Strictly Come Dancing live: Paul Merson’s Vindaloo nightmare leaves fans divided over week one dance
The pressure is on as celebrity contestants perform live for the first time this season
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Strictly Come Dancing has returned to our screens for the first live show of the series.
The new season kicked off last week with a dazzling pre-recorded show to mark the beginning of its 20th anniversary series after months of scandal surrounding the programme’s professional dancers.
However, the pressure will rise this week as the 15 celebrity contestants perform live for the first time before the voting – and first elimination of the series – happens next weekend.
This week’s routines include three cha chas, two foxtrots, two tangos, two sambas and a Viennese waltz.
Comedian Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell perform a cha cha to “Twist and Shout”’ by The Beatles, with TV doctor Punam Krishnan and Gorka Márquez performing the same style to Kylie Minogue’s “Love at First Sight”.
Former Love Island contestant Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec danced a cha cha to Sabrina Carpenter’s summer anthem, “Espresso”.
As announced last week, former Arsenal/England player Paul Merson paid homage to his sport by performing the intriguing combination of an American Smooth to the popular football chant song “Vindaloo” by Fat Les.
Gladiators star Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe foxtrotted to “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?” by Dinah Washington, while Olympic Hockey player Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin also performed a foxtrot to The Supremes’ hit “Where Did Our Love Go”.
Tango-ing this week Olympic swimmer Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova danced to Harry Styles’s “Golden”, while Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones performed to Madonna’s “Ray of Light”.
In the samba corner were Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu, dancing to Stevie Wonder’s “Do I Do”, and Wynne Evans and Katya Jones performing Tom Jones’s “Help Yourself”.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
TOWIE’s Pete Wicks and his partner Jowita Przystał performed a paso doble to “Breathe” by The Prodigy.
EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas danced a Viennese Waltz to Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” and JLS’s JB Gill and Amy Dowden performed a classic waltz to “When I Need You” by Leo Sayer.
Recap: Everything that went down during the launch show
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Strictly Come Dancing week one. Things are about to get very interesting: the celebrities will be dancing live (!) for the first time, before voting begins next weekend.
If you missed what happened during the launch show, you can catch up below. Expect Craig Revel-Horwood’s beard reveal, Amy Dowden’s emotional return and Jamie Borthwick being the punchline of the weekend.
Read our recap here:
The biggest talking points from Strictly Come Dancing’s launch show
The BBC’s glittering diamond shook off months of scandal as it return to screens for its 20th anniversary
Need to revise who everyone is again? Meet the full lineup...
Tomorrow night will see the couples take to the floor one-by-one for the first time – on live TV.
But before, perhaps you need a reminder of who they all are, and whether they have any dancing background.
Find out below:
Meet all the contestants on Strictly Come Dancing 2024
A comedian, a JLS star and DIY SOS presenter are among those who have been announced
Strictly’s first blind contestant Chris McCausland says he and pro partner are ‘winging it’
Chris McCausland has revealed how the BBC production team have been supporting him as the show’s first blind contestant.
Speaking to The Independent and other media ahead of the show’s launch, the comedian admitted that he and his dance partner are “winging it” since McCausland has never seen the show before, and his professional partner has never taught someone who is blind.
“We’re just gonna have to figure it out as we go along,” he said. “The production team are just being really flexible. My dance partner is figuring out how to teach me. And we are winging it. That’s the best way I think.”
Speaking about his rehearsal experience so far, McCausland explained that adapting to wearing new dancing shoes was the first hurdle.
“The part of the problem for me is wearing shoes that I’m not used to walking in,” he said. “I can’t feel the floor through the shoes properly.”
Read more below:
Strictly’s first blind star Chris McCausland says he and pro partner are ‘winging it’
Comedian, who lost his sight aged 22, said he is ‘figuring it out’ as he goes along
The Strictly stars with previous dance experience, from Tasha Ghouri to JB Gill
As many of the celebrities competing on Strictly are actors, singers and performers, a large number of them will have trained in dance or theatrical performance.
