Episode 1 Strictly - It Takes Two

Is it time? I have been waiting for this. We are back!

We're back and we're live for a brand spanking new series

So if you haven't already, dig out your sequins,

lather yourself in fake tan and join us for the next 12 weeks for all

We've got 15 totally amazing new celebs and their partners,

Alison and Aljaz, Simon and Kristina and Judy and Anton.

Plus, back by popular demand, it's Dame Karen Hardy.

And our celebrities are not the only thing that's new this year.

Before we meet tonight's guests, let's take

a look back at what proved to be an incredible first weekend full of

Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready? It is always nice to start the night

with a glass of champagne. That was sparkly, fizzy, effervescent...! It

was cheeky, it was fun. I am impressed, actually. You want to

watch, definitely. I thought for a very difficult times you did very

well. The robotic, neurotic, euphoric... Or was it Pixie? I

thought that was terrific. I think you had a future in this

competition. You will go far. That is one of the most confident

performances for the first time I think I have ever seen. The wild

one! Somewhere between Popeye and Marlon Brando! I was exhausted

watching you. So much energy. And you gave that, you really did. You

were so caring. You are treating her as if she was made of glass. Like a

child on its first dance. The operation is over, the patient is

still alive. You will be back next week and I look forward to seeing

you. It did leave a lingering sweet aftertaste. A beautiful feeling

throughout the dance. You are a joy to watch. You have such a wonderful

spring he bounds. It is like a frisky rabbit! -- springy bounce.

She doesn't need an excuse to get up early each morning,

but we've given her a very good one - a certain six foot Slovenian!

It's Alison Hammond and her dancing dreamboat, Aljaz Skorjanec.

Hello, gorgeous! He smells really good. It is like musty spice. I like

it. It is like cats and it! On the show you were television joy. Were

you loving it? Isle, Zoe, it was brilliant. I just loved it. I went

into another zone. It was like my alter ego. You were so good. What

did your boy make of it all? Did he enjoy it? He is the coolest kid in

school because his mum is doing strictly come dancing. He loves it.

He was glued, apparently. Afterwards he rang me and said I was the best.

The judges were so full of praise for you. And Craig said something

positive. He said it was the most confidence for a week one performer

he has ever seen. Bass must make you feel great -- -- that must make you

feel great. I was just enjoying it. I wanted to enjoy it. For me, it was

like it was just me and you in the rehearsal room. When he looks at you

like that, it makes my knees go funny! Alleluia, Ali as! You are the

reigning champion. High expectations of you. Good first week. The film

the pressure? Always. You never know what is going to go right or wrong.

It is always a high expectation for older of the professionals. But

coming back as a champion, more sometimes. We are having so much

fun. Honestly, it is going to be a right. I have to say, when you were

in the training room, we are watching you 20 47, we are in your

knicker drawer and everything! There is a little something that is

hindering your concentration just a little bit.

Well! He is one beautiful guide, isn't he? Hot! I get distracted by

your body. I love when you do that. Oh, my God! I don't want to take my

eyes off you. Is there any where you can make yourself ugly? Do that and

I will go away! He is so good. I hear he is not all

perfect? He does have sweaty palms. If you remember at the end of the

dance he had to go through my legs, and sometimes he slipped out of my

hands. He is so slippery. The one thing that had to go was my long

nails. I was gutted. I could not gripping. They are a bit clammy now.

Nobody could possibly be perfect. Foxtrot this week, how is it going?

It is a hard one for me. Obviously my body is not made for a foxtrot.

My body is made for a Latin. We have only done a couple of hours today.

We have got the frame going on. If what I saw you doing after two hours

earlier was it, you are going to be good.

After weeks of training, our 15 couples took to the dance floor at

There were nerves a plenty and, as always, the It Takes Two team

were lurking backstage to capture all the drama as it happened.

I don't usually get nervous. But for this I am really nervous.

Still going wrong little bit. But it is better than it was yesterday.

I realised the hair was a bit too heavy to spin. I feel nervous for

the comments of the judges because I am not the best dancer here. I have

a lot to learn. But surely that is the idea? I am feeling a bit

nervous. I have seen at the start of Tim's number there are some new

shoes on the table. I am superstitious. May I wish everybody

good luck. I am the kind one. I didn't fall over. I didn't make a

complete idiot of myself, yet. I am feeling a bit more nervous. I will

not sleep tonight. I will try. See you later.

I could not sleep. Could not stop thinking about it. As long as I am

not the last person on tonight. I will be a gibbering wreck if I am.

I need more billing, I need Morse sequence. Straightaway she is on it.

-- I need Morse sequence. It has made me more nervous, I think. Shall

we put this down? May give us bad luck.

