S trictly Come Dancing is traditionally the sparkliest show on television – but it’s never been more necessary for its line-up to shine brighter than a sequin factory in the midsummer sun. Just as the BBC favourite was about to celebrate its 20th anniversary, Strictly was beset by scandal with allegations of torturous training sessions – and in one case, physical abuse – that apparently left celebs in tears, prompting endless headlines questioning if the show could continue. So a lot was riding on its 2024 line-up announcement , which has been drip-fed to us by the BBC over the past couple of weeks.
Unfortunately, the overarching reaction is not enthusiastic. It’s not been helped by the fact a “leaked” line-up claimed the likes of bonafide A-lister Hannah Waddingham had signed up. Bar one name, it turned out to be completely false – and let’s be honest, the actual line-up has more than a couple of people you need to google.
“Abysmal!” people cried on Twitter, as unforgiving outlets rushed to ask: “Is this the worst Strictly line-up ever?” But as any Strictly devotee can tell you – in this case, it’s me – it’s far too early to write off the Class of 2024. While the usual “they’re not famous enough” tweets are being fired out, I think these celebs are more than up to the task; this line-up, despite the criticism, could surprise us by tangoing right into our hearts. But boy, they have a lot of work to do.
The BBC had already begun promotin.