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| How Strictly Come Dancing waltzed its way to the top of the Saturday night ratings | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The format did not sound as though it had universal appeal back in 2004, when producers first pitched the idea of a Saturday night television extravaganza based on the garish, old-fashioned rigours of ballroom dancing. But time and the hard work of a succession of unlikely kings and queens of the rumba, the foxtrot and the cha cha cha have proved that Strictly Come Dancing always had what it takes to become a reliable family hit. | The format did not sound as though it had universal appeal back in 2004, when producers first pitched the idea of a Saturday night television extravaganza based on the garish, old-fashioned rigours of ballroom dancing. But time and the hard work of a succession of unlikely kings and queens of the rumba, the foxtrot and the cha cha cha have proved that Strictly Come Dancing always had what it takes to become a reliable family hit. |
| After a triumphant, festive final to the 10th series on Saturday saw Olympic gymnast Louis Smith and professional dance partner Flavia Cacace walk away with the glitterball trophy, the millions of fans of this odd mix of sparkle and hard graft can rest secure in the knowledge that it will be back in 2013 and that Strictly's new heroine, the former Royal Ballet prima ballerina Darcey Bussell, will also return as a judge. On Friday night the 43-year-old Covent Garden star confirmed reports that she is to sit on the panel again. | |
| Announcing her decision, Bussell said: "I've thoroughly enjoyed my first series as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing and I'm absolutely delighted to be returning next year." | Announcing her decision, Bussell said: "I've thoroughly enjoyed my first series as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing and I'm absolutely delighted to be returning next year." |
| A fortnight ago Strictly's rival talent show on ITV, The X Factor, was forced to concede it had been beaten in the ratings war. Defeat became evident when, on the night of its final, it managed to attract a million fewer viewers than BBC1's Strictly, which basked in the attention of 11 million pairs of eyes. In contrast, The X Factor's figures were 5 million down on its peak period two years ago. So this weekend, amid news that Simon Cowell, The X Factor's creator, has been called in to revamp the faltering ITV format next month, Bussell's decision to stay on the BBC show makes her the Sugar Plum Fairy on Strictly's Christmas cake. | |
| The ballerina has candidly admitted to having a crush on Smith, the winner, yet her even-handed support for his fellow finalists, singer Kimberley Walsh, Dani Harmer and presenter and actress Denise Van Outen, earned her respect on the panel and with viewers. | |
| "Darcey has been a fantastic addition to the judging panel and a pleasure to watch this series. We couldn't be more thrilled with her reception from the Strictly audience," a source from the show said last week. "We cannot wait to have her back alongside Len (Goodman), Bruno (Tonioli) and Craig (Revel Horwood) next year." | "Darcey has been a fantastic addition to the judging panel and a pleasure to watch this series. We couldn't be more thrilled with her reception from the Strictly audience," a source from the show said last week. "We cannot wait to have her back alongside Len (Goodman), Bruno (Tonioli) and Craig (Revel Horwood) next year." |
| Bussell did not have an easy start as a judge. As she confessed recently, "no one was sure if I would fit in". Her nervous tendency to say "yah" at the ends of sentences ensured the well-spoken dancer was widely ridiculed after her first appearances. She has since explained she did not notice her vocal tic until it was pointed out to her. She has also suggested it might have been the symptom of her initial discomfort about having to talk "at contestants" rather than show them what she meant on the dance floor. | Bussell did not have an easy start as a judge. As she confessed recently, "no one was sure if I would fit in". Her nervous tendency to say "yah" at the ends of sentences ensured the well-spoken dancer was widely ridiculed after her first appearances. She has since explained she did not notice her vocal tic until it was pointed out to her. She has also suggested it might have been the symptom of her initial discomfort about having to talk "at contestants" rather than show them what she meant on the dance floor. |
| For Dame Monica Mason, former head of the Royal Ballet and a friend and mentor of Bussell, the care that the newest Strictly judge takes with the contestants suggests the dancer is remembering the challenges she faced when she took on her first lead role as a teenager. | For Dame Monica Mason, former head of the Royal Ballet and a friend and mentor of Bussell, the care that the newest Strictly judge takes with the contestants suggests the dancer is remembering the challenges she faced when she took on her first lead role as a teenager. |
| "She was picked out to dance in The Prince of the Pagodas in 1988, when she was still young, and she was nervous about working with Kenneth MacMillan," said Mason this weekend, adding that the renowned choreographer made great demands. "Luckily she was dancing with Jonathan Cope, who was a little older and more experienced than her and also a very nice man. He was very protective of her. Without his care I think she would have had real difficulty," she said. | "She was picked out to dance in The Prince of the Pagodas in 1988, when she was still young, and she was nervous about working with Kenneth MacMillan," said Mason this weekend, adding that the renowned choreographer made great demands. "Luckily she was dancing with Jonathan Cope, who was a little older and more experienced than her and also a very nice man. He was very protective of her. Without his care I think she would have had real difficulty," she said. |
| Mason, who was trained by Dame Margot Fonteyn, remembers spotting Darcey when she was a student at the Royal Ballet School. | Mason, who was trained by Dame Margot Fonteyn, remembers spotting Darcey when she was a student at the Royal Ballet School. |
| "I was aware of huge potential there. The school could see she was very talented and they wanted to nurture it. I remember watching her in class and seeing how determined she was and also how sensitive." | "I was aware of huge potential there. The school could see she was very talented and they wanted to nurture it. I remember watching her in class and seeing how determined she was and also how sensitive." |
| Mason, 71, is currently working with Cope to rehearse the Royal Ballet cast of Firebird, part of a mixed bill until early January, and she believes Bussell's work on Strictly will have taken a positive message about ballet to a new audience. | Mason, 71, is currently working with Cope to rehearse the Royal Ballet cast of Firebird, part of a mixed bill until early January, and she believes Bussell's work on Strictly will have taken a positive message about ballet to a new audience. |
| "I have so enjoyed watching her. She has promoted dancing so people can see that dancers are real people, who can have babies and a life outside dance," she said. "I have always thought all forms of dance have a great benefit." | "I have so enjoyed watching her. She has promoted dancing so people can see that dancers are real people, who can have babies and a life outside dance," she said. "I have always thought all forms of dance have a great benefit." |
| The former pupil has talked to her ex-coach about her enjoyment of the television show. | The former pupil has talked to her ex-coach about her enjoyment of the television show. |
| "She loves it. I have been impressed by the choreography and I think Darcey appreciates that too. It is really first class. She also appreciates the work put into learning a new number each week, or in some cases two new numbers. You really have to go some to do that. When Darcey asks contestants to lengthen their neck, or keep their shoulders down, I'm sure she is remembering how she was once corrected. Dancers are used to being corrected all the time." | "She loves it. I have been impressed by the choreography and I think Darcey appreciates that too. It is really first class. She also appreciates the work put into learning a new number each week, or in some cases two new numbers. You really have to go some to do that. When Darcey asks contestants to lengthen their neck, or keep their shoulders down, I'm sure she is remembering how she was once corrected. Dancers are used to being corrected all the time." |
| Bussell says her approach to judging is based on the idea that improvement is always possible. "For me, it's important to make the contestants feel they can come back next week and be better," she has said. "I hope that will inspire them and not just flatten them." | Bussell says her approach to judging is based on the idea that improvement is always possible. "For me, it's important to make the contestants feel they can come back next week and be better," she has said. "I hope that will inspire them and not just flatten them." |
| Mason recalls Bussell was known for her "tremendous sense of fun" during her time at the Royal Ballet. "She would enjoy her free time, but when she had to focus she worked hard. She never took anything for granted." | Mason recalls Bussell was known for her "tremendous sense of fun" during her time at the Royal Ballet. "She would enjoy her free time, but when she had to focus she worked hard. She never took anything for granted." |
| Another former Royal Ballet principal dancer, Tamara Rojo, now artistic director of the English National Ballet, pays tribute to Bussell's equable temperament. | Another former Royal Ballet principal dancer, Tamara Rojo, now artistic director of the English National Ballet, pays tribute to Bussell's equable temperament. |
| "I don't have the patience to judge Strictly Come Dancing," the Spanish dancer told The Observer in an interview in next Sunday's Magazine. "My awful side would come out. I would be vile. I have no time for people who think they can cut corners – for people who think they can be better dancers in three weeks than a dancer of 20 years." | "I don't have the patience to judge Strictly Come Dancing," the Spanish dancer told The Observer in an interview in next Sunday's Magazine. "My awful side would come out. I would be vile. I have no time for people who think they can cut corners – for people who think they can be better dancers in three weeks than a dancer of 20 years." |
