WHO needs Alesha Dixon?

The Beeb’s Saturday night juggernaut, Strictly Come Dancing, gave a glimpse of what is to come with the new series on Saturday as the pairings were revealed.

I’ve got to say I was never sure how Ms Dixon was truly qualified to be one of the judges.

Sure, she won the competition but I’d love to know what the professionals thought about being critiqued by someone who’d only spent three months studying something they’ve done for most of their lives.

I suspect they will be far more respectful of prima ballerina Darcy Bussell.

As for the line-up. The ‘who’s dancing with who’ show is a bit like watching a school disco as the boys and girls weigh each other up.

For the pros there’s the plastic smile of the delight from those who get handed a Lisa Riley or a Johnny Ball.

Both will get through a couple of rounds but the glitterball will elude them for another year.

Then there’s the unconcealed delight as they are handed a Denise van Outen (surely she’s got an unfair advantage) or a Victoria Pendleton. Brendan Cole’s clearly awarded himself the trophy already after getting paired with the Olympian.

But as regular viewers know there are always surprises in store.