Exclusive: our new Strictly insider’s top tips

As the tenth series of Strictly Come Dancing gets underway we introduce Karen Hardy, professional winner of series four, who will be giving BT Life her exclusive insider opinions each week. Find out her predictions for this series…

Hello to all Strictly Come Dancing fans and if you haven’t quite converted yet then this will definitely be the year!

To assist you further and to give you more insight into what’s really going on behind the scenes, I’ve been asked by BT Life to give you my professional opinion and criticisms, as well as a bit of inside gossip, if I ‘dare to share’ from time to time over the next 12 weeks…

Karen Hardy: our exclusive new Strictly writer

Professional dancing career

First a little bit about my dancing career. I was honored to represent my country for many years travelling worldwide and bringing great titles home to these shores. From World Masters, United Kingdom, International and British National champion of Latin American dance to name but a few to being honored with the Carl Alan and BDF Awards for my services to dance. So I hope you will value some of what I have to say! I’ve also participated as a professional dancer in several series of Strictly Come Dancing and won the 2006 series with Mark Ramprakash.

Passing on my knowledge

Today I still travel worldwide but am now happily in retirement from sequins and arduous muscle pain. I pride myself in training the greats. From up and coming world champions to an odd celebrity or two when they come to my beautiful lifestyle studio on the waterfront of Chelsea…

This year’s line up

So, that’s enough about me. Ladies, get gossiping as to whether Louis Smith’s hips are gyrating enough for you or whether Michael Vaughan’s ballroom ‘top line’ looks right or not.

Nicky Byrne, formerly of Westlife, in rehearsals

With an incredible line up from the awesome hunks such as Nicky Byrne from Westlife to Colin Salmon who put the real ‘shaken not stirred’ cool into coolness on the James Bond movies, to the sensational, sassy and vivacious likes of Jerry Hall, Kimberley Walsh and Victoria Pendleton, I know there are going to be bets all over the place at the bookies as well as at home this year.

And, to you ‘too cool for school’ guys who’ll be making out that you’re not really interested (but you sneakily have one eye on the show), and find yourself forming an opinion on a great footballing hero’s cha cha cha not being up to scratch or an amazing acting legend’s seductive tango not quite ‘up close and personal enough for you – I have one thing to say…..

Come on everyone let’s get ‘STRICTLIFIED’!

Richard Arnold rehearsing for his ‘dad dance’?

Dad dance?

This year is going to have you on the edge of your seats from the word go. Richard Arnold is potentially going to deliver a dad’s dance on his first debut while Denise Van Outen looks to be a champion front runner from the start.

Dancing disaster?

There is no magical camera trickery, this is a show where you either deliver the goods or become a ‘dancing disaster’. We have had some cracking ones over the years and I may share one or two with you as the weeks unfold…

So remember to keep checking in with my updates and reports and in those great words of Bruce Forsythe and Tess Daily…

Keeeeeeeeeeeep Dancing!!!!!

Speak next week
Karen Hardy

Find out more about Karen’s dance studios at www.karenhardystudios.com

Strictly Come Dancing, BBC1, 9pm, Friday 5 October and 6.30pm Saturday 6 October.

Let us know below who you’ll be rooting for this year.