Strictly Family - Series 16

Dates

Sept-Dec 2018 (13 weeks plus a launch show, 15 couples).

 

That time period in context

In January the number of rough sleepers in England reached its highest level since records began – an estimated 4,751. Also that month, Royal Mail announced a set of stamps featuring characters from Game of Thrones. Stephen Hawking died in March aged 76. In the same month Channel 4 aired a documentary about Cambridge Analytica, the data analysis company that worked on the Brexit Leave campaign and for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. In May the abortion ban in Ireland was overturned by referendum. In June and July 2018, a junior association football team and their assistant coach were rescued from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. Trump (a man made entirely of bitterness and the stuff found on the floor of public toilets) visited the UK in July 2016. Also in July the Brexit campaign group Vote Leave was fined and referred to police for breaking electoral law (and yet, still leave we did). The first series of Derry Girls started in January 2018 and Succession in June. 

 

Judges

Shirley Ballas (head judge), Darcey Bussell, Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli.

Guest judge Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton! Pic below) stood in for Bruno on week 5. Like previous guest judge Donny Osmond, Alfonso and pro partner Witney Carson won a season of the US Dancing with the Stars (season 19 in autumn 2014, pic below).

Presenters

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman (main and results shows).

Zoe Ball (It Takes Two).

 

Addition to format

There were even more pros without partners. This time Neil Jones (again – this isn’t going to be a great series for him any which way you look at it) and new pros Johannes Radebe and Luba Mushtuk.

Couple’s Choice was now added to list of dances (this year that covered Street/Commercial, Theatre/Jazz and Contemporary).

Michael Bublé sang at the final which is handy because that Xmas we gave Heather a lifesize cardboard Bublé. We had tried to get her tickets to see the singer a couple of times and it was just impossible (and really expensive) so we gave up on live and kicking and went for cheap and foldable. He’s really handy, joins in all our family celebrations, even offers to help in the kitchen.

Dancers 

(celebrities first, professional partners second; couples listed in order of elimination with winners last)

Susannah Constantine and Anton du Beke
Lee Ryan and Nadiya Bychkova
Katie Piper and Gorka Márquez
Vick Hope and Graziano Di Prima (new pro)
Seann Walsh and Katya Jones
Dr. Ranj Singh and Janette Manrara
Danny John-Jules and Amy Dowden
Kate Silverton and Aljaž Škorjanec
Graeme Swann and Oti Mabuse
Charles Venn and Karen Clifton
Lauren Steadman and AJ Pritchard (pic below)
Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev
Faye Tozer and Giovanni Pernice

Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell

Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton (pic at top of post)

Celebrities we had heard of before the series (and how we knew them)

Susannah (knew of her vaguely from that What Not to Wear TV programme where posh women give “fashion” tips like “everything goes with a Range Rover” – this was one of those times when the public got it right and voted her out first, no messing, so you see, we can do it), Katie Piper (she was attacked by an ex-boyfriend in 2008 and does a lot of public work about burns and other injuries, pic below with Gorka), Dr Ranj Singh (kids TV/CBeebies), Danny John-Jules (actor, Red Dwarf). Also, Mark will have known Graeme Swann (cricket) but he had long stopped watching Strictly by now and was probably in another room watching actual cricket (or baseball, or rugby, or basketball, or documentaries about cricket, baseball etc., or maybe something with zombies).

Who did we vote for?

I think I voted for actor Charles and Karen early on (pic below) and later TV presenter Stacey and Kevin. When Stacey reached for the camera in their Les Mis dance in musicals week (the quarter final) she reached my heartstrings too (and I don’t even like Les Mis).

Celebrities we liked more after the series

Stacey (I didn’t know much about her before but she was great in the show). Charles was lovely. Dr Ranj we liked anyway but we enjoyed him in this too. Pop stars Ashley Roberts (Pussycat Dolls, pic below with Pasha) and Faye Tozer (Steps) both did some amazing routines and kept professional to the end even when it was pretty obvious Kev’n’Stace were on their way to the grabbing the glitterball. The new pros (those with and without partners) were all glorious too.

Was it obvious who was going to win?

Well, there were some high scoring couples (Faye and Giovanni, Ashley and Pasha) but Stacey and Kevin had more (brace yourselves) journey going for them, starting lower and getting to high scores a little more gradually. Also they had love (blossoming), Kevin being a bridesmaid in terms of the glitterball (he’d been in 4 finals up to this series, still waiting on the cigar), and Stacey turning out to be a great dancer and performer and voice of the people. It was certainly obvious (to me) from the Les Mis dance that they were going to win (that was one of those dances, one that clinches a victory before the final’s credits even start rolling).

Were there articles in the papers moaning about one of the celebrities being good because they’d danced before?

