Kent is represented well within the Strictly Come Dancing class of 2014 – but how will our pupils fare? Jo Roberts reports.

Among the county’s own is long-standing Strictly fave Anton du Beke. The gentlemanly pro dancer, who was born in Sevenoaks, is the viewer’s choice despite the fact that, in nine years, he’s never yet reached the top of the class with a celebrity partner.

Could this be his year? With something of a bygone era about his charming, old-fashioned persona, Anton is often paired with the older lady, and so we’d already guessed that the elegant Judy Murray was destined for his arms.

Lucky Judy: Anton recently told What’s On that he’s had a good relationship with all of his previous celebrity partners and has retained some close friendships.

“I speak to some more regularly than others but I’m in touch with Kate Garraway, Ann Widdecombe, Fiona Fullerton, Lesley Garrett... I’ve been very lucky with all the ladies I’ve danced with. Nancy Dell’Olio’s a great girl, I like her a lot as well. Oh I had some beauties there, didn’t I?”

The debonair dancer agreed that he is something of a throwback to the age of the great dancers like Fred Astaire.

“I think so. As a performer I think there probably is that era about me because I love it, I think the material is wonderful, so you might be right!

“Fred Astaire is a great hero of mine. He started off as a music hall performer when he was very young in the beginning of the last century.

“There’s nostalgia for old-style entertainment and glamour.”

Anton jokingly added: “I don’t always sit at home in a smoking jacket, but that’s because I haven’t got one. I think it’s rather a splendid idea.”

When he isn’t on the dancefloor, the 48-year-old can often be found on the fairway alongside Strictly’s outgoing presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth, who handed over the baton to Claudia Winkleman during last weekend’s launch show.

And Bruce isn’t the only long-standing friend whom Anton sees outside of the TV studio.

Anton said: “Bruce and I play a lot of golf together and I’ve known Len a long time pre-Strictly, unlike Craig and Bruno who I didn’t really know. Len and I come from a similar part of the world and it was lovely to be at Len’s wedding [in 2012].

“I already knew Darcey [Bussell], she’s a doll. She’s a great girl. I admire her, naturally I think she’s a tremendous dancer, but then I think that all of the professionals on Strictly are tremendous dancers.”

Anton didn’t know who he was destined to partner at that stage, but he felt sure his fans would get behind him whoever the celebrity at his side: “Variety is the spice of life! My fans are a great, generous bunch and hopefully we’ll entertain them.”

OUR VERDICT

While the audience will enjoy seeing Judy’s softer side, her first group dance looked stiff and awkward – Anton’s going to have his work cut out to turn this tennis mum into a tango marvel.

It’s unlikely – again! – to be Anton’s year, we’re sorry to say. The bookies tend to agree and have got Anton down as a 22-1 outsider, behind early favourites Pixie Lott, Frankie Bridge and Thom Evans.

Greg Wallace, Whitstable

She might have tried her best to disguise it, but the more eagle-eyed among us could detect disappointment in pro dancer Aliona Vilani when she was paired with Masterchef grocer Gregg Wallace, from Seasalter.

But the 49-year-old’s mum, Mary Pettman, has got some encouragement for the Russian-Kazakhstani beauty.

“We’ve danced together at weddings before and he’s got rhythm. There is definitely something to work with,” said Mary, from Whitstable.

OUR VERDICT: Hmm, we want to share your confidence Mary, but we saw the group dance last Sunday and the early signs were that while Gregg is willing, the dancing looked weak.

Pixie Lott, Bromley

Matched with her lookalike, blond new pro dancer Trent Whiddon, the pop star looked every bit the golden girl of the series even at this early stage. With natural rhythm and dancing flair, it was difficult to single out Bromley-born Pixie from the dance professionals.

You go, girl!

OUR VERDICT: The stand-out debut of the show. Early indications are that Pixie has the looks, confidence and ability to be this year’s Alesha Dixon or Abbey Clancy.

Pro dancer Ola is right up there with Kristina Rihanoff as the most lusted-after woman on the show, and the Beeb don’t normally miss the chance to titillate us by pairing her up with a suitably desirable partner. Cue beefcake Steve Backshall, the macho nature expert best known for BBC TV’s Deadly 60.

OUR VERDICT: Couldn’t gauge too much on Steve’s style from the opening group dance, but Ola’s popularity is unquestioned and down-to-earth Steve shares the good looks of younger competitor Thom Evans plus more common appeal and charisma. These two could go far.

Get in touch

What do you think of our verdicts, and what are your predictions for Strictly 2014? Find us at www.facebook.com/KMWhatsOn or tweet us at @KMWhatsOn

EXTRA TIME

Kent’s Len Goodman is back on the judging panel, alongside Darcey Bussell, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood. Bromley-born Len, from Greenhithe, runs the Goodman Dance Centre in Dartford.

Ola Jordan’s husband James, from Medway, is a former Strictly pro dancer who is currently in Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 4, winning both friends and enemies in the house.

Craig Revel Horwood will be starring as Captain Hook in panto at Dartford’s Orchard Theatre this Christmas 2014.

Irish rockabilly diva Imelda May almost stole the show as she performed a superb duet, Get Ready, with R&B legend Smokey Robinson. Imelda is giving a concert at Folkestone’s Leas Cliff Hall on Friday, November 21 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost from £26. Visit www.atgtickets.com/folkestone or call 0844 8713015.

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC1 in two weeks’ time for the first of the live dances on Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27.