No same-sex couples leaves routines looking flat-footed

This year’s Strictly’ cast is without any same-sex pairings. Ellie Muir mourns the loss of them and explains why they’ve made for some of the best choreography in recent history

- Ellie Muir

As I watched this year’s Strictly Come Dancing cast sashay down the glitzy staircase on Saturday night, I was disappointed. No, not because the morale felt slightly off post-scandal. I’m unimpressed because, for the first time in four years, the show is without any same-sex pairings – and we’re totally missing out.

Same-sex partnerships on Strictly have been extremely important for fairly reflecting LGBT+ lives on screen – especially on primetime family telly. But even if you put aside the representation element, their dances have made for some of the most spectacular choreography and versatile partner dynamics that we’ve seen on the show. Since same-sex couples aren’t limited to the same constraints that come with traditional heterosexual pairings, years-old ballroom styles can be turned on their head, adding more scope for different types of lifts, tricks and partner-work. It’s a huge shame we won’t get to see any this year.