DanceX has been snapped up by US TV bosses, and is to be renamed, Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann.

The show will be hosted by 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey, and judge from the UK show, Bruno Tonioli, will be up against Dancing With Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba as they try to find their dream dance team.

Tonight the public named Bruno’s group as the winners in a nail-biting DanceX final on BBC One, securing them a record deal and nationwide tour supporting chart-topping artist Rihanna.

Following seven weeks of gruelling performances, Claire, Marcquelle, Marie, Phoenix and Rana clinched it to become the DanceX champions.

Winning judge Bruno says: “I’m so delighted and happy for them. They deserved to win. They’ve got so much talent and potential.”

The winners say: “To win is amazing. For the first two weeks we thought that people had lost faith in us but now it’s turned around and we’re so grateful.” Read more & comment »

Reports suggest that DanceX judges, Arlene Philbrunlips and Bruno Tonioli are barely on speaking terms this week after intense rivallry throughout the BBC series.

“It really is like a war zone,” finalist Daniel Uppal told the Daily Star. “No-one wants to give away what we’re up to in case the others nick the idea.”

DanceX airs at 8.30pm on Saturday on BBC One.

The X Factor royally whooped the a** of BBC rival Dance X last night, as it pulled in around 9.5 million viewers.

DanceX managed to draw in only 2.7 million viewers in comparison, but it’s hardly a surprise. Not only has ITV invested A LOT in advertising and promoting the show (BBC could learn from ITV PR skills) but also the X Factor is the show of the year. My favourite time of year is back!

Tonight’s semi-final on BBC One saw the public vote force Arlene to pick one of her team to strut off the DanceX stage for the very last time.

Tonight’s disco-themed show saw Arlene choose between her group members for the second week in a row.

In the last show to see a single person eliminated, Arlene picked the two contestants she considered to be the weakest performers in her group to compete directly against each other for the chance to stay in the competition.

Arlene chose Ashley and Kalvin, who then had to sing and dance one more time. After their performances Arlene said: “This is so hard because neither of them deserve to go. But I’m pushed into this decision, so it’s going to be Kalvin. Read more & comment »

Tonight on BBC One’s DanceX, Bruno’s team clawed their way back into the public’s affection and forced Arlene to pick one of her team to leave the competition.

The Las Vegas-themed show saw the viewer vote make Arlene pick one of her team to go home.

Arlene picked the two contestants she considered to be the weakest performers in her group to compete directly against each other for the chance to stay in the competition. Read more & comment »

Tonight on BBC One’s DanceX the public vote forced Bruno to pick one of his team to leave the competition for the second week in a row.

Having watched each team dance, sing, and sing and dance, to rock or rock ‘n’ roll, the voting public decided that, this evening, Arlene’s team was the best.

This left Bruno to pick the two contestants he considered to be the weakest performers in his group to compete directly against each other for the chance to stay in the competition. Read more & comment »

Tonight’s Latin-themed DanceX on BBC One saw the public vote force Bruno to pick one of his team to leave the competition.

Having watched each team perform as a group for the first time, the voting public decided that, this evening, Arlene’s team was the best.

This left Bruno to pick the two contestants he considered to be the weakest performers in his group to compete directly against each other for the chance to stay in the competition. Read more & comment »

BBC reality TV show, has won the Saturday night ratings battle as it trounced ITV’s Sing It Back in the ratings last Saturday.

DanceX pulled in 4.8 million viewers and peaked with nearly 6 million. Sing It Back Lyric Champion hosted by Radio1 DJs JK and Joel, pulled in a paltry 1.9 million, 1.3 million down on its debut.

Last night a BBC spokeswoman said: “We’re particularly pleased a third of all viewers saw Arlene’s battle with Bruno unfold.”

BBC reality TV show, DanceX will be remade by BBC Worldwide America.

The BBC arm is making the US version specifically for ABC, one of the largest TV networks in the States.

Bruno Tonioli, who stars in the UK version and also appeared on American, Dancing With stars, will take part in the American show. He will be joined by fellow Dancing With The Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Read more & comment »

The DanceX final 16 have sung and danced their way through gruelling auditions against thousands of others to get to the live shows. Tonight on BBC One, hosted by Ben Shephard, they performed solo for one last time, in the hope that Arlene or Bruno would give them the chance to join their group.

The groups are:

Team Bruno

Phoenix

Bruno said: “The boys have to be the rock of my group, the strength of the group. Range, versatility and power. The first rock that is going to be the mountain is going to be Phoenix.”

Marcquelle

Bruno said: “It’s very important to capture the moment and somebody tonight really captured the moment like I’ve never seen before and that person is Marcquelle.”

Daniele

Bruno said: “In the overall picture I need to cover a range and the entertainer tonight was Daniele.”

Rana

Bruno said: “To me it’s obvious. Every group has to have a diva. Rana!”

Marie

Bruno said: “Seeing what I have, I need an all round, somebody who will follow me and I think Marie will do so.”

Becky

Bruno said: “From what I’ve seen tonight there is someone I definitely want. I think she’s going to be amazing with my team and she knows what she’s doing. Becky.”

