Talent executive says Strictly and Celebrity Traitors rely on long casting

In an interview, celebrity talent executive Steph Alexander set out how shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Traitors are cast. She has previously cast I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and booked talent for Strictly Come Dancing for seven years. Celebrity Traitors is back, and another group of famous faces is entering the spotlight.

Alexander said the casting process is much longer than viewers assume. Work on a show as large as Strictly begins in January, about nine months before transmission. The team starts with a wish list that can run from the Beckhams to well-known comedians. She said she has approached the Beckhams every year and has asked Bill Bailey three or four times. He eventually accepted when there was a gap in his touring diary. Bailey went on to win Strictly, which Alexander described as a surprise because he was over 50 and had a musicality people did not know about.

She rejected the idea that producers simply pick 15 famous people. Casting involves meeting and speaking to candidates, learning their stories and motivations, and then taking viewers on a journey. The aim is to bring in a broad family audience, so that different generations have someone to cheer on. That means thinking about regionality, disability, diversity and the LGBTQ+ community, as well as mixing soap stars, pop stars, comedians and newsreaders. Alexander cited Angela Rippon as one of the best bookings. In 2018, Joe Sugg was brought in to attract younger viewers and social media audiences, despite some older viewers asking who he was. He reached the final.

For social shows such as Celebrity Traitors, I'm a Celebrity and Big Brother, personality matters greatly. Alexander said contestants in a contained environment need to want to play the game and believe they can outsmart others. She praised Bob Phillips, who books Traitors, for assembling a strong mix of characters. She added that Alan Carr was on her Strictly wish list and that she had been working on it.

Alexander also explained that celebrities usually do not know who else is taking part unless they are close friends. Producers cannot force someone to do Strictly. A contestant has to want to learn to dance, or be nudged by a partner to get fit. If a candidate is unsure, the team may arrange a short dance session to give them a taste of the experience. Once a professional dancer gets hold of a celebrity, Alexander said, they are usually sold.