We can do this. We can get from start to finish and not fall down. I

love Simon's dance. I wanted to get up there and dance with him. I am

struggling with my nervous big-time. -- nervous.

Last night was like an hors d'oeuvre. Now we are onto the

course. Ten minutes to showtime. I am dancing! We're going to dance

together whether you like it or not! I don't want my routine going

through my head right now. I do not want to overthink it.

Everyone did such an amazing job. This whole first two days has been

brilliant. Brilliant. I loved every second of it. I cannot wait until

the next one. I love the way Gregg kissed Scott on

his head. As a member of Blue,

he's one quarter of one of He's used to dreaming of number one,

but now all he wants is It's Simon Webbe and his partner,

Kristina Rihanoff. Hello, my darlings! Welcome to the

show. Thanks for seeing us at such short notice. Jumping Jack Flash,

that was epic, your performance. And you had to wait right until the end.

It was so good. You seemed to be a little bit disappointed. Why?

Because technique has been drummed into me. That is exactly what the

judges said I did not have. I don't know what he is talking about! I am

so proud of you. To do this jive at this level in the first week, it is

amazing. After I saw back, I was smiling. I think there is so much to

worry about me show. The judges loved your choreography. You do not

skimp. You through so much in there on the first week. I just got

excited. Working with Simon has been a dream come true. He is so great.

He is a good pupil. He listens, he tries hard. Yes, boss. I am the

boss. Is she a bit scary in the training room? Scary to yes. When

she puts her hands on her hips and looks up at me. I have to come down

to her level and asked if she is giving me a dirty look. It is just

as she looks at people! -- how she looks at people. Is he a good pupil?

Amazing. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to work with someone

like Simon. We concentrate, we work hard, but he has a great sense of

humour. He cracks some jokes. It is a great environment to work in.

It was so lovely to see the boys cheering you on. How different is

it? When you go on a big stage... I won't sing!

When you're in a band, you've got other people to rely on. If you mess

up, people don't really notice. When it is by myself, I am exposed. What

is nice is the only person I heard was Anthony - go on, son!

I hope they will come every week. Get them on the Friday panel as

well. Liam has asked. He's fallen in love

with about ten dancers. This week it is the tango for you. A totally

different feel. How is he taking to it? We tried a couple of steps. We

have not had much time. He's doing well. It is just about the character

really. He's a very happy personality. The tango has to be

very aggressive and very moody. So: It is not you!

Moody, maybe! Give us a moody face. I can imagine you having a trap

trum. Oh!

Hang on a minute! It is going to be good!

APPLAUSE I tell you... She was a professional dancer on the show for

four years and won in 2006. Yes, the excitement is building to an

almighty climax in the studio as the former World Masters Champion

returns to Choreography Corner - it is Karen Hardy.

APPLAUSE Come on, lady! She's back! Do you like the cushions? It was

nothing to do with me! Who is responsible for this? He knitted

them himself! Can I say, I have missed you. How have you been? I

have been well. So well, people might think I have been eating lots

of pies, I have not. I am delighted to announce - today I am officially

20 weeks pregnant. Yes!

If you have any strange cravings we have many things - congratulations.

You look well, you look amazing. 15 couples to get through. We'll have a

double dose. Friday's couples today and tomorrow we will talk about

Saturday's couples. Let's start off with Caroline Fire-Cracker Flack. So

good. As soon as she slapped her thighs. I was like, when a woman

slaps her thighs, she means business. They winged and moaned

about a mistake. Why did they pick up on that? Why didn't they pick up

on, look at the speed of the turn! Look at those legs. What Pasha can

do with those legs I can not begin to tell you. Think I a dark horse

for me. I never thought it would be Caroline opening up Strictly 2014.

She stole the show for me. First class.

Come on, girl! Now, on to our proper chap - Tim and Natally - I love him.

He is glorious. The judges gave him a hard time about poor footwork.

Talk me through the performance. It is week one. I love this man. He is

beautiful. You know what, everybody will have bad footwork. We all know

and for those who are only getting into Strictly Come Dancing, Latin

should be toe-leads. He was doing heels. Then Craig went on about the

gating action, which is what we see here - New York actions, which is

when we're in harmony with our partners and opening out together.

We should brush our legs. It did look like he was riding a horse, but

it is week one! He is a gorgeous gentleman. Do you

know what I love most? The personality between these two. It

reminded me of Bill and I when we were together and the public loved

chemistry like that. He could be here for a while. Let's talk about

someone they are calling the dark horse of this competition - he wowed

everybody - Jake and Jeanett - what a tango! Len was saying such great

Corrieing graphy and a lot of steps to -- choreography and lots of

steps... Drags, the head flicks and the drama. The pivots, that is what

I saw. He nailed them fantastically. We had beautiful foot swivels, but

the drama was amazing. So, I am, do you know what - shall we do a dance

demo here. Look, while I can. I have got to shake my little booty around!

