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If you were asked to dance at any celebrity party, who's would it be?

which would be the celebs choice of partner if it had to be another celeb from the show?

Welcome Zoe - everyone wishes you the very best of luck for your first 'It Takes Two' programme - all sounds soooo exciting! pleased to hear the lovely Karen and Ian are going to be joining you sometimes as well. Just can't wait for Strictly to start!

1. Are you anything like your star sign says you should be?

2. Tell us a joke.

3. Do you have a nickname?

Just read on the blog that Holly is changing places with Alex Jones and will be dancing this evening.

Which dance do you look forward to doing the most on the show and which one the least?

We cant wait for the show to start

Good luck Zoe! We will be looking at what you wear each night, so make sure we can see what shoes you are wearing! :D

Good Luck Zoe with the show, great to see you
has Claudia left you some of her fab shoes?

Good luck Zoe :):)

Why is Today's show on at 9pm!!!!???? Isn't this way too late for a family audience even if there is no school on Saturday? There are such things as swimming clubs and dancing groups and all manner of weekend morning groups kids need to but up for. Zoe please say something about this at some stage this week on ITT.

PS. I don't have kids and it isn't a personal issue for me, but even I think this scheduling is aimed at adult prime time and will excluded a large loyal audience fan base. I think commercial stations have a point and a duty to schedule popular programme in prime slots to gain advertising revenue, but not the Ö÷²¥´óÐã. What is going on? What is the organisations reasons for this scheduling and has there a considered reason for it? If so can we have more than just a 'Yes' answer?

Looking forward to the start, especially the take 2. It will be great to see you involved in the show again. At least you can dance, sorry Claudia.

Don't forget sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

Have the official Strictly Come Dancing Team Names been chosen yet? Looked around internet blogs, but not sure if the list is correct or not:

Lulu and Brendan: Team 'Brulu'
Rory and Erin: Team 'RoBo'
Jason and Kristina: Team 'Jastina'
Anita and Robin: Team 'Dobbin'
Robbie and Ola: Team 'Savola'
Dan and Katya: Team 'Danya'
Nancy and Anton: Team 'DellBeko'
Chelsee and Pasha: Team 'Pastee'
Harry and Aliona: Team 'Hali'
Alex and James: Team 'Jalex'
Holly and Artem: Team 'Hartem'
Edwena and Vincent: Team Eddicent, Vinwin and Wincent (?)

Question to any of the professional dancers - does your heart sink when you get paired up with someone who you know is not going to do well?

Are you having the professional dancer's challange again this year? and will the female dancers be taking part as well as the male dancers?

Good luck Zoe.

What is everyones:
1. favourite food and
2. More effective abs exercise?

Hi again Flatfeet. You seemed to have missed off Audley and Nat!

Dear Ö÷²¥´óÐã and ITT. Could you please advise why us loyal viewers abroad are not able to watch any clips direct from the website, but the Ö÷²¥´óÐã does post on youtube? There are many of us out here who miss the opportunity to join in conversations and to keep up to date with the goings on just because we are not allowed to the clips.

Zoe.... I hope Len will still do his dance master class with you. Although I will miss the laughter with Claudia as I'm sure you will be better at it.

A question for any of the professional dancers: which classic dance sequence (on film or stage) do you wish you had choreographed - and why?

I fell in love with a piece of tango music on the show (Libertango - took me a while to find out what it was called - think I found out from a car advert! [please Zoe, can you arrange for the music to be listed on the website?]) Wish I could dance to it..... so, question for the dancers: which piece of music would you r-e-a-l-l-y like to dance to on the show, and if you could have it played or sung by someone in particular who would it be?

Are you going to any features on the musicians and the singers this year? I know previously you have featured the singers and the conductor.

Good Luck Zoe for the series of It Takes Two. You will do a great job.:)

Dear Zoe, be honest, how do you really feel about purple and pink? Is there anywhere like the ITT set in your own home? Don't get me wrong I think it works just fine as TV set go, but some colours do affect the mood of the people sitting among them and those watching. Actually spreading this further the art of the use of colour in light design and set and costume design and how it is used to affect audiences and also the affect it has on performances and performers would make a fine ITT Video clip don't you think. So long as someone says it was suggest by DferPolarBear :)

Who would be your dream celebrity partner

Craig, would YOU please smile. Dan lobb has got a wonderful smile and sense of humour(thank goodness)

Thanks alot 2lipsAmasterdam added them on.

