Behind the scenes of Strictly Come Dancing at Blackpool Tower & meet writer Suzanne Elsworth
Plus, latest news, events and opportunities in writing and journalism
My dear wordsmiths,
Before I spill the beans about Strictly please subscribe if not already - I appreciate each and every one of you. Have you done it? It’s just here.. (it’s free, just need an email address) And please share the word!
They say no one day in journalism, writing, or in life are the same - and it’s true - that some just have some more glitter on them. This week has been a perfect example of the ups and downs for me, with podcast recordings with some fabulous authors, hard news reporting with the tragic story of Nicola Bulley back on the agenda and launch of our re-filmed documentary, a random interview with BBC Radio Scotland, about 7,000 meetings, internal politics, Christmas-planning (work not pleasure), budgets (sigh), failing to go to the gym (standard), ordering random stuff off Vinted and of course - spending nine hours of my Saturday at Blackpool Tower ballroom for the filming of Strictly Come Dancing. It was one of those days for the memory bank, without any doubt. Not going to lie though - I’m exhausted and I have the lurgy. Sending high fives to my equally tired team this week.
But this weekend I aim to complete the final draft of my novel - it was done but I’m currently writing out the pandemic - which is easier said than done as I used it as a device for the story arc. Next step after that is to start querying. Let me know if you you have good fits for a dual timeline (WW2/current day) manuscript set at magnificent Chatsworth House. I’m all ears!
I know it’s not ‘strictly’ writing related but I also know a few of you will not be happy with me if I don’t spill the tea. It was actually my second year at the filming of the show -I know I’m very lucky - so let’s start with my outfit which was a (fabulous, darling) gold lame dress which I donned at 11am on Saturday morning. That was weird! Ultimately, however, I still felt understated - nothing is too sparkly at Strictly.
This year instead of attending at the invite of BBC press office (they did invite me but I gave the opportunity to a reporter), I was invited by BBC England and the trip involved a heritage tram ride down the prom first. This was lovely but if anyone has ever been to Blackpool seafront you’ll know it’s like a wind tunnel - so the hair was wrecked early doors.
My friend and I arrived about 4.15pm and most of the audience had already been there several hours by the time we went through the metal detectors - so the atmosphere was already electric with expectation. But here’s are a few little nuggets from behind the scenes (I’m writing a fuller article which I’ll pop a link to into next week’s newsletter)
Behind the sparkle: (just a few gems)
You have to give in any phones or recording devices - so NO PHONE for ten hours for some. I almost needed therapy ;-) It also means the audience (apart from celebrities and close family who get to keep theirs) can’t vote.
My friend and I were booted out of our balcony seats above the judges table by a crew so they could get a shot of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announcing couples for the dance off (results show). They popped themselves gingerly on the edge of the ballroom balcony and Tess was so terrified of the height she was white and literally trembling with fear - Claudia kept a tight grip on her. I felt for Tess but it says something about her professionalism that she still managed the short pieces to camera (although there were several takes - she shrieked when a piece of tinsel came floating past her head as she was so tense). When they had finished ( and she’d recovered from the experience) she still found time to compliment my dress though.
The entire operation is fuelled by Custard Creams. You think I’m joking but most of the audience are there for 9-10 hours and the only food available is free biscuits and water which are dolled out in between show filming. The audience is heavily advised to eat a big meal beforehand (though I saw pizza and champagne delivered to some celebrities).
Both shows are filmed on the Saturday, one after another, with the same audience. When they say ‘yesterday’ in the interviews it’s still today. There’s only approximately 30-40 minutes between Saturday live show and Sunday show filming. The dancers are absolutely shattered and those in the dance-off are on their last legs and use ice buckets backstage. Filming only finished around 11.30pm -we the audience are begged to stay quiet about the results - and largely do.
Strictly is the only show on TV with a live band and singers all the way through - they are amazing and cope with the banter very well, even playing happy birthday to someone at one point.
Warm up guy Stuart Holdham, working closely with floor manager Alan Conley (yes, he’s Brian Conley’s brother), actually hold the whole shebang together, keeping the audience laughing and behaving ( even telling off celebrities when required) for the entirety and cueing up clapping and booing. Yes, even that is rehearsed.
The dozens of black-clad floor crew are incredible - they have just minutes to remove entire sets and build a new one, partly in silence, as Claudia conducts the live broadcasts in the ‘Clauditorium’ which in reality is just at one end of the dance floor. A large part of this is vacuuming up acres of glitter and tinsel ( and bits of costume) after every performance with giant leaf blowers - and setting up flame special effects. The glitter etc. is all recycled and used again.
Both years the live act have had to play their song twice with the dancers so they can get all the camera angles - Madness used a large-print autocue complete with the song lyrics throughout (to be fair I’d probably need it too).
The costume and makeup department do a lot of running and repairing - often sewing split costumes between takes and tackling what Stuart Holdham described as ‘eyelash injuries’.
The corner of the first balcony is often used by couples to get some last minute practice - I saw Nigel and Katya rehearsing away.
During the results show, after Bobby and Dianne learned they had been saved, Dianne as was sobbing her heart out at the side of the dance floor off camera. Bobby was hugging and trying to console her. Dianne’s dad was diagnosed with cancer last week in Australia and has started chemo - it must be hard for her on top of the Strictly stress and exhaustion.
