Strictly has returned for its 20th series (Image: Getty)
is back with a bang as the celebrities took to the floor for the first live show last weekend, and fans are already buzzing with predictions for who could make it all the way to the grand final.
Among the early favourites being tipped for success are include former Love Island star and actor , both of whom are strong contenders according to bookmakers.
“However, there’s a lot that fans don’t see behind the scenes, such as unexpected filming delays, pre-recorded segments, and the true extent of the stars’ rehearsal hours.”
As the glitterball competition heats up, we delve into the behind-the-scenes secrets of one of the ‘s most beloved shows, uncovering the truth behind the glitz and glamour that keeps millions tuning in every week.
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Bobby Brazier with Dianne Buswell (Image: BBC)
How long do they rehearse?
Strictly viewers probably assume that the celebrities have a full five or six days to learn their new routine, but that’s definitely not the case.
Despite having Sunday to Saturday to practice their next routine, the couples have to do promo and keep up to commitments to other TV appearances such as Strictly: It Takes Two and interviews on other shows such as Lorraine and tend to only have about three and half days to rehearse.
Speaking to Daily Star last year, former professional AJ Pritchard said: “When you consider Sunday is your day off because the results show airs on Sunday night but in the week you would usually be doing promo, going on Lorraine in the week and talking about your experience to press, therefore you only get three and a half days in a studio to learn that dance.”
Contestants are required to do a minimum of 12 hours training a week for a routine lasting two minutes.
However, some dedicated celebs have been known to do that in just one day, particularly when the show draws into the final weeks.
How the songs are picked
The celebrities and professional dancers are tasked with learning a new dance each week, but for the pros, there’s even more work involved as they also need to choreograph their number for their celebrity partner.
The dancers are given a pool of songs to choose from, which fit with the theme.
The tracks are always a mix of old and new songs to appeal to a wide audience and from there, the professionals confirm their choice with producers and get choreographing.
The in-house singers then get the rest of the week to learn the song before performing it live on One on a Saturday night.
Strictly has experienced a challenging year (Image: BBC)
Why there’s a delay in scoring
Viewers familiar with the show will know that it takes a little while to hear the verdict of judges Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Shirley Ballas.
That’s because the judges need to let the crew know first of all which paddle they’re going to hold up.
They have a special keypad hidden under their desks where they submit their score, so the crew can seamlessly show it on the screen for viewers at home as well as update the leaderboard straight away.
Long days of filming
While the show may only been on for a couple of hours on a Saturday night – and the results show broadcasted on Sunday – filming takes a long time.
Both episodes of the show are actually filmed on the same evening, with the Saturday show coming live to people’s homes and the Sunday night show being broadcasted as if it is live.
There is also a lot of footage which doesn’t appear on the final edit of the show and with the filming of the Sunday show, any slip-ups – which normally includes someone referring to the show as today and not yesterday – can easily be edited out for continuity purposes.
Group dances are filmed in advance
Some viewers might not be aware that the professional group numbers are actually filmed well in advance.
This allows the crew to ensure the performances are perfected without the pressure of live recording.
While the show maintains its live format for the celebrity performances, pre-recording the pros’ routines helps guarantee that these complex and highly choreographed numbers go off without a hitch during the live broadcasts.
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Lots of waiting around – and naps
The celebrities and their pros get a chance to rehearse all day – but they make sure to get a break before the big show.
“We get an hour or two before the live show, so we just switch the lights off and lie down in the dark,” former Strictly star AJ told The Mirror.
“I ended up falling asleep. Giovanni fell asleep. All the pros just fall asleep. We have a group power nap where we’re all out of it.”
Layton Williams with Nikita Kuzmin (Image: BBC)
The judges have time to prepare their criticism
Saturday night’s show is not the first time the judges see each couple perform the routine.
After a rehearsal in the studio on Friday, the couples take part in a full dress rehearsal on Saturday morning – again in the Elstree studio – which the four judges watch in their dressing room.
The judges are not given any advice on their scoring or their criticism but this sneak peek helps give them a few ideas ahead of the live show.