Strictly has the best line-up in years but the BBC is doing it a disservice

The BBC is not holding up its end, which feels like a disservice to the star-studded cast (Picture: BBC / Getty / Shutterstock) There has never been so much pressure put onto a Strictly Come Dancing line-up until now. And it’s no surprise because after 21 years of Tess Daly at the helm and very little evolution, Strictly Come Dancing is undergoing the biggest revamp in its history with Daly and co-host Claudia Winkleman departing. New hosts, a fresh crop of professional dancers and, judging by the celebrities announced so far, what is already shaping up to be one of – if not the – strongest line-ups the show has assembled in years. But the BBC is not holding up its end, which feels like a disservice to the star-studded cast. All we’ve gotten so far are a string of low-key announcements arriving sporadically, without warning, without rhythm and, most importantly, without any real sense of occasion. Get personalised updates on Strictly Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Frankly, fans deserve better. Strictly Come Dancing is undergoing the biggest revamp in its history with Daly and co-host Claudia Winkleman departing (Picture: BBC) I was a relatively late convert to Strictly – back when The X Factor was churning out chart-topping artists over on ITV, the thought of celebrities learning to dance averagely had no appeal to me whatsoever. But even before Jay McGuiness’ now-iconic Jive finally lured me in, the reveal of the show’s line-up had always been one of the highlights of the television calendar. For years, the cast announcement wasn’t just a list of names. It was an event. I’ll never forget the mixture of excitement and confusion when Bill Bailey was announced in 2020 (Picture: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) Traditionally, the celebrities are revealed across just over a week, with viewers eagerly waiting for clues about when the next announcement is coming and endless speculation over who it might be. Some years, the cast reveal has been almost as entertaining as the series itself. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of seeing an unexpected, astonishing entrance of a celebrity walk into the ballroom. I’ll never forget the mixture of excitement and confusion when Bill Bailey was announced in 2020. I was delighted when AJ Odudu finally landed the mainstream spotlight she’d long deserved. And few television moments compare to the collective disbelief when Krishnan Guru-Murthy blindsided absolutely everyone by signing up. After her Eurovision disappointment, Delta Goodrem signed up (Picture: Getty/AFP) Every announcement had its own news cycle, and every celebrity got their moment. By the time the final name was revealed, the excitement to launch night would be well and truly palpable. This year, however, in what I can only assume is an attempt to beat the tabloids to the punch, Strictly began announcing celebrities out of nowhere back in June. EastEnders legend Lacey Turner was first – surely one of this year’s biggest household names. Then came the unsurprising but welcome confirmation of Dani Dyer, returning after injury cruelly forcing her to withdraw just days before last year’s live shows. Do you think the Strictly Come Dancing celebrity announcements should be more eventful? Yes, they should make it a big event.Check No, I like the current format.Check Want to get bespoke updates on the TV shows you love? Sign up to Metro's TV newsletters and tell us which ones you can't get enough of After her Eurovision disappointment, Delta Goodrem signed up. Since then we’ve had Kim Kardashian’s hairstylist Chris Appleton, Love Island winner Cach Mercer, Big Brother host Will Best, Paralympic cycling legend Dame Sarah Storey and, perhaps my favourite signing so far, Jaime Winstone. On paper, this is one of the freshest, most current and genuinely exciting Strictly casts in years. Yet these announcements have somehow managed to make it feel anything but. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video One morning you wake up and discover another celebrity has quietly joined the line-up. Another appears a few days later. Then silence. Then another. There’s no momentum, no shared excitement and no sense that each reveal actually matters. I appreciate that most Strictly viewers have full-time jobs and aren’t spending their mornings glued to daytime television. But for those of us who worship at the altar of This Morning and Loose Women, few things are more entertaining than a mystery guest bursting through a curtain on daytime TV to reveal they’re about to resurrect their career on the biggest entertainment show in Britain. The new presenting team will have their work cut out (Picture: Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA Wire) Those reveals have always been part of the fun. They’re the unofficial starting gun for a new series. They spark debate, dominate social media and give every celebrity a chance to enjoy their own moment in the spotlight before the sequins and spray tan take over. This year, though, it feels as though the BBC is throwing names out the moment contracts are signed, terrified they’ll leak before an official announcement. Perhaps that’s understandable. But it’s also selling the show short. With new hosts Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and former professional dancer Johannes Radebe leading Strictly’s biggest overhaul in decades, this is arguably the programme’s most important relaunch in years. The cast isn’t just another list of celebrities; it’s the BBC’s opportunity to convince viewers that this new era is worth getting excited about. I’m looking forward to Jaime Winstone, and think she’s a terrific signing. Under the traditional rollout she’d probably have dominated headlines for an entire day. Instead, she became another name casually dropped into the mix before everyone moved on. English actress Jaime Winstone is the newest addition (Picture: BBC) The same goes for Lacey Turner, Delta Goodrem and Dani Dyer. It feels like, by the time the full cast is finally confirmed, much of any excitement over their announcements will already have faded. If there’s another reason for this staggered, stop-start strategy beyond avoiding leaks, I’m struggling to see it. Because when you’ve assembled one of your strongest celebrity casts in years, the announcements shouldn’t simply tell viewers who’s taking part. They should make them desperate to see them. Deals of the Day Wuka launches the UK’s first period-proof swimwear for heavy flows Bridgerton fans are rushing to buy these new Netflix-inspired perfumes now £12 off The affordable summer wardrobe update you'll wear from rooftop drinks to beach holidays The £7.99 lip balm beauty fans love for glossy, hydrated lips just dropped four new shades This Keskine hydrogel mask could fix your summer skin The BBC needs to make it feel special. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. Share your views in the comments below. Arrow MORE: Woman stunned after BBC’s Fake or Fortune confirms groundbreaking painting is worth £100,000 Arrow MORE: Inside TV’s biggest mystery as Top Gear’s The Stig is ‘unmasked’ Arrow MORE: Labour is still trying outdo Reform on immigration TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.