Living reality show to pair dance and diets

Living is to combine dancing, weight loss and reality television for new series Strictly Come Dieting.

Ten amateur dancers "in need of losing a few pounds" will be paired with professionals then judged on style, technique and slimming over the eight-part series.

Judges - currently being cast - will include dance and health experts. A different genre will be covered each week and teams will also have to pick outfits, revealing more as they lose weight and gain confidence.

Claudia Rosencrantz, director of television at Living parent Virgin Media Television, said: "Dance dieting is currently the hottest way to slim down and, in an age where people will go to unbelievable lengths to lose weight, it’s certainly the most fun!"

Hannah Wyatt, executive producer at Mentorn Media, which is making the show, said: "It promises to be fun and glamorous but also highly competitive. They’ll have to work hard to master all the challenges and shape up if they’re going to stand a chance of winning."

Kat Lennox will produce the series with Wyatt and Dan Barraclough executive producing. It was commissioned by Mark Sammon.