Anton Du Beke calls for change in Strictly Come Dancing voting
Anton Du Beke wants viewers to have more time to vote on Strictly Come Dancing.
Anton Du Beke has called for a change in Strictly Come Dancing voting.
The 59-year-old judge believes the window for viewers to back their favourite couples should be made much longer to allow for the fact audiences don't always watch the show when it is broadcast live on a Saturday night.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I remember when we started the show, you could vote all week. Now you have a little window, and that is a shame because some people can’t watch it on a Saturday night.
“They might be working or may go out. I would like people to be able to vote during the week as everyone is invested even if they watch it on catch-up, so give them the opportunity to vote.”
The professional dancer also admitted he hasn't heard of all the celebrity contestants who take part in the show.
He said: “When I first started, we sort of knew them, but now as you get older... there are a number of people on the show that I am not familiar with.” Speaking of last year’s model contestant Tasha Ghouri, he added: “I mean last year, Tasha [Ghouri]? I did not know Tasha. No, I don’t know a number of people on the show.
“You don’t know who they are, but that is normal.”
“There is that lovely boy [YouTuber] George Clarke doing it this year. I thought it was the buildings fella, George Clarke the architect.”
After years working on the show, Anton admitted he can tell very quickly how a couple's week of rehearsals have gone.
He explained: “As I sit there, I know exactly what has been going on. I can see by this routine what sort of a week you have had and I laugh.
“If they start at the top of the stairs and walk down, they have had a very difficult week, like they are wasting as much time as they can until they get on the floor and have to take hold. The waltz is always lovely to judge. You can always see how good and bad their week has been by how long they stay ‘in hold’.”
Despite criticism of celebrity contestants who have a background in dance, Anton insisted it doesn't give them a big advantage.
He said: “It will help them a bit. I have not seen many of those who have actually won.”
