Baby Ballroom, Saturday 6.25pm, ITV1

Posted by Amanda Vlietstra

Our rating:
What a disappointment. I was looking forward to reviewing this - I thought Baby Ballroom would be the last word in sinister television, showcasing pushy parents forcing their kids into the limelight whilst the lamb-dressed-as-mutton kids miserably did the tango, all too aware of the humiliation they'd receive in the school playground the next day (OK, I have a mean streak sometimes).

But actually, all the kids and parents seemed pretty well-balanced and down-to-earth. True, a couple of the mums looked like they'd been Tangoed themselves, having evidently hit the sunbed hard in preparation for appearing on national TV, but the kids were remarkably un-bratty.

Of course, one fatal flaw in the programme is that the judges can't lay into the kids, Simon Cowell style, for fear of making them all cry. But as the judges included X Factor finalist Ray Quinn (a former child ballroom dancing star himself - who knew?), Bonnie Langford and some bloke who I've never seen in my life before, but who everyone cheered, sarcastic repartee wasn't exactly on the cards anyway.

So no showbiz brats, no tears and no pushy parents. All a bit dull really. This programme was strictly for people who like to watch nine-year-olds dressed as adults dancing around pretending to fancy each other. Hmmm. A programme like that just can't help being a bit sinister, can it? Still, it was good to see presenter Kate Thornton has got a new job after being chucked off X Factor. What's that Kate? You're thinking of seeing if McDonalds are hiring?