Strictly Come Dancing is back for 2014! Judges Len Goodman, Darcey Bussell, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli will all be returning to the popular BBC1 show, ready to judge 15 celebrities on their ability to jump, jive and boogie.
The final line-up of celebrities for 2014 has recently been finalised and announced, and they are Frankie Bridge (of S Club Juniors and The Saturdays fame), Judy Murray (tennis coach), Alison Hammond, Thom Evans, Simon Webbe (of the boy band Blue), Mark Wright (former The Only Way is Essex star), Sunetra Sarker, Jake Wood (of Eastenders fame), Steve Backshall, Scott Mills (from BBC Radio 1), Pixie Lott (solo pop star), Caroline Flack (TV presenter), Jennifer Gibney, Gregg Wallace and Tim Wonnacott.
There have been many Strictly news stories ahead of the live shows this year, mostly because of the BBC’s decision to release the names of the celebrities one by one (with the exception of the last three names) in the run-up to the 2014 contest. There has also been some controversial discussion about how well-known the celebrities are compared with previous years when contestants included those such as newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, model Kelly Brook and household names Russell Grant, Susanna Reid and Vanessa Feltz.
In presenting the show, long-time host and veteran Bruce Forsythe has handed the Strictly baton to Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who will welcome this year’s 15 celebrities to the Strictly studio for the very first time on Sunday 7 September. New for this year, there will also be a Strictly Come Dancing Red Carpet special, featuring the first interviews with the entire Strictly line-up debuting on the Red Button and BBC iPlayer at 7pm on Wednesday 3 September in order to give viewers at home a little more insight into the Strictly world.