Strictly come dancing comes to DStv
By Own Correspondent
The magic just keeps coming! Now in its 15th season, the celebrated dance competition Strictly Come Dancing still captivates DStv audiences with its colour, flair, style and drama, and local viewers are now watching the latest series just three weeks after its UK live broadcast.
Said Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe: “This is without doubt one of the most popular reality shows on DStv and feedback tells us a large number of Zimbabweans tune in each week to see who is on and who is off and to enjoy the exceptional entertainment offered by this unique dance competition featuring tutored celebrities paired with leading professional dancers.”
The 2017 series of Strictly Come Dancing started in the UK in September and was launched on DStv’s BBC First channel in October. It is the first series not to feature head judge Len Goodman, who retired at the end of the 2016 series and who has been replaced by dancer, teacher and choreographer Shirley Ballas. Her panel is made up of regular judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Darcey Bussell and Bruno Tonioli.
The series also started broadcasting just weeks after the death of Sir Bruce Forsyth, the legendary UK comedian, dancer, host and MC who helmed the show for its first 13 series, but who is now followed by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkelman as one of the first all-female MC teams in UK television history.
A total of 15 celebrities make up the focus team battling for top honours of winning the prestigious trophy, and this year’s line-up included comedy actress Chizzy Akudolu (partnered with professional dancer Pasha Kovalev), broadcaster, musician and full-time Anglican priest the Rev Richard Coles (Diane Buswell), TV presenter and journalist Charlotte Hawkins (Brendan Cole), comedy actor and singer Brian Conley (Amy Dowden), TV chef Simon Rimmer (Karen Clifton), singer and actress Alexandra Burke (Gorka Marquez), pop star Ahstion Merrygold (Janette Manrara), Eastenders actor Davood Ghadami (Nadiya Bychkova), TV personality and radio presenter Debbie McGee (Giovanni Pernice), actress and model Gemma Atkinson (Aljaz Skojanec), Hold City actor Joe McFadden (Katya Jones), paralumpic medal winner Jonnie Peacock (Oti Mabuse), pop singer Mollie King (AJ Pritchard), TV presenter Ruth Langsford (Anton du Beke) and comedian and TV presenter Susan Calman (Kevin Clifton). As of Sunday October 29, DStv viewers have seen two performers voted out: Akudolu and Coles.
Themed show nights are a feature of the series, with last weekend having been movie week, and to be followed by such events as the Halloween night and Blackpool Ballroom week. In the UK, the series will climax with the winner being name in the finale on the weekend before Christmas, but to be seen in this part of the world three weeks later. Voting for performers is not open to viewers outside the UK, but viewers in Zimbabwe share ideas and hopes with friends and colleagues and social media is awash with thoughts, opinions, criticisms and praise.
Strictly Come Dancing has a series of screenings each week, with the premiere slot being 6pm on Sundays on BBC First (DStv channel 120). In the first part of the evening, viewers here see what UK viewers see on Saturday nights: the live broadcast of the competition show. Later on, they see what UK viewers see 24 hours later: the results show, in which the two couples receiving the lowest scores combined with lowest viewer votes are made to perform again in a dance-off, one being selected by the judges to remain and the other to be voted off the show. By the finale show, only four couples will be on stage.
Strictly Come Dancing is seen in Zimbabwe exclusively on DStv’
