On Friday 30th September the couples performing for the first time on live television will be:

Alex,  Anita,  Audley,  Dan,  Lulu,  Robbie and Russell

Then on Saturday 1st October the couples performing for the first time together will be:

Chelsee, Edwina,  Harry,  Holly,  Jason,  Nancy and Rory

Please note the running order has yet to be confirmed. The celebrities have been listed above in alphabetical order.

What made you decide to take part in Strictly?

I love a challenge and this will certainly be the biggest challenge I’ve taken on. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that I couldn’t turn down.

What are you looking for from your professional partner?

Someone who will push me and be able to cope with my obsessive nature. I’d also like someone I can have good fun with.

You’re used to performing on stage in front of thousands – will you be more nervous taking to the dance floor?

Yes! Way more nervous. I’m used to using my hands on stage and not my legs!

How do you feel about going solo without the rest of your band mates? And what do they think about you taking part in the show?

I would certainly feel a lot better if they were doing it with me! I would love to see Dougie trying to dance. They are excited and nervous for me and they are also happy that their Saturday night entertainment is sorted for at least a week.

Source: http://balletnews.co.uk/strictly-come-dancing-the-celebrities-interviewed/

Strictly Come Dancing star Harry Judd has insisted that he does not have an unfair advantage over the other contestants.

Judd, who has been paired with Aliona Vilani for the competition, previously appeared in a special edition of Strictly Come Dancing for Children In Need.

However, he explained that the show’s producers have now tried to make sure that he will not be too far ahead of the other contestants by giving him reduced rehearsal time.

“We’re not allowed to start rehearsing for a week,” he explained. “The other guys start next week – we’re not allowed to start until a week after.”

Judd, who admitted that he tried to get fit before the competition began, joked that Vilani has already given him some exercises to do by himself to prepare for their rehearsals.

“I asked if there is any advice for during that week, like stretching,” he said. “And she said, ‘Look in the mirror and practise your faces’! Can you imagine doing that at home? I’ve got my faces down.”

Judd also revealed that his fellow McFly bandmates have been “really supportive”, saying: “They know it’s hard. We’re not dancers. It’s awkward, you feel embarrassed, and you’ve got to have the confidence to let yourself go. The guys are totally understanding. They’re being really encouraging, which is nice.”

Source: DigitalSpy