Those contestants are often subject to backlash from viewers at home who argue that they have an unfair advantage compared to the other contestants.
So, who has come to the show with previous training? Find out below.
All of the Strictly stars with dance experience, from Tasha Ghouri to JB Gill
Featuring a professionally-trained commercial dancer and theatre school graduate
Chris McCausland describes how nervous he is for first live show
Is anyone nervous? Well, comedian Chris McCausland definitely is.
On X/Twitter, he asked toilet paper brand Andrex if they could sponsor him.
“The thought of the first #Strictly live dance on Saturday genuinely terrifies me. If @Andrex_UK Wants to sponsor me, I think I might need a van load,” he wrote.
Strictly viewers already want Chris McCausland to win after hilarious joke about fellow contestant
McCausland is already winning over Strictly fans with his witty one-liners.
During last week’s episode, as hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman interviewed this year’s cast, McCausland chimed in and referred to fellow contestant, TV personality Dr Punam Krishan, saying: “Can I just say none of us can believe we managed to get in the same room as a GP!”
At one point, he told the hosts: “I may as well get the jokes out now, I’m only here for three weeks.”
Fans were quick to crown McCausland as the “best part” of this year’s series, with one viewer writing online: “I think we can all agree @chrismccausland is already a highlight of this year’s #Strictly!”
Another added that it was a “stroke of genius” from the BBC to get the comedian to compete on the show.
“Just give the glitterball to Chris McCausland NOW,” said another on X/Twitter. “What a joyous contestant.”
Another added: “Everyone else can step aside Chris McCausland is the hero of this show already. What an absolute treasure and a star!”
Read more below:
Strictly viewers already want Chris McCausland to win after hilarious Dr Krishan joke
The comedian is the first blind celebrity to take part in the show
Janette Manrara explains why she won’t be rooting for husband Aljaz on Strictly
Janette Manrara has revealed that she won’t be rooting for her husband Aljaž Škorjanec during his return to Strictly Come Dancing because she can’t pick favourites in her role as It Takes Two presenter.
Speaking to The One Show alongside her co-presenter Fleur East, Manrara was asked by host Roman Kemp: “Janette, I know someone you’ll be cheering on. Aljaž, of course. Is it nice to see him back out there?”
While she said she was enjoying seeing her husband perform on this year’s series, after his departure in 2022, she said she has to remain impartial in her job as the presenter of Strictly’s official companion show.
Read more below:
Janette Manrara explains why she won’t be rooting for husband on Strictly
‘I’m not allowed favourites,’ said professional dancer
Strictly Come Dancing 2024 viewing figures for launch revealed
Strictly Come Dancing’s 2024 launch show was watched by almost a million fewer viewers than last year, figures have indicated.
Read more below:
Viewing figures for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 launch revealed amid controversy
Viewing figures have fluctuated over the years
Meet Montell Douglas, the Gladiators star and multi-sport Olympian
Before her time fighting off hopeful Gladiators contestants on our screens, the 38-year-old sprinter represented Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she reached the second round in the women’s 100 metres.
She previously held a British woman’s record for fastest 100m sprint and won a Commonwealth Gold in the 4x100m relay race in 2010.
Get to know the Strictly contestant below:
Meet Strictly Come Dancing’s Montell Douglas, AKA Fire from Gladiators
This sprinter-turned-bobsledder will be swapping her ‘Gladiators’ suit for a glittery ballroom gown
Shayne Ward’s journey from X Factor audition to Coronation Street and now Strictly
Before his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, Shayne Ward was famous for winning The X Factor and releasing his catchy Christmas number one, “That’s My Goal”.
Born in Manchester to parents who were Irish travellers, the 39-year-old spent the earlier part of his life in a band called Destiny performing in pubs, clubs, and weddings before his big break on the ITV show in 2005.
Read more about the Strictly contestant below:
Shayne Ward’s journey from X Factor audition to Coronation Street and now Strictly
‘No promises on my dancing ability,’ warned the actor and singer
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments