Strictly Come Dancing’s astonishing 'risk' as BBC bosses branded 'mad'

The BBC's erstwhile controller, Lorraine Heggessey, remembers however overmuch of a hazard it was to motorboat Strictly Come Dancing 20 years ago, with galore radical reasoning she had "gone mad"

When Strictly Come Dancing archetypal aired connected BBC One connected 15 May 2004, Facebook had lone conscionable launched and The X Factor had not yet adjacent begun. But portion it seems a beingness ago, Strictly rapidly established itself arsenic portion of the cloth of British life, and its debut occurrence drew astir six cardinal viewers. "Nobody thought it would instrumentality off, but radical conscionable loved it," says writer Alison Maloney, who has produced each the BBC Strictly annuals since 2008. Despite instantly catching the nationalist mood, determination had been superior doubts implicit the show's viability. "It was a immense risk," BBC One's controller astatine the time, Lorraine Heggessey, aboriginal admitted. "There were galore radical who thought I'd gone mad, putting ballroom dancing up astatine primetime connected a Saturday night."

With immoderate fears unfounded, a 2nd bid was commissioned wrong 4 months. "It was an overnight sensation," reflected judge Craig Revel Horwood. "I was recognised successful the streets, truthful radical were instantly booing. It was bizarre." As the lone archetypal justice remaining today, Craig has overseen plentifulness of change, and determination were lone 8 personage contestants successful the archetypal bid – a acold outcry from today. The assortment of routines has ballooned, too. "In the archetypal shows, determination were lone 2 dances per week, truthful determination mightiness beryllium 4 couples doing the cha-cha-cha, and 4 couples doing a waltz," Alison points out. "Now there's truthful overmuch assortment – they truly premix it up."

Visually, the amusement has gone done a large translation too. "The acceptable was truly basal astatine archetypal – it was conscionable the stairs and the creation floor," recalls Alison. The amusement was primitively broadcast from BBC Television Centre, but the site's closure successful 2013 prompted a determination to a bigger acceptable astatine Elstree. "Since then, the props and technology person grown progressively sophisticated. The LED screens marque these magnificent patterns connected the level and tin fundamentally crook the workplace into a Parisian boulevard oregon a nightclub."

Former enforcement shaper Andrea Hamilton, who worked connected the amusement successful 2012 and 2013, agrees that the accumulation values are present acold much ambitious. "In the opening it was much stripped back, generic and not astir large concepts. It was more, 'This is the opus and style, and here's your track.' But from astir 2010 onwards, the dances were thought of arsenic stories, and it became astir gathering worlds to gully radical in."

Another large quality successful the Strictly of aged was that the performances and the results were some screened connected Saturday nights. But that changed successful 2007, erstwhile the results amusement began transmitting connected Sunday evenings, ramping up the hostility for an other 24 hours. "Now you tin program your full play astir Strictly and, if you're truly devoted, watch It Takes Two successful the week arsenic well," jokes Alison.

One happening that has remained accordant is the yearly Blackpool special, which pays homage to the archetypal Come Dancing bid filmed astatine the iconic Tower Ballroom successful the 1970s. "Everyone loves Blackpool," she says. "It's a benchmark midway done the bid that we each look guardant to." Inevitably, for specified a long-running series, determination person been aggregate shifts successful the judging panel, and for the archetypal 4 years, the line-up consisted of Craig, the precocious Len Goodman, Arlene Phillips and Bruno Tonioli.

"One large happening successful the opening was that the judges were wholly unknown," says Alison. "None of them were TV stars, and they each thought it would lone past 5 minutes. How incorrect they were!" As founding judges, they were escaped to make their ain personalities. "Len was an instant deed arsenic the Cockney geezer with his ridiculous phrases similar 'pickle my walnuts'. Craig rapidly fell into being the pantomime villain, and Arlene took connected the headteacher role, telling everyone disconnected for the tiny things they got wrong. And Bruno was conscionable the mad, drama Italian connected the end," says Alison.

The foursome remained unneurotic until the departure of choreographer Arlene successful 2009, which heralded the accomplishment of 2007 Strictly champion Alesha Dixon. Her exit aft 3 seasons brought prima ballerina Darcey Bussell into the fold successful 2012, and she stayed until 2018 erstwhile she discontinue to absorption connected different creation commitments. New summation Motsi Mabuse – sister of erstwhile pro Oti – replaced Darcey successful 2019. Another large alteration came erstwhile Shirley Ballas took implicit from Len, who stepped down successful 2016, saying, "It's clip to manus the relation of caput justice to idiosyncratic else."

Meanwhile, erstwhile the pandemic prevented LA-based Bruno from travelling, pro dancer Anton Du Beke filled in, with his relation becoming imperishable successful 2022. Walking distant aft 18 years, Bruno told of the difficulties of juggling his relation connected Dancing With The Stars successful the US, saying, "I conscionable couldn't alert immoderate more. I don't cognize however I survived that schedule." Fan favourite Anton was pleased to transverse the level though, saying, "I cannot archer you however thrilled I americium to beryllium stepping into Bruno's brogues... I committedness to beryllium kinder to each the couples than immoderate of them person ever been to me."

With today's sheet a rock-solid unit, Alison says, "Anton has the unsocial acquisition of having been successful the pro dancers' shoes, and truthful brings empathy with that. I deliberation Sir Bruce besides saw Anton arsenic a earthy successor, truthful his humour lives connected done him successful a way. And Shirley and Motsi some person a beingness of acquisition successful the world of dance, truthful are large successful their roles. Craig remains a cleanable antidote to the others, with his catchphrases specified arsenic 'fab-u-lous' and 'di-sah-ster darling'."

The presenting lineup has changed too, and aft Sir Bruce stood down successful 2014,Claudia Winkleman was paired with Claudia Winkleman – seen arsenic a bold determination for its time. "I deliberation Strictly was the archetypal large amusement to person 2 pistillate presenters," says Andrea, who is present managing manager of accumulation institution ModestTV. "Putting Claudia and Tess unneurotic was brilliant, and showed however the amusement tin evolve."

As Andrea suggests, this is simply a indispensable for a bid spanning 20 years. "Things can't enactment the same. When Bruce and Len oregon definite dancers left, you'd think, 'What's going to happen? How are we going to spell on?' But that's erstwhile you realise the format of the amusement is truthful almighty it tin determination connected and inactive thrive." As the years person gone on, Strictly has besides go known for its diversity. "As good arsenic same-sex couples, we've had Paralympian Jonnie Peacock arsenic the show's archetypal amputee, Ellie Simmonds arsenic the archetypal with dwarfism, and Rose Ayling-Ellis arsenic the archetypal deaf contestant," says Alison. "These person each been immense talking points, and shows viewers successful the astir inspiring mode however thing is possible."