Strictly Come Dancing took viewers down memory lane on Saturday as the BBC aired the show’s first ever episode to celebrate its landmark 20th anniversary – and fans are all saying the same thing.
Viewers couldn’t get over the ‘carnage’ they witnessed and how brutal the judges used to be with their comments.
The hit Latin and ballroom show first aired on 15 May 2004 and has come a long way since.
Famous faces who starred in the programme’s debut season two decades ago included David Dickinson, Lesley Garrett, Verona Joseph, Natasha Kaplinsky, Martin Offiah, Erin Boag, Christopher Parker, Claire Sweeney and Jason Wood.
Meanwhile, the pro dancers were Camilla Dallerup, Anton Du Beke, Paul Killick, Brendan Cole, Erin Boag, Hanna Karttunen, John Byrnes and Kylie Jones.
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Strictly Come Dancing took viewers down memory lane on Saturday as the BBC aired the show’s first ever episode to celebrate its landmark 20th anniversary
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Viewers couldn’t get over the ‘carnage’ they witnessed and how brutal the judges used to be with their comments
The late Bruce Forsyth hosted alongside Tess Daly, with the late Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood, Arlene Phillips, and Bruno Tonioli making up the judging panel.
One particular clip that’s doing the rounds on social media saw EastEnders actor Christopher Parker be ripped into by the judges following his first dance.
Arlene swiped: ‘Chris, you convince millions of people you’re Spencer Moon, how about convincing them you can dance?’
‘I know you, you’re supposed to be nice to me,’ the soap star argued, to which the judge sarcastically fired back with: ‘I’m supposed to be nice to you? Did I get it wrong? Sorry.’
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Bruno went on to add to the comments with: ‘Christopher, what was that? That’s not cha cha cha, it’s cheat cheat cheat. There is no splits in cha cha cha, no I’m sorry.’
As fans eagerly tuned in to the historic episode, they couldn’t help but point out what has changed about the show, quipping:
‘It was total carnage. I loved revisiting it.’
‘I wish modern strictly judges were more like this.’
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One particular clip that’s doing the rounds on social media saw EastEnders actor Christopher Parker be ripped into by the judges following his first dance
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Arlene swiped: ‘Chris, you convince millions of people you’re Spencer Moon, how about convincing them you can dance?’
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‘I know you, you’re supposed to be nice to me,’ the soap star argued, to which the judge sarcastically fired back with: ‘I’m supposed to be nice to you? Did I get it wrong? Sorry’
As fans eagerly tuned in to the historic episode, they couldn’t help but point out what has changed about the show and beg BBC bosses to air more old episodes
‘Watching the first ever episode of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC 4 and wow the amount of stuff that just would not fly these days. How times have changed boy! #Strictly.’
‘They just don’t do it like this anymore.’
‘Love the way the judges literally didn’t give a s*** about their comments back in the first season #Strictly #StrictlyComeDancing.’
‘Watching the very first episode of #StrictlyComeDancing on BBC4. Only eight couples competing and it’s barely the same program these days, as far as the actual dancing is concerned! Entertaining though!’
‘Watching the very first episode of #Strictly – so interesting to see how much it’s changed. Looks so much more amateur – and all the better for it! And of course, the beloved and missed Bruce and Len #Strictly.’
‘They’re showing the first ever episode of Strictly on BBC4 and it’s completely different. The main thing is ‘what if all the judges were mean”.
Meanwhile, other hardcore fans loved the old episode so much they begged the broadcaster to air the entire first season, writing:
‘Petition for BBC4 to repeat the other episodes of this series #Strictly.’
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The Strictly scandal erupted in January when actress Amanda Abbington accused her Strictly partner Giovanni Pernice (both pictured) of abuse after she unexpectedly quit the programme
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Then, in July, it emerged that Graziano Di Prima had been sacked from Strictly for ‘kicking’ his partner, Love Island star Zara McDermott
‘I want more! One episode was just not enough.’
‘Why can’t they put all the episodes on the BBC website.’
‘They need to start Broadcasting all of the Old Classic Episodes on iPlayer & BBC Four #Strictly.’
The blast from the past comes as the BBC dance show has recently been embroiled in accusations about their professional dancers bullying and abusing their celebrity partners.
The scandal erupted in January when actress Amanda Abbington accused her Strictly partner Giovanni Pernice of abuse after she unexpectedly quit the programme just five weeks in. He vehemently denies her claims.
Then, in July, it emerged that Graziano Di Prima had been sacked from Strictly for ‘kicking’ his partner, Love Island star Zara McDermott.
So far, twelve celebrities have been confirmed to star in the twenty-second series of Strictly. Kicking off the list were comedian Chris McCausland and JLS’ JB Gill who got announced as contestants on Monday.
They were followed by: Toyah Wilcox, GoCompare!’s Wynne Evans, BBC’s Dr. Punam Krishan, Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri, Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott’s best friend Pete Wicks, EastEnders’ Jamie Borthwick,actress Sarah Hadland, X Factor star Shayne Ward, Olympian Tom Dean, and Gladiators star Montell Douglas.
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Source: The Wall Street Journal
