It looks like the ‘Dermot dance’ will live on as it’s revealed new presenting duo Caroline Flack and Olly Murs have been strutting their stuff during the first batch of X Factor auditions.

Advertisement

Dermot and his wiggling hips were – in my opinion at least – a highlight of the 2012 series of the show. The former host would open the live shows by busting out some moves – usually with a crew of glamorous Dermerettes – before introducing the judges. In 2013 it all but disappeared. But after much pestering from yours truly (and a little help from former Strictly judge Arlene Phillips and Sherlock star Amanda Abbington) it came back for last year’s series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTzoa_iKpF0

But after Dermot announced he was leaving, I thought that would be it for this cheeky opening. No more Austin Powers-esque grooving, no more enthusiastic pointing. Yet all is not lost. A certain Ms Caz Flack – herself the reigning Strictly champ - and Mr Murs have stepped up to the plate.

“They’re really good. They come on at the beginning of the session to introduce the judges one by one and were doing a bit of a routine,” a source close to the show told me after the first few days of auditions wrapped in Manchester.

More like this

Each judge has their own personal track to walk out to, with this year’s first auditions in front of the judges back in an arena setting. Mr Cowell, no doubt shirt nicely unbuttoned, is walking out to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’s track Uptown Funk, which his act Fleur East had great success with last year. Newbie Nick Grimshaw is, rather fittingly for a Radio 1 DJ, walking out to Robbie Williams’s Rock DJ. Rita Ora and Cheryl are walking out to their own tracks Hot Right Now and Crazy Stupid Love respectively.

“It’s not choreographed,” the source added of Caroline and Olly’s moves. “It’s off the cuff. It wasn’t like they’d rehearsed a routine; they were just getting really into it as each judge walked out. It was kind of like they were in tune with what each other were doing. The chemistry was crackling.”

Now, we just need to get them some, erm Carolly-ettes (I’ll work on that), some fittingly cheesy tracks and we’ll be ready and raring for the live shows, eh?

Advertisement

The X Factor returns later this year on ITV

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement