This weekend’s episodes of Strictly will be broadcast from the Blackpool Tower Ballroom, a tradition on the show which goes back almost 20 years.
As the competition heats up, the pairs head north for the series’ most important episodes yet – not least because it’s been reported they get a bonus for making it there!
Blackpool is such an important part of Strictly tradition that it has gone on to fuel rumours of a ‘fix’ this year – with some speculating whether the judges are under pressure to ensure that certain celebrities make it through to to this stage.
But what is it about the Blackpool Tower Ballroom that makes it so vital to Strictly?
The Blackpool Tower Ballroom – what it is, and why it’s so important
The ballroom was first built in 1894, with the present version having been completed and opened in 1998. It is constructed from over 30,000 pieces of oak, mahogany and walnut wood.
Coming in at an enormous 37 x 31 metres, it is roughly nine times bigger than the dancefloor at Elstree studios, where the show is usually filmed.
Most importantly for the dancers, the dance floor is sprung – and the dance floor of choice for professionals. The wooden strips or foam beneath make it slightly bouncy – enhancing performance and reducing both strain or injury.
Describing the ballroom for someone who’ve never been, Giovanni Pernice said: “Scintillating, huge and stunning. For a dancer, there is a sprung floor which is amazing as well. It’s remarkable, a beautiful place.”
The Blackpool Tower Ballroom became a part of Strictly history in 2004, where it was used for the third-ever episode of the show. It then hosted the finale in 2005, before becoming a regular part of the Strictly format in 2009.
There was a two-year break from Blackpool during Covid – due to increased health measures – before returning to the iconic venue last year.
But how do past stars of Strictly feel about Blackpool… and what does it mean to them?
Strictly celebs and dancers describe the Blackpool experience
“[Blackpool] is bigger and better, there’s more thrown at it, costumes are bigger, there’s more dancers. It’s a big thing, a big affair,” said Faye Tozer, who appeared on the show in 2018.
“You feel a bit like, ‘Ooh, my belly! We’re not used to having a bouncy floor in Elstree, but that’s the beauty of Blackpool,” explained professional dancer Karen Hauer.
Series director Nikki Parsons described the challenge of a sprung floor from her own perspective. “We were rehearsing with Helen [Skelton] and Gorka [Márquez], and they are doing the quick step. There are extra dancers and because the floor bounces, they were bouncing and the camera was bouncing. We had to change a couple of the shots because of the bouncing.”
It’s like walking into a church or anywhere that is steeped in history.
“There’s a lovely decadence to this place,” said Casualty star Charles Venn, who was on the show in 2018. “You can see it in the architecture and the building – it feels historic. The seats, the walls, the smell, everything feels like you’re going back in time, and I love things like that myself. I feel like I’m walking into history.”
“It’s like walking into a church or anywhere that is steeped in history. There is something very soulful about buildings that have so much history. So to be in a ballroom dancing competition and to go to what is considered to be the home of ballroom dancing is obviously very special indeed,” said journalist Kate Silverton.
‘Dream come true’
Graziano Di Prima has his own very sentimental reasons for taking the trip to Blackpool – something he was never able to do as a child.
“Being on the dance floor with all the cast was a highlight of my time on Strictly. We didn’t have the money when I was growing up in Sicily to compete in Blackpool, so Strictly made my dreams come true,” he said.
The Strictly Blackpool special is on tonight (November 18) on BBC One at 6.40pm.
Read more: Strictly star Karen Hauer’s husband blames her ‘not wanting a child’ on marriage split
So what do you think? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!