Strictly day one training: nerves, a drug test and one fancy rumba outfit
The Strictly Come Dancing celebrities have hit the rehearsal room for the first time and there's already plenty going on...

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Ready the blister plasters and ice baths because this year’s Strictly Come Dancing celebrities are hitting the rehearsal room with their partners for the first time.
Presenter and DJ Melvin Odoom was certainly getting into the spirit of things, turning up in a rumba outfit:
Day 1 of @bbcstrictly training with my dancer partner @jmanrara I hope she doesn't think my outfit is too much???? pic.twitter.com/zLlvywGrD1
— Melvin Odoom (@Melvinodoom) September 6, 2016
His partner Janette Manrara seemed quite happy with his efforts, revealing she’ll be sharing sneak peek videos of their progress on her YouTube channel this year:
Day 1 of rehearsals!! Are you ready @Melvinodoom? I'm coming for you! Haha! #TalksWithJanette #TeamPocketRocket pic.twitter.com/xfjReRAFzS
— Janette Manrara (@JManrara) September 6, 2016
Meanwhile, singer Anastacia was opting to begin the week with a load of positivity…
#mondaymotivation because everyone needs some Dance in their lives! So just dance like no one is watching!! pic.twitter.com/p3zI4hxnmg
— Anastacia (@AnastaciaMusic) September 5, 2016
… sort of
Or just dance Like ur on national television in front of millions of people ????????
— Anastacia (@AnastaciaMusic) September 5, 2016
Olympic gymnast Claudia Fragapane is keeping things simple with a nice brew to kick-start her Strictly efforts
Good breakfast and a nice cup of tea☕️ ready for my first day of dancing @Aj11Ace ???????? #PocketRockets
— Claudia Fragapane (@claudia_frag) September 6, 2016
Model Daisy Lowe can only really sum things up with a picture of her on the floor surrounded by glitter – spot on for this show:
BBC sports presenter Ore Oduba has been pondering what Joanne Clifton is going to put him through
I wonder what's she's going to do to me… @joanneclifton ???????????? #nervous #firstday #beasting https://t.co/sohGagkW0T pic.twitter.com/KRyaQefZxg
— Ore Oduba (@OreOduba) September 6, 2016
Which she promptly answered:
Im here making sure we've got lots of paper towels for the amount you're gonna SWEAT today @OreOduba pic.twitter.com/cWnhg7EIwm
— joanne k clifton (@joanneclifton) September 6, 2016
Meanwhile, Laura Whitmore is feeling like she’s starting school all over again
I feel like it's the first day of school!!:) RT @pernicegiovann1: Oh yes !! Let's start !! Day 1 @thewhitmore ???? @bbcstrictly
— Laura Whitmore (@thewhitmore) September 6, 2016
While Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford had to complete a drugs test
It's the first day of @bbcstrictly training and it's begun with an IAAF drugs test. Clearly they think I'm too good a dancer #cleansport ????????
— Greg Rutherford (@GregJRutherford) September 6, 2016
Will Young, who has already slipped and hurt his foot (notably while not dancing), is – if these emojis are anything to go by – pretty apprehensive:
???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? @bbcstrictly #strictly https://t.co/2FVO25vVKz
— Will Young (@willyoung) September 6, 2016
And there he was thinking this was a mistake…
In retrospect, juggling these Strictly glitterballls may have been an error… https://t.co/Y1xQm3pfu3
— Ed Balls (@edballs) September 3, 2016
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC1 later this month