AMID all the gloomy Brexit-based ‘should we stay or should we go now?’ recriminations, squabbles and plotting, thank goodness for the world of light entertainment.

The whole Brexit thing is enough to drive anyone doolally–which perhaps explains why the sheer escapism of programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing prove so welcome to millions of viewers. Having arrived late to the party (I began watching Strictly only when our home-grown Hairy Biker Dave Myers was a contestant), I’m now a huge fan, relishing my weekly fix of glittery gorgeousness, celebs I’ve never heard of, the pantomime villain pomposity of Craig Revel Horwood and the fantastic outfits.

Over the years, Strictly has of necessity begun to take a somewhat elastic approach to what constitutes “fame” – and of this year’s initial line up, the only celebrity dancers I knew of were newsreader Kate Silverton, cricketer Graeme Swann and a dimly-remembered Susannah Constantine.

Whoever your favourites are (I’m torn between Joe Sugg and Stacey Dooley to lift the glitterball), there does seem to be growing consensus on one thing: celebrities with a background in dance make a bit of a mockery of itwhat should be a level playing field.

This year, the celebrity side is fielding two stars with previous dance experience, Faye Tozer of the pop group Steps (the clue being in the name) and Ashley Roberts, a former judge on Dancing on Ice in the USA and who – if you believe everything you see on Twitter – is a trained choreographer with her own dance school. Hardly fair to the other competitors; and, as a viewer I find the lack of ‘journey’ from clodhopper to accomplished hoofer almost as dull as her weekly faux worry about getting it wrong (and then not), followed by her “shock” when she notches up the top scores.

I don’t really understand how the producers get away with this. It’s like having Nigella Lawson as a contestant on The Great British Bake-Off.

Next year, I hope the BBC returns to the true spirit of Strictly and gets a load of properly famous people with virtually no dancing skills.

With that in mind, I’ve been compiling my fantasy list of competitors for Strictly 2019. I’m thinking Peter Kay – for his dad dancing; Wayne Rooney – because I’d love to see him try to pull off a sexy Argentine tango; politics’ own dancing queen Theresa May; Jeremy Paxman – because he’d be so furious when criticised by Mr Horwood; Jeremy Corbyn – because I’d love to see him in head to toe sparkles; Prince Harry – because he’d probably be a great sport; Richard Osman – to see him paired with tiny pro Jeanette; and Jean Claude Juncker – to see how long he could stay upright.

Maybe we should just sort Brexit out along the lines of Strictly. I can just see Theresa May in a dance off with Michel Barnier.