How the couples on Strictly Come Dancing get paired up has always been a bit of a mystery. Long before the pre-recorded launch show airs at the beginning of each series, the BBC dance show’s producers are considering different factors to work out who will go well together. There are many things to take into account. Presumably, some of it simply comes down to a vibe: who seems like they’ll get along, and which pro dancers have won the show recently in the sake of fairness. Practical considerations include height and location, but there’s another crucial element: chemistry.
In order to figure out that vital factor, the Strictly pros and celebrity contestants take part in a pre-season mixer event where they all meet each other for a quick dance and a chat. This allows everyone to meet as a group and spend time together one on one, while the team can assess who might get on and work well together.
Not everyone knows about the process, but it was referenced in the news this week by former pro Giovanni Pernice, who likened it to ‘speed dating’. In case you missed it, Italian dancer Giovanni was kicked off the show this year after Sherlock star Amanda Abbington alleged that he had been abusive to her during her short stint on the 2023 series. A BBC investigation concluded last month, with the corporation upholding six of her 16 allegations – including those of verbal bullying and harassment. However, allegations of physical aggression were not found to be proved.
But now, Giovanni has claimed that he and Amanda were so keen to be partnered together on the show last year that they’d actually asked producers if they could be coupled up. Giovanni, who is now competing on the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars, said that he’d been impressed by Amanda’s dancing skill during the so-called speed dating, and had requested that they were partnered up. According to Giovanni, Amanda had asked for him too, but things quickly soured between them.
How are the Strictly couples decided?
Strictly’s process for pairing people up used to be kept fairly under wraps, but other pro dancers have spoken about the ‘speed dating’ event over the years. In 2019, the technique was revealed in a standalone special called Strictly The Professionals. On the show, Aljaž Škorjanec explained, ‘They put us in a circle. We do a salsa and a waltz. The celebrities do, like, four steps and then we sort of move on.’ 2017 contestant Mollie King described, 'All of us female contestants danced with all of the pro boys,' joking, 'It was one of the best moments of my life, just being swung from man to man.'
Former contestant Brian Conley recalled, ‘Everyone will come up to you and say, “Hello, where do you live?” I thought, why does everyone want to know where I live? And it’s because they know they’ve got to rehearse with you and they don’t want to be too far away from London.’ EastEnders star Jake Wood described how ‘the producers all walk around and you’re not sure what they’re looking at’.