This post was written by guest blogger and reality TV showbiz observer Daniel Cohen. Catch up with him on Twitter here!

There have been quite a few ill X Factor contestants today, and now it looks like Strictly has one casualty too!! A worried Richard Arnold Tweeted today: “Give Erin boag all your love this weekend guys. My beautiful pro dancer has been ill or night. Poor girl looks like she’s been exhumed! #SCD”

Which is bad news for the couple who have put in a lot of hard work for their Paso Doble this week. The pair are expected to dance to Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana (or “That X Factor theme” as most people call it these days) for the Halloween special.

Meanwhile the Mirror today raises the hot issue of the lack of same sex dance couples on Strictly again…

Citing the case of Israel’s version of Strictly, in which Gili Shem Tov, a female TV personality and sports journalist, took the lead with professional female dancer Dorit Milman, Ann Gripper wrote: “The judges have been giving Richard confusing signals, one week telling him to camp it up more then telling him to tone it down the next.

But would the Daybreak showbiz reporter, who played the Dolly Parton role in his 9 to 5-inspired routine, rather be embracing his feminine side and dancing the follower’s steps?

In the run-up to the show’s launch the 42-year-old told Radio 5 Live he quite fancied dancing with Anton du Beke.

He told Richard Bacon: “The BBC said who would be your preferred partner and I did say Anton – someone with a good sense of humour and a firm hand – but apparently the programme hasn’t moved that far forward yet.”

And why shouldn’t we break the dancing gender stereotypes?

At dance classes and socials around the country same-sex couples are hardly a rarity, whether by choice or necessity.

Many teachers will refer to leaders and followers rather than men and women. And it’s not as if there isn’t a TV precedent too.

In Israel’s version of Strictly, Gili Shem Tov, a TV personality and sports journalist, took the lead with professional dancer Dorit Milman.

“Because I share my life with a woman and have a family with her, to me this is the most natural thing to do,” Gili said at the time. The celebrity dancers are learning a new skill – if they would be more likely to dance with their partners in the leader/follower role not traditionally assigned to their gender, why shouldn’t they be able to do that on the show too?”

I have been wondering about this too, ever since 2004, when Julian Clary appeared on the show.

After the great reception of the Sugar Dandies on Britain’s Got Talent this year, and seeing their beautiful routine, it is clear audiences are ready for it. More importantly: it would be great if all the contestants could feel comfortable and be who they really are.

The Strictly stars will be working with a Halloween theme this evening, check out what they’ll be performing here.