General Chat

Tomorrow's the day that the celebrity line up is announced.
From what I can see from the new website the show is being done tomorrow and the celebs find out then who their partners are while the show is being filmed but the line up won't be announced until the show airs on Saturday. The website hopes that people who are in the audience and the press don't let the cat out of the bag and reveal who is dancing with who.

Have only briefly looked at the website this morning, once hubby has gone to work, I'll read it through throughly and post any interesting info I can find.

I hope no-one minds me starting and doing the thread again this year.

Keep Dancing
Helen

I have a sneaking suspicion that the TV chef Simon Rimmer is in it. Something that was said on 'Something for the Weekend'

Me too Teresa, I thought that when I was watching it. Simon's name hadn't been mentioned before. I love watching Something ........... It's become a tradition in our house to eat brekkie on Sunday mornings watching that.
Teresa we seem to be alike as we both like alot of the same programmes lol.

I also do not mind. I have as we speak, aired my sparkling dancing shoes and my latin shoes. My dresses are suitably adorned with the requesite number of sequins, ( I made the OH sit up all last night sewing them on),and are hanging on the wardrobe door, ready to wear, as we speak. My feather boas have been puffed up, and my headresses are at the ready.LOL
Slow,slow,quick,quick,slow, as we await.

Julia in Derbyshire

PS., where is that Brendan, and I do not mean the one on The Coach Trip

We do don't we Helen, with the motorsports and now Something for the Weekend. I must admit I do like watching that, not just for the recipes, though I can recommend Simon's Mississippi Mud Pie lol, but the banter between him and Tim Lovejoy.

How fab - seems like years since it was last on!

Is there room for another on your Strictly sofa on Saturday nights? Unfortunately I will miss the first one as I will be out at a Help for Heroes do this Saturday, but will Sky+ Strictly and watch on Sunday.

I watched your thread last year but didn't post, so thinking of being braver this year.

Going to look for some sequins now
Tina x

Tina,
welcome to the thread, there is always room on our Strictly sofa. The only requirements are the sparkly shoes and flouncey dresses and I can see that our Julia has already been busy, ( well her oh has been, I hope his fingers arn't too sore from sewing the sequins on lol).
Now don't forget there is no dress rehearsal it's straight into the performance on Sat night, oh by the way I'm wearing a midnight blue dress covered in hundreds of crystals, it fluffs out mid way between my hips and knees so no- one else in blue please hahaha.
I can see us competeting with Daff's Army for the best dressed thread soon, think I might go and tease them pmsl.

Helen

Room for one more on the Strictly sofa? it's one of my favourite programmes LOVE IT!

Will wear my orange tango dress in keeping with the 'army theme'.....*waiting for Vincent ;O)

Mau xx

Thank you Helen

Sparkly shoes all lined up nicely in the wardrobe. I had better get a shift on with my dress - don't have an OH to help sew my sequins on so will have to do it all myself - thought about asking teenage sons to help very briefly but then thought better of it!

Right - time to get busy colour - any colour not blue.

Tina x

Helen....have a look at who's rumoured to be dancing this year.....


Matt Baker .. former Blue Peter presenter (lovely lad ;o)

Tina O’Brien ...star of Coronation Street

Felicity Kendall ..... Actress famous for The Good Life

Gary and Danielle Lineker ..... Football legend, BBC Stalwart and his model wife

Gavin Henson ..... Welsh rugby player and Charlotte Church’s (ex) husband

Ann Widdecombe .....Conservative MP

Patsy Kensit ....Actress

Frank Bruno – Former Boxer


Mau xx

Mau, yes I had seen those names too, could be interesting if both the Lineakers are on.
Oh I shall be most disappointed if Mr Brendan Cole is not there.

*sneaks in to see what's going on in the wardrobe department*

*dashes out*

I see that we have had some visitors trying to pinch some of our sequins and feathers to adorn their fatigues. We will have to be careful. Pmsl.

We can give them those boas back - I have a stash left over from the hen party - pink with silver sparkly bit - much posher to suit our elegant gowns.

And I have hidden the tiaras in the safe - they'll never guess the code (not sure I can remember it myself - it'll come to me)

Ok here goes with the list of celebrities.
1st up is. Ann Widdicome

Ann is a British Conservative Party politician, documentary-maker, broadcaster and novelist. She is well-known for happily voicing her outspoken views on controversial issues, and is fiercely anti-abortion and pro-capital punishment.

