Strict bosses want a wheelchair-bound celebrity for this year’s show after success
Bosses strictly want a wheelchair-bound celebrity for this year’s show after the success of deaf Rose Ayling-Ellis and Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds
Strictly is featuring a celebrity in a wheelchair for the first time on this year’s show lineup, The Mail on Sunday has revealed.
BBC bosses are currently looking for a star to participate, as the popular Saturday night dance competition remains the most inclusive on television.
They initially expected this to happen last year, but the producers ran out of time to train a professional dancer to pair with the celebrity, so they had to postpone it until the next series.
The decision comes after the popularity of the show’s first deaf contestant, EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who won the contest in 2022 and Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who made it to week six last year.
A BBC source revealed: “This is an extremely challenging project, but the bosses at Strictly think it’s worth it and they think it will be absolutely brilliant.”
The push for more inclusion comes after the popularity of Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, which reached week six last year.
The decision comes after the popularity of the show’s first deaf contestant, EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who won the contest in 2022.
‘It’s yet another example of how progressive and inclusive the program is. As well as creating some wonderful TV moments, it will also provide an incredible opportunity for someone in a wheelchair.
“The original plan was that it would happen last year, but the logistics are very difficult and getting a trained professional dancer ready to take on this meant more work than originally anticipated, so the sensible thing to do was to postpone it.” for a year.
“There is so much enthusiasm for this at the BBC at the moment.”
In 2018, Strictly aired a group routine featuring their professionals teamed with wheelchair dancers from the inclusive Candoco Dance Company.
They performed to David Bowie’s Life On Mars in a routine choreographed by former show judge Arlene Phillips.
A BBC source revealed: “This is an extremely challenging project, but the bosses at Strictly think it’s worth it and they think it will be absolutely brilliant.”
The dancers performed David Bowie’s Life On Mars in a routine choreographed by former show judge Arlene Phillips.
The dancers say that it would be a great advantage if the celebrity is in shape because they will need to have a strong upper body.
Experts predict that the disabled contestant will be able to get up from his chair to perform in the ballroom.
Wheelchair users have previously been included in larger group routines, but a celebrity would perform one on one on a weekly basis.
Wheelchair dance experts speculate that the routines will include spinning in the chairs instead of the usual pirouettes.
They also predict that the disabled contestant can get up from their chair to perform in the ballroom.
Experts also say that it would be a great advantage if the celebrity is in shape because she will need to have a strong upper body to work with her professional partner.
Wheelchair dancing has become increasingly popular in the UK in the last ten years.
Wheelchair dance experts speculate that the routines will include spinning in the chairs instead of the usual pirouettes.
Deaf contestant Rose Ayling-Ellis and her partner Giovanni Pernice with the glitterball trophy during the 2021 Strictly Come Dancing finale
Paula Moulton and Gary Lyness became Britain’s first and only first-class wheelchair Latin dance partner and compete for Team GB in Para Dance at IPC level. In 2018 they ranked 8th in the world in Latin.
In 2020, Strictly had their first same-sex partnership, with Olympian boxer Nicola Adams and Katya Jones together, and the following year it was the men’s turn with professional star Johannes Radebe dancing with Great British Bake Off star John Whaite. .
A Strictly spokesperson declined to comment.