Strictly pros ‘try to avoid’ bad dancers on first meet, claims Anton du Beke: ‘Can tell’ | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV
Anton du Beke, who will be taking a seat on the judging panel again this year, has opened up about this year’s Strictly Come Dancing contestants and their dancing abilities. The former dance pro has been partnered up with a range of celebrities over the years ranging from Ann Widdicombe, Kate Garraway and Patsy Palmer. However, speaking with Jeremy Vine on Friday, the 55-year-old claimed the professionals “try to avoid” the bad dancers on the show until they are paired up with one of them.
Jeremy began: “I remember the year I performed, you were in the finals for the first time and when you came down the corridor on the last day which is really packed, you were shouting, ‘Make way for a finalist!'”
“Well, I had been doing it for a long time,” Anton replied before adding: “All good things come to those who wait I suppose.
“It was great, that was with the lovely Katie Derham. I always thought sort of Strictly Come Dancing finished at Blackpool.
“I thought that was the final but apparently it went on and on, and when I was with Katie I realised that.
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“It was a wonderful year, it was a vintage year, I’ve heard.
“People have talked about it being a vintage year, and robbed was another word used.”
Strictly will begin tonight and viewers will finally discover who the celebrities have been partnered with.
Discussing what fans can expect, Anton continued: “You’re going to see all of the couples together.
“This year’s group dance has gone very well,” the judge praised. “They all look pretty good.”
Jeremy, who competed in the 2015 series, went on to point out that the professional dancers can tell how good someone is from the group dance.
“You can pretty much see how good they’re going to be when they walk into the studio,” Anton admitted.
“And you can see them walking towards you with a hint of a list and you try and avoid them in case you get paired up.”
“You never know, that is the joy, people develop over the weeks.”
“You went from really awful…to just bad,” Anton joked. “Such an improvement.
“Back in the day in season series one do we ever remember? The only difference is, he hasn’t changed a bit and I have got more vintage.
“It’s extraordinary Strictly Come Dancing in that way because you don’t know and there’s no rhyme or reason why anybody should be better than anybody else.”
Jeremy Vine on 5 airs weekdays from 9.15am on Channel 5.
