Strictly Come Dancing 2010

Kara Tointon has been ordered to delay training for Strictly Come Dancing over fears that she could have an unfair advantage in the competition.

According to the Daily Star, show bosses handed a one-week ban to the former EastEnders actress due to her having already clocked up 21 hours of training for a Sport Relief special that she won in 2008.

"Everyone working on the show recognised that Kara had an unfair advantage," a source claimed. "Even for those who have danced before, ballroom is a completely different discipline, so the fact that she's got a week's training under her belt might well have outraged some viewers."

Meanwhile, Tointon revealed that she had previously rejected an offer to join the 2009 series after her Sport Relief victory.

"They asked me to take part last year but I'd just come out of EastEnders and wanted to concentrate on acting. Then when they asked me again this year I realised what a fantastic opportunity it was to learn a new skill. And of course I love everything about the show," she said.

Tointon and ex-Blue Peter host Matt Baker emerged this week as the joint favourites to win this year's programme.

Pamela Stephenson has revealed that EastEnders' Scott Maslen has had a mishap with the Strictly Come Dancing tanning machine.

The Not The Nine O'Clock News star claimed that Maslen was suffering from a case of "two toned sack" following the backstage incident.

Writing in a Guardian blog about her experiences on the BBC reality show so far, Stephenson said: "I started with the spray tan. My initial resistance - my children have begged me to avoid turning orange - lasted a mere 10 days, before I entered the backstage misting booth like a lamb to the slaughter. I awoke next morning with the smell of baked vinyl emanating from my skin.

"But for others it was worse. Fellow contestant Scott Maslen revealed that he mistakenly put his disposable g-string on back-to-front and one of his testicles fell out; he now has a terrible case of two-toned sack."

Explaining her new beauty regime for the dance show further, she added: "I even shaved my pudenda completely bald to ensure a smooth crotch line, although I needn't have bothered because there were four layers of fabric between it and the wildly cheering live audience.

"Only I and 30 members of the ingenious costume department knew that under my costume I wore two pairs of tights (slimming, tan-coloured fishnets over fat-squishing support hose that also lift the buttocks), a pair of breath-squeezing stretch pants sewn into the dress (need I mention that going to the toilet was extremely challenging?), a stretchy midriff cincher to suck in my 'muffin top', and a hydraulically operated push-up bra welded to the entire mother ship."

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Originally Posted by Perdita

Kara Tointon has been ordered to delay training for Strictly Come Dancing over fears that she could have an unfair advantage in the competition.

According to the Daily Star, show bosses handed a one-week ban to the former EastEnders actress due to her having already clocked up 21 hours of training for a Sport Relief special that she won in 2008.

"Everyone working on the show recognised that Kara had an unfair advantage," a source claimed. "Even for those who have danced before, ballroom is a completely different discipline, so the fact that she's got a week's training under her belt might well have outraged some viewers."

Meanwhile, Tointon revealed that she had previously rejected an offer to join the 2009 series after her Sport Relief victory.

"They asked me to take part last year but I'd just come out of EastEnders and wanted to concentrate on acting. Then when they asked me again this year I realised what a fantastic opportunity it was to learn a new skill. And of course I love everything about the show," she said.

Tointon and ex-Blue Peter host Matt Baker emerged this week as the joint favourites to win this year's programme.

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What it's taken her 12 months to discover she can't act. She should have come on here we would have told her how wooden she was months ago :lol:

Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams will perform their new single 'Shame' on the first weekend of Strictly Come Dancing live shows.

The Take That duo will appear on the Saturday, October 2 programme, which will feature the 14 celebrities dancing either a cha cha cha or a waltz.

Williams and Barlow performed together for the first time in 15 years at the Help For Heroes charity concert last weekend.

Executive producer Moira Ross said: "Having Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow performing on our first live weekend is a fantastic way to kick off this series. With all 14 celebrity couples either dancing a waltz or a cha cha cha, it's going to be an exciting start to the show."

Strictly returns on Friday, October 1 and Saturday, October 2 for a weekend of live performances on BBC One and BBC HD.

Alesha Dixon has said that she would never consider quitting her role as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, despite receiving criticism upon joining the show last year.

The former Mis-Teeq star, who replaced choreographer Arlene Phillips on the judging panel, faced negative feedback from viewers after her debut on the dancing contest last September, with some arguing that the series five winner had not enough experience for the job.

