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#jlbet NoneWhen Strictly Come Dancing first aired on BBC One on 15 May 2004, Facebook had only just launched and The X Factor had not yet even begun. But while it seems a lifetime ago, Strictly quickly established itself as part of the fabric of British life, and its debut episode drew nearly six million viewers. "Nobody thought it would take off, but people just loved it," says writer Alison Maloney, who has produced all the BBC Strictly annuals since 2008. Despite instantly catching the public mood, there had been serious doubts over the show's viability. "It was a huge risk," BBC One's controller at the time, Lorraine Heggessey, later admitted. "There were many people who thought I'd gone mad, putting ballroom dancing up at primetime on a Saturday night." With any fears unfounded, a second series was commissioned within four months. "It was an overnight sensation," reflected judge Craig Revel Horwood . "I was recognised in the streets, so people were immediately booing. It was bizarre." As the only original judge remaining today, Craig has overseen plenty of change, and there were only eight celebrity contestants in the first series – a far cry from today. The variety of routines has ballooned, too. "In the initial shows, there were only two dances per week, so there might be four couples doing the cha-cha-cha, and four couples doing a waltz," Alison points out. "Now there's so much variety – they really mix it up." Visually, the show has gone through a major transformation too. "The set was really basic at first – it was just the stairs and the dance floor," recalls Alison. The show was originally broadcast from BBC Television Centre, but the site's closure in 2013 prompted a move to a bigger set at Elstree. "Since then, the props and technology have grown increasingly sophisticated. The LED screens make these magnificent patterns on the floor and can basically turn the studio into a Parisian boulevard or a nightclub." Former executive producer Andrea Hamilton, who worked on the show in 2012 and 2013, agrees that the production values are now far more ambitious. "In the beginning it was more stripped back, generic and not about big concepts. It was more, 'This is the song and style, and here's your track.' But from around 2010 onwards, the dances were thought of as stories, and it became about building worlds to draw people in." Another big difference in the Strictly of old was that the performances and the results were both screened on Saturday nights. But that changed in 2007, when the results show began transmitting on Sunday evenings, ramping up the tension for an extra 24 hours. "Now you can plan your whole weekend around Strictly and, if you're really devoted, watch It Takes Two in the week as well," jokes Alison. One thing that has remained consistent is the annual Blackpool special, which pays homage to the original Come Dancing series filmed at the iconic Tower Ballroom in the 1970s. "Everyone loves Blackpool," she says. "It's a benchmark midway through the series that we all look forward to." Inevitably, for such a long-running series, there have been multiple shifts in the judging panel, and for the first four years, the line-up consisted of Craig, the late Len Goodman , Arlene Phillips and Bruno Tonioli . "One great thing in the beginning was that the judges were completely unknown," says Alison. "None of them were TV stars, and they all thought it would only last five minutes. How wrong they were!" As founding judges, they were free to develop their own personalities. "Len was an instant hit as the Cockney geezer with his ridiculous phrases like 'pickle my walnuts'. Craig quickly fell into being the pantomime villain, and Arlene took on the headteacher role, telling everyone off for the tiny things they got wrong. And Bruno was just the mad, comedy Italian on the end," says Alison. The foursome remained together until the departure of choreographer Arlene in 2009, which heralded the arrival of 2007 Strictly champion Alesha Dixon. Her exit after three seasons brought prima ballerina Darcey Bussell into the fold in 2012, and she stayed until 2018 when she quit to focus on other dance commitments. New addition Motsi Mabuse – sister of former pro Oti – replaced Darcey in 2019. Another big change came when Shirley Ballas took over from Len, who stepped down in 2016, saying, "It's time to hand the role of head judge to someone else." Meanwhile, when the pandemic prevented LA-based Bruno from travelling, pro dancer Anton Du Beke filled in, with his role becoming permanent in 2022. Walking away after 18 years, Bruno told of the difficulties of juggling his role on Dancing With The Stars in the US, saying, "I just couldn't fly any more. I don't know how I survived that schedule." Fan favourite Anton was pleased to cross the floor though, saying, "I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be stepping into Bruno's brogues... I promise to be kinder to all the couples than any of them have ever been to me." With