It takes 15 to tango as the Strictly stars strut their stuff
BREAK out the sequins and lip gloss as the 12th series of Strictly begins, Claire Woodward takes us through the celebrity dancers hoping to impress.
The 12th series of Strictly sees another 15 celebrities putting themselves through physical torture to compete for the prize glitterball and the admiration of the entire nation.
Singer Pixie Lott must start as a favourite for the ladies' camp. The 25-year-old has already appeared in the West End production of Chitty Chitty Bang as a child actress, and went to a performing arts school. If she doesn't do well, we'll be most surprised.
Fellow popstrel Frankie Bridge from The Saturdays could be a good bet, too. As a teenager, she was a member of S Club Juniors, who had six top ten hits, and with The Saturdays, she amassed another 13.
Caroline Flack is used to reality TV, having presented I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here Now!, Gladiators and The Xtra Factor.
Alison Hammond is another TV host who's taking part this year, and should be good value as she's game for a laugh and a stunt when she's interviewing celebrities on This Morning.
She admits she's going to be loving all the sequins and sparkles of the costumes, and would be "happily covered in them".
Actresses Sunetra Sarker and Jennifer Gibney are next. Sunetra plays Dr Zoe Hanna in Casualty, and was persuaded to do the programme by her son Noah, her mum and sister, who said "Secretly, you want to do this". Jennifer plays the daughter of Mrs Brown, who is her real-life husband Brendan O'Carroll.
The ladies' line-up is completed by Judy Murray, tennis coach to champion sons Andy and Jamie. Her physical fitness and competitive nature should really help her, despite being the oldest female contestant at 54.
The oldest gentleman this year is dapper Bargain Hunt presenter Tim Wonnacott, 61, who must be the only director of auction house Sothebys to ever appear on Strictly Come Dancing.
Gregg Wallace is probably the only fruit and veg merchant to appear on the show, although not the only TV presenter. Steve Backshall has plenty of experience with vicious creatures in his career as host of CBBC's Deadly 60. Anyone who's come head to head with a hammerhead shark will find Craig Revel Horwood a pussycat.
The male sporty element is provided by rugby player Thom Evans, capped 10 times for Scotland and player for Glasgow Warriors and London Wasps.
Simon Webbe of pop band Blue is also competing in Strictly this year, and has been preparing with sport. "Boxing training has really helped me to improve my reaction timings and also to make me quick on my toes," he says.
Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills has probably played a few of Simon's discs in his time, but has never danced before. "I signed up because I like to do something every year which makes me scared," he says.
Like Steve Backshall, he's already faced up to danger, making a documentary about being gay in Uganda, a very dangerous country to be an out gay man, as Scott himself is. He could prove just as fearless on the dance floor.
EastEnders actor Jake Wood, AKA naughty boy Max Branning, is a fitness fan, enjoying cycling, running, boxing and rock-climbing. But not dancing. "I tend not to even dance at a party, but I do sometimes dance at home when I'm mucking around with the kids."
Finally for the chaps, there's The Only Way Is Essex person Mark Wright. He's now moved on from TOWIE to TV presenting, and, like pop stars Pixie Lott and Frankie Bridge, should succeed in luring a few younger viewers, who may only previously have watched the X Factor previously, over to the BBC for the new series of the weekend spectacular.
Strictly Come Dancing, tonight, 8pm, BBC1