In just a matter of days, the Strictly class of 2019 will be donning their sequins and hitting the dance floor for the very first time. Ahead of the opening live show, there are teams of people hard at work behind the scenes, pulling out all the stops to ensure everything is perfect for the big event. One such person is Theresa Hewlett, dressmaker on Strictly. And on Wednesday she gave fans a sneak peek at the back stage preparations.
Strictly dressmaker Theresa Hewlett has shared a behind-the-scenes photo
Theresa uploaded a snapshot on Twitter showing some of the mannequins she uses to fit the costumes. "Late night company… this year's @bbcstrictly celebrity mannequins are peppermint… not my fave colour but we can easily mark it up clearly," she captioned the photograph. Clearly visible in the image are the mannequins assigned to Alex Scott, Anneka Rice and Emma Barton, while those belonging to dancer Karen Hauer and new judge Oti Mabuse are also visible. The picture also reveals some of the celebs' secret codenames – this year themed around super heroes. Written on Anneka's costume is 'Wasp', while footballer Alex's bears the name 'Supergirl'.
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Excitement is building ahead of the first live show on 7 September – not just for the public, but for all those involved on the show. On Thursday morning, Theresa shared another photograph, taken while she was waiting for her train to arrive. "Here we go… fittings day @bbcstrictly waiting for the @ElstreeStudios train…" she wrote.
Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton are returning for the first live show
It comes after Stacey Dooley confirmed that she and boyfriend Kevin Clifton will perform together at the first live show to help launch the new series. The couple, who were partnered together in the show, took home the coveted Glitterball trophy last year – and in keeping with tradition will return for the opening episode of the next season. Teasing their appearance in her Instagram Stories, Stacey posted a picture of herself and Kevin with the words: "We are coming back to launch the new series… see you there."
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