today's panel a rock-solid unit, Alison says, "Anton has the unique experience of having been in the pro dancers' shoes, and so brings empathy with that. I think Sir Bruce also saw Anton as a natural successor, so his humour lives on through him in a way. And Shirley and Motsi both have a lifetime of experience in the world of dance, so are great in their roles. Craig remains a perfect antidote to the others, with his catchphrases such as 'fab-u-lous' and 'di-sah-ster darling'." The presenting lineup has changed too, and after Sir Bruce stood down in 2014, Claudia Winkleman was paired with Claudia Winkleman – seen as a bold move for its time. "I think Strictly was the first big show to have two female presenters," says Andrea, who is now managing director of production company ModestTV. "Putting Claudia and Tess together was brilliant, and showed how the show can evolve." As Andrea suggests, this is a must for a series spanning 20 years. "Things can't stay the same. When Bruce and Len or certain dancers left, you'd think, 'What's going to happen? How are we going to go on?' But that's when you realise the format of the show is so powerful it can move on and still thrive." As the years have gone on, Strictly has also become known for its diversity. "As well as same-sex couples, we've had Paralympian Jonnie Peacock as the show's first amputee, Ellie Simmonds as the first with dwarfism, and Rose Ayling-Ellis as the first deaf contestant," says Alison. "These have all been huge talking points, and shows viewers in the most inspiring way how anything is possible."

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To lure Juan Soto, Mets created a video of his statue outside Citi Field next to Tom Seaver'sOTTAWA — Zayne Parekh lived a strange week earlier this month. The Calgary Flames prospect was crushed after being left off Canada's list of selection camp hopefuls for the upcoming world junior hockey championship. A chance to pull on the red Maple Leaf was a dream. At age 18, there would still be next year. Not seeing his name alongside the rest of the country's marquee under-20 talent still stung. Some five days later, however, the defenceman from Nobleton, Ont., selected ninth overall at June's NHL draft, was making travel plans for the nation's capital — handed an unexpected lifeline that kept his tournament quest alive. "A lot of motivation came from finding out that I wasn't on the team," said Parekh, who replaced the injured Harrison Brunicke last Friday. "A bit devastated because every kid wants to represent their country on the highest stage. "Glad I got a second opportunity." Oshawa Generals winger Beckett Sennecke, meanwhile, waited until Monday for his tap on the shoulder with Easton Cowan being held out of action this week as a precaution. The No. 3 pick in 2024 wants to do everything he can to ensure it doesn't get slammed shut a second time. "It's tough to not see your (name) on there," said 18-year-old, who like Parekh has another year of world junior eligibility. "Getting the call a couple days later was extremely exciting. "I have certain qualities that they like. I'm trying to display those." Parekh and Sennecke were last to enter the building. That doesn't mean they'll be the first two out. "You've got to cut the number off at some point," said Hockey Canada's Peter Anholt, who heads the organization's under-20 program. "They're here now to show us what they can do and see if they can cut out a niche." Parehk and Sennecke took part in Thursday's exhibition game against a team of university all-stars at TD Place that saw Canada register a 5-2 victory. Sennecke picked up two assists. The Canadians face the U Sports squad again Friday before the national program's brain trust trims its roster. Parekh had an admittedly slow start to his Ontario Hockey League campaign with the Saginaw Spirit after winning last season's Memorial Cup, going through the draft process and taking part in Calgary's training camp. "They know I'm capable of playing with the puck," the six-foot, 180-pound defender with 34 points across 25 games said of Canada's management group. "You've got to step on the ice with a purpose and compete as hard as you can. I'm going to try and leave a good impression on all the staff." Sennecke is in a similar boat. The six-foot-four, 195-pound forward needs to show he can play a 200-foot game to have a chance of sticking with Canada — a powerhouse aiming to rebound off a disastrous fifth-place finish 12 months ago in Sweden — for the annual showcase set to open Dec. 26 in Ottawa. "Size, speed, direct game, a heavy game," Sennecke said of his attributes. "Going to continue to do what I do." The Toronto native has 44 points in 26 contests with Oshawa, including six goals and eight assists in three appearances after initially being told he hadn't been invited to try out at TD Place. "Hockey gods kind of rewarding me," he said with a smile. "A couple good games where everything went in." After bitter disappointment followed by excitement, both Parekh and Sennecke