Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Vincent Simone has said the show has become "too nice" and called for a return to its more competitive roots. Simone, 47, who danced on the BBC show from 2006 to 2012, said he would like to see the programme regain its "edge" and become less focused on entertainment.
Simone wants more suspense
Speaking to the Mirror, Simone said he still loves the concept but feels it is "a bit too entertaining". He explained: "In my opinion, it's entertaining enough. Maybe it's a bit too entertaining, because it's a dance competition.
"I would like a bit more suspense throughout the show. Sometimes it's all a bit too happy for me, and I'm thinking, hold on a minute, these people have been working really hard, they're all really nervous, and they're there because they want to get through. It takes the edge off the dynamic of the competition."
Professionals agreed on single-dance format
Simone suggested the show should focus more on dancing itself, saying the judges sometimes "go off and talk about themselves and make jokes". He added: "It's funny to watch, but then it feels like it's just a TV show, and we have to remember it's a competition."
He revealed that the professionals had previously agreed on a format change: "Even in the past, as professionals, we all agreed it would be a good idea to have couples all doing one dance, so you see who is best at that specific dance, technically and choreographically."
However, he acknowledged the potential downside: "The only problem is, do you really want to sit and watch ten cha cha chas? It would be too repetitive. Maybe they could do a two-dance week, where they pick two dances and the couples go against each other."
Defends three-way dance-off
Despite his criticism, Simone defended the recent three-way dance-off that saw Lawrence Robb become the fifth celebrity to leave the series, a decision some fans labelled a "waste of time".
He said: "Every week has been the same. You get the top three couples, who are at a really high level, but then all the rest, from Will [Best] to Dani [Dyer] to Bethany [Antonia] to Jaime [Winstone], are on the same level.
"Having an extra couple gives an extra chance to the couples in the bottom who were supposed to go home. For example, if next week Delta [Goodrem] goes in the bottom two with someone like Graeme [Hall], Jaime or Bethany, who aren't as strong, then we know they will go home. But with an extra couple, there is more of a battle."
Simone was speaking to the Mirror on behalf of Paddy Power Games.
