You never know whether to take Claudia Winkleman seriously. The daughter of journalist Eve Pollard fell into TV presenting after completing a Cambridge University degree in art history. She has since carved out a very successful career, hosting programmes like Strictly Come Dancing's sister show It Takes Two and last year's Concert For Diana. Her witty one-liners and informal interview style have made her popular among viewers, and she's exactly the same off-screen, leaving you wondering whether she is telling tales for comic effect or actually giving you a glimpse into her life.

The following anecdote about watching the Eurovision Song Contest as a student is a case in point. She said: "I went to a Eurovision party once, but I ended up snogging a boy in the kitchen so sort of missed it all." We're talking Eurovision because Claudia will be hosting the search for Britain's 2008 entry on Saturday night alongside Terry Wogan, in Eurovision - Your Decision (BBC One, Saturday, 7pm). 

And the 36-year-old brunette insists she's a big fan. "I'm Eurovisiontastic," she exclaims. "There's nothing I like more, I wave small flags and have been known to make small Scandinavian snacks - bring on the herring. It is really good fun. I actually get quite excited about voting. I am a) a moron, and b) quite into the music."
While fans will have to wait until May to see the final of the song contest, this week they'll be able to vote for who they want to represent Britain in Belgrade.

Hopefully, whoever wins will fair better than Scooch, last year's British entry. Giving that a shot will be two soloists, The X Factor finalist Andy Abraham and former EastEnder Michelle Gayle, two girl groups, called LoveShy and The Revelations, and two contestants from How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria and Any Dream Will Do - Simona Armstrong and Rob McVeigh.

It's not the first time that well-known singers have entered the competition - last year saw The Darkness' front man Justin Hawkins and Atomic Kitten Liz McLarnon attempt to become the latest in Britain's long line of failed Eurovision entries, and who can forget the year Jordan, aka Katie Price, displayed her, ahem, singing talents? "She was a vision in pink," Claudia laughs. "Hats off to the girl, she was heavily pregnant and decided to put on a pink catsuit!" 

Mum-of-two Claudia says she's really looking forward to working with Terry Wogan: "He's so funny and dry. He is Eurovision, and he's the reason I actually watch Eurovision, so I might be all startstuck on Saturday." Hopefully it won't leave her lost for words, because this is, after all, live television. But Claudia's not worried about that, she says it's where she's at her happiest. "I really love live telly, mostly because if you make a mistake - which I definitely will - it doesn't matter because five minutes later, hopefully, it's forgotten."

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Claudia won't be having a go on the microphone. "If there is a birthday in the family I'm not even allowed to sing Happy Birthday." It's been a busy few months for Claudia. After completing work on the last series of Strictly Come Dancing, she recently presented Sky's coverage of the Oscars, and next week will appear on Sport Relief.

Sadly, however, there's no more The Little House Of Tiny Tearaways, in the near future, the BBC Three show Claudia presented that helped parents learn how to cope with their misbehaving kids, something she thoroughly enjoyed. "What's interesting is you sit there with these amazing child psychologists and think, `Oh I'm going to remember that'. Then I get home, and my baby daughter says, `Mummy, chocolate!' at two o'clock in the morning and I go, `Of course'. I can't put any of their advice into practice, but it was fascinating. My kids are terrors, but that's how I like it."

(Taken From http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz/s/1038588_claudias_search_for_eurovision_star)

Strictly Come Dancing queen Alesha Dixon has told how she blamed herself for her husband's affair with pop star Javine and has lashed out at former bosses for wanting her to lose weight. Dixon, 29, was devastated when rapper MC Harvey was caught bed-hopping with Javine Hylton, who has now given birth to his daughter.

She told Company magazine: "It was like my whole world had just collapsed around me. I thought, what have I done to deserve this? I'm a big believer in karma, and I felt I must have done something to invite it into my life. I tried to take the blame." But she said she had moved on and forgiven Harvey, adding: "I'm over it".

