Entertainment uk celebrityuktvStrictly Come Dancing

'Strictly Come Dancing': Bruce Forsyth Blames Z-List Celebs For Drop In Show's Ratings And Reveals 'X Factor' Style Make-Over

What Has Bruce Blamed Drop In 'Strictly' Ratings On?
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By 

Head of Entertainment, HuffPost UK

'Strictly Come Dancing' host Bruce Forsyth has blamed a lack of big name contestants for a drop in viewing figures for past series of the BBC dance show.

Speaking to Metro ahead of the start of this year's series, the TV legend admitted the show had failed to attract big stars in the past.

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Bruce Forsyth

"If you haven't got good celebrities as we did have for a couple of years… we did go down [in the ratings] and it showed," he told the paper.

"The last couple of years that has been revived and we do get interesting people and in the last [series] we got six couples that were worthy of winning," he added.

The 85-year-old also revealed that the dance show is set to get a 'X Factor' style make-over by moving to a bigger studio to make it 'more exciting'.

"We are going to a new studio. We've always been in a studio that is far too slow and small for the entertainment that we need to get over," he said.

"It should never be in a place that holds less than 3,000 people. That's excitement and that comes over to the people watching. So I hope we get a bigger studio," Forsyth added.

Stars confirmed for this year's 'Strictly' include TV and radio presenter Vanessa Feltz, 'Countdown' star Rachel Riley and golfer Tony Jacklin.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that professional dancer Natalie Rowe has been forced to pull out of the new series after fracturing her foot in training.

She told The Sun: “Not being able to compete with a celebrity partner is so hard.

“But this series is going to blow everyone away and I cannot wait to get my feet back on the dance floor.”

'Strictly Come Dancing': Winners
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(01 of10)
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Series 1 / 2004Winner: Natasha KaplinskyPartner: Brendan ColeAlso Starring: Jason Wood, David Dickinson, Verona Joseph, Claire Sweeney, Martin Offiah, Lesley Garrett, Christopher Parker (credit:BBC)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(02 of10)
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Series 2 / 2004Winner: Jill HalfpennyPartner: Darren BennettAlso Starring: Quentin Wilson, Carol Vorderman, Esther Rantzen, Diarmuid Gavin, Sarah Manners, Roger Black, Aled Jones, Julian Clary, Denise Lewis (credit:BBC)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(03 of10)
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Series 3 / 2005Winner: Darren GoughPartner: Lilia KopylovaAlso Starring: Siobhan Hayes, Jaye Jacobs, Gloria Hunniford, Fiona Phillips, Dennis Taylor, Will Thorp, Bill Turnbull, Patsy Palmer, James Martin, Zoe Ball, Colin Jackson (credit:PA)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(04 of10)
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Series 4 / 2006Winner: Mark RamprakashPartner: Karen HardyAlso Starring: Nicholas Owen, Jimmy Tarbuck, Mica Paris, DJ Spoony, Georgina Bouzova, Jan Ravens, Ray Fearon, Peter Schmeichel, Claire King, Carol Smillie, Louisa Lytton , Emma Bunton, Matt Dawson (credit:BBC)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(05 of10)
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Series 5 / 2007Winner: Alesha DixonPartner: Matthew CutlerAlso Starring: Brian Capron, Stephanie Beacham, Willie Thorne, Gabby Logan, Dominic Littlewood, Penny Lancaster Stewart, Kate Garraway, John Barnes, Kelly Brook, Kenny Logan, Letitia Dean, Gethin Jones, Matt Di Angelo (credit:PA)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(06 of10)
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Series 6 / 2008Winner: Tom ChambersPartner: Camilla DallerupAlso Starring: Phil Daniels, Gillian Taylforth, Gary Rhodes, Jessie Wallace, Don Warrington, Mark Foster, Andrew Castle, Heather Small, Cherie Lunghi, John Sergeant, Jodie Kidd, Christine Bleakley, Austin Healey, Lisa Snowdon, Rachel Stevens (credit:WENN)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(07 of10)
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Series 7 / 2009Winner: Chris HollinsPartner: Ola JordanAlso Starring: Martina Higgins, Richard Dunwoody, Rav Wilding, Lynda Bellingham, Joe Calzaghe, Jo Wood, Zoe Lucker, Craig Kelly, Phil Tufnell, Jade Johnson, Ricky Groves, Natalie Cassidy, Laila Rouass, Ali Bastian, Ricky Whittle (credit:BBC)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(08 of10)
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Series 8 / 2010Winner: Kara TointonPartner: Artem ChigvintsevAlso Starring: Goldie, Paul Daniels, Peter Shilton, Tina O'Brien, Jimi Mistry, Michelle Williams, Felicity Kendal, Patsy Kensit, Ann Widdecombe, Gavin Henson, Scott Maslen, Pamela Stephenson, Matt Baker (credit:PA)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(09 of10)
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Series 9 / 2011Winner: Harry JuddPartner: Aliona VilaniAlso Starring: Edwina Currie, Dan Lobb, Rory Bremner, Nancy Dell'Olio, Lulu, Audley Harrison, Russell Grant, Anita Dobson, Robbie Savage, Alex Jones, Holly Valance, Jason Donovan, Chelsee Healey (credit:PA)
'Strictly Come Dancing' Winners(10 of10)
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Series 10 / 2012Winner: Louis SmithPartner: Flavia CacaceAlso Starring: Johnny Ball, Jerry Hall, Sid Owen, Colin Salmon, Fern Britton, Richard Arnold, Victoria Pendleton, Michael Vaughan, Nicky Byrne, Lisa Riley, Dani Harmer, Denise van Outen, Kimberley Walsh (credit:BBC)

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