strictly come speed dating with the strictly come dancing professionals

By Catherine Jones on Aug 26, 09 03:28 PM

Strictly Come Dancing fans will have been eagerly awaiting this week's news about which celebrities are dancing with which professional partners in the new series.
I was down in London yesterday, not at the TV announcement but later to chat to some of the dance pros about a separate project they're involved in.
More of that next week.

It turned out to be a cross between Strictly speed dating and Groundhog Day, with seven journalists split into four groups - three pairs and a lone ranger.
The lone ranger was me, because while it's nice to have safety in numbers, frankly if I'm going to ask a silly question (it does happen sometimes, it pops out of your mouth before you realise what you're saying) then it's best to have as few witnesses as possible!
Anyway, two of the pairs were placed in the main room of the rather warm basement photographic studio just off Oxford Street, while the other pair and myself had little break out rooms.
Mine had a fringe curtain reminiscent of a fortune telling booth and I had to bite my tongue from asking any of the dancers to cross my palm with silver.
"Step into my boudoir" I invited instead, which looking back was probably worse!
We had 15 minutes to chat to each of the five couples before they moved on to the next interview - Matthew Cutler and Aliona Vilani; Ian Waite (wearing leather flip-flops) and Aussie Natalie Lowe - she's been given Hollyoaks' Ricky Whittle as her celeb and will be shuttling between London and Liverpool to rehearse; James and Ola Jordan; Vincent Simone (who addressed me as 'bella') and Flavia Cacace, and Brian Fortuna and Kristina Rihanoff.
Unfortunately because things started a bit late and I was reviewing at the Empire last night I didn't have time to get to Brian (looking dapper in a dark suit as opposed to the off-duty jeans a lot of the others were wearing) and Kristina who was in a tiny gold dress.
But there were laughs aplenty - the boys in particular spend all their time taking the mickey out of each other - although I wouldn't like to say who is a winning bet for the Strictly crown this year.........