The former Misteeq singer said she was also angry after recently discovering that former bosses had wanted her to shed some weight. She said: "I've lost weight from Strictly and I don't want to. I put some skinny jeans on the other day. I used to have to tuck my love handles into them. But now they're baggy. I was like 'Nooo!'. I don't care about having boobs, but I care about filling my jeans. That's when you look womanly. I found out the other day that, a while ago, some old bosses asked someone to have a word with me about losing weight. It's disgusting. I'm not overweight and I'm not skinny, so to tell me to lose weight - what kind of message is that to girls?"

Dixon put her wedding dress on eBay after her marriage collapsed. But she said: "It turned out the person who bid for it was a hoaxer, so I took it off eBay and never put it back up." Her group Misteeq was dropped by their record label less than a fortnight after she found about about her husband's affair.

She said: "I lost my relationship and my record deal - which was pretty much the second most important thing in my life. But it happened so close together I had no choice but to think it must be happening for a reason. There are things in life far worse than your husband having an affair - that's how you get through it. I have a roof over my head, I have my health, I have family and friends - that means more."

(Taken From http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1OOXJIu-AvUAaciDG1xf8WyWL-w)

My source in sequins said: “They are really keen to get a major sports star on board.” There is no chance of Richard’s wife Judy Finnigan taking part.

(Taken From http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article831859.ece)

Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who took second place beside the Spice Girls' Mel B last fall, is sitting out the new season. But he'll be back next season. "It's one of those things I need to attend to. My domestic studios and my students—their competitive careers," Chmerkovskiy said. "They [the producers] were kind enough to give me a break and let me do it." Filling the 12th and final pro dancer spot is Fabian Sanchez. Sanchez will be joined on his maiden voyage by Matlin.

The hosts are Tom Berguron and Samantha Harris. Strictly Come Dancing judges Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli take their places on the judging panel alongside Carrie Ann Inaba.

The show starts with a 2 hour episode on 17th March with a double-elimination results episode on 24th March featuring the expulsion of two dance teams.

It has been a huge hit on television and now the ballroom dancing competition is on tour. It has all the elements we would expect - sequins and feathers, light-footed sports and soap stars, jittery contestants, po-faced judges, even the glitter ball. Celebs such as Darren Gough, Zoe Ball, Matt Di Angelo and local girl Denise Lewis take to the floor, dancing with their professional partners for the highest score. Each couple performs two dances then faces the judges and, just like on television, the audience can then vote for their favourites.

Strictly has proved to be a winner on the small screen and it actually translates very well to a live show. The judges panel, made up of Arlene Philips, Craig Revel Horwood and the lovely Len Goodman, provides the bulk of the humour as they bicker over each dance and offer comments ranging from the deliriously appreciative to just plain cutting.

And with all of the dancers having reached at least the quarter finals over the past few years the standard ranges from acceptable to fantastic. In our show Louisa Lytton, partnered with Vincent Simone, gave a fabulous tango while Denise Lewis with Matthew Cutler performed a scintillating rumba. The difficulty is that when this show has been touring for three weeks already it does lack a little freshness. But nothing can take away from the enormous strides all of the celebs have made in their dancing. It runs until tomorrow.

(Taken From http://www.birminghammail.net/what-is-on-in-birmingham/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/02/18/strictly-come-dancing-live-nec-97319-20489325/)

It's the most remarkable transformation since the ugly duckling turned into a swan - chunky cricketer Darren Gough changed from ferocious fast bowler to light-on-his-feet ballroom dancer. And from tomorrow it will happen right in front of our eyes at Birmingham NEC. The Strictly Come Dancing tour concludes in Birmingham with seven shows over the next four days after a gruelling month-long trek around the UK.

"It's been hard work but I don't really want it to end," says 37-year-old Darren. "I want the Birmingham public to get behind me so I can go out on a high." Darren admits he still finds it hard to believe what has happened since he won the third series and the Christmas Special of TV's Strictly Come Dancing in 2005. "People just didn't associate Darren Gough with dancing," he explains. "I've not got a dancer's build, I'm a fast bowler. But people seem to enjoy watching me and I'm able to inject some of my personality into the routines."