Lulu and Brendan: Team 'Brulu'
Rory and Erin: Team 'RoBo'
Jason and Kristina: Team 'Jastina'
Anita and Robin: Team 'Dobbin'
Robbie and Ola: Team 'Savola'
Dan and Katya: Team 'Danya'
Nancy and Anton: Team 'DellBeko'
Chelsee and Pasha: Team 'Pastee'
Harry and Aliona: Team 'Hali'
Alex and James: Team 'Jalex'
Holly and Artem: Team 'Hartem'
Edwena and Vincent ?
Audley and Natalie ?

Agree with NickyJ39 it would be great to do a feature on ITT about the orchestra, conductor and the singers - they add so much to the success of Strictly Come Dancing.

Craig was so cruel with his comments on the first live show - why doesn't he give the dancers constructive comments at the same time to help their confidence?

Which of this year's dancers at the moment does Craig think has the most potential to improve?

Thought that Natalie's dress tonight was absolutely stunning!

Why does Craig have to be so negative with his comments on the first dance? He was far too technical with his comments. He can get technical later on in the contest but for the first dance he should have been more supportive of the dancers who were understandably very nervous. He is in danger of being disregarded as a judge at this rate and he used to be my favourite!

A couple more

Lulu and Brendan: Team 'Brulu'
Rory and Erin: Team 'RoBo'
Jason and Kristina: Team 'Jastina'
Anita and Robin: Team 'Dobbin'
Robbie and Ola: Team 'Savola'
Dan and Katya: Team 'Danya'
Nancy and Anton: Team 'DellBeko'
Chelsee and Pasha: Team 'Pastee'
Harry and Aliona: Team 'Hali'
Alex and James: Team 'Jalex'
Holly and Artem: Team 'Hartem'
Audley and Natalie Team Audalie
Russell and Flavia - Team Flavant

Sadly I don't think Vincent and Edwina have caught the public's imagination enough to get a team name yet. Going to be an early exit for this pair I think.

I'm sure more many of the couples on the first live show were suffering badly from a lack of rehearsal time - some celebs last year were putting in up to 10 hours practice a day. Could you announce each week which three couples say have rehearsed the most? interesting to see if it does make a difference when they come to dance on the Saturday?

Thanks ever so Forceen - fairly sure we got Edwena and Vincent's Team Name - not 100% - but it's looking good.

Lulu and Brendan: Team 'Brulu'
Rory and Erin: Team 'RoBo'
Jason and Kristina: Team 'Jastina'
Anita and Robin: Team 'Dobbin'
Robbie and Ola: Team 'Savola'
Dan and Katya: Team 'Danya'
Nancy and Anton: Team 'DellBeko'
Chelsee and Pasha: Team 'Pastee'
Harry and Aliona: Team 'Hali'
Alex and James: Team 'Jalex'
Holly and Artem: Team 'Hartem'
Audley and Natalie Team 'Audalie'
Russell and Flavia - Team 'Flavant'
Edwena and Vincent - Team 'Vincurrie'

What is your favourite fruit?
p.s. Zoe what is the pro challenge this year?

If you had a choice, what pro challenge would you like to do?

where is DARREN?

I knew it - Jason is the one to watch this Strictly. Welcome back SCD. Bring on the sequins!

All is right with the world - Strictly is back - and HOW! Brilliant line up - this weekends performances have been fantastic (shame about the wardrobe failure for Nancy).

I'm looking forward to It Takes Two as well, but Zoe - please do something with your hair - like Claudia previously, it's like watching an Old English Sheepdog presenting a programme!

Good Luck Zoe on It Takes Two. Loving the commentary with Karen and Katy! Zoe are you going to be doing some dance lessons with Len each week?

Its gr8 that this person is now doing it takes two , but claudia winkleman made the program why is she gone and i want her back , its not right without her and me and my family will not b watching it takes two until she is back !!

