The nation caught the Strictly bug sooner than ordinary this yr when the brand new hosts had been confirmed – however I do not assume anybody anticipated the primary solid bulletins to be revealed in June.
As somebody who receives the annual sequence of emails saying the lineup, I used to be very stunned yesterday when the primary one arrived in my inbox.
The dialogue normally turns to Strictly in late summer season – round August – when the BBC begins dropping the names of who can be gracing the dancefloor in September.
However simply weeks after it was confirmed that Emma Willis, Josh Widdecombe and Johannes Radebe will exchange Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as presenters, Strictly determined to provide the general public a sneak peek at who’s competing, revealing that EastEnders legend Lacey Turner can be among the many contestants competing for the Glitterball Trophy.
I’ve to confess I cheered.
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As a long-time fan, a lot of what I really like about Strictly lies in its familiarity, heat and pleasure, which is the proper antidote to a time of yr that’s typically chilly, moist and depressing.
With so many modifications coming this yr, it is onerous not to wonder if that familiarity and heat can be maintained (though I believe Jojo, Emma and Josh will knock it out of the park), so I hoped the bosses would have some large names lined up to participate to extend viewer curiosity.
And with only one identify in it, they’ve already gained me over.
Stacey Slater – a loyal Albert Sq. mainstay for 22 years – has all the time been certainly one of my favourite EastEnders characters and in the case of cleaning soap stars, Lacey is high notch.
An absolute titan of the style who by no means fails to provide 110% to each scene she does.
Whether or not it is a shout-out with Stacey’s native enemy, a intelligent quip or expertly delivered dialogue to make viewers giggle (“You simply stroll in together with your patatas bravas!”) or to interrupt our hearts with a strong efficiency – typically throughout an issue-driven storyline – Lacey is an expert with a capital P.
Her dedication to her craft is second to none. Simply weeks after happening maternity go away final yr, she made a sequence of EastEnders appearances for sometimes emotionally heavy scenes – just about every time the storyline referred to as for it.
And if that wasn’t spectacular sufficient, weeks after giving delivery, she performed an important position within the cleaning soap’s reside fortieth anniversary episode, which required in depth rehearsals and pages of dialogue to memorize. The scenes in query proved to be a few of her strongest but.
As Strictly’s celebrities typically level out within the Clauditorium, there’s some severe strain in the case of participating within the BBC dance competitors to make sure they offer judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton DuBeke what they’re searching for.
From studying the steps to fine-tuning the traces, understanding the characterization of every dance and acting on reside TV each Saturday evening, the much-loved BBC program is rigorous to say the least, which suggests you actually have to provide it your all.
That is the place Lacey will thrive. The characterization of dances, similar to a fiery Paso Doble or a moody Tango, can be in excellent arms with an actress of her caliber.
Whereas the nerves of reside TV can get to anybody, the Our Woman star has confirmed time and time once more that she excels beneath such strain, having taken heart stage in a number of reside EastEnders episodes through the years.
If Lacey brings even slightly little bit of the identical dedication to Strictly as she does to EastEnders – and also you simply know she’s going to – then we may very well be about to witness among the best celeb journeys the dancefloor has ever seen.
Shortly after information of her casting broke, a fan on X referred to as this the “cleaning soap opera model of Ariana Grande doing Strictly.” One other mentioned that for cleaning soap followers that is the equal of the BBC match drawing Ronaldo.
I believe this sums it up completely. Whereas she’s going to undoubtedly have competitors from Dani Dyer – who’s returning to the dance ground after an damage prevented her from competing final yr – Lacey has what it takes to be the winner. And it appears like I am not the one one who says she’s already mine.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One in September.
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