Strictly Come Dancing 2024

[Boogs]

Katya sent Nigel home early because she appreciated he needed family time so is able to adapt to her partner.
Karen has taken a lot of flak for being so uninvested - I don’t think anyone would say she pushed Eddie to his limits this year.
Erin was given the nickname ‘Miss Whiplash’ but she couldn’t have been more supportive and kind to the extremely nervy Julian.
The mark of a good pro teacher is knowing when to push and when to draw back. Gio has the pushing bit, but just doesn’t seem to have the draw back bit mastered.
Vito and the choreographers have been roundly and soundly condemned for the excessive lifts.
if a celeb is in so much trouble they are having to be carried in week one, then I don’t care who the pro is … that is just ridiculous.

Gio is a bit like Brendan really in that he is lucky his more problematic partnerships came after one which caught the imagination and garnered lots and lots of super invested fans. Brendan ran on Natasha fumes for years. If he’d had Sarah Manners in his first series it might have been very different. James came at it from the other way and never really recovered viewer wise from calling Georgina fat, not letting her eat Maltzeers and having to miss training sessions while things were sorted out - in his first series. I don’t actually think things are helped these days by the somewhat cultish compulsory happy vibe that seems to have taken over, either. it’s impossible to be chipper and not have a cross word when your toe nails are falling off after a 12 hour day. Show it.

I think the issue with Gio is the same as the problem was with Brendan and James. It’s all about their ego, they see themselves as the main character. They don’t adapt to the celebrity they push them in an attempt to win the glitter ball. They are all very egotistical and lacking in emotional intelligence and empathy. Brendan was arrogant and bitching at the judges from the 1st episode. He then won which increased his obnoxious cockiness. I have always found Gio arrogant. I think he became so much worse after his win as he clearly considers himself to be superior to the other pros and strictly. James I think is just an obnoxious prick all round.

I think all the pros are super competitive, they wouldn’t have got to the top of their game if they weren’t. The difference with the others is they recognise it’s not all about them and as much as they all want to win they work hard to make it a good experience for the celebrities and get the best out of them. The best dancers often don’t win, it’s the couple that the public most connect with. I think Katya is one of the most popular pros and she has gone far with some duffers as she approaches the competition in the way I think all the pros should.

 

[Definitely Maybe]

Never mind the - er-‘aubergines’ those thighs !

 

[ButtonDownTheHutches]

Looking at FR's post, zero pro likes and comments. Shirley and Motsi seem to be the only ones who've liked.

I've seen fan theories that the pros have been told not to like his posts by the BBC so as to seem impartial (!):
1) the pros are not BBC employees and are not even under contract at the moment. They cannot be ordered not to like posts (and wouldn't be told not to like posts be in fact a breach of impartiality towards Gio, as it indicates potential lack of support for him?). And wouldn't Motsi and Shirley be under the same edict?

2) I can see they might want to avoid commenting given all the publicity this has had, but why not just like his promo post about Jus de Fanny? Even his besties Kai and Gorka are MIA. If they are all convinced it's a stitch-up, why not just show a bit of support?
Curiouser and curiouser..

Added to which, if TPTB were inclined to exert any sort of policy on verboten social media activity, how come they sat back and did nothing when Dianne rampaged derangedly through all the Strictly Facebook groups in the lead-up to the final?

 

[Fanny Muchmore]

There was a moment near the end when Milly Carlucci the host mentioned that Vito and Nikita were in the audience, I think. No mention of Gio but (a) he's not really known in Italy and (b) I think he'd legged it by then.

OMG this pic appeared on Twitter from last year’s tour of Vito and Nikita in the iconic orange shorts. Warning: NSFW (if you work in a convent)

 

[ButtonDownTheHutches]

Same! The levels of misogyny has been shocking Amanda isn't seen as a Nice woman therefore she must be difficult whilst he's just a perfectionist that wants them to be the best. Like he's just an altruistic dance teacher with a heart of gold as if the performance and longevity during the series somehow doesn't benefit his own career.

Alongside the no one has made FORMAL complaints yet we know
Laura did complain and has spoken publicly about how awful she found it.
Ranvir and he clashed enough that it made headlines and she admitted he had to change his teaching style. Reading between the lines she either made an informal complaint or the producers stepped in to have a word.
We know he and Michelle had arguments too and Faye alluded to them clashing on a lockdown live they did together. However both didn't seem to take it personality and they have both been part of performance arts for decades and maybe more resilient.
Richie poor Richie he was too excited unfortunately.

That leaves
Rose had an interpreter around especially in the early weeks and they seemed to gel anyway
Georgia it was his first year and he had an interpreter in the early weeks plus they were attracted to one another
Debbie older woman with dance experience and recently widowed.

Compare that with all the current Pros that's a bad run of luck!

Reading between the lines, Nicola Roberts didn’t seem especially keen on him either.

 

[ButtonDownTheHutches]

LOL, I think you're really overestimating how much the public cares about individual pros, love...

