Strictly Week 3

The Return of the Creepy dead child’s SHOES!!!! Cost-per-wear, that rope turned out to be great value for money! Dr Punam!!!!!!!!!

Okay, let’s go! Quick one this week, I am DYING of work, also be-lurgied.

The judges dressing up as movie characters?!?! Is this NEW? I don’t remember signing off on it and I’m not sure I approve. All very well during Hallowe’en because its, like Hallowe’en (and the best week) when everyone has to dress up. Anyway, this new departure made me…. uneasy and I’m not sure I’ll ever recover from Anton being Blue Steel.

We see the first go of the rope (Mary Poppins.)

Montell and Jojo, first out. My opinions: no-one has ever looked as beautiful as Jojo with his pomaded hair and tache. I was a little anxious during the dance, afraid something might go wrong. It didn’t. Hurray!

Tasha and Aljaz. Rumba, grimmest of all the dances, except when it’s done well, but I don’t actually know when that is. This pair did dancing and it seemed fine then Himself pointed out that blonde Aljaz looks like the Tory MP in Ghosts, which I enjoyed very much. The only thing is it’s difficult when a dancer is so wonderful from the word go. Aljaz’s delight with Tasha is a gorgeous thing but being surprised by a person is ALSO a gorgeous thing.

Which brings me to Dr Punam!!!!!! Mother of God!!!! The effect it had on me! She was amazing, the whole setting was amazing, the dancing was fun and gorgeous to watch and told a story. And what it did for representation would soften a heart of stone. My dance of the night. (And I’m afraid I DID say it before the end of the night.) (Although there was only one to go.)

Speaking of! Jamie in the orange bejewelled swimming cap and giant orange glasses, I cannot TELL you how much I enjoyed seeing his head bobbing around at the back of the gang all night. He and Michelle were GREAT and he is definitely growing on me. (I liked him on ITT during the week.)

Which brings me to obsessions. On Saturday night I was in my beloved Tara Flynn’s hometown of Kinsale at a literary festival, we were interviewing each other on stage, a freewheeling sort of a thing and I kept bringing the conversation back to Pete Wicks. I apologise to everyone involved. It is not who I am. (It is.) I think I’m getting the obsession under control. He is still delicious but a week or 2 ago I was certain he would win. Now I’m not as certain. But I hope he stays for a long time. (He got the second go on the rope, although accuracy compels me to admit it wasn’t actually the same rope.)

Which brings me to Paul Merson! I love him now! Initially I didn’t because I thought he wasn’t taking it seriously, but now I do! I LOVED his – well, I can’t remember the dance – but I LOVED his cowboy dancing. It put a huge smile on my face and I was very sad when he was in the dance-off

Which brings me to poor Toyah. In fairness, her hair was SPECTACULAR. In fact the hair and make-up and costumes and sets and music and concepts were absolutely phenomenal. Except! May I take exception to this new thing between Anton and Shirley where they demonstrate small ballroom holds or whatever, they mean well, they do and they’ve obviously been told to do it, it’s not something they cooked up themselves (UNLIKE them terrifying dead child’s shoes!!!!) but all the while they’re moving their elbow back and forth or dipping their head slightly I’m silently shouting FOR THE LOVE OF EFF JUST GET ON WITH IT!!!

But poor Toyah, it just wasn’t meant to be.

Chris McCausland – oh lord, I LOVED it and him and Dianne and the concept and ALL of it. Now and again I forgot he was blind. His dancing is a phenomenonal achievement. Human beings can sometimes be hugely inspirational and make me feel that life is pure and good and people are essentially brave and well-intentioned. I’m so grateful for that.

JB and Amy! Maybe my favourites! Love them. I haven’t much to say EXCEPT did they make JB give sweets out to the judges at the end of the dance? This ‘smacks’ (confectionary-based pun there) a little american to me. A little too Dancing With The Stars. (Which I’ve never seen.) (So I am both ignorant and biased.)

Shayne Ward and… who is he dancing with? (Sorry. I’m so tired and juggling several thousand small diverse jobs and my head is like a wasp’s nest.) Anyway, I thought he looked very like Vernon Kaye. Who was in the audience! Shayne Ward is a really really really good dancer. Like a proper natural. His tango last week was hugely impressive. Nancy! It’s Nancy, isn’t it? I love Nancy!

Sam! And Nikita!!!! She’s great! They way the judges go on you’d swear we were in week 9. It’s week THREE. Telling her she’d improved a lot! She was brilliant from the very beginning, which was TWO SHORT WEEKS ago! Her Charleston was amazing and so was her Lara Croft business. Plus Nikita makes me happy. His hair and his pearl earring and his support of his dancing partner, all of that makes me happy.

Sarah Hadland!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot!!!! I’m so very happy for her. That was a Viennese Waltz that I actually knew was a Viennese Waltz because her twirling was so good and graceful and confident and actually I’ve decided she’s my favourite.

Who have I forgotten? Oh my god, Wynne!!!! How wonderful he was. Huge smile on my face all the way though! Thank you!

Have I forgotten someone? Nick Knowles was off sick, so maybe they’re all here. Who was the second person to come down on the over-the-stage rope? I can’t remember.

Have a lovely week!  

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