still cling to a world junior dream. "You watch it every Christmas," Sennecke said. "The staple of a Canadian hockey family." "It definitely got taken away from me," Parekh added. "But I'm grateful to be here ... I have a pretty good feeling." NHL PEDIGREE Canada doesn't expect any of its three eligible NHLers — Chicago's Connor Bedard, San Jose's Macklin Celebrini or Buffalo's Zach Benson — to be made available for the tournament, but there will still pro experience in the fold. Oshawa centre Calum Ritchie played seven games with Colorado in the fall, while Guelph Storm counterpart Jett Luchanko suited up four times with Philadelphia. Carolina prospect Bradly Nadeau has already been confirmed on Canada's final roster — he will join up following selection camp — after playing once in the NHL last season before suiting up for the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves in 2024-25. SECOND CHANCE Tanner Molendyk made Canada's roster last year only to break his wrist in pre-tournament play. The Nashville Predators defence prospect is back with unfinished business. "I flew home Christmas Eve and then watched Boxing Day," said Molendyk, who figures to have a big role this time around. "It was tough, didn't get the results they wanted. Hopefully this year we can change that around and flip the script." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

Several Chinese investors and would-be tourists who were to visit and invest in Sri Lanka were not too happy when they were cold shouldered by the previous Government, said Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong during a meeting with a group of journalists at the Embassy on Thursday. He said a case in point was the discussions for a Free Trade Agreement where they had seven rounds of talks but it never got off the ground. Some vested parties deliberately put fear into the people regarding the FTA by saying that China was a big country and hence Sri Lanka would not have any advantage regarding an FTA with China. “This is wrong. If you take for example a country such as Laos (where the Gross Domestic Product is: 15,843 M US$ vs Sri Lanka where the GDP is US$ 84,357) this country has benefited a great deal from trade relations with China. Today, if one looks at the Rubber-Rice Pact between China and Sri Lanka signed way back in the 1950’s, there was no negative feedback with regard to the Pact where Sri Lanka was concerned. “We are sincere in helping Sri Lanka and all the development assistance too was given with this in mind while there were many donations as well such as the Kandy hospital in Polonnaruwa, supplying the sinopharm vaccine during the Covid-19 pandemic and many more,” he said. The Envoy said many referred to the Lotus Tower as being a white elephant but today under a private company it is making profits. “It should be also stressed that the Sri Lanka Government did not spend a penny to build the Colombo Port City,” he said. He also recalled that a Chinese company had invested to set up a power plant in the North, however, at mid- stage the then Government cancelled it sending out negative sentiments to Chinese investors. The Envoy said during the same time, when a Chinese Scientific vessel wanted to carry out research in Sri Lankan waters, it was not allowed and this incident was given publicity in Chinese social media as well as mainstream media, thus Chinese travellers were not too happy with the negative feedback. The irony is that the Maldives granted permission for the ship to carry out research in its waters. “This is one reason for Chinese arrivals to drop from the top three to the fifth place. However, he said that though the numbers may be small, Chinese tourists on average spent more than travellers from other countries during their stay here,” he added. Zhenhong said they had observed the political change especially in the North following the two successive elections. “We hope to work closely with the new Government and President Anura Kumar Dissanayake is expected to visit China next year.” As the largest developing country and the second largest economy, China has been actively promoting the implementation of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Belt and Road initiative. “By doing so, China is able to create new opportunities for the world and benefit the global community through its high-quality growth; China has been actively promoting the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) by calling for all countries to promote the common values of humanity featuring peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom,” he added. “China and Sri Lanka are both Global South countries. We have broad consensus on many major international and regional issues and have effectively safeguarded the common interest of the two countries through productive cooperation. China has always firmly supported Sri Lanka in upholding its Independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and stood up for Sri Lanka on issues such as human rights,” he further added. “The