Strictly Come Dancing 2021

I find the dislike of Tess Daly amongst parts of the Strictly fandom just as inexplicable as the widespread Mulhernophobia here on TVF.

Neither are divisive Chris Evans/Jeremy Clarkson type personalities.



EDIT: I do get how the quirky Claudia Winklemans and Noel Fieldings of this world would perhaps be quite "love or hate" only (I personally fall into the "love" camp, for Claudia), but the likes of Tess Daly and Stephen Mulhern are perfectly amiable and inoffensive presenters. Arguably they're a bit vanilla/nondescript/functional/moving wallpaper, I suppose (is that the crux of some people's issue with them?).

I think having two "Claudias" paired together would end up looking like a scene-stealing competition. Tess being the "Wise" to Claudia's "Morecambe" (if you will) is a good balance to have in a presenting duo, in my humble opinion.

I think the problem people have with Tess is that she's always seemed quite insincere in her delivery. She's a completely passable presenter but everything she does (IMO) seems a little scripted and false, and there doesn't seem to be any actual rapport with the dancers. It feels like she just turns up on Saturday evening to do her job, and does a fine job, but then you compare this with Claudia who comes across as if she's watched all the training VTs, has been chatting to the competitors all week, and is really invested in their journey. Personally I don't really enjoy Tess presenting for exactly that reason, but I wouldn't say I heavily dislike her in the way I would a divisive personality (e.g. Jeremy Clarkson).

As you say, two Claudias wouldn't work, but I don't think it's about the personality in this case - it's about rapport, and I would personally prefer someone who seems to genuinely care more in the Tess/Bruce role.

My mum loves Strictly but can't warm to Tess, she says the same thing about her, that Tess comes across as quite fake and is just spouting rehearsed lines and doesn't seem like she cares. She never seems to do much else apart from Strictly either, and is probably glad she is presenting the biggest show on TV or she'd be on the brink of obscurity compared to her peers.

Personally I don't have any opinion on her either way as I don't watch Strictly, and I don't have any issue with Stephen Mulhern either. My instant turn offs for programmes include anything involving Michael McIntyre (whom everyone seems to love) or David Walliams.

Tess is probably thanking more than just her lucky stars that she has one of the top presenting roles in BBC Entertainment. She quite easily could have become the next Kate Thornton, one minute presenting the X Factor (back when it was the top gig on Saturday night TV) to being removed from it and pretty much disappeared into the abyss. This could have happened to Tess many many years ago when Brucie was still here...the BBC could have swapped her with anyone else to work along side Sir Bruce and I doubt the great British public would have even batted an eyelid.

Personally I do think the Strictly presenting lineup could do with a refresh within the next few years. Dermot on the X Factor really got pass it's sell by date at least 2/3 series before the end.
I would like to see another 'national treasure' just like Brucie to take the helm at Strictly...who that person is though I could not tell you.

Ed Balls

Didn’t they replace Dermot with Caroline Flack and Olly Murs and it went terribly and everyone wanted Dermot back?

Yes, although I think Dermot should have left The X Factor long ago and should never have come back, because I don't think it was doing him any good at all. It seemed totally at odds with his role as a credible music broadcaster, and while it obviously attracted big audiences in its pomp, I think certainly in the later years it was a bit of a thankless job for a presenter, you had to do a lot of fire-fighting and papering over the cracks.

The truth is though top entertainment roles are few and far between and unless you're Ant and Dec you're very lucky to go from one top role to another.

Dermot's biggest TV gig since The X Factor is standing in on This Morning once a week, and similarly no reason really for Tess to leave Strictly - or ATM Strictly to replace her.

On the plus side I think he was on a LOT of money per series. Not Ant and Dec level but certainly more than the Strictly gang.

I can see why you think this and while these stories are bit sensationalist and I’m not sure who exactly is the ‘source’ on this Bruno story (haven’t read the article and don’t really wish too) but the UK’s Chief Medical Officer said in the presser yesterday that restrictions may be needed next winter. So it’s not beyond the realms of possibilities that travel restrictions may be in place in still by autumn.
I understand the mental health concerns here but unfortunately however much we don’t enjoy it, it’s the reality we are living now. What’s the alternative? We live in a society where we’re only told things that won’t upset us? Speculating and looking ahead is human nature, the biggest question my family and friends talk about is when certain restrictions will be lifted etc. Yes we don’t know all the answers but we can give informed projections.
And I actually take more issue with the ‘jab and go’ advert I’m seeing right now from a certain budget airline, over any news coverage. Trivialising or down playing a pandemic isn’t what I want.

Just a small edit: I think avoiding or reducing your own news consumption is entirely your own decision and I support people doing what is right for them. I just don’t think we need to demonise the wider media coverage, Daily Mail staff have mental health impacts too.

All completely fair points.
Everyone has their own way of dealing with things, and I personally find that when I hear too much about the virus, I get really stressed out and I start feeling suffocated by it.
The only thing I've found which works for me is eliminating exposure to news sources insofar as is possible, bar any major life-altering changes which I'll need to make note of.
Reading/watching negative, pessimistic coverage and wading through endless speculation by armchair experts on social media does me no favours so I personally keep myself away from it.
I know that approach is merely my way of dealing with it, and I'm not suggesting that people shouldn't look to the future or make contingiency plans in the event of restrictions remaining in place in the longer term. It's only sensible to do so, after all.
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He probably was, and I don't begrudge him for taking it, but there does come a time when it starts knocking your credibility a bit, and I would suggest that it did look strange when Dermot was on the radio and being a credible music broadcaster, while at the same time also presenting the show which seemed for so many to emphasise all the worst aspects of the music industry.

The obvious example of that was with Nicky Campbell, they mention that in The Nation's Favourite. In the late nineties he was certainly trying to give over the image of being a serious, credible broadcaster, during current affairs shows and talking knowledgably about music on the radio, but he was also presenting Wheel of Fortune, so nobody took him seriously. It was only a bit of fun and he enjoyed doing it, but eventually he did have to give it up because it was damaging his credibility.



I think by the time you get to Dermot's level you don't need to take any old job just because it's there and it pays well. In many ways you could argue that This Morning is a better job for Dermot because it gives him the opportunity to illustrate that he's a versatile broadcaster who can talk about all kinds of subjects, serious and light-hearted, and he has a generally laid-back persona and it's a better fit for him because he can kick back and wax a little wry. It's like when Brucie did You Bet, it was a big show and successful enough, but he didn't enjoy it because he had to do lots more straight presenting than he normally would and less mucking about, and in the end it was a waste of his talents.

As for Tess, everyone who works or has taken part in Strictly seems to have had nothing but good things to say about her, and about how professional she is and how nice she is to everyone. That presumably goes a long way. She doesn't do much else outside Strictly but presumably that is a decision she's made to get the work/life balance she's after.