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It’s been a tough week for Strictly Come Dancing. After two professionals’ exits cast a shadow over the start of the series, Wynne Evans and Katya Jones found themselves at the centre of a fresh controversy surrounding two short clips from last week’s live show. In the coming days, they rushed to apologise and insisted they were joking around, with Jones labelling the saga “absurd”.

Still, plenty of viewers had wondered if it would be mentioned in this weekend’s live show. In the end, just like the pre-series drama, it went unaddressed (unless you count Evans sheepishly remarking “I do love comedy” while being interviewed by Claudia Winkleman).

Its omission didn’t matter at all, though, and soon became a footnote of the episode. This week’s Strictly Come Dancing instead celebrated two of the things that make it so great; its diversity and inclusivity.

Having provided plenty of laughs, swipes at Craig Revel Horwood and some of the most impressive lifts of the series so far, Chris McCausland this week put his serious hat on for a Waltz to the anthemic “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. The comedian, a Liverpool supporter from the city, was clearly desperate to get this one right. And it couldn’t have gone much better.

McCausland lost his sight when he was 22 and while the judges are committed to critiquing him exactly as they do the others, his achievements are undoubtedly more significant given the challenges he overcomes in training. His professional partner Dianne Buswell can’t show him the moves, and he can’t swot up on YouTube or watch performances back.

In one particularly poignant moment on Saturday, McCausland was left to dance under the spotlight alone. As the camera panned out, Buswell came into view and he confidently yet gracefully strode alone towards her. It was a moment steeped in emotion, heightened even further by the gravity of what McCausland is achieving on the show. If I wasn’t already in tears from the routine, then hearing him ask Buswell if he “did okay” as they embraced afterwards would have tipped me over the edge.

The second of tonight’s highlights came courtesy of Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe, as they danced a Carnival-inspired Couple’s Choice. The routine celebrated both Douglas’s Caribbean roots and her partner’s upbringing in South Africa.

In their VT, Douglas explained the dance was also a homage to her late grandmother, who gave her “the spirit of dance, love and movement”. The performance (complete with outfit reveals) was joyous and uplifting, with Douglas properly shining on the dancefloor for the first time this series.

“All I can say is Nana is looking down on you and she has sprinkled her magic dust on you because you were exceptional,” Shirley Ballas told the Gladiators star.

The show is at its best when celebrations of diversity and inclusivity are front and centre. Doing so is nothing new for Strictly either.

In 2022, Hamza Yassin celebrated Afrobeats with a dance that saw him become a serious contender (he went on to win). Rose Aying-Ellis, who lifted the Glitterball trophy in 2021, invited viewers to learn what dancing is like while deaf as the ballroom fell silent during hers. Two years earlier, Will Bayley — who was born with arthrogryposis, a condition affecting his joints — danced a routine which told his story of spending extended periods in hospital as a child. And just weeks ago, Punam Krishan made history with a Bollywood dance.

These moments, not the controversies, are what Strictly is all about.

STRICTLY Come Dancing fans were shocked to spot a familiar face in the audience – years after they spectacularly quit the series.

On Saturday night’s live show, as Tess Daly was talking to the camera, former professional star Brendan Cole was seen beaming in the seats behind her.

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Longtime fans were shocked to see his return, particularly as his exit was less than ceremonious – but were delighted to see him.

Talking on X (formerly Twitter), one shared a grab and wrote: “that is Brendan Cole, right? We’re not just hallucinating Ghosts of Strictly’s Past?”

“Brendan in the audience ???? Bring him back onto the show pleasseee I miss his drama,” said another.

A third wrote: “Nice to see OG Strictly Bad Boy Brendan Cole still turns up!”

“Surprised they let him back,” noted a fourth, prompting the response: “I know! Truly thought that bridge was burned.”

Brendan was a regular face on the series when it began in 2004, becoming a fan favourite and the first ever winner of the glitterball trophy alongside Natasha Kaplinsky.

The New Zealand dancer became known for hitting back against judges’ critiques he didn’t agree with, at times having on-air arguments with them.

He was also labelled ‘difficult to work with’ by other members of the team and former partners.

He eventually left the show in 2017, with Good Morning Britain’s Charlotte Hawkins being his last partner.

Announcing his exit ahead of the 2018 series, Brendan said that the BBC had “decided not to renew his contract”.

