BB FANS

STRICTLY'S 'BATTLE OF THE BITCHES'
Bruno's verdict on new girls

Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli predicts the new series will become "the battle of the bitches".

The outspoken star claims the highlight of this year's hit dance show will be the contest between its two sexiest newcomers.

Stunning Footballers Wives' sirens Zoe Lucker, 35 - who played feisty Tanya Turner - and Laila Rouass, 34, (Amber Gates) will go head to head, both hoping to waltz off with the prize.

Bruno - who tipped both actresses to be the best dancers - said: "I'm looking forward to the battle of the bitches. I have to confess that one of my guilty pleasures was watching Footballers' Wives.

"We've got two of them this year in the shape of Zoe and Laila.

"I really hope they will be as feisty and as bitchy as they were on Footballers' Wives."

Bruno spoke out with his fellow Strictly Come Dancing judges Len Goodman, 65, and Craig Revel Horwood, 44 - ahead of Friday's opening show.

All three of the original panel sidestepped mentioning former colleague Arlene Phillips who was sacked from the show. But they praised new member Alesha Dixon, 30.

Bruno said: "I loved Alesha when she competed. She's so bubbly and she'll bring energy that I can hopefully use too."

Strictly bosses caused outrage earlier this year after revealing that she had replaced 66-year-old Arlene.

The BBC was accused of sexism and ageism for booting off a judge with 30 years' dance experience.

She choreographed West End and Broadway musicals.

But Bruno remained tight-lipped about the row. Instead, he offered some friendly advice to series five winner Alesha.

He said: "She just needs to be herself. You can't try to be somebody else on Strictly. The public may or may not agree with you - but they have their say by picking up the phone. "

And angry viewers hit the switchboards last year after the people's favourite, journalist John Sergeant, quit the show following weeks of criticism by Bruno and his pals.

Tv's Adrian Chiles put his foot in it when introducing Arlene as The One Show's expert about the series. He called her Alesha by mistake.

jon.wise@people.co.uk

Two-night special.

Friday, 20:30 on BBC One

Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly host the new series, which kicks off with a two-night special. It is ballroom night, and 2009's new batch of celebrities will hope to wow the judges with either a tango or a waltz. It's the toughest challenge yet, with each couple performing two dances in week one.
Former Strictly champion Alesha Dixon joins Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli as part of the judges' panel. The four will give their verdicts on each performance.
Join the first eight celebrities - Joe Calzaghe, Lynda Bellingham, Martina Hingis, Ricky Groves, Jade Johnson, Ali Bastian, Chris Hollins and Rav Wilding - as they take to the floor.
The remaining eight couples don't escape the spotlight: see if Jo Wood, Phil Tufnell, Laila Rouass, Craig Kelly, Richard Dunwoody, Zoe Lucker, Ricky Whittle and Natalie Cassidy can master the mambo in the first group dance of the series.
BBC



Saturday, 19:25 on BBC One

Eight brave celebrities took their first turn on the Strictly dance floor, performing a ballroom dance. In this live show the bar is raised, as they must deliver their Latin. Will they cope or crumble as they perform either a cha cha cha or a rumba? Nobody wants to be the first to leave the competition, so all the couples will be out to impress.
The two couples with the lowest combined judges' scores and viewer votes will face the Dance Off; their fate then lies in the hands of the judges, who decide who lives to dance another day and who will leave the competition for good.
Also, find out what happened after the previous show, and if the celebrities think they have done enough to make it through.
Plus 2009's new professional dancers get the chance to show off their skills, and there is a very special showdance.

'STRICTLY' JUDGES SAVAGE POOR LINDA

The new series of TV's Strictly Come Dancing has kicked off, with actress Linda Bellingham shaping up to be the next John Sergeant.

Eight of the 16 couples performed their first dances and the audience reserved the biggest cheer for the 60-year-old.

She told dance partner Darren Bennett she would bring some "comedy" to the series.

