Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Vincent Simone has described the current series as "fantastic" but believes too many changes at once are a major "downside". Speaking to the Mirror, he addressed the upheaval in the presenting lineup and the departure of several beloved professionals.
Presenting Changes Divide Fans
Following Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's decision to step down, bosses took months to settle on Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe as the presenting trio for the current series. Vincent said: "I think the only downside of this year is that there's been way too many changes all in one go. Some people like changes, like me. Some people don't."
He added: "I can imagine some people saying, 'Oh, Tess and Claudia are not going to be presenting, I won't be watching it,' or, you know, some of the professionals that I used to love, they won't be performing again, I'm not going to watch it again."
Vincent's Dark Horse Pick
Despite big-name dancers such as Gorka Marquez also leaving, Vincent still believes the show is an amazing watch. He named Lacey Turner as this year's one to watch, praising her technical ability and the work of her partner Vito Coppola. "When she went onto the floor and she did the dance, she was good technically," he said.
Brendan Cole, meanwhile, thinks John Nellis is this year's one to watch. "I think he's brilliant," he told us. "You kind of assumed Delta [Goodrem] was going to be good, but I didn't know about John."
Brendan on Scoring
On the questioning of some scoring being wide of the mark on the opening night, Brendan believes it's important to start low. "There were a lot of low scores, but I think that's a good starting point," he said. "Give constructive critique in week one, let people know what they're in for, and give a low score."
He added: "You want them to get a three, and then the next week, 'You know what? I'm going to give you a five this week,' then the following week a six, and by the time they finally go out, in week five or six, they might just get themselves a seven or an eight. Just for good behaviour!"
