Article: Strictly Come Dancing tour 2016: Frankie Bridge announced as the first celebrity dancer

We have not seen the sequin-clad celebs strut their stuff yet, but whoever does well in this year’s competition will be joining last year’s finalist after she dropped after falling pregnant

Kevin Clifton and Frankie Bridge

Plans for the Strictly Come Dancing Live UK Tour are already in place, and the first celebrity guest has already been announced, but it is not one of this year’s contestants.

The Saturdays star Frankie Bridge, will be jiving and foxtrotting her way across the UK as part of the Strictly Live Tour 2016.

She was supposed to be on this year’s tour, after competing on the show in 2014.

But after finding out she was pregnant with second son Carter, Wayne Bridge’s wife was unable to take part in the tour earlier this year.

But now she is all geared up to hit the road with the pro dancers in January.

Frankie said: “I was so disappointed not to be able to perform in this year’s Strictly Tour, as I’d been so looking forward to continuing my Strictly journey. But following the birth of my son in August, I’m thrilled to have been asked to join the 2016 tour.

“It will be great to get my dancing shoes back on and be part of the Strictly family again. Roll on January!”

Last year Frankie waltzed into the final with her partner Kevin Clifton, but lost out to Caroline Flack.

Having been told by her doctor she should not take part in the Strictly tour she reluctantly dropped out and was replaced by Rachel Stevens.

Kicking off in the New Year, the new tour will feature a whopping 30 shows – includingManchester – so Frankie better be ready for a lot of hard work.

The best dancers from this year’s series will also be taking to the road, but we have no idea yet who that will be.

Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA Wire

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Georgia May Foote

Could it be Bury-girl, and former Coronation Street star, Georgia May Foote, singer Peter Andre, Eastenders actress Kellie Bright or BBC Breakfast weather presenter Carol Kirkwood?

Whoever ends up dancing the waltz or the salsa in front of thousands every night, we at least know which judges will be in attendance.

Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli will be back together again and giving their expert opinions on the couples’ steps and lifts.

Head Judge Len Goodman said: “It’s going to be great to be back on the tour watching some of the best dancers from the TV series out on the road. I can’t wait to find out who will be joining Craig, Bruno and myself – it’s going to be a lot of fun! We’ll be pulling out all the stops, with a terrific line up of celebs and their dance partners.”

Bruno Tonioli said: “It’s going to be fantastico! Who would believe that we’re on to our thirteenth series of Strictly and our ninth live UK tour? I can’t wait to see all those beautiful people in the arenas and all the passion on the dance floor.”

And Craig Revel Horwood will be directing the tour for the sixth year in a row, promising all the sparkle and breath-taking dance moves we are used to seeing on our televisions every Saturday night.

Craig Revel Horwood added: “I am very pleased to have my fellow amigos Len and Bruno back on tour with me! I’m extremely excited to be directing the show again and have lots of new surprises up my sleeve. It’s going to be another fab-u-lous extravaganza for the whole family to enjoy.”

Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA Wire

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Peter Andre

As in previous years each couple will receive a score from the judges which will be combined with the number of votes they receive from audience members.

Audiences will be able to cast their vote using their mobile phones.

Which means although only one couple will be able to lift the Glitterball Trophy this December, there will be plenty of opportunities to do it throughout the tour.

The 30 show spectacular will open at the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham on 22 January 2016. The tour will then visit the biggest entertainment venues across the UK including two dates at the Manchester Arena at the end of January.

Tickets go on sale 9am, Monday September 28.

Tour Dates:

22 – 24 January / Birmingham: The Barclaycard Arena

26 – 27 January / Sheffield Arena

28 – 29 January / Leeds: First Direct Arena

30 – 31 January / Manchester Arena Saturday 30 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Sunday 31 at 1.30pm

2 February / Liverpool: Echo Arena

3 – 4 February / Newcastle: Metro Radio Arena

5 – 7 February / Glasgow: The SSE Hydro

9 – 10 February / Nottingham: Capital FM Arena

11 – 12 February / London: The SSE Arena, Wembley

13 – 14 February / London: The O2

Tickets costs: £35 – £65

All ticket prices are subject to a booking fee.