Head judge Len Goodman declared: "Both legs were down one hole of your knickers," while the acerbic Craig Revel Horwood said: "It was boring. It was full of vacuous looks."

But Bellingham scored a respectable 21 and went down well with the crowd.


Express

Simon Cowell Wants To Move X Factor

Simon Cowell has said he hopes to persuade ITV to move The X Factor so the Saturday night clash with the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing show does not continue.

Cowell said it was "crazy" that the two popular shows were pitched against each other.

Writing in the Sun newspaper, he said it was unfair to force TV licence fee payers to choose which one to watch.

When the BBC announced its programme schedules last week, it emerged that the shows would go head-to-head for at least an hour each Saturday night.

The two shows have occasionally had up to half an hour's overlap, although during the last series Strictly usually finished before its ITV1 rival began.

ITV was said to be "disappointed" at the BBC's "aggressively competitive scheduling," although the BBC said the later time slot was down to a new series of Merlin.

X Factor producer and judge Cowell, who admitted he likes Strictly, said: "I don't think there are any other shows people are passionate about right now - and it's crazy that they're up against each other."

Cowell, a friend of Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli, said putting them on at different times would benefit both channels, in the same way that EastEnders was not screened at the same time as Coronation Street.

Cowell said he was surprised that the BBC, which does not need to attract advertising, had prompted the clash and said licence-payers wanted quality TV not a ratings war.

"I'll try to persuade ITV to move it (The X Factor) back or forward, whatever they need to do," he said. "I'm prepared to do everything to give the public what they want."

waveguide.co.uk

Chris Hollins in the dog house over Ola

Strictly Come Dancing competitor, Chris Hollins, has revealed that his wife is not too happy about the decision to pair him with sexy Ola Jordan.

Chris performed a Rumba with Ola last night and at one point straddled his partner.

Chris told The Sun: “I’m in the dog house over Strictly.

“I had to leave our holiday early to take part in the show and Sarah’s last words to me were, ‘Your dance partner best not be fit.’

Then I got Ola, who is absolutely stunning.

UnrealityTV

Martina Hingis crashes out of Strictly Come Dancing as Jade Johnson sizzles

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Tennis ace Martina Hingis and partner Matthew Cutler were the first couple to be voted off the Strictly Come Dancing competition tonight.

Martina faced Crimewatch presenter Rav Wilding in the dreaded dance off. Both couples were dancing moody rumbas.

Although judges Craig and Alisha voted to keep Martina on, Bruno voted for Rav and head judge Len, who had the casting vote, agreed.

DailyMail

Strictly fans round on 'vacuous pop princess' Alesha Dixon


EXCLUSIVE by Lara Gould and Gary Anderson
Mirror

X Factor Wins Ratings War

The X Factor won the battle of the ratings with two million more viewers than its BBC rival Strictly Come Dancing, according to unofficial overnight figures.

The first Saturday night broadcast in this year's series of Strictly attracted an average of 7.7 million viewers, peaking at 8.7 million.

The two shows clashed in the primetime slot with Strictly being shown between 19:25 and 21:05, while X Factor went out between 20:00 and 21:15.

A BBC spokesman said: "We are very pleased with Strictly's viewing figures from last night's show.

"The peak audience of 8.7 million combined with 9.1 million on Friday night means the show has got off to a great start."

waveguide.co.uk

BBC criticised over Strictly ratings war

The BBC should not focus on competing for ratings with ITV by broadcasting Strictly Come Dancing at the same times as The X Factor, according to the corporation's chairman Sir Michael Lyons.

Sir Michael said the BBC should be thinking about "the quality and impact of its programmes, not just audience share".

He also acknowledged that the clash between the two shows had not seen the BBC coming out on top.

The two programmes were up against each other for an hour on Saturday night and The X Factor drew an audience of around two million more viewers than Strictly.

The BBC Trust said scheduling is a matter for the BBC executive and not for the corporation's governing body.

ITN