He said on Lorraine Kelly’s chat show: “They’ve just made an editorial decision to not have me back on the show.

They’ve made an editorial decision to not have me back on the show. I’m a little bit in shock. I’m quite emotional, and a bit raw about it.

“It’s done via a process of a phone call and stuff. I have had 15 incredible series on the show. I’m very proud of the whole show. It’s a great team.”

Brendan’s behaviour towards to head judge Shirley Ballas was apparently the final straw for Strictly bosses, who had decided enough was enough.

The Sun Online revealed the panel forced bosses to drop the dancer following his on-air spat with the head judge.

A insider told us: “It was the final nail in his coffin. That was the moment when they decided they’d had enough.

“The judges felt he was putting her down publicly and he thought he knew better than the head judge.

“They thought it was totally disrespectful.”

Brendan has since appeared as a contestant on Dancing on Ice, winning the series.

He is now on tour with a team of Strictly alumni, joining Ian Waite, Pasha Kovalev, James Jordan and Vincent Simone for Legends Of The Dancefloor.

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Strictly Come Dancing was back on BBC One for week five of the competition after a rollercoaster few days on and off the screen for the show.

Liverpudlian Chris McCausland delivered the most emotional moment of the night with a Waltz to “You’ll Never Walk Alone” that left head judge Shirley Ballas in tears. He landed a score of 35, putting him third on the leaderboard.

While last Saturday saw former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri awarded the first 10s of the series so far and top the leaderboard yet again, this week she fell to fourth as two other celebrities shared first place. The honour went to Jamie Borthwick, who performed a Pasodoble with Michelle Tsiakkas, and Montell Douglas, who together with Johannes Rabede closed the show with a Couple’s Choice. Both pairs scored 39, with all judges apart from Craig Revel Horwood giving them 10s.

Last week’s episode was not without controversy — but it went unaddressed in tonight’s show. Towards the end of last Saturday’s programme, the celebrities and their professional partners gathered in the “Clauditorium” – the upstairs area where host Claudia Winkleman chats to the contestants in between performances – before the voting lines opened, just as they do every week.

Dancer Katya Jones was captured on camera as she appeared to move opera singer Wynne Evans’s hand off her midriff and onto her hip. Earlier in the show, she seemed to reject a high five from her partner. Seeing these two incidents in quick succession moved viewers to start speculating about whether Jones was feeling uneasy.

The pair quickly moved to shut down the rumour mill, sharing an Instagram video in which they said they were “just messing around”. In his post, Evans wrote the high fives were a “running joke” between them. Jones, a Strictly veteran of eight years, later doubled down with another video on Sunday, describing the row as “quite absurd” and asking fans to focus their attention on Evans’s “amazing” progress in the competition.

Fans had speculated about whether the pair would mention the controversy during the live show, but they decided against it.

Strictly Come Dancing reveals songs and dances for week five

This Saturday night’s show does not have a theme so viewers can expect a wide but eclectic variety of dances, including Paul Merson dancing a Samba to Rose Royce’s “Car Wash” and Pete Wicks dancing a Rumba to Oasis’s “Don’t Look Back in Anger”. This week’s dances include two Sambas and two Quicksteps, plus a couple’s choice routine for Montell Douglas and her pro partner Johannes Radebe.

Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell will dance a Waltz to “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Gerry and the Pacemakers, while Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola will dance a Samba to “Do It Do It Again” by Rafaella Carrà.

Find the full list of songs and dances for week five below: Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe will dance a Couple’s Choice to “Skeleton Move” by KG and Zanda Zakuza

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Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez will dance a Viennese Waltz to “She’s Always A Woman To Me” by Billy Joel

Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin will dance a Quickstep to “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield

Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola will dance a Samba to “Do It Do It Again” by Rafaella Carrà

Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec will dance a Tango to “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + The Machine Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell will dance a Waltz to “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Gerry and the Pacemakers

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Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas will dance a Pasodoble to “Malagueña” by Ernesto Lecuona JB Gill and Amy Dowden will dance a Jive to “Hey Ya!” by Outkast

Paul Merson and Karen Hauer will dance a Samba to “Car Wash” by Rose Royce

Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał will dance a Rumba to “Don’t Look Back In Anger” by Oasis

Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu will dance an American Smooth to “Get Here” by Sam Smith Wynne Evans and Katya Jones will dance a Quickstep to “Mr Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra

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Greg Evans19 October 2024 12:55

Chris McCausland praises Strictly singer’s rendition of Liverpool anthem

Liverpool footbal club fan Chris McCausland has praised Strictly singer Tommy Blaize after he shared a snippet of tonight’s performance of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” the anthem of the Mersyside team.

