Comments on: Strictly switch-around for BBC1 autumn

By: Glenn Aylett

Glenn Aylett — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:30:10 +0000

The only occasion I can think where a programme was damned as soon as it was finished, or possibly from day one, was Bruce’s Big Night in 1978 which the critics savaged, most of his big name guests pulled out of due to this and it was ironically hammered in the ratings by The Generation Game. ITV became extremely embarassed by it and you knew it was to die when its run ended. However, Brucie remained defiant saying the press were out to get him and re emerged very successfully two years later as a game show host.

By: Chris Allen

Chris Allen — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:05:07 +0000

“but I’m delighting she is joining The One Show – an incredibly important part of the BBC1 schedule, in fact the most prominent show on BBC1 after the News”.

Hmmmm… I think it shows how irrelevant TV has become to me (after being pretty much square-eyed for the first 20 years of my life) that I didn’t even know what kind of show The One Show was. I assumed it was some kind of magazine format thingy?

(Having used Google I see that “The One Show is a topical magazine programme broadcast weekdays at 7pm on BBC One”.)

By: Chris Hughes

Chris Hughes — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:43:47 +0000

Well, you could say the same thing about Cheryl Cole, but it seemed to work for The X-Factor

By: Wil

Wil — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:20:53 +0000

But if Alesha Dixon is behind the desk all the time she won’t be able to wear skimpy skirts and flash her pins. Surely a big part of her appeal (one for the Dads) during her run on the contest?

By: Chris Hughes

Chris Hughes — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:10:54 +0000

I think you have half a point, she really isn’t very good (“You need more of that famous breakfast cereal – snap, crackle and sizzle!”).

But for me, it’s no coincidence (to use one of Clive James’s least favourite phrases) that she’s being replaced by an attractive pop star rather than another experienced choreographer. I genuinely think the BBC are after a Cheryl Cole-style figure on the panel to appeal to a younger audience (and get the show in the papers a bit more).

By: Jon Haw

Jon Haw — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:12:20 +0000

I do believe the BBC when they say that Arlene Phillip’s removal from Strictly is nothing to do with ageism – the real reason is that she’s just not very good! OK, she really knows her onions when it comes to dancing, but too often her comments are wrapped up in tortuous similies and puns which she clearly spends all week thinking up, but never, ever get a laugh and too often just leave the audience,and occasionally the other judges, completely flumoxed.

The problem is that everone at the BBC is too professional and too polite to say this – which has left them open to these ridiculous ageism accusations.

By: Simon Tyers

Simon Tyers — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:30:33 +0000

And that physical entertainment space has rarely been more completely colonised.

Have there been many other occasions where a BBC1 controller (or an ITV one, come to that) has damned a big Saturday night show pretty much the second the first series has finished, rather than wait a year until someone asks about it?

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:03:49 +0000

I have to agree that Norton is pretty good on Totally Saturday, given what a total shambles the show is.