One of my favourite T.V. shows.
Bruce is on the first show to hand over the barton so to speak. He’s 86, it’s been a heck of an achievement to still be presenting live TV at his age, well done to him. Most of his contemporaries are brown bread.
Claudia’s beautiful glossy hair fascinates me, looks like it’s been polished. I’m so envious.
Agree again Anita - I may not want him over for tea but he is a great performer with the people for sure, I will miss him …
Watched the opening last night, didn’t like the X Factor treatment of that.
Tess has not progressed in this show at all either.
On the plus side - the contestants look a good bunch and Tim made me laugh.
Particularly like the Irish gal and her Hubs in the audience - should be good fun :-p
I wonder how long they will keep joking Anita before all the hard work kicks in.
I think they are going to be a good bunch again this year. But as Craig said it was a very good year last year a lot to live up to.
I enjoyed it last night, it was a bit razzamatazz, but they need to start with gusto I suppose.
I enjoyed the Smokey Robinson and Imelda May duet!
Some good pairings too, I don’t mind Tess at all, think she does ok and Claudia is quirky so they are very different.
Darcy looked great I thought.
Claudia is a natural - Tess is not, unfortunately …
I would have liked to see and hear Smokey R, a favourite - but they are so wrong to have a couple dancing and the audience cheering their every move whilst a singer is giving a performance …
I enjoyed the opening show too … glad Bruce has gone … love Claudia … Tess is like a cardboard cut-out !!!
I’m glad Anton has someone who may be OK this time … wish it was me !!! 
I’ve heard of seven but they don’t excite me. I Do like Greg Wallace though who’s in Masterchef. Also Simon Webbe. I use to love the boy band Blue.
Drinks and snacks at the ready, cushions plumped up …
Strictly starts proper tonight at 9.00pm … looking forward to it here! 
Just watched it and yes you can see who is going to go far and who isn’t but an entertaining first show !
I was very surprised to see how well Jake (Max Branning) performed I think he will definitely be among the top dancers.
Good to see Anton in his kilt!
I have a liking for the lovely Tim Winalot - he reminds me of Leslie Philips and Terry Thomas - ‘Ding - Dong’ … :-p
And didn’t he do well Patsy … if he was less “wooden” he would be a contender :-p
He did very well - it was full on choreography wise and he coped well - wooden - well, I thought I would always be lithe and sprightly, I was known to dance till the early hours non stop - but alas, sprightly no more, so age has to be considered with Tim, he’s not a young lad and some of those are wooden :-p
Anyway Myrtle - he has oodles of charm, gotta count for something
Thinking on it - no, it will not count - the judges will slate him :-p
I think there is a big improvement to the programme without Bruce and his embarrassingly poor jokes to which people felt obliged to laugh politely.
The show seems to flow better and moves at a pace… 
I agree Meg … and Claudia’s fringe has had a re-vamp and looks so much better