Blaize, who is also a supporter of The Reds, wrote on X/Twitter: “Every once in a while I get to sing one very close to my heart.” He accompanied the post with a video of him singing the song while wearing a Liverpool shirt.

In response, McCausland said: “And this just makes it even more special for me. Tommy Knox it out of the park every time he sings, I just hope I can do the same with the dancing bit.“

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And this just makes it even more special for me. Tommy Knox it out of the park every time he sings, I just hope I can do the same with the dancing bit. #YNWA #Strictly https://t.co/WxjbtOFyfz

— Chris McCausland – New tour on sale now! 🎫 (@chrismccausland) October 19, 2024

Greg Evans19 October 2024 13:30

Wynne Evans ‘heartbroken’ by response to hand interaction with Katya Jones

“I’m absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day,” he told BBC Radio Wales on 14 October. “It’s not nice to live in that time, but basically Katya and I are really, really close and we’re really good friends, and on Saturday night we made a stupid joke.”

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He explained,“It was a stupid joke that went wrong, okay, we thought it was funny. It wasn’t funny. It has been totally misinterpreted.”

Referring to social media reaction online, in which both clips have since gone viral, Evans said: “Everything’s on Katya’s socials. She’s talked about it. She’s explained that it was a joke. She wasn’t offended in the least. She doesn’t feel uncomfortable.”

Greg Evans19 October 2024 14:00

Strictly pro makes admission about ‘silly inside joke’ after Wynne Evans hand fiasco

Despite Jones calling the fiasco “nonsense” and “absurd”, Evans still found himself receiving criticism, leading the pro to defend the star on companion show It Takes Two on Monday (16 October).

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Jones said that she “can’t bear” seeing Evans in distress over the situation, calling the interactions nothing more than an “inside joke”. However, Jones admitted the joke was “silly” and “bad”.

After Evans said he can see why viewers “may have misinterpreted” his hand placement, his professional partner continued: “The idea that it made me feel uncomfortable or offended in any way is total nonsense, and those that have doubts, you guys have got it wrong. So hopefully this will be the end of it, and you just keep making me smile.

“I can’t sit here watching this man being portrayed as someone he’s not. In fact, it couldn’t be further away from the truth. So I have to make this absolutely clear that this whole incident, with the hand and the high five on Saturday night, was an inside joke between Wynne and I.

She then stated: “Was it a silly joke? Yes, was it a bad joke? Yes.”

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Greg Evans19 October 2024 14:30

Tasha Ghouri deserved Strictly Come Dancing’s first 10s of 2024 – but don’t write off the underdogs yet

Former Love Island star has impressed the judges every time she’s stepped on the dancefloor and her Coachella themed Charleston to “Unhealthy” by Anne-Marie and Shania Twain left three of them reaching for their 10 paddles.

But scoring the first 10s of the series is far from a guarantee that a celebrity will get their hands on the Glitterball trophy. And for the last two years, the person to do so hasn’t even made it to the final.

Comedian Eddie Kadi and pro partner Karen Hauer landed the first 10 of Strictly 2023 for their Men In Black themed Movie Week dance, only to leave the competition three weeks later.

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In 2022, Tyler West and Dianne Buswell scored two 10s in Movie Week but missed out on the final. That series was won by wildlife presenter Hamza Yassin, whose Strictly journey saw him go from being one of the least known celebrities on the call sheet to one of the show’s most beloved stars.

Rachel McGrath explains why Ghouri’s impressive achievement isn’t guaranteed to see her win the competition.

Greg Evans19 October 2024 15:00

Chris McCausland hits back at Lord Sugar over ‘gimmick’ comments

Head judge Shirley Ballas was lost for words at the end of the comedian’s performance. “I can’t even imagine how you managed to do that so flawlessly when you can’t see,” she said.

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However, Sugar appeared less than impressed as he posted a scathing critique of Saturday’s performances on X/Twitter.

“I don’t know when Strictly Come Dancing are going to run out of contestant gimmicks,” he wrote. “I would not be surprised if they had a AI mechanical robot next year.”