Sri Lankan Government and people also have been firmly supporting China on issues concerning China’s core interest and major concerns such as issues related to Xizang and Taiwan,” he said. China-Sri Lanka multilateral cooperation has become a model of unity and self-reliance among Global South countries. This year, the new Sri Lankan Government has applied to join BRICS and the New Development Bank. “Though facing difficulties and challenges, such moves show the new Government’s commitment to an independent and non-aligned Foreign Policy while withstanding external pressure. It also goes to show the Government’s willingness to work with all Global South countries to enhance their influence and appeal on the international stage”, the Envoy further said and added “China warmly welcomes Sri Lanka and other like-minded partners from the Global South to be part of the BRICS family for common development.”BERLIN (AP) — Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel recalls Vladimir Putin's “power games” over the years, remembers contrasting meetings with Barack Obama and Donald Trump and says she asked herself whether she could have done more to prevent Brexit, in her memoirs published Tuesday. Merkel, 70, appears to have no significant doubts about the major decisions of her 16 years as German leader, whose major challenges included the global financial crisis, Europe’s debt crisis, the 2015-16 influx of refugees and the COVID-19 pandemic. True to form, her book — titled “Freedom” — offers a matter-of-fact account of her early life in communist East Germany and her later career in politics, laced with moments of dry wit. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest local entertainment news, dining reviews, and more delivered right to your inbox every Thursday.

If you've searched retail outlets for a reliable heavy-duty engine to power a go-kart, moped, or utility device, odds are you've already come across the name DuroMax. Not to be confused with the legendary Duramax diesel engines that have been powering trucks like the SlashGear-approved Chevy Silverado since the early 2000s, DuroMax engines are generally designed for use in small vehicles and devices. Yes, that means they require significantly less power to operate than their General Motors made counterparts . Generally, DuroMax engines — which also power the brand's generators — are gasoline powered, with many utilizing a lawnmower-style pull-start. But if you've done your due diligence in your small engine research, you likely already know about the DuroMax brand and how its engines work. You might even have figured out which engine you need from the brand's extensive small engine family to power your device. One thing you might not have come across in your research is where, exactly, DuroMax engines are manufactured. That's because DuroMax does not explicitly detail the manufacturing location of its engines on its website. The company does, however, note on its FAQ page that its products are proudly designed by its engineers in Ontario, California, adding that its generators and engines are actually manufactured "overseas." However, a little sleuthing on Amazon will turn up a few instances in which a DuroMax rep has answered the question of where the products are made, indicating they are manufactured in China. These days, that may be a legit deal-breaker for some in the market for a heavy-duty small engine. But if you're not deterred from purchasing a DuroMax due to its manufacturing location, you might have an interest in knowing whether or not they are any good before you actually invest in one. If that's the case, you'll be happy to learn that DuroMax engines are generally well thought of by those who've already purchased them. Several of the brand's engines are currently listed for sale through The Home Depot, including its 208cc and 440cc builds. Those engines currently boast ratings of 4.8 stars out of 5 and 4 stars out of 5, respectively, signaling that users are largely satisfied with their purchase. The 208cc is, obviously, the bigger hit, with users largely praising it for ease of use and installation, as well as its performance and price point. However, some did have issues with its durability, a complaint that also dogged the 18hp 440cc model, along with concerns over engines arriving damaged and its actual horsepower rating. As with the 208cc, many users still appreciated the 440cc build's performance and its budget-friendly price. Meanwhile, over on Amazon, users also rated DuroMax's larger 713cc engine well, awarding it 4.4 stars out of 5 overall. As with its lineup partners, customers appreciate the engine's ease of use and installation, and its overall performance. However, one complained of the location of the engine's exhaust port, while others complained about its recoil starter. But overall, it seems you can purchase a DuroMax engine with a decent level of confidence.Commerce Bank Sells 133 Shares of Vertiv Holdings Co (NYSE:VRT)

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