaves me cold. Bring back mary whitehouse. Is nothing sacred?
By Ed . Posted December 21 2008 at 7:49 PM.
Trust the BBC to be looking for young, sexy stars in the hope they are likely to have personal relationships during the show. Where are we all going with this? The ratings are still fantastic, over 9 million viewers, so the show must be doing something right. The formula is working very well and all the professional dancers work very hard and are doing a great job. This programme is NOT broke, so don't try and fix it BBC.
By Di. Posted December 21 2008 at 3:41 PM.
Please, please do not Americanize Strictly. It's such a good show as it is and in my opinion the only entertainment show on TV. Darren Bennett is without doubt the best professional on the show and Brucie is the making of it. If Graham Norton was ever involved then I would never, ever watch it! It would be a sad, sad day if that happened!! There is absolutely no comparison between a brilliant & most talented professional and a smutty no-hoper.
By Mikey. Posted December 21 2008 at 3:58 PM.
Sorry, but this is ridiculous rumour-mongering of the worst kind. Any attempts to make the show about pro-celeb dance partnerships being any more than just that would be a complete disaaaaahster.
There have been a couple of romantic liaisons - Brendan / Natasha in the first season, and Flavia / Matt diAngelo in last years - and a couple that the papers tried to invent (Camilla / James Martin, for example) but this is most definitely NOT what the majority of SCD fans watch the show for. Leave that kind of tripe to Big Brother where it belongs.
As for shaking up the pro dancers... yes, in some circumstances this would be a good thing. Anton and Erin's latin skills are not up to scratch sadly, but to lose Darren and Lilia would be a mistake. Hayley Holt added nothing to the show and shouldn't be invited back, whereas Brian Fortuna and Kristina Rihanoff have proved themselves as firm fan favourites.
By Tibby. Posted December 21 2008 at 3:56 PM.
The BBC can't get rid of Ian, Darren, Lillia and Karen! They are four popular dancers. Sexing up the show is naff. It's for families. If you want to sex it up, you may as well sell it to Channel Five!
By Shelley. Posted December 21 2008 at 4:14 PM.
No to Norton
Yes to Anton
No to Tess who looks like an Essex girl and is unable to express herself correctly
Yes to Claudia who is not only erotically attractive but also intelligent and well spoken
Fortuna is the revelation, even made Craig look like a fool one evening on It takes Two
By James. Posted December 21 2008 at 1:59 PM.
The problem with Strictly isn't so much the age of the Stars who appear, but the fact that they're boring second rate has beens !
Keep Brucie, he does a good job; but as for all the ex soap actors, ex models who were never up there with Cindy Crawford, and second rate pop stars like Rachel Stevens, they're simply boring to watch.
We all know Vincent, gets the young girls to dance with, and that Anton seems to always be paired with some ex soap actress, Brendan gets the models, the show has become far too predictable.
More glamour is needed, compared to the American version of `Dancing with the stars`, the BBC have alot to learn !
By Abetty. Posted December 21 2008 at 1:15 PM.
Please not Graham norton give the job to Anton
By Toni. Posted December 21 2008 at 1:26 PM.
Don't change the original dancers they are brilliant, please ditch the new girl pros (so bleached and fake).
As for choice of celebs to take part, the BBC have done well so far, please don't turn it into the strictly soap show, or the ' I'm a big star, it's MY show'
As for trying to 'match make' behind the scenes... is this so the BBC can get another spin off...strictly late, the naughty bits! please it's a dance competition, I thought Strictly was a family entertainment showcase!
By Susie Q. Posted December 21 2008 at 12:28 PM.
I have always watched x factor and strictly for the last few weeks, due to the timings. Due to the time slot this year I have been able to watch it all, and have enjoyed it throughly. I love Bruce Forsyth and hate Graham Norton so would turn off if he was a presenter. I do however feel that this year it feels similar to the x factor in that they both seemed fixed with who was going to be a winner. Will still watch as I personally liked the format this year.
By Margaret. Posted December 21 2008 at 12:16 PM.
Darren and Lilia are two of the best dancers, they shouldn't be taken out the show!
By StrictlyFan. Posted December 21 2008 at 11:30 AM.
BBC please take this opportunity to get rid of Bruce Forsyth. He´s had his day, replace him with Anton.
Don´t get rid of the established dancers though but just have more younger celebs.
By Beachbabe. Posted December 21 2008 at 11:09 AM.
If anyone should go it should be Old Brucie and Tess.Anton would make a perfect host and another female co presenter would sex things up.Why change the dancers without them there would be No Strictly.
By Vern. Posted December 21 2008 at 10:51 AM.
So that's most of the current pros out then! What a stupid suggestion to pair single celebs and pros. Why would "A list celebs" want to do the show? If the BBC really wants to change things, get rid of Tess Daly - she is inane and stupid - and do make the show more like the American version.
By Anne. Posted December 21 2008 at 10:34 AM.
Just Axe the whole show getting to boaring now!!!
By Hayden Ellis. Posted December 21 2008 at 10:24 AM.
They should not replace the established dancers. Lilia and Karen are my favourites, and I think the camaraderie and competition between the professionals makes up a part of the show. Look at how desperate Camilla was to make it into the final having been pipped at the semis 2 years running. It added to the drama. I barely noticed the Newbies.
By Tessa. Posted December 21 2008 at 9:18 AM.
Whilst having a revamp look at the judges also.Anton as first reserve for Bruce NEVER Graham Norton
By john. Posted December 21 2008 at 8:23 AM.
Okay while Brian Fortuna and Kristina Rihanoff were successful additions to the pro ranks you've lost any credibility by including Hayley Holt amongst them as overshadowing dancers like Darren, Lilia, Karen and Ian. The woman was voted off early and afterwards barely made an appearance on the show!
By AMD. Posted December 21 2008 at 12:58 AM.
Kristina is not sexy. With her bleached white hair and middle aged figure she looked almost as old as John Sergeant.
By Gina. Posted December 21 2008 at 12:26 AM.
If anyone fills in for Brucie it should be Anton as graham norton would turn it into the graham norton show.
By may. Posted December 21 2008 at 12:23 AM.