There is so much more but needless to say, the whole thing was INCREDIBLE. and actually pretty emotional. For the record, I wasn’t a huge Strictly fan before last year - I’m a convert!
I’m Team Bobby.
Now over to our guest this week.. (who, for the record, is also a Strictly fan)
The chat: Meet Suzanne Elsworth
It’s time for our weekly chat and this week it’s the lovely Suzanne. She mentions here it’s all about contacts and I can vouch for that - as we used to work together at a certain daily newspaper where we survived on stress and coffee. It’s hardly surprising we both ended heading for the country air - in her case beautiful Cumbria and the Lake District.
Just a reminder, if you are a writer and would like to take part in the Q&A, please email me at writerejectrepeat@substack.com and say hello - with your answers and a lovely pic and any relevant book covers and critical links. I’m interested in writers/journalists/authors at all stages of their career with an eye on advice/tips and learnings.
Who?
I’m Suzanne Elsworth, a freelance writer based in Cumbria. I tell stories, for magazines, broadcasters, newspapers and corporate clients. My first book, A Practical Guide to Camping, was published in 2022.
What?
I don’t know that I’ve ever had a goal in my writing or my career. I just wanted to write ‘stuff’, tell stories and work with nice people, and I didn’t ever want to be stuck behind a desk. Since I applied for my first job in journalism more than 25 years ago, I have taken jobs which appealed, always finding them through my contacts and never having to start from scratch with strangers. The writing world is like a big village – everyone is connected to someone.
Where?
I’m a journalist by trade who started out on weekly newspapers in Cheshire, then worked all over the north west of England, before a stint in corporate communications for a big university. I went freelance in 2009 when I moved to Cumbria. I love it here and wouldn’t live anywhere else on the planet.
Now I make my living writing, whether that’s lifestyle features in glossy magazines or creating brochure, website or newsletter text for clients as varied as universities, law firms, bath tap manufacturers and high end hotels. I work behind the scenes in TV and radio too, setting up stories for ITV, BBC and independent production companies. I dabbled in PR but found I put too much pressure on myself so now my only client in that industry is the fabulous Taste Cumbria food festival. Eating good food is one of my greatest passions so this isn’t a client I want to let go.
Being a magazine editor is definitely the best bit of my career. Coming up with the ideas, bringing them together, writing some of them, then creating a thing of beauty. I love that feeling of ‘I did this…’
Why?
Reading has always been my way to switch off. Hiding under the bed covers with a torch and a book as a kid – or even as an adult as I try not to wake the husband when I want to read in the middle of the night. I’ll try most genres, though don’t always succeed.
When I find a writer I love I don’t want their words to end – though that feeds my imposter syndrome, that feeling of ‘I will never be able to write like that…’
Suzanne Elsworth
When & How?
I never planned to write a book. A Practical Guide to Camping was a Covid-19 lockdown whim. Around 95% of my freelance work disappeared overnight so I had a bit of time on my hands. I saw a tweet from an editor calling for pitches, showed it to a pals of mine who are really into camping, and they suggested we write something together. They’re the serious campers, backpacking across Scotland and the like, while I like my comforts; wine and a hot water bottle. It turned into an ideal partnership. The publishers liked the idea and went for it.
Because this was never planned, the only advice I can offer is that thing which has progressed me through my entire career – contacts, contacts, contacts. Trawl social media, stalk the publishers that appeal, get yourself in the author networks and watch the conversations. Though I enjoyed the book process – apart from the painful final stages of proofreading, creating the index and those final fiddly checks when you just want the damn thing gone – I don’t know when, or if, I’ll write another book.
I will never say never. Like anyone who writes, you have ideas going round in your head, and you wonder what you could do with them. Current daydreams include a thriller about a conversation I heard in a ski resort – a woman thought her partner may have been involved an accident which killed a man. Then there are some children’s books I’ve been thinking about for years, all featuring a purple cuddly toy my husband had as a child.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reliving my youth with the new Jilly Cooper book, Tackle, and loving the latest exploits of Rupert Campbell-Black. I told you I’d read anything…
Thanks so much Suzanne - can’t wait for the ski mystery! You can find her on LinkedIn here
News, events & opportunities
Online evening with author Rebecca Yarros: This virtual event, hosted by Waterstones, with bestselling fantasy author Rebcca Yarros celebrates the publication of the new and exclusive holiday edition of Fourth Wing. A BookTok favourite, by storm, Fourth Wing hits bookshops on November 7. Rebecca will be interviewed by L.R. Lam, bestselling author of epic fantasy romance Dragonfall.
Women in journalism mentoring : The WIJ mentoring scheme is opening soon for members - there are only 80 spaces for 2024. Sign up via the website.
NCTJ AI conference: The National Council for the Training of Journalists will hold an event on the opportunities for journalists offered by artificial intelligence. (AI) The event will be held at Thomson Reuters’ offices in London on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 12.
Column: My colleague Abigail Rabbit, editor of Nottingham World, makes an argument for running away from your problems (in her case abroad) in her confessional column this week. Enjoy!
Nicola Bulley police inquiry report - everything you need to know: Of particular interest to journalists, here I take you through the independent review of the Nicola Bulley police operation in detail.