Fans interpreted the attack to be aimed at McCausland, as one wrote, “Gimmicks? Says the man who literally just points a finger. I hope Chris wins.”

But McCausland waded into the conversation to defend himself as he hit back, “I am sorry my gimmick offends you oh mighty Lord. #YoureTired.”

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Greg Evans19 October 2024 15:30

Nick Knowles receives sympathy from viewers after being eliminated

DIY SOS host Nick Knowles was eliminated from the competition last week after struggling with injuries throughout his time on the show.

Knowles and his pro partner Luba Mushtuk were in the dance off against singer Shayne Ward and his partner Nancy Xu.

Knowles had been absent for the previous week after sustaining a shoulder injury. Ward and Xu performed a Cha Cha to “Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)” by Sub Sub feat Melanie Williams, while Knowles and Mushtuk danced a Charleston to “Rain on the Roof” from the film Paddington 2.

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Ultimately, it was Knowles who was eliminated from the competition, with all four judges agreeing that Ward would make it through to the next round.

Viewers reacted to the elimination on X/Twitter, with many expressing sympathy for Knowles following his injury last week.

“Definitely the right result. Shayne Ward should never have been in the dance-off. Nick Knowles did well despite his injuries though,” one person wrote.

“Poor Nick,” commented another. “I wouldn’t have bothered coming back.”

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“Honestly I’m relieved Nick is going bc he needs to recover from his injury and I’m pretty sure he would’ve had to drop out anyway in the next few weeks,” someone else wrote.

Greg Evans19 October 2024 16:00

JB Gill has already done this week’s dance pro claims

Strictly pro Ola Jordan has spoken on her past experiences with JLS singer JB Gill, having previously partnered with him for a one off Christmas special in 2012.

Gill has been partnered with returning Welsh dancer Amy Dowden and the two have impressed so far and this week will be dancing the Jive to the Outkast classic “Hey Ya.”

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Gill has actually done this dance before with him and Jordan triumphing with their performance of the Jive back in 2012. Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Jordan said: “I’m looking forward to seeing JB and Amy. It’s funny because they haven’t mentioned that JB actually did a Strictly Christmas special, so he has already done a Jive.”

“He did it with me back in 2012 and he was very good when I was teaching him, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in his Jive this weekend,” the 42-year-old said.

Greg Evans19 October 2024 16:30

Strictly star announces split from wife after nine years of marriage

The 38-year-old TV presenter and actor shared the “difficult” news in a post online on Thursday, revealing that the pair had separated earlier in the year.

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He wrote: “Hi guys. Portia and I are sad to announce that we separated earlier this year. We’re so grateful for all the love you’ve shared with us both over the years.”

“And we want to thank you in advance for respecting our privacy as we navigated this difficult transition. We will be making no further comment. Be kind, always.”

Greg Evans19 October 2024 17:00

Katya and Wynne’s awkward Strictly Come Dancing saga is a sign of things to come

Following the controversy surrounding the incident between Wynne Evans and Katya Jones, Katie Rosseinsky fears that after the show’s bullying row that it could be a sign of things to come for the long running BBC series.

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In the wake of the backstage drama that has gripped Strictly this year, it seems inevitable that viewers will be on high alert for any whisper of behind-the-scenes strife, real or imagined. Last month, the BBC published the results of its probe into past contestant Amanda Abbington’s complaints levelled at former-pro Giovanni Pernice. The corporation upheld complaints relating to verbal bullying and harassment, but found that Pernice had not been physically aggressive, and also issued an apology to Abbington. Before that, over the summer, dancer Graziano Di Prima left Strictly, later admitting to having kicked his celebrity partner Zara McDermott during a rehearsal.

Although the long-running investigation may have wrapped up, it has cast a definite shadow over the usually sparkling proceedings. This shadow has proved hard to shake off, despite the fact that Strictly seems to have adopted a business-as-usual approach (the row hasn’t yet been alluded to on the show, although chaperones are now present during dance rehearsals and welfare protocols have been bolstered). Against this backdrop, it’s hardly surprising that fans are perhaps reading into any unusual onscreen interactions more closely than they might have done a few years ago: right now, everything that happens on air is being viewed through the prism of past scandals.

