Strictly '13 Line Up

You know Christmas is coming up when The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing make a welcome return to your Saturday nights. I'd be lying if I said Strictly wasn't one of my guilty pleasures, and this year, for a third year running, I recognise every celebrity taking part.

It's had some stick from a number of people for not having the most A-List of celebrities over the years, but can you really imagine the biggest stars taking 3 months out of their schedules for this? At least, after 11 years, they haven't reached the desperation stage like Big Brother...

So who can we look forward to enjoying and laughing with/at this year?

(Pictures from BBC's Strictly Come Dancing website)

Abbey Clancy, the wife of Peter 'Do-The-Robot' Crouch, was announced as one of the first names to be taking part. Part time model, and television presenter, I'm hoping she has a lot more dignity and class than a regular WAG would.

Known by eager Corrie fans as 'That Bitch Who Had A Baby With Tyrone and Then Hit Him A Lot Which Was Horrible But Damn Does She Have Great Hair,' Natalie Gumede is the first soapstar to take part this year. I expect great things.

Mark Benton, who you may know as Chalky from Waterloo Road, or 'That Guy Who Did A Lot Of Christmas ITV Dramas With Robson Green Then Starred In A Couple Of Nationwide Adverts,' looks pretty much how I expect I will look in 20 years.

One half of The Hairy Bikers, Dave Myers, was a surprise addition to the line-up. Who knows whether he will be filling the 'slightly rubbish male' role, or if he will surprise us and be this years' Lisa Riley. Unfortunately, my bets' on the former.

Countdown beauty Rachel Riley has already become a favourite to win the show. I'd make a pun about her being good at maths, and therefore being good with a 1,2 step but I'm not clutching at straws just yet.

Fiona Fullerton, a Bond girl from the 80s, will be hoping for more than a (00)7 from Len Goodman. Ha ha ha. What was that about clutching at straws? Sidenote, how good does she look for 56?

I'll be honest, when I first saw the news, I  spent the day telling my family Una Healy's rugby star husband Ben Foden was taking part. I read it wrong, it's Ben Cohen, who also does rugby, still very exciting. The sports guys always do pretty well

Speaking of sports stars, famous golfer Tony Jacklin will be swapping his tee things for sequins... yeah, and gracing the competition as one of the oldest ever contestants, at 69 years old. Part of me thinks he'll be quite good...

I was surprised to see that Dragon's Den rich girl Deborah Meaden said 'I'm in' and joined the line up this year. She's another one who's a bit hard to predict. If not, she's got the money to vote loads hasn't she, it'll be fine.

Oh Vanessa Feltz, I can see it going wrong already. Famous for presenting a few shows on TV and radio, and going a bit batshit crazy in the Big Brother house, I'm intrigued to see how this pans out, and hope I'm proved wrong

Patrick Robinson is the guy who's been in Casualty for freaking ages, and is cousins with a footballer (I think it's Ian Wright, don't quote me on that though.) Apparently he's had a bit of a dance background too so I'm a little excited...

Long-running star of Hollyoaks, or more importantly 1/5 of one of my favourite groups as a child, allSTARS*, Ashley Taylor Dawson is the final soap star to join the lineup. With a music background he may be one to watch...

Filling this year's 'Breakfast TV Presenter' slot, Susanna Reid will be enduring painful early mornings before running off to practice - she's going to be shattered! I reckon she'll be pretty good though...

So. Many. Murder on the Dancefloor. Puns. Pop (Cousin-Of-A) Princess Sophie Ellis Bextor is a very welcome addition to the lineup. I've missed her. I hope this means she'll be making a music comeback too.

Finally, famous designer Julien Macdonald will no doubt have something to say about his outfits every week. He joins a lot of them in the 'I don't know if you're going to be good or not' pile. He's Welsh too which gives him even more cool points