Strictly Come Dancing is gearing up for its milestone 20th anniversary series - but the line-up is missing something glaringly obvious, according to an expert. Behind the scenes, BBC bosses are said to have been working flat-out to salvage the show in light of the recent misconduct scandal, and have announced new measures for the upcoming instalment, including chaperones in training rooms. But while usually at this time of year, fans are abuzz with excitement as details of the new line-up slowly drop, crisis management expert Mayah Riaz believes that the lights have been dimmed this time around.
The line-up has been dubbed 'underwhelming' by many online, despite the presence of some big names. Former X Factor winner and Coronation Street star Shayne Ward has signed up, with bosses believing the 39-year-old's likeability will be a boost for the programme. DIY favourite Nick Knowles is also set to take to the dancefloor after months of talks with producers, with a source close to the presenter saying the TV star has "always loved" the show.
And in a break with tradition, several reality TV stars have been included, such as Love Island 's Tasha Ghouri, who is already a professional dancer, and TOWIE's Pete Wicks . But Mayah fears that after the sacking of professional dancer Graziano Di Prima , who kicked former dance partner Zara McDermott , and the ongoing probe into actress Amanda Abbington's claims that she was bullied by Giovanni Pernice, the line-up will do little to turn .