The Official Strictly Thread.

[TANGODANCER]

Claudia Winkleman has been given the job of replacing Sir Bruce Forsyth on strictly.
BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba said "The new Strictly line-up is a clear demonstration of the BBC's determination to feature more women, particularly in its primetime output".

I see the whole thing of announcing something like that as pure Bullshxt worthy of the Emily Pankhurst award for feminism. . I really like Claudia Winkleman from her weekly shows before Zoe Ball took over. I'm absolutely sure she'll do a great job on Strictly because she's intelligent, witty and funny, which this show needs. Give the jobs to the one most suited to do it, (which Claudia undoubtedly qualifies) regardless of sex, age or anything else. As long as they keep making, and highlighting, definitions between the sexes, the longer it will take before real equality occurs. In some things, men and women "are" different and nothing will ever change that fact. Being able to do a job should have f-all to do with "oh look, we're playing fair by allowing a woman to do the job. Well done us". The fact that a woman made the comment just highlights (at least for me) that equality seems to be far more of an issue with women that men. All the TV channels are already absolutely ruled by female presenters, weather girls and show hostesses.....just in case nobody noticed..

[Burnden Paddock]

For the record, Lizo Mzimba is a bloke.

[TANGODANCER]

For the record, Lizo Mzimba is a bloke.

Well, it's his fault for having a name like that anyway.....

Sorry Lizo..... The point remains, however.

[thebish]

just in case anyone should think that TV channels are already absolutely ruled by female presenters, BBC television and radio, Sky, ITN and Channel 5 combined have just 26 women over 50 working as regular on-air presenters out of a total of 481 presenters.

Overall, women over 50 make up just 5% of on-screen presenters of all ages and both sexes and 7% of the workforce, both on and off screen.

it's a LOT easier for a Brucie to be a presenter than it is for a woman of equivalent age.

[TANGODANCER]

just in case anyone should think that TV channels are already absolutely ruled by female presenters, BBC television and radio, Sky, ITN and Channel 5 combined have just 26 women over 50 working as regular on-air presenters out of a total of 481 presenters.

Overall, women over 50 make up just 5% of on-screen presenters of all ages and both sexes and 7% of the workforce, both on and off screen.

it's a LOT easier for a Brucie to be a presenter than it is for a woman of equivalent age.

Well done for finding all that out.

[Gary the Enfield]

I think they should have a male and female presenter for Strictly. It works well with the male and female contestants.

[Always hopeful]

Claudia Winkleman has been given the job of replacing Sir Bruce Forsyth on strictly.
BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba said "The new Strictly line-up is a clear demonstration of the BBC's determination to feature more women, particularly in its primetime output".

What?

She's the most inelegant person ever to have been associated with that show. She clops onto the stage like a pantomime horse. AND whilst her low fringe is probably her 'trademark', get it cut love, it's horrible.

Apart from that, I'm sure she'll do a wonderful job

[TANGODANCER]

Claudia Winkleman has been given the job of replacing Sir Bruce Forsyth on strictly.
BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba said "The new Strictly line-up is a clear demonstration of the BBC's determination to feature more women, particularly in its primetime output".

What?

She's the most inelegant person ever to have been associated with that show. She clops onto the stage like a pantomime horse. AND whilst her low fringe is probably her 'trademark', get it cut love, it's horrible.

Apart from that, I'm sure she'll do a wonderful job

She's whacky, looks like a cross between a throw-back to the sixties and a gothic fancy dress party, and most of her frocks look like coloured bin bags, but she's really likeable for me and I'm delighted they didn't give the job to the gushy Tess Daly, who I really don't like.

[Always hopeful]

Claudia Winkleman has been given the job of replacing Sir Bruce Forsyth on strictly.
BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba said "The new Strictly line-up is a clear demonstration of the BBC's determination to feature more women, particularly in its primetime output".

What?

She's the most inelegant person ever to have been associated with that show. She clops onto the stage like a pantomime horse. AND whilst her low fringe is probably her 'trademark', get it cut love, it's horrible.

Apart from that, I'm sure she'll do a wonderful job

She's whacky, looks like a cross between a throw-back to the sixties and a gothic fancy dress party, and most of her frocks look like coloured bin bags, but she's really likeable for me and I'm delighted they didn't give the job to the gushy Tess Daly, who I really don't like.

I haven't read anything about this. So, Claudia is replacing Tess, not Brucie? Who's replacing Brucie then?

[TANGODANCER]

Claudia Winkleman has been given the job of replacing Sir Bruce Forsyth on strictly.
BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba said "The new Strictly line-up is a clear demonstration of the BBC's determination to feature more women, particularly in its primetime output".

What?

She's the most inelegant person ever to have been associated with that show. She clops onto the stage like a pantomime horse. AND whilst her low fringe is probably her 'trademark', get it cut love, it's horrible.

