#scd2016

1. Personality plus

Yes, there are very beautiful people on this year’s SCD (Danny Mac, I’m not looking at you. Well, I am. A lot). But what really stood out was the bumper dose of charisma bouncing out of the TV screen.

Usually the only laugh out loud moments on the launch show come in the group dance but this year we had Judge Robert Rinder’s endless quips, Tameka Empson’s endless jokes and Will Young’s endless cheeky charm. And that was before we got to Anastacia. The woman in a comedy genius in the making. It’s going to be fab-u-lous.

2. Perfect pairings

So much of grabbing that glitterball trophy depends on the chemistry between celeb and professional partner and this year, it’s going to be too tough to call. Just about everyone seemed to be matched to the perfect other dancing half.

Stand out pairs for me were Greg Rutherford and Natalie Lowe (if the man can even half move his way round the dancefloor they’ll be unstoppable), Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton (he’s so good already they should start practicing the showdance right now) and Naga Munchetty and Pasha Kovalev (with that combined determination they will be a force of glittery nature).

Of course Anton got Lesley Joseph and they already look fab together and Anastacia and Brendan Cole is a match beyond marvellous. It’s going to be a tough year to pick a favourite.

3. Kudos to the pros

One of my favourite parts of the whole SCD experience was the nod to the huge experience the professional dancers bring to the show. Their group dance where each got a name check and we got a resume of their achievements was a great touch was a fantastic addition to the Strictly book of tradition. Long may it remain.

4. Proper, over the top full on glitter

I’m all for making SCD real but in recent times some of the costumes have veered to close to High Street and too far away from Quality Street for my liking. The launch show for 2016 promised proper, over the top glitz all the way.

From Laura Whitmore’s big bird get up (only she could make that look fabulous) to Claudia Frangapane’s made in the 70s disco Latin in pale pink via Daisy Lowe’s catwalk red with sparkles, this was Strictly fashion as we know and love it. It’s a ten from me.

5. Chaos on the dancefloor

If there’s one thing we look forward to even more than seeing the glitterball lifted by the champs in December, it’s watching the eager class of 2016 try out their dance moves for the first time together. We want chaos, we get chaos. What’s not to love?

Ed Balls somehow dominated proceedings but in a shirt found in the wardrobe section of the 70s sitcom revival on BBC One right now, what else could the poor man do? He was matched in the kitsch department by Melvin Odoom who seemed to cover the whole floor without even trying while Louise Redknapp did the whole Strictly experience in two minutes - flashes of brilliance with some worrying wobbles.