Strictly Family - Series 7

Dates

Sept-Dec 2009 (14 weeks, 16 couples). 

That time period in context

In January 2009 the government and banking systems collapsed in Iceland. In September there was a severe earthquake in Indonesia. In December astronomers discovered GJ 1214 b, the first-known exoplanet on which water could exist. Back on earth there was severe flood damage in many parts of UK in November (though that could be most years now). Early in 2009 Slumdog Millionaire won 8 Oscars. Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall won the Man Booker Prize. In November, Susan Boyle topped the UK album chart with her debut release I Dreamed A Dream and the film Nativity was released for Xmas (Mr Poppy!).

 

Judges

Len Goodman (head judge), Alesha Dixon (former contestant, new judge), Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli. Guest judge for weeks 12-14 was Darcey Bussell.

 

Presenters

Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly (main show).

Claudia Winkleman (It Takes Two).

 

Addition to format

Blackpool was back in the calendar for a show in November.

Presenter Bruce was ill and missed one week. Tess took on his role in the main show (with help from Ronnie Corbett) and Claudia filled in for Tess. 

New dances were a group Viennese Waltz, a Lindy Hop, and a Rock’n’Roll number.

 

Dancers 

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

Martina Hingis and Matthew Cutler

Richard Dunwoody and Lilia Kopylova

Rav Wilding and Aliona Vilani (new pro)

Lynda Bellingham and Darren Bennett

Joe Calzaghe and Kristina Rihanoff

Jo Wood and Brendan Cole

Zöe Lucker and James Jordan

Craig Kelly and Flavia Cacace

Phil Tufnell and Katya Virshilas (new pro)

Jade Johnson and Ian Waite (withdrew)

Ricky Groves and Erin Boag

Natalie Cassidy and Vincent Simone

Laila Rouass and Anton du Beke

Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna

Ricky Whittle and Natalie Lowe (new pro)

Chris Hollins and Ola Jordan

 

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

Martina Hingis (tennis), Lynda Bellingham (actor, though to be honest I mainly knew her from the Oxo advert, no disrespect intended), Phil Tufnell (cricketer and TV personality, he won I’m a Celebrity in 2003), Natalie Cassidy (Eastenders and just generally famous). 

 

Who did we vote for?

Heather really loved sports presenter Chris and Ola as a couple (and pro dancer Ola in particular). During this period, the pair of them used to turn up in all her stories for school, just as ordinary characters, not necessarily doing the tango or anything. I suspect at this stage she probably wished they were her parents at least once a week. I didn’t have a particular favourite this series but because she loved them so much, I voted for Chris and Ola too (though I also voted for long jumper Jade until she had to withdraw because of injury). My Mum, a sucker for a blonde lady in a wafty dress doing romantic ballroom, voted for actor Ali (and Brian). Strange really because of all the many (many!) men she said reminded her of my brother David who lived overseas (see Series 3), Chris Hollins probably looks the most like him but she remained immune. Mind you, she also thought David was a deadringer for Bruce Willis in Moonlighting.

 

Celebrities we liked more after the series

As well as Chris and Ola (Heather’s other parents), I liked Jade (shame she got injured) and actor Ricky (amazing dancing, see below). 

Was it obvious who was going to win?

Not completely, though Chris and Ola’s Charleston was such a hit with the viewers that it was another of those “dances that won a series”. They did a move in it where they kind of swam across the floor – it was like nothing else. Ricky and Ali both got high scores throughout so there was always the chance one of them might win … but they didn’t.

 

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

Don’t remember … maybe?

 

Did it matter?

It would seem not.

 

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

Not this time. Although I suppose some dance purists might say Chris Hollins fitted that category. A lot of the viewers loved the Chris and Ola partnership though. They seemed to be having such a great time too and that’s very infectious (though in recent times the “I’m just having the best time and I don’t want it to end” cliché has been a little overused and I never want to hear it again).

Shock exit?

Martina Hingis going out in week 1. She was a huge star in tennis and a great athlete so I expected her to make the final not go out straightaway. TV presenter Rav Wilding was doing well too so him going out in week 3 was a bit early.

 

The story of the series

Chris and Ola – as with Darren Gough the story was “the unexpected dancer” and I suppose part of the appeal of that story is that it tells us that maybe, just maybe, any of us could win a dance competition, given the chance, a dedicated teacher and the time. Also, it’s fun to watch people surprising themselves, doing (and wearing) things they wouldn’t normally try. Maybe it reminds us we could change some things about our lives too. Or maybe I’m reading too much into it.

For this series there was also a romance story or two in the papers I think but if you press people up against each other week after week in outfits made of thin materials these things are going to happen and you just have to get used to it.

 

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

In September we had a friend’s wedding and not long after Heather (now aged 9) somehow got most of her primary school to join in a wedding ceremony in the playground (she was the bride, a lad from up the street was the groom). Mark and I are not married and I’m not sure if this was some kind of hint. Anyway, it was probably just the drama as she still loved shows more than ever, being in them, watching them, plus the Muppets. On a different note, Mark and I were a bit late to the big TV drama series revolution but we watched The Sopranos in early 2009 (all of it in a few months, on DVDs, which seems a bit retro now).

I was still doing a lot with poems (though I’d retired from singing). I did a weekly prompt with a group of great bloggers (The Poetry Bus!) and organised a National Poetry Day event in Montrose with Hugh McMillan and Raymond Vettese as headlining poets, music from Charlie Williamson and Grace Banks. 

Mum’s elderly dog had died earlier in 2009. We didn’t know it at the time of course but 2009-10 was Mum’s last winter (and therefore her last Strictly too). 

Back tomorrow for our first Strictly without Grandma (Margaret). 

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 and Series 6.