The BBC has offered a sneak peek at the Strictly Come Dancing launch show as the judges go up “against each other” to do a big dance number alongside the professionals.
Dressed in black, judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse show the contestants what they are looking for as the celebrity dancing show returns to BBC One at 6.35pm on Saturday.
Revel Horwood, 58, said: “Well, it’s very exciting. So I’m doing an assisted backward walk-over darling, which I’ve never done before, it’s when you drop into two boys’ arms, flip over and land hopefully on your feet, so that’ll be good fun.
Images also show 63-year-old “Queen of Latin” Ballas lunge in a black dress with a pink rosette as she is surrounded by fan-wielding Strictly professionals.
“I’ve been put through my paces but to be dancing with my fellow judges and the professional dancers is a feeling like no other.”
Du Beke said the number is “amazingly brilliant” and the judges are “on great form as well”.
Du Beke said: “Everyone is in great shape and everyone is dancing well and it’s just a really fantastic number, it genuinely is. It felt a bit like being back in a pro number. I am on a podium, it’s exciting.”
Mabuse, who used to be a professional on German dance show Let’s Dance before becoming a judge and moving to Strictly, said: “You think you’ve retired and you’re never going to dance again and you’ve done it all, but then Strictly calls and then the shoes are back on.
“I think that the audience loves to see the judges dancing and it’s going to be a big celebration.”
The judges will be scrutinising 15 contestants for the 21st series, including broadcaster Angela Rippon, Channel 4 news presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, former Family Fortunes presenter Les Dennis, EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier and reality star Zara McDermott.
