It's that time of year again, the summer has come to a close, the nights seem to be getting earlier than ever and venturing out into the cold is just a bit to much effort. It sounds all doom and gloom but we know this is not the case the moment we hear the familiar tune reminding us that our favourite dance competition has finally returned to our screens. Oh how we have missed the sparkling lycra, the overcooked tans and of course Len Goodman's truly emphatic 'Severrrrn'.
Yes of course I am talking about Strictly Come Dancing which launches on our screens this Saturday. Weeks of speculation over the celebrity line up has finally ended and the 14 stars are well into preparations for the opening night. The show may be on it's 10th series but the glitterball trophy remains one of the most desired prizes out there.
We have had a summer of entertainment but for those who were worried that the excitement had ended, fear not as this looks to be the greatest Strictly line up ever (big statement I know!) Fresh from Olympic glory come Louis Smith and Victoria Pendleton who may just have the advantage in terms of their fitness levels - and of course it goes without saying that Louis will definitely be providing us ladies with that all important eye candy (tight tops please!)
However they will be faced with stiff competition. TV presenter and actress Denise Van Outen recently released her own dance-fitness DVD - this surely would have given her a head start in training. Also taking to the boards is the lovable Kimberley Walsh who has the advantage of years of performing in front of huge crowds with Girls Aloud. Watch this space!
Adding a level of maturity to the group we see Fern Britton - another popular public figure - and Jerry Hall who will undoubtedly look a vision of sophistication in the gorgeous dresses we are accustomed to in the show. Our token Soapstars come in the form of Sid Owen aka 'Rickyyyyy' (I wonder how many times this gets used) and ex Emmerdale star Lisa Riley. They may not be the favourites just yet but who are we to judge before seeing them in action?!
The list is endless: we have our token cricketer, Michael Vaughan - obviously with serious pressure following the successes of Darren Gough and Mark Ramprakash; a slice of comedy with Daybreak's Richard Arnold and desperate to prove that he is more than just a ballad singer, it's Nicky Byrne of Westlife. Completing the bunch are Dani Harmer of Tracey Beaker, potentially the dark horse having come runner up in Let's Dance for Sport Relief, actor Colin Salmon bringing us some Bond magic and finally Johnny Ball, who will surely be getting tips from his daughter Zoe who conveniently presents the spin off show, It Takes Two (definitely worth watching for behind the scenes goss).
So there we have it, the all star line up ready and raring to go. I for one eagerly await Saturday's show when the professional partners of the 14 celebs will be revealed. My advice: keep an eye out for any instant celeb/pro connections - we all love a showmance!