Claire

Bruno said: “I know it means a lot to you but I really need an instrument in my group and Claire you’ve got an instrument.”

Of his group, Bruno says: “It happened for me tonight and I got what I wanted. Commiserations Arlene…”

Team Arlene

Emanuel

Arlene said: “There’s one boy here I’ve believed in consistently up until tonight because he can sing, he can dance and he looks great and that’s what I need in my group. My first choice is Emanuel.”

Daniel

Arlene said: “Every group needs fans of all ages. I need the teenagers to fall in love with my group and my teenage daughter has told me the person to do it here tonight is Daniel.”

Kalvin

Arlene said: “My group will sing, and that voice is Kalvin.”

Ashley

Arlene said: “This will strike you to your heart Bruno. I am having the darling of the night – Ashley.”

Chelsey

Arlene said: “I am going for song and dance. I am taking Chelsey.”

Ife

Arlene said: “This is the hardest choice in the world but it’s Ife.”

Camilla

Arlene said: “Ye of little faith. I’m telling you that girl there will be dancing like the girl standing next to her.”

Of her group, Arlene says: “I lost the draw every time and I did want Rana but I love my group – they’re sultry, they’re sexy. Good luck Bruno – you’ll have a hard time beating me.”

Sadly, two contestants remained unpicked in the final dance-off. Going home tonight were Bobby and Jamie.

Arlene said: “These boys are so fabulous. Both of them can really dance but they don’t have enough of a voice.”

Jamie said: “It’s been absolutely brilliant. It’s a shame I haven’t gone through but I’m going to keep dancing.”

Bobby said: “I’ve had such a good time and want everyone to do so well.”

After a spectacular opening number, the girls performed their solo song and dance numbers and a random draw decided that Bruno would get first pick for their group.

The hot-trotting twosome then took it in turns to choose their favourite dancing divas, leaving the last two unpicked.

After the eight boys had gone through the same process, the remaining four contestants had one last chance to impress Bruno and Arlene with a four-way dance-off, before two were selected to complete the two groups of seven, and two were left to go home.

Next week, the groups go head to head for the first time in the battle to create the ultimate all-singing all-dancing group, and it will be down to the viewers to decide which team they think is the best.

After watching them dance in their groups for the first time the public will vote for either Arlene or Bruno’s team.

Whoever gets the least votes will have to nominate a member of their team to go home, leaving dreams of dancing into the final group behind them.

DanceX hopeful, Rana Roy has revealed that she has been greatly inpsired by former Spice Girl, Melanie C.

Rana danced in Mel’s single, ‘I Got Candy’ and was thrilled to be given some tips by her idol.

“Mel was really nice. I’ve always been a fan so it was great to work with her,” Rana told The People. “Seeing just how talented Mel is proved to be a massive inspiration for me. It was so surreal to finally be dancing for one of my childhood heroes. It made me so happy. Read more & comment »

DanceX finalist, Claire Mealor has spoken to the Daily Mirror newspaper today about her hellish battle with eating disorder, anorexia.

The Mirror reported:

Claire said: “I used to be the ugly fat kid. I never wanted to perform on stage even though I loved singing.

“I was badly bullied. Girls threatened to stick my head down the toilet and beat me up. They followed me home from school every day.”

It got so bad that Claire’s parents were forced to pick her up from Edgbarrow School in Crowthorne, Berks, every evening.

She recalled: “There were constant taunts and I couldn’t face walking home.”

At her heaviest, Claire weighed 11st, but she masked her true feelings.

She said: “I was always bubbly so the teachers and everyone around me didn’t realise how upset I really was.”

After dieting to just over 7st, Claire’s skin went grey.

She said: “Mentally, I couldn’t bring myself to eat. I knew the calorie content of everything.

“It wasn’t until a drama teacher said how bad I looked that I realised I had to stop myself.”

Claire’s weight went up to 9½st at university and she has stuck around that mark ever since.

The classically trained singer — she never had dancing lessons — is engaged to shop manager Kirk Budmish, also 23.

Kirk has been Claire’s personal trainer for BBC1’s DanceX contest, which pulled in 5.5million viewers last week and is expected to get even more for tonight’s show.

She added: “Kirk has taken me out jogging every day to improve my fitness. I just have to work twice as hard.

“When I perform, it will be two fingers up to the bullies. I’m going to go for my dreams.”

DanceX finalist has spoken of her devastation at Arlene Phillips decision to send her home from the DanceX finals.

“When Arlene told me I wasn’t through to the next round, I was absolutely devastated,” Chelsey told The Mirror. “I tried to blink away tears on television but when the cameras left I cried on the phone to my mum. It was my first audition and I wanted it so badly.

“Back on the stall in Skeggie, my head buzzed with plans to move to London for more auditions. So when Arlene tapped me on the shoulder I was so stunned I couldn’t speak.” Read more & comment »

Cormack, a 25-year-old Londoner, fell in love with dance after taking a performing arts course at his local college. Since then he has gained more dancing experience undertaking a BTEC national diploma in dance at Lewisham College, dancing at fashion shows and clubs and teaching street dance at his local gym. Read more & comment »