Strictly Matchmaking

Let's go round again...the launch show is back and we're ready for our hour of randomness bringing the sparkle back to see us through the winter. Get your blogging hats on!

Blog title a tribute to @Dilly4's classic #StrictlySnacks combo of Matchmakers and Prosecco. 

Gregg and...Aliona
Not going to lie, I actually cackled. Ok, Gregg might not be the token oldie disaster like last year but he's also not exactly a front-runner. Although he does seem to have already lost some weight and is taking it seriously enough, his super-concentration face in the group dance was great, good luck to him.

Jake and...Janette
Quite liking this pairing, I quite liked Janette last year but we didn't see a lot of her. Hopefully Jake will pull his socks up and take to dancing - he looked pretty light on his feet with those jivey steps in the group dance and we do want a bit of ginger solidarity on this blog.

Steve and...Ola
Now, he might not be a favourite, but this is the sort of guy Ola is good with. He looks like he keeps himself in very good shape and if he applies himself in training and isn't too self-conscious then it could work. Like Kenny Logan all over again. Ola even won with someone who you'd never have thought would have had a chance at the beginning of the series, so keep an eye on them.

Thom and...Iveta
I am so happy at this pairing, I actually cheered and fist-pumped in my living room. She's really paid her dues with Johnny Ball and shown her choreography muscles with Mark Benton, now she's been given the favourite-but-not-a-ringer! She's a real champion and also comes across as very smart. Bring it on Iveta, we're counting on your genius.

Caroline and...Pasha
Major cheer number 2 for this pairing! She's the SCD fans' dark horse already and she seems totally likeable - and we didn't see nearly enough of Pasha last year and I'm glad he should get the chance to flex those choreography muscles like he did with Chelsee and Kimberly.

Jennifer and...Not Anton!
Jennifer is not with Anton, I repeat, not with Anton! She's with the new Tristan, Irish on Irish, who knows what's going to happen here. She does seem nervous, but very genuine and happy to be there and people will definitely warm to that. And don't forget a massive number of people watch Mrs Browns Boys!

Pixie and...Trent
Popstar and a young new male pro, it was always going to happen. As people have already remarked, they look scarily similar, and Trent also looks like a mini Iain Waite. Because she's with a new pro I have no idea how this is going to go - I've been watching 12 series of SCD and I don't like this unpredictability!

Simon and...Kristina
Kristina with someone a) decent and b) suitable for her height shocker! He's had a bit of training, he's in a boyband so he knows how to be on a stage, he's pretty good looking. This could be a good year for Kristina.

Tim and...Natalie
Not very happy about this, I was very much looking forward to having Natalie Lowe back kicking some serious Strictly bottom - and now she might have to take things a bit slower. Tim doesn't look like he's just there for the pay cheque though, seems like he loves the show and is very good humoured.

Scott and...Joanne
These two are so cute - I can see them having a cracking time together. Maybe even Kevin an Susanna Mark 2, with less specs and a gender reversal. OK, maybe I'm asking for too much there.

Mark and...Karen
Well this is an interesting pairing, should be feisty. Like I've said, I think Mark has the potential to be a rough diamond/dark horse/metaphor on a journey this year and since he's got more potential than a hairy biker Karen is going to work him until he drops.

Alison and...Aljaz
She is so, so excited and I don't blame her! She's got buckets of energy and on top of that she gets to dance with Aljaz so she'll be bursting through that training room door every morning. Lisa Riley is always going to be mentioned, but I hope she gets to go beyond that.

Judy and...Anton
Well we kinda saw this happening, once Jennifer didn't go to Anton anyway. To be fair, Anton is lovely and will teach her a great set of ballroom dances - I just hope she wasn't expecting to learn any latin. She seems great and we know she knows how to work hard, I'm hoping her slightly wooden performance in the group dance was just nerves.

Sunetra and...Brendan
I do love Brendan, but I have no idea what to make of Sunetra - she's still a bit of an unknown quantity. Loved hearing about her Bollywood dancing past though, might have taught a few things she does even realise she's remembered. Her feet looked better than her arms in the group number, but Brendan is sure to work on that.

Frankie and...Kevin
And it's the last two! This has been a whistle-stop evening! I think Kevin may have taken over from Darren and Vincent as the keeper of the tiny ladies (ok, that sounds a bit sinister). She should be a frontrunner due to being young and in a girl band and Kevin looked pretty happy. I'm also slightly dumbfounded that someone in my name is on Strictly, this is going to get confusing on Twitter!

So that's our pairings for 2014 - has this changed your mind about who is going to win? Don't forget to vote in our poll!