Amazingly, Darren returned this Christmas to again win the special seasonal edition of the show with partner Lilia Kopylova. "I'd not done any dancing for two years," he reveals. "As a sportsman I must be naturally fit - because I'm certainly not a great dancer." But he adds: "I have to thank Lilia for all the work she's put in with me. She's a great teacher who has got me to a good standard." So will Darren defend the Christmas title this year? "I don't think so, although I'm sure I'll be invited back. I've got at least one more year playing cricket with Yorkshire and then I'll see what happens after that. Doing Strictly Come Dancing has opened so many more doors for me."

He says the tour has been great fun, with celebrities Zoe Ball, Denise Lewis, Louisa Lytton, Christopher Parker, Letitia Dean, James Martin and Martin Offiah teaming up with professionals Darren Bennett, Flavia Cacace, Matthew Cutler, Nicole Cutler, Camilla Dallerup, Lilia Kopylova, Vincent Simone and Ian Waite. "The judges mark our two dances, then the audience vote for an overall winner," says Darren. "It's different every show, although Zoe, Louisa, Matt and I have won most times. But we all make mistakes which are picked up by the judges."

In addition, the couples take part in three group dances, a Viennese Waltz, a Dirty Dancing routine and a Jive. Says Darren: "I'm the one that catches and lifts Lilia during Dirty Dancing - just like Patrick Swayze in the film - and so far I haven't dropped her!"

(Taken From http://www.birminghammail.net/what-is-on-in-birmingham/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/02/15/bowled-over-by-ballroom-97319-20480536/)

"It's ok," he says as I thank him for taking time out of his schedule. "It's because I like News Shopper. I get it at home in Dartford." I was firmly informed by the PR I have just five minutes but once Len get's talking about his clear passion; dancing it's closer to 10. He's currently on the road with the Strictly Come Dancing tour, which will stop off at The O2 this week for three, nearly sold out, shows.

"It differs from the show but only for me in a positive way," Len said of the tour. "Everything is just like being at the Strictly Come Dancing television studios but instead of having two or three hundred people watching you've got 10,000, so the atmosphere is incredible." Len says in the TV studio where Strictly is filmed it's easy to forget there's an audience of millions watching from home. Not so easy to forget in an arena.

He said: "Suddenly you get thrust into this huge arena and everything is exaggerated. The booing for Craig, the cheering if a good thing is said, it's just like Strictly Come Dancing the Party. The floor is huge, the lighting is fantastic and I'm not just saying this to bump the show up, I think it's more or less sold out everywhere its going."

He's clearly a huge fan now but Len admits he's not always been so sure the format would be a success. "When they first asked me to do it I wasn't sure how it would possibly work in an arena environment. But every time I go into the arena I am astounded."

Compered by Kate Thornton and with dancing stars such as Matt Di Angelo, Zoe Ball, Letitia Dean and Denise Lewis, the tour shares the same format as the TV show and invites the audience to place their votes. "She creates such a great atmosphere to start with and introduces the couples as the walk down the stairs," said Len of the glam former Ex-Factor host. "Kate does the job of Bruce and Tess because she introduces the couple, and after they've danced she has a little chat with them and so on. It's just a wonderful, wonderful atmosphere."

Len added: "We give our opinions and mark it as you would see on the TV. And the audience, if they've got their mobiles with them, can text in their results if they wish to. And money goes to Children in Need. With the programme the audience are given paddles the same as we have, one to 10, so when a couple are dancing they're waving all their numbers up at us. It creates a good environment."

Len claims he had no idea Strictly would evolve into the ratings-hogging success it did. "No. I didn't and I know that the BBC didn't," he said. "BBC gets lots of different ideas for shows and some I guess it thinks some are going to be sure fire success and are flops and some it does't think will go down well are incredible. But I think Strictly Come Dancing has absolutely shocked everyone. Not only all of us who were involved as judges and so on but the BBC. Who'd of thought it would be in nearly 30 countries now and in every country it's the number one show on its day? So it's just been an absolute phenomenon."