According to New magazine, Dixon said of the experience: "I can't deny it was hurtful because it was, and what did take me by surprise was the fact that a lot of the negativity happened before I had even opened my mouth. Some of it was personal and that was really tough to deal with. I did feel a lot of it was blown out of proportion, however.

"I am not the type to quit. I am a fighter and I knew I had to just let it all pass by. I was determined to hold my head high. There is no way I was going to ever give in."

However, Dixon added that she was feeling a lot happier about her role for series eight.

"I'm just really relaxed actually," she said. "I've got the easy part. It's the celebrities who have the hard job. It's all about the contestants and no matter how much flak I was taking, I knew my part was very small compared to what they were all going through.

"There is no respite - training takes over! At the same time, you really pray you won't get voted out as it's just such an incredible experience. I feel honoured to have the best seat in the house."

The Strictly Come Dancing live shows begin on October 1 at 9pm on BBC One.

Scott Maslen has revealed that EastEnders is helping him fit in his training for Strictly Come Dancing.

The soap star, who plays Jack Branning, said that he would not be having a reduced role on the BBC One soap, claiming that special arrangements are being made for him shooting scenes.

"Hopefully it will work... it will work, I'm going to make sure it does," he told DS. "They are going to truncate my work on EastEnders. So I'll be doing all the scenes for one week in one or two days. It will be early starts and late finishes."

Speaking about his training for the group dance on the Strictly launch show, Maslen said: "I was working at EastEnders so it was a bit of a nightmare, so I've had a stressful couple of days. At 'Enders, sometimes it was dragging on and I was sitting there thinking, 'What time am I out of here?' You know, it's like I need to do my training!"

Maslen also said that his pro dancer partner Natalie Lowe would be spending some time "living" with his wife and kids, and that he would be visiting the Australian's home in Clapham. "We'll all be together so I'm looking forward to it," he added.

The first Strictly live show airs on Friday, October 1 on BBC One.

The BBC is reportedly planning a Christmas version of Strictly Come Dancing.

According to The Mirror, the show's producers are hoping to include high-profile celebrities who are unable to commit to the original series.

The Christmas special will allegedly see stars rehearse and film the show within two weeks. The events will then be compiled into a single programme.

"A one-off Christmas tournament gives celebs the chance to taste a bit of Strictly glamour without committing to the full run," a source said. "We're hopeful that big names who don't have the time or the energy to work on a series might have two weeks. Their families can see them strutting their stuff on Christmas Day."

The first Strictly Come Dancing live show of the new series will air on October 1 on BBC One.

'EastEnders' star Scott Maslen has said his 'Strictly Come Dancing' professional dance partner Natalie Lowe will spend time in his home while he trains for the show.

The actor, who plays Jack Branning in the soap, told Digital Spy that Lowe would be "living" with his wife and children and that he would also visit her home.

"We'll all be together so I'm looking forward to it," he said.

Maslen revealed he has made special arrangements with the soap's bosses to accommodate his training schedule.

"Hopefully it will work... it will work, I'm going to make sure it does," he said.

"They are going to truncate my work on 'EastEnders'. So I'll be doing all the scenes for one week in one or two days. It will be early starts and late finishes."

The first live episode of the new series of 'Strictly Come Dancing' airs on BBC One on Friday, 1 October.

The Daily Mail reports that former 'EastEnders' star Kara Tointon is rumoured to be "smitten" with her professional dance partner, Artem Chigvintsev.

The pair were photographed at a shopping centre earlier this week with a source telling the Daily Mirror that it "was obvious to everyone from the first rehearsal there was a huge spark between them".


However, a spokesperson for Tointon said: "Of course Kara and Artem are spending lots of time together. They are training every day. But they are just good friends."

Patsy Kensit 'close to collapse on Strictly'

Patsy Kensit was reportedly close to collapse during her training for Strictly Come Dancing.

Kensit is apparently struggling to cope with the intense rehearsal sessions in the wake of her marriage breakup earlier this year, according to The Sun.

A source said: "It's all very stressful for her. She's over-worked and worried about how much rehearsing she has put in."

A Strictly spokesman confirmed: "She's been working insanely hard."

Kensit recently told DS that she was taking part in the celebrity dance contest to rebuild her confidence.