[Brekkie]

I think all the hosts, presenters and dancers ultimately being replaceable on the show is what suggests it has a long future.

[JAS84]

How many dancers are still there from the first series? Was Anton the last one when he switched from dancing to judging?

[JMT1985]

YouTuber and former Blue Peter presenter Adam Beales has posted on Twitter that he has huge news on Wednesday - I wonder if he has been asked? His name was rumoured last year, and he would bring in a very young audience

[bilky asko]

How many dancers are still there from the first series? Was Anton the last one when he switched from dancing to judging?

None. Karen Hauer is the longest-serving current professional dancer, having started with a partner in series 10.

[PJamo]

How many dancers are still there from the first series? Was Anton the last one when he switched from dancing to judging?

He was - the longest serving dancer now is Karen who joined in series 10 (2012). I think she's also at this stage the 3rd longest serving dancer in the show's history after Brendan Cole (15 series) and Anton (18 series before moving to the judging bench).

Not even Claudia was there at the start - It Take Two didn't start until series 2 and apart from a one-off when she covered for Bruce she didn't start hosting the results show until series 8, which inevitably made her the obvious choice for when Bruce retired (and there's part of me suspects it was succession planning when it was decided she would take over from him on the results show but I've never heard that theory confirmed).

It's just Tess, Craig and Anton who have been there from the beginning, and only those 3 plus Karen, Giovanni, Katya, Neil and Gorka - so 8 out of 26 hosts/judges/dancers - plus some of the musicians who have been there since before 2017.

The piecemeal turnover of talent definitely helps keep the show fresh yet also stable in a way The X Factor failed to do - it seemed like every year or 2 years on that show there was a complete overhaul of judges or insistence that the show was going  'back to basics'.

Even the set of Strictly gets subtly tweaked most years - oftentimes it's a slight adjustment here or there - so in many ways it's very much the same set as it was when it relaunched in 2010 then expanded upon when it went to Elstree in 2013 (I think).

Evolution, not revolution seems to be the name of the game to keep formats running rather than crashing and burning. Look at GMB's longevity versus it's predecessor's (or the aforementioned X factor vs BGT).

[Brekkie]

Although set wise BGT changed it every year or two from Series 4 on until they settled on the theatre location, whilst The X Factor had the same set for what felt like ages. Think it was 2008-2016.

The current Strictly set has been essentially the same since 2010 but doesn't feel as old - but would be best to refresh it before it did although of course nowadays the backdrop would always be a variation of a big screen anyway. At the very least the Clauditorium could do with a revamp - putting a sofa in there last year didn't really work.

[Johnr]

It's just Tess, Craig and Anton who have been there from the beginning, and only those 3 plus Karen, Giovanni, Katya, Neil and Gorka - so 8 out of 26 hosts/judges/dancers - plus some of the musicians who have been there since before 2017.

Don't forget Alan Dedicoat

[PJamo]

Don't forget Alan Dedicoat

How could I forget Alan!

---

Although set wise BGT changed it every year or two from Series 4 on until they settled on the theatre location, whilst The X Factor had the same set for what felt like ages.  Think it was 2008-2016. 

The current Strictly set has been essentially the same since 2010 but doesn't feel as old - but would be best to refresh it before it did although of course nowadays the backdrop would always be a variation of a big screen anyway.    At the very least the Clauditorium could do with a revamp - putting a sofa in there last year didn't really work.

The sofa's a strange one - when the area was backstage there were sofas in the background with Tess and the appropriate couple up front, then the area went upstairs with a sofa plus people standing behind it,  then the sofa disappeared and everyone stood, then it was just Claudia and the couple during the 18th and 19th 'covid' series, then the sofa reappeared.....

Personally I prefer last year's set-up. Enough people for some atmosphere without it being a riot yet still calm enough to get a decent interview.

Just no more 'here's a message from xxxxxxxxx' please!

[PJamo]

Although set wise BGT changed it every year or two from Series 4 on until they settled on the theatre location, whilst The X Factor had the same set for what felt like ages.  Think it was 2008-2016. 

The current Strictly set has been essentially the same since 2010 but doesn't feel as old - but would be best to refresh it before it did although of course nowadays the backdrop would always be a variation of a big screen anyway.    At the very least the Clauditorium could do with a revamp - putting a sofa in there last year didn't really work.

Admittedly I'd forgotten about BGT's frequent set changes. Wasn't the last one before thr current arrangement quite 'theatrical' in a way - possibly the series after the London Studios closed so they were in a new home (Elstree?) that year?

X Factor did seem to keep that set for ages with the odd tweak here and there like Strictly do (changes from light boxes to more screens, expanding the walkway, a satellite stage at one end of the walkway for one year), with bigger changes elsewhere each year. I think the year the set finally changed (2017) - again due to the London Studios closing) - was the first time since 2010 that all judges and host from the previous year returned. And that year brought a new format - the Prize Fight! - before they went 'back to basics again.....

[tellyblues]

Evolution, not revolution seems to be the name of the game to keep formats running rather than crashing and burning. Look at GMB's longevity versus it's predecessor's (or the aforementioned X factor vs BGT).

The X Factor was always going to end because it had the off-air element of making someone a star which couldn't be sustained. All BGT has to do is send someone to the Royal Variety Performance each year. The shine of winning Strictly isn't in danger of disappearing because contestants don't have to do any more at that point. It's also far more difficult to keep a singing show fresh compared to a variety show or even dancing because you're limited with music.