Side view! The official mirror ball is here.

Tango - what was interesting is how clever the professionals are with

their choreography. Tango should be in the knees, very, very low. We are

not always aware of the technical foot position, of where one foot

should be placed in front of the other one. I know your tango was

incredible. What was interesting... 1968 that was! So long ago! Jake was

quite high. You could argue was he stomping? What I loved is how clever

is Jeanett with the choreography. He just got whipped up into the whole

emotion. Loved it. Judy and Anton - a class coupling if ever I saw one.

Lots of judges are saying the waltz is a very difficult dance. How did

she do? For some reason people will say she's the Marmite lady. You will

love her or not warm to her. She is so an gel lick. She is gorgeous. I

had to pop in the bagpipe there. It was gorgeous. What you need to look

at is this freeze moment here. They talked a lot about her top line. Do

you know what, again, it is week one. They picked on Tim's feet and

Judy's top line. Can you see the crowning? That is what we talk about

- the lady needs to be pulled all the way back. We want the elbows

lovely and wide and in front of our body at all times. In the beginning,

when the nerves that would have been going on. I know - it is so

frightening. I think Anton was loving dancing to the man with the

bagpipes. He was in a World Championship moment and forgot about

Judy at that moment. She is gorgeous and is a sports lady. She will not

like being told she is wrong. I know you are this chap's number one fan -

Scott Mills, we adore him. Bottom of the leaderboard on Friday. Did he

deserve this? I am smiling. I am happy with what he did. I am a

massive fan. I was telling everybody when they launched he was going to

be on the show. When you resort to air punching, it is not good. So, of

simple - we have to find his me Joe. He's in the music -- mojo. He's in

the music world! Pixie - three seconds. How did she do? Amazing.

Hips flicking, legs flicking A gorgeous new parter in. Bring on the

choreography! Congratulations on your news! See

you tomorrow. Yummy mummy - love that. She is used to being the

coach. Let's find out what it is like to have the tennis tables

turned. We have our beef cake - it is Anton du Beke.

Hello, my darlings! Welcome, welcome! Lovely to meet you. Well

done. Can I just say, loved your performance on Saturday. Judy, the

best thing - you were smiling throughout. Even when the judges

were giving you a hard time you were still smiling. Did you have a

thoroughly good time out there? I had the best time. I thought I was

going to be dreadful. My goal was to not trip and I worried about

forgetting the sequence. But to go out there and the bagpipes, and my

amazing partner, in his kilt, it was just a dream. It is quite

overwhelming! Little old me!

Did your lovely boys, Andy and Jamie - did they see the show? What did

they make of it? Jamie's wife recorded it with their phone off the

television. The boys were away. When I woke up the next morning they had

seen it. Jamie said to me, don't worry about the marks, mum, it is

important not to peak so early. I love that support. And Anton, how

did you think that Judy did on the floor? Craig said he felt you were

dragging her around the floor. W retort? I thought she was Best In

Show. How beautiful: I thought we looked

amazing. We! You with the thing and the hair and

everything... Beautiful! Tartan sash... How did you enjoy the

kilt? I I enjoyed the updraft! How pleased were you with Judy? You

cannot explain what that is like - that first week in front of the

judges. You think you know the routine. Suddenly Dedicoat's voice

comes on. And then you are off. It is the most nerve-racking thing in

the world. You cannot prepare for that. But I thought Judy did

incredibly well. She was calmed and danced nicely. I was really pleased.

Never danced before, or perhaps that may be a little porky because today

we saw this incredible photograph. Look! Who is that? Is it Anton? How

old were you there? Even. Shortly before my mum was asked to remove me

from the dance class for being disruptive. Fantastic! I knew you

were a bit naughty like that. This week you move on from the waltz to

the cha-cha-cha. Tell me how that is going? What do you have in store for

Judy? We have a lovely thing prepared. We have some

towel-ography. We are going full out. I might employ the kilt again -

I don't know. I am thinking of you in a kilt drying your... No, it

won't be that! Keep that thought. How do you feel

about the Latin? We have only just started. I like the speed of it. He

tells me I have got to be flirty and sexy and that is not really my

thing. The biggest challenge for me is the heels. I am used to being in

trainers. Being high newspaper the shoes, I find it difficult to keep

my balance. That is a big challenge. It has been good fun so far. I think

you do it really well. She has great pins.

And she makes a lovely line with the legs and the shoes. It is great. I

am looking forward to this. Enjoy it. I love you as a couple.

Join us tomorrow at the same time when I'll be

chatting to pop princess Pixie Lott, Rugby hunk Thom Evans and

Plus Karen Hardy returns for a second helping