Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two



Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two (also known as Strictly: It Takes Two or simply It Takes Two) is a British television programme, the companion show to the popular BBC One programme Strictly Come Dancing. It is broadcast on weeknights during the run of the main show on BBC Two at 6:30 pm. Claudia Winkleman originally presented the show, however she left at the end of the 2010 series and now presents the main show. Since October 2011, Zoë Ball has presented It Takes Two.

Before 2010, BBC Two Scotland did not broadcast the show on Thursdays, when locally produced Gaelic language programming aired in the slot instead, though during the 2008 and 2009 series the Thursday night show was carried as an alternative digital stream via BBC Red Button.

It Takes Two started to broadcast during the second series of the main show, replacing the companion show to the first series, Strictly Come Dancing: On Three, which had been broadcast on the digital channel BBC Three hosted by Justin Lee Collins.

BBC2 will be showing It Takes Two in 2018, from Monday 24th September.

Series overview

 * Gethin Jones guest presented two episodes of the show on 15 & 16 November 2017, when Zoë Ball was unwell.

Programme synopsis
The programme features interviews and training footage of the couples competing in the main Saturday night show, opinions from the judges on the previous Saturday show and the training footage for the next, and interviews with celebrities who have been watching the show.

The show features half-hour episodes each Monday to Thursday, with an extended one-hour episode on Friday in front of a live studio audience.

In 2016, Zoë Ball has been joined each week by regular dance experts, Ian Waite, Karen Hardy, Neil Jones and Chloe Hewitt, with former Strictly contestant Gethin Jones appearing on each Friday episode.

For the new series in the autumn of 2017, the programme returned to the newly refurbished Studio TC2 at the Television Centre complex in West London.

For the 2018 series, the show will broadcast from The Hospital Club TV Studio in London's Covent Garden, due to ITV Daytime programmes now occupying the Television Centre studios.

Studio segments
Tunes on Tuesday: On Tuesday, there is usually a sneak peek of some of the songs.

Waite's Warm-Up: Every Wednesday (and Thursday earlier in the series), Ian Waite reviews training room footage of the couples so far as they practice their dances and suggests areas they need to make improvements.

Choreography Corner: Every Tuesday (and Monday earlier in the series), a former professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing reviews the previous week's choreography. Following Hardy's departure in 2017, various former professionals having taken over, including Camilla Dallerup, Joanne Clifton, Natalie Lowe, Erin Boag and Vincent Simone.

Puttin' on the Glitz On Thursday, there is normally a chat with the show's head dress designer Vicky Gill.

Friday Panel: On Friday, three or more celebrity fans of the show review music, costumes and training room footage of the celebrities ahead of the Saturday Show.

Other recurring segments
Strictly Pro Challenge: The professional dancers put various different dance techniques to the test against one another in a yearly competition.

Global Glitterballs: A look into the various different versions of Strictly Come Dancing from across the globe.

Booth of Truth: The Strictly professional dancers each enter a booth and are individually asked questions the other pros' personal habits.

Janette and Melvin's Cha Cha Chart Show: Professional dancer Janette Manrara and her 2016 partner Melvin Odoom host a chart-based countdown of various past performances and iconic Strictly moments.

Ballas Breakdown: Head judge Shirley Ballas explains and demonstrates steps from the dances.

Ballroom Bingo: Professional dancer Anton Du Beke asks the pro dancers questions about the other pro dancers.

Ore's Overview: Current champion Ore Oduba gives his say on all the couple's journey's so far.

Dance Card: Zoe Ball chooses a dance for head judge Shirley to demonstrate.

Previous segments
Len's Masterclass: Head judge Len Goodman had a weekly spot with Claudia Winkleman, in which he demonstrated the dances to be performed on the following Saturday – this has been discontinued since Zoë Ball took over the presenter role.

Stat Man: Russell Grant appeared on the 2012 series with a guide to the numbers of winners of Strictly.

Dance Mat Challenge: The Pro-Dancers were challenged to get on an electronic dance mat and try to top a leaderboard.

In 2013, a new feature was shown, where dancer Natalie Lowe was set a challenge to teach a normal couple, known only as Gordon and Mel from Southampton, how to dance ahead of their wedding.

In 2014, Robin Windsor was set a challenge to teach the teachers of a school to dance for a performance for the school.

Craig's Rev-alations: Every Monday, Judge Craig Revel Horwood reviewed the celebrities previous choreography, performances and training room footage.

A live phone-in segment featured during the autumn 2004 series of the main show, where viewers could speak to the contestants on air.

Ratings
The show averages between two and three million viewers each evening and is regularly the most watched show of the day on BBC Two.