Graeme Hall, a contestant on the 24th series of Strictly Come Dancing, has admitted he didn't know who many of his fellow celebrities were. The dog trainer, known for hosting Channel 5's Dogs Behaving Badly since 2017, told the Daily Telegraph: "I didn't know who everyone was, I don't watch Love Island."
New faces and presenter changes
The new series introduces a revamped presenter line-up, with Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepping aside for Johannes Radebe, Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe. Five of the show's professional dance partners have also left, while new contestants include Love Island's Cach Mercer, sports YouTuber John Neills and hairstylist Chris Appleton.
Viewers have criticised the BBC for "scraping the barrel" with this year's contestants, with 5.8 million tuning in to the first episode.
Hall's response and recovery
Hall added he was not worried about being out of touch: "Last year, for example, I didn't know who George [Clarke] was, but within two or three weeks I'd become a big fan, and I was rooting for him."
He also dismissed gossip about a "toxic" backstage environment, noting that many of the production team have been with the show for years: "Many of them have been there for donkey's years. From experience, that doesn't happen when you're not in a nice place to work. I just get a great feeling."
Hoping for a long run
Hall, paired with Lauren Oakley, hopes the physical training will aid his recovery from a stroke he suffered in 2019. He said: "I never got back to dancing. I just thought, 'well that was a bit of fun'... and that was that. I put the dance bag in the loft. It's been with me through three house moves."
He added: "There are not a lot of people in the world that have had the chance to do this. So I'm just going to love every minute, enjoy it for what it is and hope it keeps going as long as possible."
