Interesting news from the BBC, with a fairly severe change in format for Strictly Come Dancing, moving the results show to Sunday evenings — which, with the Monday to Friday Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, means that SCD fans will have a new fix of ballroom dancing every day of the week.
There are some major changes to the format as a result — more of that after the jump…
The Sunday evening results show will now be 45 minutes long, instead of the half hour of previous years. The reason for the increased length of time? The two couples with the lowest scores will now have a dance-off in front of the judges — and only the judges will decide who goes. There being four judges on the panel, in the event of a tie head judge Len Goodman gets the casting vote.
This format will remain until the final week, when as usual the public will vote to decide the winner.
So, why the change in format? The BBC may well have seen the success of separating the shows for Dancing With The Stars, the American version of the show. By introducing a brand that consistently scores highly on Saturdays into the Sunday evening schedule, it may hope to encourage viewers to stick with the Beeb, rather than moving over to ITV1 for its Corrie/The Royal drama-based output.
But moving the show also means that half an hour of the Saturday evening schedule has been freed up. It’s a good problem for the BBC to have, but at the moment they have too many good and/or returning shows to fit into one evening. I’ll leave it up to yourselves which you think Robin Hood is…
Of course, it all means more work for Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli, who each week are dividing their time between Strictly in the UK and Dancing With the Stars in America (which will be shown from Friday here on UKTV Gold).
- In next week’s print edition of The Stage (4 October), read interviews with Strictly judges Arlene Phillips and Len Goodman
I think its great that the saturday evening slot is free because theres more room for top quality shows like robin hood! Which i and i think a lot of other people will agree with me is a fantasic show
Well said Amy.
Robin Hood will continue to inspire and capture the imaginations of 6 Million viewers every week just as it did last year despite negative press reviews.
the beeb is trying to revive interest in a dying genre - reality tv - if this year's autumn line up is anything to go by, the BBC is recognising the public's interest in innovative television like The Tudors and Robin Hood.
Sounds like the BBC is desperately attempting to breathe life into an increasingly tedius genre. Thank God they have sense enough to continue making entertaining drama like Robin Hood, Doctor Who, The Tudors and Jekyll. I'd switch the beeb off entirely without it. Can't WAIT for the new series of Robin Hood - will be skipping out of Strictly Come Dancing completely because frankly it's boring the pants off me these days. Fine the first couple of series but there is only so much brightly sequinned cha-chaing that I can take before it becomes mind-numbing. I mean, where is the imagination? The craftmanship? ANYTHING with a plot is better than that cheap and nasty ITV cloning technique they have going on, and Robin Hood? Awesome, funny, pretty television displaying the talents of skilled writers, actors and producers. I think the beeb would do better to stop wasting its money on all the un-reality crap it has on and buy Guy of Gisborne a couple of extra outfits instead. ^_^
I have to agree whole-heartedly with the above comments. Shows such as SCD are becoming too common to even attempt to watch these days, and 7 days a week is becoming excessive. These un-reality shows are becoming a bit of a joke.
It's the Drama that the BBC should be proud of. Doctor Who, Jekyll, and Robin Hood. Amazing, Mind-Gripping entertainment for anyone to enjoy.
Prefer SCD to be on a single night. Who wants to commit to staying in right across the weekend? If time/resources were being freed up for quality drama/documentaries then the Beeb could let SCD go (probably to Five or Sky) but it wouldn't be. And as for Robin Hood, please don't attach the word quality to it. Children's tv with none of the edge of Doctor Who.