The People’s Strictly Blub-Fest

The People’s Strictly kicked off last night – and shares in Kleenex must have soared!

With an audience potentially split between this, The Brits and Wolf Hall, it quickly became clear that for depth of character, drama, passion and all round life affirming goodness, BBC1 was the place to be.

This wasn’t just any emotional rollercoaster. This was us being more emotionally rollercoastered than ever before, as we met three of the deserving Strictly Come Dancing fans being given their chance to shine in the Strictly ballroom.

Michael, Cassidy and Heather are three of the most inspiring people you’ll ever meet. Their selflessness in the face of shattering adversity in their own lives just serves to remind us how powerful the human spirit really is. Read all about them below, along with Trishna, Anna and Phil, who we’ll be introduced to next week and whose stories are just as incredible.

From left to right of the above image (top row and then bottom):

Anna Kennedy, who set up a school for people with autism, is dancing with Robin Windsor
Former Marine medic, Cassidy Little, is dancing with Natalie Lowe
Heather Parsons, who set up a charity to support intensive care patients and their families, is dancing with Ian Waite
Youth theatre company director and fundraiser Phil Barnett is dancing with Janette Manrara
Multiple Sclerosis fundraiser and awareness campaigner Trishna Bharadia is dancing with Aljaz Skorjanez
Meningitis fundraiser and awareness campaigner Michael Pattie is dancing with Aliona Vilani

The couples will compete for the People’s Glitter Ball in a live show on March 11, hosted by Tess and Claudia. We’ll vote for our winner, who’ll be crowned The People’s Strictly champion during Comic Relief on March 13.

The Twitter timeline was awash with virtual tears and tributes to these amazing people. Here’s a selection (to prove it wasn’t only me sobbing my heart out!)

The Three Heroes (click to read the quotes)