Let’s get ready to rhumba
Strictly returns as celebrities hit the floor
The stars of this year’s Strictly partnered up last night as they hit the floor for the first time. A glamorous red carpet launch, stunning group routine and the pairing of the celebrities with their professional partners kicked off the new series of the hit BBC dance-off. And Kate Silverton, who’ll be dancing with Alijaz Skorjanec, is hoping to follow in the fancy footsteps of fellow newsreaders who’ve blazed a trail of success on the show. Natasha Kaplinsky won the very first series with Brendan Cole and Susanna Reid and Katie Derham have both reached the final. “I don’t feel pressure because I’m starting from the lowest point,” said Kate, 48. “The only way is up. It’s good that they’ve set the bar so high. It’s something to aim for. “Everyone talks about making it to Blackpool, so that would be a good goal. It’d be nice to stay in for that and Halloween is really good dressing up fun. “My only other goal is to get back in my wedding dress. I got married at 40 and it’s been quite a long eight years with the kids since then.” Mum-of-two Kate, a BBC news anchor, has been seeking advice from her colleagues. “Katie described it as a ‘rhinestone blitz spirit’. That probably summed it up really well. She said it would be unlike anything else I’d ever done and to just hold on tight. “And she also advised getting blister plasters and knee supports. I didn’t realise it was going to be this hard.” Having reported from the frontline in Iraq and Afghanistan, Kate concedes she’s stepped into another