I'd like to know if my uncle robin is wearing the lucky socks we got him for his birthday. Lots of love anson age 5 xxx

Great entertainment,glad it's back.
My wife and I are most impressed by the band and singers.
Is it possible to get more information on this,have they made an album.

Really pleased you're doing It Takes Two, Zoe - good luck. Can I just comment about the hostility already being thrown at Craig, by his professional colleagues on the panel (Len especially), by the professional contestants, and even by Bruce. I know some of it went on last year, but not to this extent. It really is out of order - a bit like sports players turning on the ref or umpire. I'm afraid it could ruin the show. It's also dangerously close to being personal - they don't complain when Len gives negative criticism. Please tell James and others to act professionally and LISTEN with good grace in the spirit of the show. I don't watch Strictly to see professional, paid people arguing with a judge.

loveing the new series already. must complain at losing the HD pic when going onto listen to Karen Hardy, so had to come out and go back to just tv.

Jason must be favourite this year!!

My thoughts on tonight's show...
Tess - need a refund on that dress as material was obviously missing
Craig - Too negative and without constructive comments but I do agree with 1 for Anton Du BURKE. (I would have given him ZERO - Sorry Nancy)
Anton - What are you thinking about? Try dancing with your celebrity partner instead of leaving her sat on a chez lounge.
James - Glad that somebody tried to tell Craig to be constructive.

please tell Tess to never wear that lipstick she wore tonight again, thank goodness I don't have HD it was glow in the dark! And how come Lulu and Edwina ended up with the same mark? Edwina made a decent stab at it whilst Lulu forgot it from beginning to end. And if Karen and Mark got a second go once upon a time, Nancy should have had the chance too.
And Craig - I love you. You're the only one that tells it how it actually is. looking forward to next week, wishing my life away already!

Zoe can you please slip some happy pills into craig;s drink. The other judges try to boost their confidence and craig just knocks them down.

Zoe please have a word with the powers that be to see if the camera work can always include the dancers' feet. Seeing them smile is lovely, but it is a dancing competition!

I felt really sorry for Robbie on Friday; I thought he really made an effort and his acting the role was great. It's his partner's fault he didn't get enough dance steps; she was the one who choreographed it. Craig was unnecessarily cruel to him, and others, on their first night.

Suggested item for It Takes Two - would make a great feature to have back some celeb dancers from past, talk to them and watch back footage of their personal favourite dance they performed on show, even better if their professional partner came along as well!

Hey Zoe, can't wait for ITT to start (it keeps us going through the week) and best of luck too! A question for Lulu when you have her on the show, whilst watching Friday nights show, my 9 year old daughter Lucy asked me a question which actually I could not answer...what is Lulu's surname????? Oh and go Jason go you were fab, looked like you were having the time of your life! xx

I would really love to suggest a song for the Vienese Waltz - China Roses by Enya. It's a beautiful sweet song for a beautiful sweet dance and everytime I listento it I have Vienese Waltzes going round in my head!

The judges have really annoyed me this week, all they do is moan about Craig! It becomes more about arguing amongst themselves rather than giving the most helpful criticism to the celebrities. Criag comments on what he sees and tells them what they need to correct in order to make their dancing perfect, he isn't always just been nasty but they treat him like he is. Comments from the other judges have just centered around "well, its a good debut" which is fine but the aim of the game is to get better and progress all the way to the finish and how can they do that if the judges are making allowances? If they make allowances and give them high scores in the first week, what have they to aspire to?

Question, mostly for the pro dancers:

If you could dance with one person from history, who would it be?

I feel that Craig gives a very fair and balanced assessment of the dancers, using the full range of scores properly. I also think he gives the most honest critique. However, I do feel he should give some consideration to the amount of feedback he gives to the celebrities particularly in the early weeks. They are clearly nervous and trying to learn so many things and Craig fires his comments at them like bullets from a machine gun. I really think the celebrities would be able to make more use of his comments if he limited himself to the 2 or 3 weakest areas and then the pro dancer could focus on those areas for the following weeks training.