Apart from that, I'm sure she'll do a wonderful job

She's whacky, looks like a cross between a throw-back to the sixties and a gothic fancy dress party, and most of her frocks look like coloured bin bags, but she's really likeable for me and I'm delighted they didn't give the job to the gushy Tess Daly, who I really don't like.

I haven't read anything about this. So, Claudia is replacing Tess, not Brucie? Who's replacing Brucie then?

No, Claudia's replacing Brucie, she's in charge... (probably not to Tess's delight).

[Always hopeful]

Ah, OK. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Claudia's not up to it IMHO. Oh well, I'd be happy to be proved wrong.

[bobo the clown]

^^ He's an engineer. Forgive him.

[Always hopeful]

^^ He's an engineer. Forgive him.

Engineers have feelings too.

[TANGODANCER]

Claudia was a massive success on It Takes Two, the week night follow up show. She most likely got the job on the strength of her popularity with that. I'm looking forward to Strictly starting again.

[Prufrock]

just in case anyone should think that TV channels are already absolutely ruled by female presenters, BBC television and radio, Sky, ITN and Channel 5 combined have just 26 women over 50 working as regular on-air presenters out of a total of 481 presenters.

Overall, women over 50 make up just 5% of on-screen presenters of all ages and both sexes and 7% of the workforce, both on and off screen.

it's a LOT easier for a Brucie to be a presenter than it is for a woman of equivalent age.

Well done for finding all that out.

yeah! With your facts!

[TANGODANCER]

What on earth have these two done with their mouths?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvan ... otion.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bobo the clown]

What on earth have these two done with their mouths?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvan ... otion.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They look like Heath Ledger's Joker.


I do think it's just liner rather than surgery or injections though.

.... though why is Tess Daly's left eye an inch lower than her right ??

[TANGODANCER]

just in case anyone should think that TV channels are already absolutely ruled by female presenters, BBC television and radio, Sky, ITN and Channel 5 combined have just 26 women over 50 working as regular on-air presenters out of a total of 481 presenters.

Overall, women over 50 make up just 5% of on-screen presenters of all ages and both sexes and 7% of the workforce, both on and off screen.

it's a LOT easier for a Brucie to be a presenter than it is for a woman of equivalent age.

Well done for finding all that out.

yeah! With your facts!

Ah well, see I don't remember Claudia Winklemen (who we were talking about) being over fifty, and my wife watches a lot of morning TV where there seem to be an awful lot of females in the chairs, like Lorraine Kelly, Kate Garraway, that Susanna bird and the cast of Loose Women and all those women that pop up waving their arms at maps and pointing to Wales whilst talking about Scarboro etc. Then again, we were also taking about the B.B.C and its self-serving "didn't we do well" attitude over employing women...but hey, ho....

[Prufrock]

Weather girls, Loose Women and 'that Susanna bird'. Outstanding.

I've no argument with,

"In some things, men and women "are" different and nothing will ever change that fact. Being able to do a job should have f-all to do with "oh look, we're playing fair by allowing a woman to do the job. Well done us"."

but the point is clearly people aren't being chosen by whether or not they can do the job; and, clearly TV presenting isn't something that one sex are going to be intrinsically better at. That women suddenly get dropped when they hit fifty probably suggests that the 'assets' women are being judged on aren't their abilities to present *ifyouknowwhatimean*.

[TANGODANCER]

Weather girls, Loose Women and 'that Susanna bird'. Outstanding.

I've no argument with,

"In some things, men and women "are" different and nothing will ever change that fact. Being able to do a job should have f-all to do with "oh look, we're playing fair by allowing a woman to do the job. Well done us"."

but the point is clearly people aren't being chosen by whether or not they can do the job; and, clearly TV presenting isn't something that one sex are going to be intrinsically better at. That women suddenly get dropped when they hit fifty probably suggests that the 'assets' women are being judged on aren't their abilities to present *ifyouknowwhatimean*.

Not sure exactly what you do have an argument with to be honest, apart from sniggering away in the background? I was/do support sexual equality totally. I have a wife and three daughters and granddaughters and obviously want the best for them. My point was about the B.B.C seemingly patting themselves on the back for allowing women at the table. Having passed fifty quite some time back I do tend to support older people as not being just fit to sit by the roadside and wait to die. Whether you accept it or not, the real cause always comes back to sex in its most basic sense. If it didn't, and its potential for exploitation and ratings didn't count, your Katy Prices' and all the rest of the "celebrities" wouldn't get house room. Sex rules the world, and T.V companies exist on attracting ratings even if they have bearded men in frocks to do it.....

Things could soon change to some extent if rumours that a woman is to take over as head of the B.B.C.are true? But what exactly will that do? Will it really mean any form of true equality, or will it just be a " We shall overcome" role reversal? The battle of the sexes isn't exactly a new concept but you'd think by now it would have declared a peace pact somewhere.