Greg Evans19 October 2024 17:30

STRICTLY’S Craig Revel Horwood shot down dance duo Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał and demanded they were “disqualified” over an illegal move.

The couple, who have been fuelling romance rumours throughout this year’s series, performed a romantic rumba on tonight’s show to Oasis classic Don’t Look Back in Anger.

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However, their routine was heavily chastised by judge Craig after they performed an “illegal” lift that saw Pete carry and spin Jowita across the dancefloor.

According to Craig, the rules state that, in a rumba, one foot must remain on the ground at all times.

When it came to the critiques, Craig didn’t hold back, first swiping at fellow judge Anton Du Beke for ‘standing up too much’ before turning his attention to the competitors.

“Anton, darling, are you going to be standing up anymore? It’s getting really on my nerves,” Craig declared.

“And as for the lifts, that is totally illegal. There were two lifts, one foot should remain on the floor at all times.

“Of course, it’s up to the professional if they want to lose marks for that,” he continued.

“And of course, you’ll be marked down for that, and I think even a disqualification darling.”

The remark prompted the studio audience to loudly boo him, with the fellow judges looking shocked as well.

Undeterred, Craig continued: “I have an issue with that, because I think you should follow the rules.”

“With that being said, it was a little bit uncouth in some places,” he added. “But you know, I do like seeing how committed you are to this, because I can see very clearly that you have been studying and studying and studying to make this good.”

Craig eventually gave them just four points out of the possible 10 for their efforts.

Motsi Mabuse gave them five, Shirley Ballas was “impressed with Pete’s hip work” and gave six, while Anton awarded them a seven.

That gave them a total of 22 points out of a possible 40, plummeting them to the lower half of the leaderboard.

Now they have to rely on the public vote in order to keep them in another week.

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Comedian Chris McCausland has again wowed the Strictly Come Dancing judges and moved viewers at home to tears with a Waltz set to the Liverpool football club anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Gerry and the Pacemakers.

McCausland is blind and lost his sight when he was 22 due to a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa.

His booking follows Ayling-Ellis’s victory in 2021; the EastEnders star, who was partnered with Pernice, was the first deaf contestant to appear on the show.

McCausland is fan of Liverpool, with the song being sung every week at Anfield before the teams home games.

Not only does the song hold an emotional relevance to Liverpool but the city on a whole, with the Royal Albert Dock being protected on the stage behind them.

Those watching at home were incredibly moved by McCausland’s performance with his professional Dianne Buswell, especially one part where he danced effortlessly by himself.

One viewer at home said: “Ohh goodness! Chris is just smashing it. I’m so in awe of him. His footwork, frame and delivery just wow and to the most iconic song which means so much to so many – in bits.”

A second said: “Chris & Dianne doing a waltz not a dry eye in the house”

TV presenter Dan Walker, telling McCausland: “Yes fella… you absolutely smashed it up again.”

A third added: “Just give Chris McCausland the glitterball trophy NOW. Not only is he inspirational he is incredible keep voting for him Strictly family.”

Before the show McCausland had praised Strictly singer Tommy Blaize after he shared a snippet of tonight’s performance of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” the anthem of the Mersyside team.

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Blaize, who is also a supporter of The Reds, wrote on X/Twitter: “Every once in a while I get to sing one very close to my heart.” He accompanied the post with a video of him singing the song while wearing a Liverpool shirt.

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In response, McCausland said: “And this just makes it even more special for me. Tommy Knox it out of the park every time he sings, I just hope I can do the same with the dancing bit.“

Want to watch Strictly Come Dancing while travelling abroad? Then you’ll need a VPN to stream this show. Discover the UK’s best VPN deals today. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

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What do we stand to gain from another remake of The Office? In the 21 years since Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s seminal cringe comedy first aired on British television, it has never really left, hanging around the TV landscape like a boozy straggler at an office Christmas party. It’s been remade more than a dozen times around the globe; a new Australian remake, out today on Prime Video, represents the third English-language iteration of The Office, following on from the long-running, phenomenally popular US version.

Fans of either the British or American Office will immediately recognise the formula here. Felicity Ward is Hannah Howard, an obnoxious, socially oblivious office manager in the mould of Gervais’s David Brent, or Steve Carell’s Michael Scott. Edith Poor is her gauche underling Lizzie (the Gareth Keenan/Dwight Schrute figure). Steen Raskopoulos and Shari Sebbens are Nick and Greta, the Aussie Office’s Tim/Jim and Dawn/Pam – two affable workers whose flirtatious banter forms the basis of the series’ big Will They/Won’t They? Except, of course, we know from the off that they will – we’ve seen this story play out twice before.