To book tickets you can contact the venue, call 0844 875 8758, or visit http://www.eventim.co.uk/manchester and search Strictly Come Dancing 2016

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Friday September 25 at 9pm, continuing on Saturday September 26 at 6:15pm

Source: Manchester Evening News

(N.B. As yet, no pros have been confirmed for the tour, but if Kellie doesn’t take part, then we think it’s pretty obvious who Frankie is likely to be dancing with ;D)

Interview: Susanna Reid talks Strictly tour

Natalie Anglesey speaks to the BBC Breakfast presenter and twinkle-toed Strictly star and ahead of the Phones 4u Arena show

Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2014

 

Raven-haired Susanna Reid made fashion history when she famously reported from the red carpet at The Oscars in 2009 wearing a £50 charity shop frock.

But she admits she has been delighted with her glamorous Strictly wardrobe. “As the working mother of three boys, with terrific support from my partner Dominic Cotton, it’s a real treat wearing sequined costumes and make-up and hair to show you at your best,” the popular 43-year-old TV star beams.

Following a nail-biting final, watched by 12.5 million viewers, Susanna, fellow finalist Natalie Gumede, winner Abbey Clancy, actor Mark Benton, former England rugby player Ben Cohen, Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden and Westlife heartthrob Nicky Byrne will relive the Strictly Come Dancing 2013 experience as the live tour waltzes into Manchester this week.

“As the working mother of three boys, with terrific support from my partner Dominic Cotton, it’s a real treat wearing sequined costumes and make-up and hair to show you at your best.”

Now well known as one of Strictly’s twinkle-toed stars, Susanna is one of the main BBC Breakfast presenters, alongside Bill Turnbull, and has been in her current role since 2012 when she replaced Sian Williams in the move to MediaCityUK, in Salford.

“We live in Balham in London where the boys go to school and I wondered how I could accept this wonderful opportunity without disrupting the family too much,” she recalls.

“Manchester’s only two hours by train and I was only working three days a week so I knew there’d be a way. I now give the boys their tea and then hop on the train where I do all my homework for the programme. Then I’m back home when they get home from school.”

Why accept Strictly when she’s already so busy? “I firmly believe you can make it happen if you want it badly enough. I know some people think I’m a workaholic but it’s only worked out well for me because of my partner’s support and the boys finding it fun. But a lot of my career has happened by accident rather than design.”

Educated at the independent Croham Hurst School, Croydon, alongside comedienne Sue Perkins, Susanna studied politics, philosophy and law before taking a broadcast journalism course. She began her career at BBC Radio Bristol, became a producer and reporter for Radio 5 live, then joined BBC News 24 as a reporter.

While three months pregnant, she had her coat on ready to go home when she was told the late night presenter had failed to turn up and she’d have to stand in. Half way through the televised news she was told she still had her coat on – but she got the job!

As the regular newsreader reading the headlines on The Andrew Marr Show in 2010, Susanna also stood in briefly for him when he arrived late after interviewing the Prime Minister. She finally presented the main show when Marr unfortunately suffered a stroke.

A regular contributor to Media Trust, Susanna ran the London Marathon in just over five hours and is a regular host and guest star at charity events – among the most high profile, her role in the annual BBC’s Children In Need’s “newsreaders performance”, where in 2011 she took part in a Strictly competition and won!

Susanna is quick to play down rumours she’s being head-hunted by ITV’s Daybreak. “As far as I know it’s just a story. I love my job on BBC Breakfast so I’m concentrating on that, and of course on the Strictly Come Dancing Live arena tour!”

Strictly Come Dancing Live will be at the Phones 4u Arena on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 February. Tickets cost £41-£52. Click here to book tickets to Strictly Come Dancing Live .

 Strictly Come Dancing 2013

 Susanna Reid with her dance partner Kevin Clifton

 Susanna Reid

 Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2014

 Susanna Reid and Kevin Clifton

Susanna Reid – The Strictly Come Dancing runner-up who divides her time between home in London and prettily gracing the sofa at MediaCityUk brightening up blokes’ breakfasts with her smouldering brunette looks.

BBC Breakfast hosts Bill Turnbull and Susanna Reid

 

Source: Manchester Evening News

Article: Holy moly! A make-up free Susanna Reid suffers style blunder by stepping out with a huge hole in her cardigan as she gears up for Strictly Come Dancing final

She’s been juggling her early-morning presenting duties on BBC Breakfast with a gruelling training regime for Strictly Come Dancing for the past few months now.

