Strictly Come Dancing--am I on my own here?

It's his smile apparently, and the fact that he always appeared crushed by the judges comments. Hmmm.

I will always have a soft spot for him for the lomg-range penalty that sunk England in the 2008 6-nations, but it's painful watching him on Strictly. I think Kara will win. It might come down to what dances they perform in the final. Latin is not Pamela's strong suit. I think Kara will win.

Am I the only one missing the dance-offs this year?

He's a good lad, Gavin, but he by no means deserves to be in the final. He hasn't even shown the kind of magical breakthrough of previous sportspeople.

Ailsa, Madchen, we are GO! for Strictly in Minehead. Husband reckons that someone's iPhone data plan should allow us to download and watch, even if we have to kick in a couple of quid to help pay the bill.

huzzah! i have been informed by someone that there is wifi in the pavilion as well, someone who was posting to the internet while watching Mike Watt the other day.

Nice. Booze and ballroom all round.

Just set the Sky+ to record It Takes Two and I see that Zoe Ball is doing it. That's not good. Is it temporary, I wonder, or is Claude not coming back?

Claudia is not coming back. Sadface.

Oh. She mentioned on twitter something about her mat leave coming to an end and I assumed it was no coincidence.

That's rubbish! It was the one thing she was good at!

Perhaps I have this wrong! I hope so.

No, it looks like you're right. Oh well. At least I can still spend my time wishing she'd get her fringe cut, so that's something.

STRICTLY CONTESTANTS 2013

Abbey Clancy
Ashley Taylor Dawson
Ben Cohen
Dave Myers
Deborah Meaden
Fiona Fullerton
Julien Macdonald
Mark Benton
Natalie Gumede
Patrick Robinson
Rachel Riley
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Susanna Reid
Tony Jacklin
Vanessa Feltz

Ashley Taylor Dawson is the only name I don't recognise there. Heard somewhere that Natalie Lowe's injured this year so Aliona will be taking her place.

I've only heard of four of these people (Fullerton, Riley, Ellis-Bextor, Feltz).

Which is three more than ITV's rival celeb dance-em-up show.

Dave Myers is one of the "Hairy Bikers" cooking blokes.

Abbey Clancy - Peter Crouch's missus
Ashley Taylor Dawson ??
Ben Cohen - Englisn rugby player
Dave Myers - Hairy Biker
Deborah Meaden - Dragon (from Dragon's Den)
Fiona Fullerton - actress
Julien Macdonald - fashion designer
Mark Benton - bloke who's in everything on the telly
Natalie Gumede - husband-basher Kirsty from Coronation Street
Patrick Robinson - used to be in Casualty, probably still is
Rachel Riley - prettier nicer younger Vorderman
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - singer
Susanna Reid - BBC newsreader
Tony Jacklin - ex-golfer
Vanessa Feltz - TV bod and professional reality show contestant

Ashley Taylor Dawson

My Google-fu tells me that he's an actor in Hollyoaks. He also was/is in a shitty boyband who reformed in August oh guess there's no ulterior motive for him being on Strictly then.

reformed as in 'turned over a new leaf' ?

As in 'got back together to be as crap as before with even fewer people giving a toss'.

On at 6:50PM...

residents of Cleethorpes having an epi at being subsumed into Grimsby

Bill Bailey is one of the celebrities this year, which is a bit of a surprise. And his hair has receeded so much - and is pulled back in a ponytail - that I'll reminded of the episode of Black Books where the manager of the rival bookshop wants him to cut his hair.