When Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli attended the film premiere of Mamma Mia! this week, he was asked by an inquisitive journalist in the video, 'What has he been upto lately?' Bruno replied: "I've just finished in America, I'm having a rest and starting again in Australia."

 

Last year Bruno was a guest judge for two episodes on the sixth series of the Australian version of Strictly Come Dancing called Dancing With The Stars. The new series (Series Eight) of Dancing With The Stars is expected to start in August.

 

But it is highly unlikely that Bruno will judge the whole of their series because he has full time judging commitments on America's Dancing With The Stars and the UK's Strictly Come Dancing, with both of these shows expected to start in September.

 

 

Dance expert and lead judge on BBC Programme Strictly Come Dancing Len Goodman has entered the row over the future of Crayford Town Hall. The outspoken dance teacher from Dartford, Len Goodman, has written to Bexley Council urging it not to allow the town hall to become a restaurant with flats above, but to "restore it to its former glory".

The town hall, in Crayford Road, Crayford, is included in plans for a £30m redevelopment project for the town centre. The plans include a new library and health centre, 180 flats and a new central square, which it is hoped will become the focal point of the town.

But some residents are angry the town hall, which used to be a major entertainment venue and public hall, with council offices above, will not be retained for community use. Instead, developer HFHA Group intends to turn the ground floor into a 180-seat restaurant, with apartments on the upper floors.

Alan Thompson, chairman of the Crayford Forum, which has been leading the fight to keep the town hall in community use, says he has sought expert advice on the subsiding floor, the only remaining sprung dance floor in the borough. Mr Thompson claims it would cost less than £50,000 to resolve the subsidence and restore the dance floor to full use.

Len Goodman, now as famous for his television appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and its American counterpart as he is for dancing, has backed Crayford Forum's efforts to save Crayford Town Hall for public use.

In his letter to Bexley Council, he says: "With the advent of Strictly Come Dancing, our dance studio along with many others, has seen a huge resurgence in ballroom dancing." Mr Goodman adds: "One of the problems is finding a venue suitable for people to dance in. We find the need, more and more, to hire premises for our events and the only suitable place at the moment is Woodville Halls in Gravesend."

He said he would certainly be interested in holding events at a restored town hall "and possibly even moving the dance school there", which is currently based in Dartford.

Those people fighting to save Crayford Town Hall for public use point back to its heyday as a major entertainment venue. Dartford lad Keith Richards, now better known as one of the Rolling Stones, has recalled how he first saw veteran British rocker Joe Brown at the town hall in 1962.

It was famous for its cabaret and charity nights which attracted all the big entertainment names of the day and audiences included stars such as John Thaw and Dennis Waterman from the television series The Sweeney. It also hosted Sunday concerts with top names from Sadlers Wells and the English National Opera.

The public area of the town hall has its own stage, dressing rooms and a bar, and has also hosted large events such as dances held by local groups, children's entertainment and fashion shows. Len Goodman recalls first dancing in a competition in the town hall in 1968.

Alan Thompson, chairman of Crayford Forum, believes the building should be saved for similar uses in the future and says Mr Goodman's support has been a huge boost for the forum's campaign.

(Taken From http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.2374950.0.dance_judge_joins_town_hall_row.php)

 

 

Former Coronation Street actress Debra Stephenson is set to make her telly comeback - on Strictly Come Dancing. Debra, 36, was last seen as Frankie Baldwin in 2006 when her character fled in the wake of an affair with stepson Jamie. The blonde mum of two met BBC show bosses last week and is waiting to see if she has nabbed a spot on the BBC1 ballroom hit.

Also in to see producers about joining the show was EastEnder Emma Barton. Emma, 29, has been axed as battling mum Honey Mitchell in Eastenders. She will film her final scenes in the summer — giving her more than enough time to begin the pre-series rehearsals for the show, which returns in September.

(Taken From http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article1367857.ece)

 

 

Spending time in Splitsville isn't quite a day in Disneyland. But Bruno Tonioli's quite philosophical about these things...

As Sky Showbiz found out at the Mamma Mia! world premiere in Leicester Square. Sadly, the Abba-loving quick-footed judge wasn't giving away any secrets about the next series of Strictly Come Dancing or Dancing With The Stars.

Something he did natter about, however, was former Strictly contestant Matt Di Angelo's recent split from girlfriend Flavia Cacace, who'd been his dance partner on the show. He said: "It's life, you know, they're young kids, they're attractive, it's sad they split up, it's life."

Erm, not quite Dr Love are ya, B?

As to why the show gets such sparks flying between dancing partners, Bruno kept us entertained as he dramatically said: "If you were touching somebody everyday for eight hours, groping them, stroking them, rubbing yourself up against each other..."

Well, we'd take a shower, Bruno, to rid ourselves of those bodily fluids.

(Taken From http://showbiz.sky.com/bruno-on-matts-split)

 

 

Royal Zara Phillips and rugby star boyfriend Mike Tindell are in talks to star in this year's Strictly Come Dancing. They are said to top the BBC’s wishlist for the ballroom dancing reality show.

Chiefs reckon horsewoman Zara, Princess Anne’s 27-year-old daughter, would add a dash of regal glamour to the series. She and Mike, 29, would be only the second couple to compete on the show.

A top telly source said: “The BBC are going all-out to get Zara and Mike to sign up. They could be real contenders.”

(Taken From http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article1356071.ece)