The problem with the Australian Office isn’t just that it’s derivative. If it were simply apeing the BBC original, that would be one thing. But this new Office is a copy of a copy, one that drinks too greedily from the American well, while ignoring what made the UK Office such an era-defining work of comedy in the first place.

If the US Office started out as a relatively faithful retread of the British version, it quickly morphed into something distinct. Gone was the sharp-edged, cringe-based realism of Gervais; in its stead was something softer, broader and more marketable. Michael Scott was gaffe-prone, sure, but he wasn’t pitiful – outright dismal, even – in the way that David Brent was. There was an air of exaggeration to it – an air that similarly pervades every facet of the Australian version. The storylines, the performances, the jokes: everything is just slightly too big. Would a sensitivity consultant really just show up one day, catching Hannah by surprise? Would Poor’s character really attempt to sell all the office’s chairs on the internet? It’s all just a little too contrived. And with a premise like this, even a slight whiff of contrivance is enough to overpower.

The real genius of the original Office lay in its staunch adherence to plausibility. Brent is a big, bolshy creation, but the in-world responses to him are almost eerily credible. The scenarios were always drab and unspectacular – a pub quiz; a training day; a red nose day fundraiser. Office life is never depicted as anything other than bleak and tedious. Until the final throes of the climactic Christmas special, there is absolutely no attempt to uplift. The US one, by contrast, argues that there is, underneath it all, fun to be had. The UK Office offered uncomfortable relatability, while the American one offered fantasy (albeit a mild and unspectacular fantasy at that). It’s not necessarily worse – there are plenty of people out there who would say the American Office is the superior iteration. But it’s less incisive by design.

In this latest incarnation of The Office, the big twist in the formula is the gender-flipped casting of its central character. There’s something quintessentially male about the pathetic posturing of Brent; here, it’s been replaced with another kind of bluster, a sort of girlboss-inflected smugness that, it should be said, Ward excels at. “Promoting women into positions of power… that’s my mantra, really,” she speciously boasts in one scene. There’s plenty of knowingly poor-taste humour, with Ward’s Hannah lurching from faux pas to faux pas, albeit all a little cartoonish in the execution.

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There is a reason that even now, decades after the UK Office went off the air, David Brent impressions are still ten-a-penny; there’s a reason “David Brent impersonator” is still a viable career path for those with the will and the right goatee. Gervais and Merchant had the confidence to make a programme that was distinctive, specific, and – significantly – British to its core. People outside of the UK are unlikely to understand, for instance, why Brent reeling off particular place names (“Reading, Aldershot, Bracknell … Didcot. Yateley. Winnersh. Taplow”) would be so funny, so endlessly quoted by Office diehards. The US Office was averse to this kind of specificity, favouring instead a sort of genericised vision of small-town America. (It’s telling, perhaps, how few of Michael Scott’s quotes have entered the fandom’s lexicon in the way that Brent’s have, despite giving them much more material to work with.)

In this regard too, the Aussie version seems modelled after the US one: in the three episodes made available to critics ahead of time, there is little about it that feels idiosyncratically Australian. If you go into the series wondering how exactly Australian workplaces differ from those overseas, you’ll leave wholly unenlightened. The original Office offered a real flavour of what life is like in a Slough paper merchants; the Australian Office only really offers a sense of what it would be like if a bunch of Aussie comedy writers were fans of The Office.

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It’s a shame, because the premise of The Office is as malleable as any. There’s not really any reason why the series needs to have such transparent copies of its past characters, either. Why not put a twist on the formula? Make the Nick/Jim/Tim character a scheming careerist. And Lizzie/Dwight/Gareth a sympathetic foil. There are an infinite number of possible scenarios you could dream up within the “sitcom in an office” format, and yet still we hew to the same brittle framework.

But this is to be expected. The Australian Office is, like its US forebear, a series engineered to please, and the received wisdom of remakes dictates that there’s nothing more pleasing than familiarity. But that’s the problem: the original Office was never concerned with pleasing anybody – it was squirms and sickly laughter at all costs. Can this new rendition really say the same?