Thames Television is to produce a series that takes dancing back to the 1960s.
Hosted by Dirty Dancing superfan Keith Lemon and Heart FM showbiz host and Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, across eight episodes, The Real Dirty Dancing will follow ten famous faces as they move into a stunning Lakeside location reminiscent of the original Kellermans resort, where their dance moves will be well and truly put to the test.
“I LOVE Dirty Dancing, the film literally had a huge impact on my life, and I couldn’t be more excited to be involved in this series. I’m going to be on hand to help out the celebs with their Johnny and Baby moves and look forward to being reunited with Keith. Wish me luck! It’s going to be a lot of fun.” – Ashley Roberts
In couples, they’ll compete as they take on challenges and dance routines based on iconic scenes from the classic film. Each couple has one thing in common – they all want to be the last Baby and Johnny standing following their immersive and nostalgia packed dance experience.
The celebs will need to prove themselves as they take part in entertaining challenges that’ll require them to embody the characters from the cult classic, as they work around the clock to discover their inner Johnny or Baby. There’ll be no spaghetti arms as they attempt to learn and perform routines inspired by iconic moments, from ‘Hungry Eyes’ to the jaw-dropping Mambo dance, but can they muster the strength for the lake lift, or the elegance required to balance on a fallen log? One thing is for sure, watermelon carrying skills are essential.
The celebrities will be dancing with various partners throughout the course of the show. Inspired by the Australian series of the same name, The Real Dirty Dancing will culminate in the showstopping finale where the top two couples take on the moment every fan dreams of – the last dance of the season, with that gravity-defying lift! The remaining six celebrities will become backing dancers in this one-off celebratory performance.
“I am a huge Dirty Dancing fan so to have the opportunity to bring this show to life is a dream come true. Devotees of the film may think they could pull off Baby and Johnny’s moves, but now’s the time to put that to the test with our celebrities. Let’s see if they can bring that silver screen magic back to the dancefloor, I can’t wait to get started.” – Amelia Brown, Managing Director, Thames TV
The Real Dirty Dancing hits E4 in early 2022.