As a committed Christian, she is "not interested in being sexy" - so getting to grips with the raunchy Rumba and perfecting a sultry Samba should be something of a challenge...

I will definitely prefer the Ballroom dances to the Latin ones, as I'm not interested in sexiness...Ann Widdecombe
Career

Ann's political career began as a District Councillor in Runnymede from 1976-8. She fought two seats unsuccessfully in the General Elections of 1979 and 1983 before winning the seat of Maidstone in June 1987 - a seat she kept until 2010, when she chose not to stand for re-election.

She joined John Major's government in November 1990 as Under-Secretary of State for Social Security (specialising in Pensions). She became Minister of State for Employment in 1994, and then Minister of State at the Home Office in 1995 with responsibility for prisons and immigration. She famously described her boss Michael Howard as having "something of the night about him".

When Labour came to power in 1997, Ann served as Shadow Health Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary before standing down from the front bench.

She's steadfast in her views, including opposition to the ban on fox hunting, and in 2009 she stated "there is no climate change". However, in the recent expenses scandal, Ann was described by the Daily Telegraph as one of the 'saints' amongst all of the MPs.

Ann's varied media career has included two stints on ITV's Celebrity Fit Club (as contestant and then as mentor), a Louis Theroux documentary, and two turns in the hosting chair of Have I Got News For You. She presented Ann Widdecombe Versus... for ITV1 and has made three religious documentaries for Channel 4 and the BBC.

Ann wrote her first novel, The Clematis Tree, in 2000, which rose to No.8 in the Times' Bestsellers' List. She's currently writing her fifth novel, An Act of Brotherhood.

Background

Ann was born in Bath, Somerset. Her father was Head of Naval Supplies & Transport for the Ministry of Defence. Consequently the family moved around a lot, and Ann spent three years of her childhood in Singapore.

She was educated at the Royal Naval School in Singapore, Bath Convent, Birmingham University (where she read Latin) and Oxford University (where she read Politics, Philosophy and Economics).

Ann has never married nor had any children. She shared her home with her mother up until her death at the age of 95 in May 2007.

Trivia

Ann adopted two goats (Megan and Bruce) at one of her favourite charities, Buttercups Goat Sanctuary in Maidstone. She visits whenever she can. She's also a patron of a donkey sanctuary in Israel. She's a confirmed cat lover.

Next is Felicity Kendal

Felicity Kendal OBE became a household name almost overnight after she landed the lead role of Barbara Good in the hugely successful 1970s BBC sitcom The Good Life.
She is still remembered for the role today but has had a number of other hits under her belt such as Solo, The Mistress, Rosemary & Thyme and most recently in the hugely popular revival of family favourite Doctor Who.

My mother taught me Waltz when I was 4-years-old.Felicity Kendal OBE
Career
At first, Felicity struggled for a number of years trying to pursue her acting career. However she finally got her mainstream break in 1975 when she was cast in The Good Life.
The show was a huge hit, attracting over 17 million viewers at its peak. Felicity became an overnight sex symbol with her tomboy character her dungarees and wellies.
"When I look at The Good Life sometimes... the thing that I find weird is this slightly 1940s accent I’ve got. It doesn’t belong anywhere."
Despite her TV success, Felicity focused mainly on theatre. She appeared in Ayckburn's The Norman Conquests which won her the Variety Club Best Newcomer Award. She would later go on to win the Variety Club Best Actress of the Year Award in 1979 for her role in Clouds.
Other theatre productions include Fallen Angels at the Apollo Theatre, co-starring with Simon Russell-Beale in Humble Boy and Amya's View by David Hare, directed by Sir Peter Hall at The Garrick.
In 2008, Felicity starred opposite David Tennant in Doctor Who as a character named Lady Eddison, whose country house Agatha Christie was visiting.

Background
Felicity was born in Warwickshire, England but raised in India where her parents ran a classical travelling theatre company.
She made her stage debut at 9 months old as a changeling in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
She has two grown up sons; Charley from her first marriage to Drewe Henley, and Jacob from her second marriage with theatre director Michael Rudman.
As an infant she grew up doing backstage chores and appearing as Shakespearean boys.
Felicity married Rudman in 1983 and converted to Judaism. Several years later she divorced him and in 1991 started a very public relationship with Tom Stoppard. However after 7 years, their relationship came to an end and Felicity returned to Rudman in 1998. They are still together.

Trivia
Her autobiography, White Cargo, was published in 1998 and written for her father.
She was appointed a CBE in 1995 for services to drama.
She was won the title 'Rear of the Year' in 1981.
Kendal posed naked for Esquire magazine at 50 and is immensely proud of the pictures; for her surgery is a no-no.
Despite her youthful complexion she fiercely denies that she has ever had surgery — "I really wouldn't. You can't have a frozen face; you've got to have expression for stage acting."
Height 5'2"
When she turned 63 she decided she would get her first ever tattoo — on her foot as it is a part of the body that doesn't get "too wrinkly."

Next is Gavin Henson

Well-groomed Gavin is a Rugby sensation, bagging Grand Slam victories for Wales in 2005 and 2008.
He has played a variety of positions, including fly-half, fullback and inside centre.
He's frequently in the press for both his injuries and his private life - particularly his 5-year relationship with singer Charlotte Church.

I really like '80s music - I love a bit of Bruce Springsteen!Gavin Henson
Career
Gavin played rugby for his school in Bridgend. When he was 18 he had offers to sign professionally with Maesteg, Llanelli and Swansea. He chose Swansea - even though they were offering the least pay.
He made his Wales debut against Japan in 2001, followed by matches against Romania and Uruguay - where he scored his first try in an International. Gavin was later names the International Board's Young Player of the Year.
In 2003, regional rugby was launched in Wales and Gavin joined the Ospreys, playing to a much larger audience.
In 2005 he was instrumental in helping Wales win the Grand Slam in the Six Nations. He was then selected by Clive Woodward for the 2005 British Lions tour of New Zealand. In the second match he suffered a groin injury which ended his hopes of playing in the final Test.
An Achilles tendon injury disrupted his 2006-07 season, leading to Gavin not being selected for the 2007 Rugby World Cup after he failed to prove his fitness following his recovery from injury.
He was recalled to the Welsh squad following the 2007 World Cup - in 2008, he played in all of Wales' 2008 Six Nations games, and the team went on to win the championship that year.
Gavin has spent the past 18 months on unpaid leave from his club Ospreys - he was frustrated by a catalogue of injuries that have blighted him since 2005 and felt he needed time out to let his body heal.
There have been press rumours that he is considering retiring from the game, but both Gavin and Ospreys have issued statements denying this.
Since he last played, Gavin's weight has dropped by three stones as he hasn't had to maintain an intense gym routine. Critics say he faces a huge battle to get back to where he was in the game, both physically and mentally.

Background
Gavin's father and grandfather played for Maesteg, and several uncles from his mother's side were keen rugby players too.
In 2004, Gavin started dating Charlotte Church. The press interest was immediate and intense. In September 2007, Charlotte gave birth to their first child, Ruby Megan. In January 2009, Dexter Lloyd was born.
In 2010, Gavin proposed to Charlotte on her birthday (24th Feb). Six weeks later, they announced that they had separated. Henson later said that they feared their rows would affect their children.

Trivia
In 1999, when he was just 17, Gavin broke his leg and was in plaster for months. He says he was so disgusted by the amount of leg hair on the plaster when it was finally removed that he started shaving his legs: "Once you've started shaving, you have to do it all the time!"
He admits to shaving his chest too, but only indulges in fake tan for nights out. It takes him about 90 minutes to get ready to go out.
He wears gold and silver boots on the pitch.
This summer, Gavin took part in a TV show called Human Guinea Pig for Bravo, in which he allowed a direct hit of 750,000 volts from a specially designed generator to make contact with his head.
He's also taken part in a reality celebrity show called 71 Degrees North for ITV1, which will air this autumn. Filmed entirely in Norway, the show tests the strength of celebrities as they compete to reach the North Cape, one of the most alien environments on Earth.

Next is. Goldie

Animal lover Goldie, who's named after his penchant for expensive dental work, is a well-known DJ, electronic music artist and visual artist who shares his home with a giant boa constrictor, amongst other pets.
In recent years, Goldie's turned his hand to acting and has enjoyed success in high profile projects including EastEnders and the Bond film The World is Not Enough. He's also appeared as himself in the reality series Celebrity Big Brother and Maestro.