| Bussell first appeared as a guest judge on the show and then moved from Australia back to Britain with her family after accepting the vacant seat on the panel left when Alesha Dixon left to join ITV's Britain's Got Talent. | Bussell first appeared as a guest judge on the show and then moved from Australia back to Britain with her family after accepting the vacant seat on the panel left when Alesha Dixon left to join ITV's Britain's Got Talent. |
| Mason suspects Bussell's stable family background has helped her to deal with competitors sympathetically. "Although she rose to the top of the tree, she was always one of the dancers. She has been blessed with a nature that is not neurotic," she said, "And her husband Angus [Forbes] has his feet on the ground too She can identify with everybody." | Mason suspects Bussell's stable family background has helped her to deal with competitors sympathetically. "Although she rose to the top of the tree, she was always one of the dancers. She has been blessed with a nature that is not neurotic," she said, "And her husband Angus [Forbes] has his feet on the ground too She can identify with everybody." |
| The judges on Strictly are appealingly benevolent in comparison with The X Factor, where the contestants seem driven by a desire for fame and the panellists appear determined to find a lucrative recording artist, for however short term a gain. | The judges on Strictly are appealingly benevolent in comparison with The X Factor, where the contestants seem driven by a desire for fame and the panellists appear determined to find a lucrative recording artist, for however short term a gain. |
| The dance show also benefits from its clear identity as family fare. Beginning at 6.30pm, Strictly rarely contains anything more alarming than a flash of knickers. The X Factor was criticised for featuring lewd routines. | The dance show also benefits from its clear identity as family fare. Beginning at 6.30pm, Strictly rarely contains anything more alarming than a flash of knickers. The X Factor was criticised for featuring lewd routines. |
| So, like the show's new star judge, Strictly has won over its fanbase by showing that hard work can lead to lasting success, especially with help from a spangly costume. Glamour and true grit do go together, it seems. | So, like the show's new star judge, Strictly has won over its fanbase by showing that hard work can lead to lasting success, especially with help from a spangly costume. Glamour and true grit do go together, it seems. |
| STANDOUT PERFORMANCES | STANDOUT PERFORMANCES |
| Former Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley narrowly missed out on a place in this year's final despite receiving a standing ovation from all four judges for her American Smooth with partner Robin Windsor. In an emotional exit, the pair took to the dance floor one last time, with Lisa lifting her partner into the air. | Former Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley narrowly missed out on a place in this year's final despite receiving a standing ovation from all four judges for her American Smooth with partner Robin Windsor. In an emotional exit, the pair took to the dance floor one last time, with Lisa lifting her partner into the air. |
| Ex-EastEnder Kara Tointon, pictured, won the 2010 series and found love with her Russian-American dance partner, Artem Chigvintsev. The 27-year-old battled through the final, despite having a torn ligament in her arm. She has gone on to appear as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion in the West End with Rupert Everett. | Ex-EastEnder Kara Tointon, pictured, won the 2010 series and found love with her Russian-American dance partner, Artem Chigvintsev. The 27-year-old battled through the final, despite having a torn ligament in her arm. She has gone on to appear as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion in the West End with Rupert Everett. |
| Holby City star Tom Chambers, pictured, who cancelled his honeymoon to remain on the show, beat former S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens to claim the 2008 title. His victory was all the sweeter because he nearly failed to make the final after a problem with the telephone voting lines. | Holby City star Tom Chambers, pictured, who cancelled his honeymoon to remain on the show, beat former S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens to claim the 2008 title. His victory was all the sweeter because he nearly failed to make the final after a problem with the telephone voting lines. |
| Former ITN political editor John Sergeant, whom the public kept in the competition despite judges describing him as "a dancing pig in Cuban heels", quit the competition in 2008 for fear he might actually win. His signature paso doble - which involved dragging his dancing partner Kristina Rihanoff across the floor - received one of the loudest cheers of the contest. | Former ITN political editor John Sergeant, whom the public kept in the competition despite judges describing him as "a dancing pig in Cuban heels", quit the competition in 2008 for fear he might actually win. His signature paso doble - which involved dragging his dancing partner Kristina Rihanoff across the floor - received one of the loudest cheers of the contest. |
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