I suspect there were articles about both Ashley and Faye. Unintentionally perhaps, Faye (pictured above with Giovanni) gave us, as a mother and daughter viewing partnership, one of the best laughs of the series (and beyond). It was one of those VT things and Faye was wondering who she was in the world now she was no longer in the pop band Steps (not a band I ever knew much about, I would have to say, other than there was fella called H and they did a cover of Tragedy). In this VT she uttered the immortal words (to herself) “Who is Faye Tozer?” and I’m afraid it swiftly became a family saying to be repeated whenever she was mentioned in later series. I don’t want to be mean, none of us are any better and most of us ask ourselves this kind of question sometimes – it is a feature of being human to wonder who the hell we are and why we’re here, also why we’re writing 21 blog posts about a TV show. But most of us don’t have to face these questions on national TV (and then dance the tango) and that’s the difference. It makes us laugh to repeat it (though we are laughing at each other most of all, the whole Royle Familyness of it) and every time we do we actually like Faye more (she is Strictly Family, you see). Plus she and Giovanni did a bloody amazing theatre/jazz number to Fever on Halloween week (one of those never-to-be-forgotten Strictly dances – add it to the list).

Did it matter?

Probably not, in terms of who won the series. Love is hard to beat.

 

Was there an obvious “shouldn’t stay in long but did” contestant?

I suppose maybe Graeme Swann lasted longer than other, better, dancers (though to be honest I can’t even remember what he looks like now). The Oti Mabuse effect was up and running by this series so that probably contributed – she was to become Strictly royalty before long (and well deserved, we are huge Oti fans in this house and obviously we’re not alone, she is very popular).

 

Shock exit?

Not exactly shocks but I think pop star Lee Ryan (Blue) was perhaps surprised to go out so early (second elimination). Radio/TV presenter Vick Hope (pic below with new pro Graziano) was doing well so going out fourth was an early exit for her as well. 

The story of the series

The story of the first part of the series was nothing to do with dancing and more to do with comedian Seann and his pro partner Katya having some kind of triste tryst (I have been avoiding too much relationship talk overall but this story was part of the series in many ways). Katya had been popular up to this point (the Balls effect) but this “scandal” did lower her ratings for a while as the viewers kicked the couple off pretty quickly (strange how in politics this doesn’t happen anymore and politicians can get away with all kinds of double standards and outright lies – Strictly voters, evidently, still have some standards). Seann’s girlfriend at the time, actor Rebecca Humphries, later wrote a book about their relationship whilst Neil Jones (now partnerless on the show in both senses) carried on like a brave but injured soldier to regular cries of “Justice for Neil” from at least one member of our household. We still liked Katya too (she’s an amazing pro dancer) and she took her time out that year and came back to favour in the show little by little. The current series (in 2022) is teasing fans here and there that Mr and Mrs Jones (pic below) might even reunite. Certainly, our rom-com loving daughter would totally approve of this development.

There were other personal stories that year too (Joe and Dianne, pic below, still together, Kev’n’Stace, ditto). In fact our daughter tells me there are, at time of writing, 7 (correction - 8) romantic relationships still active (that we know of) where the couples in question met on Strictly (not necessarily partnered on the show, for dancing purposes). This might suggest there is not just the much-discussed “Strictly Curse” but maybe something else as well (a “Strictly Blessing”?). I’m not really bothered either way but I know some people are interested in these things so there you go.

And our family - what was going on with us at the time?

In our lives (and possibly yours) some years are quiet (almost dull), whilst others are pretty full-on and this was one of the latter. Heather was in her last year of school and had a medical operation in March (in Perth, snow all around). She and I went to see Lady Bird at the pictures the night before and loved it (Laurie Metcalf – what a special actor she is, all gritty warmth, the key ingredient in so many TV shows and films). Recovery after Heather’s op took longer than she expected but it was lightened by offers from unis (she chose Dundee) and looking forward to her 18^th birthday in April. She had two celebrations for that – one with family down in Leeds (Sambuca! Armley massive!) and one in a hotel in Dundee (Karaoke! Terrible quiche! See her getting the party room ready in the pic below). Pretty much everyone we know up here came to that one (and a few people from further south). Both nights were great fun and she was showered with gifts and love (which of course she deserves). Dry your eyes now…

Summer was busy – Heather went back to Canada to visit the family some more and then we all moved house (her to uni, us not too far away from there). I started a new job and Mark was still in the old job (well, someone has to be consistent). We had lived in a small town for years and we took full advantage of being in a city again (and it’s a good job we did, lockdowns coming and all). I didn’t watch much live Strictly this series (not even the final) as this year Heather was often off doing something else (musicals, quizzes, trips, being bossed about by a uni flatmate) but we did still watch it together at some point. Every time I’ve thought I’ll stop watching Strictly (when my Mum died, when Heather started uni) it hasn’t happened and I keeeep watching. So, I ask myself, is it me now who’s the superfan? Marian Keyes, Miranda Hart, Keith bloody Lemon and me (and a few million others)? Can that be possible? 

If you want to read any of the previous posts just click Older Post below till you get to the one you want. Or use these links: Series 1, Series 2, Series 3, Series 4, Series 5, Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, our Dancing with the Stars interlude, Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Series 12, Series 13, Series 14 and Series 15. Back tomorrow for Series 17 (2019) – the year the substitute takes it.