And it would seem that Susanna Reid is so wrapped up in preparations for the final of the celebrity dance competition that she didn’t notice her fashion faux pas as she arrived at Manchester Piccadilly train station on Monday.

Evidently consumed with rehearsals for this weekend’s all-female Strictly final, the 43-year-old journalist appeared to be totally unaware that she was sporting a giant hole in the arm of her chunky cream cardigan as she prepared for another week on the Breakfast sofa.

Oh holy night: Susanna Reid has been juggling her early-morning presenting duties on BBC Breakfast with a gruelling training regime for Strictly Come Dancing for the past few months now

 

Holy moly! It would seem the star is so wrapped up in preparations for the final of Strictly that she didn’t notice a large rip in her sleeve as she arrived at Manchester Piccadilly train station on Monday

 

In fact, the TV host was so enthralled with checking her mobile phone as she wandered along the platform that she didn’t notice a fake tan malfunction on her feet as a result of her constant bronzing for the BBC One show.

Keeping the rest of her look low-key, the mother-of-three managed to claw back her sartorial fail by teaming her ripped knitwear with a simple, yet stylish, black jagged-hem dress and a fun horse-print scarf.

And sensibly, Susanna ditched her towering dance shoes in favour of a pair of practical pumps as she headed out for the day.

The BBC Breakfast host completed her casual ensemble with a stylish tan leather handbag and showed off her natural radiant skin by going make-up free and wearing her brunette locks pushed back from her face with a pair of round sunglasses.

Susanna was pulling a large suitcase behind her, as well as a blue sports bag – suggesting she and Strictly partner Kevin Clifton were planning on squeezing in some training around her work commitments.

Busy bee: The 43-year-old journalist appeared to be totally unaware that she was sporting a giant hole in the arm of her chunky cream cardigan as she prepared for another week on the Breakfast sofa

 

Fake tan faux pas: The TV host was so enthralled with checking her mobile phone as she wandered along the platform that she didn’t notice a fake tan malfunction on her feet as a result of her constant bronzing

Saturday night’s final of the BBC One show will see the star compete against Natalie Gumede, Abbey Clancy and Sophie Ellis-Bextor in the hope of lifting the coveted Glitterball Trophy.

After impressing week after week on the series, Susanna is new hot favourite to be crowned winner of this season’s Strictly Come Dancing.

And she has become so popular with television audiences that she is said to have been inundated with tempting offers for her to leave BBC Breakfast when her contract runs out next year.

Ditching the sequins: The mother-of-three ditched her towering dance shoes in favour of a pair of practical pumps, while swapping spangles for a low-key ensemble

 

But Susanna recently hit back at claims she would ditch the BBC sofa up in Manchester to secure a job in the capital, meaning she could spend more time at home in South London with her partner, Dominic Cotton and their three sons, Sam, 11, Finn, nine, and Jack, eight.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, she said: ‘If you cut me open I would bleed BBC.

‘I said when BBC Breakfast moved to Salford that the BBC runs through me like a stick of rock – and nothing has changed.’

Tipped for the top: Susanna and her partner, Kevin Clifton, are hot favourites to win the Strictly Come Dancing final this weekend

Source: Daily Mail

Article: Susanna Reid and Abbey Clancy shows off their slim figures as they continue rehearsals

THEY’RE both continuing with their busy lives whilst competing in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, so it’s no surprise that Abbey Clancy and Susanna Reid are in good shape.

Abbey Clancy and Susanna Reid out and about today [SPLASH/FLYNET]

Both ladies were spotted out and about today as they continue to rehearse their routines for this weekend’s live show.

Susanna, 42, was pictured leaving the BBC studios in Manchester following her stint on BBC Breakfast this morning, and was no doubt heading back to London to meet up with her dance partner Kevin Clifton.

The mother-of-three had wrapped up warm for the journey in a dark brown fur-trimmed jacket and showed off her slim figure in blue jeans and brown leather boots.

Susanna showed off her slim figure in jeans and brown leather boots [FLYNET]

The 42-year-old is still presenting BBC Breakfast whilst competing in SCD [FLYNET]

Susanna, who is one of the favourites to win this year’s show, carried two large bags and was sporting a bouncy blowdry –  which was no doubt from her time on the sofa this morning.

Meanwhile, fellow contestant and strong competitor Abbey was spotted running errands in London earlier today before heading to the studio.

Source: Daily Express