If it sounds like Len is genuinely shocked by the show's appeal that's because in the early days he wasn't convinced the set-up would work. "I didn't think it could work because at first I though the professionals will not be able to teach their celebrities, who have never danced, to any standard whatsoever in a week," he said. "But they do the most fantastic job and the standard of dancing is brilliant."

And Len has no qualms in identifying favourites. "No, it's not hard for me to say. I think the best dance couple was Alesha in the last series. She was truly amazing. I also like the ones who are a little bit challenged as dancers as well because they've come to the show, the Chris Parkers, the Kate Garraways, and the Fiona Phillips and the Quentin Wilsons and these people know they're not much good but it's still good to see them have a go and see people who are at least prepared to struggle and try."

It will come as no surprise Len is pleased with the dance resurgence the show inspired. He says in every country the show airs, the ballroom dance world has been truly revitalised. "We've never had the amounts of new pupils come into the studios since the 50s that we get no. It's been incredible. We just to do anything to keep the dance school running. So any of this fads which come along we always jump on the band wagon, like Saturday Night Fever and different things. But now we're totally involved in teaching people ballroom and Latin-American, whether it's adults, children or whatever."

Len says aside from the physical and social benefits of dance, it's a truly rewarding skill to have. "You're learning a social skill," he said. "There comes a time in everyone's life where they're at a wedding or wherever and they'll see someone get up and do a jive or a waltz for example and it will just push them to think I wish I could do that.' I think the benefits are fantastic."

Despite his Strictly fame, Len's commitment to dance means he even makes time to return to his Dartford-based dance school as often as he can. He said: "Obviously I've got quite involved with Strictly now and doing this tour so, but as soon as I'm home and if I'm only home on this tour for a day, I go up to studio. They like to see me. It's a bit like having a pub and never seeing the landlord." And what about dancing himself? "I don't dance very much anymore. Most people wouldn't want to see me dance. I'm a little bit past my sell by date," he laughs.

Far from its sell by date however, Strictly has another series in the pipeline for this later this year. Len said: "The new series starts again in the autumn, so I'm looking forward to that. I think it will go forever as long as they get an interesting mix of celebrities, sports people and so on, it could run forever."

(Taken From http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/leisure/outandabout/display.var.2041482.0.come_dancing_with_len_goodman.php)

GMTV presenter Kate Garraway has launched legal action against the Sunday Mirror after it published a photograph of her embracing Strictly Come Dancing partner Anton Du Beke. Garraway, who is married to psychotherapist Derek Draper, said in a statement that she had been "extremely hurt" by allegations in the Trinity Mirror paper and that the couple were as in love "as we have ever been".

Her solicitors Schillings said that they had started legal proceedings in the high court. "Contrary to these insinuations Derek and I are as faithful, happy and in love today as we have ever been," Garraway said in a statement. "The plain truth is that Anton and I became friends during Strictly Come Dancing. Since then we often work and hang out together. For that to be twisted into something else is sad, hurtful and totally untrue."

Garraway said that she had made it clear to the Sunday Mirror before it published its front page story on Sunday that there was "no truth" to the allegations, published in a story headlined "Kate & Anton .. A Late Tango". "Given they were published in any event and continue to be published, I feel I have no option but to take libel proceedings against the newspaper to set the record straight," Garraway said.

Trinity Mirror declined to comment.

(Taken From http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/12/sundaymirror.trinitymirror?gusrc=rss&feed=media)

He said: “I didn’t have a mind of my own trust me. I played all sports. It just happened that ballroom dancing was what I was good at.  Mum took me along and that was it.”

Cole also revealed he left school at the age of 16 to become a builder. After moving to the UK as an amateur dancer Cole made ends meet by getting a job as a roofer.  “I’m good with my hands. I enjoyed building and loved seeing something work,” he said on ITV’s Al Murray’s Happy Hour.

(Taken From http://www.showbizspy.com/2008/02/11/brendan-cole-says-he-was-brainwashed-into-becoming-a-ballroom-dancer/)