BBC Strictly Come Dancing's return 'spoiled' by Anne-Marie after she breaks major rule

The eagerly anticipated comeback of Strictly Come Dancing to our weekend viewing has been slightly overshadowed by pop sensation Anne-Marie.

The 33-year-old hitmaker, behind some of the biggest chart-toppers, teased her performance on the BBC dancing extravaganza as it gears up for its grand 2024 series curtain-raiser tonight (September 14). She couldn't hold back her excitement, sharing a sneak peek on social media with a picture alongside some of Strictly's professional troupe.

However, in her eagerness, Anne-Marie accidentally gave away what the pro dancers will be donning for the opening act, much to the disappointment of viewers who relish the surprise of the dazzling costumes and polished choreography. Decked out in stark white complete with knee-high boots, Anne-Marie's look was a sharp contrast to the professional dancers' array of black getups as they posed mockingly devastated that the songstress wouldn't be strutting her stuff alongside them.

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Taking to her Instagram Story, Anne-Marie shared: "Performing on @bbcstrictly tomorrow! Just singing though no dancing this time lol".

As Strictly makes its way back onto screens, the production team have introduced several adjustments in response to a challenging offseason which saw various allegations surfacing against some former professional dancers and contentious practices regarding the celebrities' preparation for the live Saturday night performances, reports the Mirror. Reports indicate that Strictly is readopting a weekly cap on practice hours, originally introduced last year.

This cap limits the celebrities and their professional partners to about 48 hours of rehearsal each week, averaging eight hours a day with one day off. Its understood that couples have the flexibility to schedule these hours at their convenience, as long as they don't exceed the weekly allowance.

It was established to create a level playing field between the contestants with varying personal commitments. The Sun said: "The spread of hours across the week is completely up to each celebrity", while the Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.

Former Love Island contestant Tasha Ghouri has candidly discussed her rehearsal challenges, emulating EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis, who was the first deaf contestant on Strictly.

Tasha explained her unique approach: "It's exactly the same for me as Rose, I feel the music, base and the beats. With the counts, that's where I'm struggling a little bit.

"What I'm used to is five, six, seven, eight. But the counts are off with the music, so I feel like I'm not in time. I'm having to feel the music and play the sounds in my head. It's a weird way but that's how my brain works.

"All dance styles are hard because they're so disciplined. For me, Latin is the hardest because it's so fast.

"You have to move your feet quickly and I'm trying to keep up, which is tough. It's super fun but a challenge. The training, trying to push through, it's hard sometimes.

"It's knowing your body and where you are physically and mentally. The opportunity only happens once, so I'm trying to make the most out of it."

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