BBC Announces Strictly Dance Pairings
The pairings for this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing have been announced as the show hit our screens in all its glittering glory this weekend.
The 14 celebrities were partnered up with their professional dancers in front of the cameras allowing viewers to see their uncensored reactions for the very first time.
Anton Du Beke never expected ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ to be so successful.
The 44-year-old star admits he thought the programme would be ridiculed the way its predecessor ‘Come Dancing’ – which ran on and off between 1949 to 1998 and featured competing ballroom dancers – had been when it was first suggested in 2004.
He said: “The success of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ was an enormous surprise. No one knew how popular it was going to be.
After Saturday night’s big Strictly Come Dancing reveal, Ann Widdecombe warned her partner Anton Du Beke that he will have a tough time teaching her how to dance.
The former Tory MP has previously admitted that she sees herself as the ‘pantomime act’ from this year’s lineup saying:
‘I am the pantomime act [this year] but is there any reason why one shouldn’t try dancing. Is there any reason why someone shouldn’t try something that they have no hope of winning.’
Insiders have suggested that Strictly come Dancing professional Anton Du Beke did not want to be paired with Ann Widdecombe, because she is too short and a bad dancer.
The 44 year old ballroom dance champion, was thought to be hoping for a glamorous partner like Patsy Kensit, or Felicity Kendal but on Saturday night’s launch show was teamed up with former Tory MP Ann.
Some say that the pairing was conceived as a way to punish Anton for his part in last year’s race row. In September 2009 an article in the News of the World claimed that after an application of fake tan for the show, Du Beke told his then partner Laila Rouass, “Oh my God, you look like a Paki”. Du Beke offered an unreserved apology and the BBC were forced to issue a statement saying:
Strictly Come Dancing bosses are reportedly trying to get rid of professional dancer Anton Du Beke before the 2010 series kicks off.
Planning a huge revamp for the autumn dance show, producers are said to be planning to replace many of the current pros with American dancers, however sources claim that they would prefer Du Beke to quit of his own accord.
“Our preference is that Anton decides he’s had a few good years on Strictly and wants to try something new,” a source told The News Of The World.
Disgraced Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke, has been rowing with his partner Laila Rouass again, just weeks after he called her a ‘p**i.’
The Sun reports that the pair first argued on Saturday. It was a row so fierce that the pair missed their rehearsal slot and a BBC executive had to be called to calm Laila down.
A source said: “She got so upset she ended up in tears in his office.”
BBC bosses are said to have stepped up security around Anton Du Beke after his recent race row.
After this week’s attack on Leona Lewis, Strictly insiders are reportedly worried that another member of the public will lash out at Anton, who called his dance partner a Paki earlier this month.
And an insider told The Sun: “The BBC is worried about things getting out of hand with the race row.
Strictly Come Dancing judge, Craig Revel Horwood has come out in defence of professional dancer Anton Du Beke.
Du Beke has been attacked in the media over allegedly racist comments made to Laila Rouass during dance rehearsals.
Craig, told New magazine: “I’ve known Anton for years and years and years, and he’s not a racist. I’ve never heard him say anything like that before and it’s so unlike him.
X Factor presenter, Dermot O’Leary, has admitted that he was shocked when he heard about the racist term used by Anton Du Beke, and branded his choice of words ‘unacceptable.’
Dermot told The Mirror:
“I don’t want to trade low blows to Strictly but the thing about The X Factor is it does show modern Britain and a lot of positives to do with British society.”
Strictly Come Dancing professional, Anon Du Beke, has apologised on live TV for calling his dance partner a ‘paki.’
Appearing on BBC Two’s ‘It Takes Two’, Anton said he felt “stupid, embarrassed and mortified.”
He added:
“I feel embarrassed. It was a stupid thing to do and a stupid thing to say.