Looking forward to ITT. Please Zoe try and avoid Claudia's annoying habit of swaying from side to side when she did the standing intro after the opening credits. Some nights it made me seasick! Good luck Zoe - Claudia will be a tough act to follow but I know you will be great. PS. Give Anton a hard time - the waltz choreography last night was appalling and Widdy-esque. Nancy deserved better from the Waltzmeister.

I wish Anton would stop making every dance into a comedy, he has'nt given Nancy a chance to see if she can dance, they are now the comedy couple already thanks to him. I use to like him but now i feel sorry for anyone who gets him, they have no chance of winning.

Well said Janstevie.

Craig's comments are accurate but since they are said both abruptly and in a negative context then he doesn't win any friends. For example: To Rory he said

"Your bum sticks out. Bad posture and loss of body contact".

could be given in a positive/constructive light as

"You need to improve your posture and maintain body contact by keeping your bum in"

Will there be a Halloween Special this year? That was my favourite show last year!

A question that might make underperforming celebs feel a little better:

To each of the professional partners ONLY:

What is the worst dance disaster you personally have perpetrated?

I would like to ask the celebrities and the pros:

If they were a Mr Men or Little Miss character, which one would they be?

Love Strictly but hated the new revolving camera angles and flashing light shots on the show on Friday and last night. Don't feel they add anything. Otherwise brilliant show.

Great to see you back on Strictly, Zoe! At last Len will have someone competent to dance with!

loved, loved, loved Jason's performance, I sat applauding the telly by the end of it. He's my tip for winning Strictly 2011.

Hi Zoe so happy that you are doing ITT this year. REALLY loving the new Strictly series already!!! Are we going to be having a dance-off this year? I think we missed it last time.

Still really miss the boards and friends on them as for ITT think I will be giving it a miss this year, not the same without the boards let alone Claudia

Think Nancy and Anton will go next week after marks for their dance, and, Anton is not very good at Latin, so looks to me if we'll be saying bye-bye!

Botheration forgot the mods :( and the 3 minute wait :(

Hi Zoe

Will we be seeing Ian Waite on ITT?

Strictly is not the same without him.

Question for professionals and celebrities : What is your favourite holiday destination and why?

I think the professional dancers are in fact celebrities themselves at this stage so I think the ordinary public should be allowed to audition for the next show. It's high time Anton had a decent parnter and I reckon I could be the one for him!!! OMG what I wouldn't give to get a chance to be on the show...I just Love it! xxx

I want to wish Zoe all the best for Tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to the return of ITT

I would also like to add to and agree with a couple of earlier comments posted regarding the roving cameraman....I know its a hard job but a lot of us would really like to see more of the footwork especially as learning the steps ourselves spotting heel leads and heel turns which we have taken many weeks to 'master!' are part of the enjoyment of the show. Smiling faces are nice but dance steps are better please please please......

I agree with Janstevie, Anton doesn't seem to be taking it seriously and therefore it's not fair on his partner. Nancy should be given a chance with a professional who is taking it seriously, and the judges didn't seem to pick up on it, they blamed Nancy, probably because they were too busy arguing amongst themselves??

whooppe bring it on zoe,show that craig no mercey,

Previous comments have been made to this effect, but I agree . . . the circular camera movement around the dancers, showing them from only waist upwards is not good SCD makers. We want to see what their feet are doing!!
Part of my enjoyment of the show is seeing if I can see and mark a good dance from another, before the Judges tell me it was good or bad.
Strictly is still the best, celeb-based show, ever and keep doing what you're doing (except for the circular camera thing!). x

Hi Zoe and good luck. I feel a bit guilty. I intended to support Lulu, but Holly somehow got in the way! Keep dancing and keep smiling

I agree with belleoftheforum. Bring back Ian!!! Loving the new show of course. Got our tickets for the tour already!!!

Good luck Zoe
You will be fab u lous!!!!
Hope to be watching but its on too early for me! Probably have to watch on the i-player!!

Dave Arch, the singers and the band provide some really amazing covers of some great songs.......so what am i goin g to be able to buy the first "Strictly" album of this excellent band?