I think people forget that the vast majority of the viewing public could barely pick the pros out of a line up, and remember literally nothing about who was in the last series beyond ‘there was someone from Eastenders, I think?’

 

[ChastityDingle]

Even if they can't comment on specifics, I think the BBC need to put out something like a 'we always take any complaints very seriously' type statement, or just 'we have reached out to those involved to try and resolve the issue'. Because at best, what's currently happening is making them look a bit clueless, and at worst it's making them look like they don't take any complaints or allegations seriously

It's of course possible that Amanda hasn't gone directly to them as is doing this via the press, but they still need to at least make it look like they have more of a handle on things

I always thought the main reason Brendan was dropped was because it was becoming increasingly obvious that his partners were having a miserable Strictly experience, so if it gets to that point with Gio, surely it's better to let him go...

I agree, and it should also be done, in the interest of fairness, to both parties.

None of us know what happened and maybe we never will, but it's quite damaging to both of them to allow speculation to run and run without some kind of statement or intervention by the BBC. Those who support Amanda will continue to believe that Gio is the devil incarnate, and vice versa.

I do hope that the producers are looking at (sorry in advance for the cliché) what lessons can be learned from this. As well as the overall health and well-being of those who take part. So no more scary stunts, and less pressure all around re long hours.

This is meant to be a sparkly light entertainment show, after all.

 

[Boogs]

I think he likes the attention the stories get him tbh. I also can't get past the fact that his step mam works in pr.

Good point actually. I’ve been perplexed at the amount of stories I’ve seen about Bobby in the press. I actually don’t mind the lad but he isn’t exactly very interesting.

 

[Geetbo]

I get the feeling Gio is dead to Zoe after how he treated Ritchie but Ritchie got some good radio gigs and fair few tv stints considering he was out so early on - so every cloud and all that.

Yeah Zoe strikes me as a ride or die mate. She basically came as a package deal with Ian Waite on ITT.

 

[Bol85]

I had a similar reaction to Layton.. 🥹

 

[Geetbo]

Speaking of dreams / nightmares, Coleen Nolan is desperate to do Strictly, maybe she could be Gio’s swan song….

I think Colon appearing would be the series I tapped out.

 

[daisynoon]

And (presumably) one of the few times there wasn't we have a video of him storming in and shouting.

I don't think Rose did have her interpreter around all the time, pretty sure she was only in the initial sessions, and Rose relied on lip-reading otherwise. I remember her turning her hearing aid down so she didn't have to listen to him though

---

Exactly, what part of "post" don't they get?

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Giovanni didn't come back this year. With all of this being brought up the articles are also talking about his previous partnerships where there was tension. It's a bad look for him.

I would also be surprised to see him back - surely celebs would now request not to get him.

 

[Fillyjonk]

He was on his best behaviour with Debbie because she could dance and also because he was risking being dropped if he had another bad pairing after Laura. Nothing to see there. Though she's rubbing me the wrong way with that tweet.

I never liked Debbeh.

Giofanny knows when to lean into a sellable partnership. Debbeh: Transformer of older women! Michelle: LGBTQ+ ally! Rose: Not ableist!

 

[soccergirl]

Not keen on the black shirts for the boys. Ellie's hair looks great!

 

[Boogs]

The same sex couple look like they have come straight from Vito’s Dads.

 

[Boogs]

Sorry for the DM link, but some photos from rehearsals:

Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell rehearse for Strictly tour

Bobby Brazier and his professional partner Dianne Buswell got close as they began rehearsals for the Strictly tour on Wednesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Looks like Layton is doing his Paso, and is that Bobby's Viennese Waltz? Odd choice, I thought they'd be doing the Samba and Quickstep

ETA: They said on the One Show they're doing Samba and VW.

I would have though Bobby would do his quickstep or showdance rather than the VW.

That definitely looks like Laytons Paso. I’m still praying their other dance is the AT. They’re so cute

 

[Fillyjonk]

I was scrolling quickly and at first glance I read his top as 'pervert'

It does say that... doesn't it?

He just oozes sleaze and has a mean rat face with cold dead eyes. I'd rather a threesome with Neil and Dianne than him tbh.

 

[MeghanSnarkle]

I agree, I really felt for Dianne initially but then when she blatantly started trying to use his situation to emotionally manipulate people into voting and all that manipulative Facebook posting started any sympathy went. Exploiting a loved one’s illness to win a competition is really low.

It's crazy when you think back to that last week of Strictly, people in Facebook groups or wherever it was having chats amongst themselves to say how much they liked there favorite contestants or giving a little bit of love to a finalist and out of nowhere Dianne Buswell just interjecting with '.......yes but what about Bobby'

It's a good job it wasnt me on there when she jumped in to invalidate peoples opinions in the comments because I would of told her straight out Di, Fuck off and grow up.

 

[daisybrown]

The mad Nadiya fan on DS hated Lauren - how could you dislike her? She seems so warm and genuine.

 

[Woolmercardington]

So, Bobby won't be wearing his thermal vest?!!!

I bought tickets for literally two reasons. Annabel's Foxtrots and Bobby's vest