I throw a few shapes when I'm raving if that counts!Goldie
Career
Goldie earned his name as a graffiti artist in the West Midlands in the early 80s. He took part in the largest British graffiti art battle, alongside artist 3D. Goldie's work also featured in the documentary film, Bombing, (transmitted on Channel 4).
In the mid-1980s he moved to the US and started selling 'grills' (gold teeth) in New York and Miami - hence the nickname.
He moved to London in 1991 and a chance visit to Rage Club where he heard DJ Fabio and Grooverider and which gave Goldie a passion for Jungle.
This ultimately inspired Goldie to create his track 'Terminator', a hit in the Jungle scene and noted for its pioneering and use of time-stretching) the process of changing the speed or duration of a note without affecting its pitch).
His first globally-released album, Timeless, appeared in 1995, entering the UK Albums Chart at number 7. The album fused the breakbeats the basslines common in Jungle. The title track was a 21-minute symphonic piece.
His second album in 1998 was Sturnz Return; the opening track was an hour-long orchestral drum and bass piece. The album received mixed reviews.
From 1999-2002 Goldie took several acting roles. He appeared in the Bond film The World is Not Enough, Guy Ritchie's Snatch and he played gangster Angel Hudson in EastEnders from 2001-02.
In 2002 Goldie took part in Celebrity Big Brother but he was the first to be voted out of the house.
His autobiography Nine Lives was released in 2002.
In 2008 Goldie took part in the BBC Two series Maestro where he learnt to conduct an orchestra. He came second in the final but was the undoubted star of the show; he couldn't read music and had no knowledge of the classical composers. He was then asked to score a piece for the Proms entitled Sine Tempore. A BBC documentary, Classic Goldie, followed him through this project (airing 2009).
He also fronted a government TV campaign in 2009 to recruit social workers.
He took part in Celebrity Mastermind in December 2009 where his specialise subject was 'The Films of P.T. Anderson'.
He still DJs all over the world and is in huge demand on the international party circuit.
He is currently filming a news series for BBC Two called Goldie's Band - By Royal Appointment where he will search the UK for 17 - 24 year-olds with raw musical talent, culminating in a gig at Buckingham Palace in front of Price Harry. Prince Harry will be appearing in the show as a special guest, and it has been stated that Goldie and the Prince get on like a house on fire despite being worlds apart. The show will air this autumn.

Background
He was born Clifford Price in Walsall in the West Midlands. His mother was a Scottish pub singer, his father a Jamaican factory worker who left the family when Goldie was very young.
He was put up for adoption at the age of tjree, although his mother chose to keep his younger brother Melvin. Goldie was raised in child-care homes and by several foster parents; his younger brother spent many years in prison.
Goldie traced his father to America many years later, shocked to discover his dad had another son called Clifford Price ("in case one of you died".)
In the past he has attended rehab to overcome his drug and self-esteem issues.
Goldie had four children by four different mothers. He is especially close to his 11 year old daughter, Chance, who lives with him part of the week.
His ex-partners include Naomi Campbell, Bjork and Stella Tennant.
He currently lives with his partner, Mika (half-Japanese, half-Dutch), in Hertfordshire. They appeared on ITV's All-Star Mr & Mrs together in 2009.

Trivia
Goldie had a bad water-skiing accident and suffered a spiral fracture to his left leg. The accident left him virtually stationary for some months which was when he began to make music again, this accident actually saved him and calmed him down.

Next is Paul Daniels

Paul is a well-known British magician and television performer. He achieved international fame through his enormously successful TV series The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which began in the late 1970s and ran for fifteen years.
Being married to his glamorous assistant Debbie, twenty years his junior, has certainly kept him young. However, at the age of 72 and with no prior dancing experience, he'll certainly need to have some tricks up his sleeve and pull something magical out of the bag if he wants to impress the Strictly judges!

I'm totally the wrong size and shape to be a dancer - I'm not elegant at all!Paul Daniels
Career
Paul's interest in magic began at the age of 11 when he read a book about entertaining at parties. He was hooked on magic from then on, and began performing as a hobby.
After his National Service, Paul developed his magic skills in working men's clubs, whilst still working at his parents' grocery business during the day. All his spare time was spent on developing new tricks, techniques and ideas.
In 1969 Paul was offered a summer season at Newquay - it was at this point that he decided to take the plunge and become a full-time performer. The following year, Paul made his TV debut on Opportunity Knocks and came second. He was seen by TV producer Johnnie Hamp, who gave him a regular slot on The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club, hosted by Bernard Manning.
In 1979, Paul switched to the BBC and began his long run of The Paul Daniels Magic Show which ran until 1994. Regular features in the show included 'The Bunco Booth', exposing the confidence tricks of street charlatans and 'Under Laboratory Conditions' replicating instances of the paranormal that defied scientific explanation. The 1985 Easter edition of the show won the Golden Rose of Montreux.
In 1980 Paul starred in his own West End show at the Prince of Wales Theatre for 14 months, breaking box office records.
He has also performed many times in Las Vegas and in 1983 was presented with the Magician of the Year Award in LA - the first magician outside of the US to win the title.
He also hosted popular quiz shows for the BBC in the 1980s including Every Second Counts, Odd One Out and Wipeout.
Paul and his wife Debbie have taken part in various TV shows such as Louis Theroux's When Louis Met ..., Channel 5's The Farm, ITV's The X Factor: Battle of the Stars and in Celebrity Wife Swap where Paul tried living with Vanessa Feltz.

Background
Paul was born in Middlesbrough.- His dad was a cinema projectionist at the local Hippodrome. His mum is still alive and well at 95 years old.
His first job was as a junior clerk in the treasurer's office of Eston Council. He did his national Service in the 1st Battalion, The Green Howards and was posted to Hong Kong.
He married his first wife, Jacqueline in 1960. They had three sons, Gary, Paul and Martin. Martin had a brief TV career (as presenter of Game For A Laugh, amongst other shows).
Debbie McGee was told she would be auditioning for the Paul Daniels show. She got the job, and whilst rehearsing for the show in a church hall in London Paul sat down beside her and the romance blossomed soon after.
Paul married his second wife, Debbie in April 1988. It took nine years of on and off dating for Paul to propose and when he did he said 'I'm not very tall, I'm not very good looking, but I promise you one thing - it'll never be boring!'

Trivia
Many people do not know that Paul has designed special effects for stage and screen including Cats, Phantom of the Opera, the film of Return to Oz and many more. He was also commissioned by the English National ballet to create magical effects for The Nutcracker.
His catch phrase ("Not a lot') came about by accident when he was dealing with an insistent heckler at a gig in Bradford. His favourite magic to watch is any levitation trick.
Paul drives an Isuzu Trooper with the personalised registration plate that reads 'MAG1C' and owns a magic and fancy dress shop in Wigan with his son.

Next is Jimi Mistry

Jimi has achieved world recognition and success on both sides of the Atlantic. He has established himself as a star of both small budget independent films such as East is East and enormously successful Hollywood blockbusters such as Blood Diamond, 2012 and The Guru.
He can boast a galaxy of 'A' list co-stars such as Leonardo Di Caprio, Danny Glover, John Cusack and Heather Graham.

I think I'm going to be more of a Latin man... Ballroom will be a challenge!Jimi Mistry
Career
Jimi first gained recognition as the rebellious son Tariq in the film East is East. He played part on stage at the Royal Court before it was made into a film in 1998.
He then played Dr Fred Foncesca in EastEnders for 38 episodes (1999 - 2000).
He starred in his first US film The Guru playing Ramu Gupta, an Indian dance teacher who moves to America to be a star, but ends up with a career using his unique sensual abilities to please women. The film also starred Heather Graham and Marisa Tomei.
He has also appeared in Blood Diamond alongside Leonardo Di Caprio, Guy Ritchie's RocknRolla and Partition alongside Neve Campbell. He also starred in 2012 alongside John Cusack and Danny Glover, and the BAFTA-nominated Exam.
This year he appeared in Gurnder Chadha's new film It's a Wonderful Afterlife which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival; Basement, a horror movie with Danny Dyer, and he had a cameo in West is West, the sequel to East is East.
Jimi wrote and produced a music documentary about Ibiza entitled And the Beat Goes On, exploring the history of the island, the birth of House Music and the art of the DJ. DJ's involved in the film included Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong and Danny Tenaglia.

Background
Jimi was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire.
His father is of Indian Hindu descent and his mother is an Irish Roman Catholic. He attended St. James' Catholic High in Cheadle Hulme before his family relocated to Cardiff at 16 where he already attended Radyr Comprehensive School.
It was in Cardiff that he joined a Thrash heavy metal band for two years, which he loved. In the late 80s he discovered a new love, hardcore rave. Jimi would travel all over the UK to go to the best raves.
Mistry says, "I never wanted to and still don't want to be an actor. I tried to check out of drama school but the head teacher, who didn't even like me, said I was the one student she believed would make the big time. What did she know?"
He married his long-term girlfriend Meg and their daughter, Elin who is now 9, was born six weeks later. Meg and Jimi are now divorced.

Trivia
When he was a child he wanted to be Michael Jackson and would spend hours practicing in the garage.
Jimi still regularly DJs in clubs across the UK and Europe.