Post 52 Sonie1973 Lulu's is also know as Lulu Kennedy-Cairns and the name Lulu was given at birth is Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie

I love, love, LOVE Strictly and have watched it every year since it began, BUT...the camera work is driving me to insanity!!! Please, please, PLS can we see just full length body shots of the dancers for the duration of their dances? I don't understand why the notion of wanting to see the complexities of the dancing feet and the grace and musicality of the arm movements in ONE shot is such an alien concept to whomever is in charge of the cameras. Why is it necessary to have constant angle changes and to see the set and the audience during the dances?

Can you please ask Craig to at least smile a bit instead of looking as if he's attending a funeral. His criticisms wouldn't sound so bad if he smiled a little more. He looked as if he'd been sucking lemons last Friday and Saturday.

I'd like to agree with all the above comments relating positively to Craig. He is the best judge, and the most honest and consistent. Len is becoming tiresome with his withering looks towards CRH, and he himself is not beyond showing often undisguisable favouritism and/or hostility. Anton was a disappointment in that he seems determined to turn this year into another farce as he did last year. The difference here is that his partner didnt sign up as the pantomime dame and shouldnt be treated as one. He has shown her no respect and should have given her at leat a fighting chance. please tell him to stop turning his "performances" into a visual "I say I say I say" joke or else let someone else have his job.
PS Who chooses the music for each of the dances?

Zoe
Can you chat with Karen about the red button commentary.
I was really interested to hear what this was going to be. HOWEVER, I had to turn if off - it was very distracting having it on the screen - it took my eye off the dancing, which does defeat the object. And why have somebody else with her? That was completely unnecessary talking.
We want the dancing, we like the dancing and want to watch it!!
Otherwise the weekend was GREAT!
Jason to win!!!!

Loved the show over the weekend, and I Love Karen Harding, but found the commentry on the red box offputting, not because of anything she was saying, but It got in way of the picture and the sound of music went too quite, so put me off the performance, also when returned to HD, had loss of picture.

Why don't the Ö÷²¥´óÐã let Karen commentate on her own?

I thought every couple had to do a ballroom and a latin dance in the first two weeks but Russell did a cha cha cha the first week and is apparently doing a salsa the second week. Isn't that two Latin dances????

completely agree with the comments about Craig - surely there's no need for the grim face all the time - we know his job is to be honest, but if he could just finish the bad news with a positive constructive comment and a smile it would make all the difference.

Zoe, are you still dancing? You were great dancing with Ian. Have you kept the dancing up?

Hi Zoe, pleased you're doing ITT, loved you and Ian! Great with a new face but will also miss Claudia. Sure you'll be great and fill her amazing shoes! Excellent show opener this weekend, fab costumes and some promising celebs. Pleased to see Kristina's in with a real chance this year. Agree with previous comment about Anton, stop the slapstick! Roll on ITT!

not everyone in my house loves Strictly and ITT so i have to record it till they`re out or in bed - good luck Zoe for first show - looks like it`s going to a fab series - Harry or Jason my faves so far xx

Loving the first show and the new set. Great start Zoe!

Great first show Zoe , only 54 to go...Xx

Loved Craig's entrance on ITT tonight ! Zoe is a brilliant choice to stand in for Claudia - great show !

Congratualation on the show Zoe - thought everything went off very well loved the imaginative start as well also loved the set and good to have craig on explaining why he marked as he did - perhaps this could be a regular spot on the monday's ITT for Judge Craig, with some questions from viewers perhaps?

I just wanted to say that as an Aussie ex-pat living in London how great it is to see such a huge Antipodean input in this years with Jason Donovan, Holly Vallance, Natalie Lowe and Craig Revel Horwood all being from Australia and Erin Boag and Brendan Cole being from New Zealand- bring it on!!!

Wow, how long has Zoe Ball been off the screen? It didn't show at all - she was amazing! Such a fast paced show, difficult to carry off, but Zoe did it with ease... Well done!

Watched 'Dancing With The Stars' tonight and in their programme - I'm sure the couple who are on top of leader board repeat their dance once more on the results show, is this right? - maybe something that SCD might consider doing as well?

on dancing with the stars, its the judges favourite dance of the evening that get to go again, missing claudia, but good luck zoe