Anyone who so much as dips into Strictly Come Dancing will know that Anton Du Beke has a history of getting dud partners.

Most famously, he was paired with Ann Widdecombe, who went down in history as one of the worst dancers the show has ever seen.

But unfortunately, many people seem to equate “woman of a certain age” with “sure to be out in the first week”, and so the cries of predictability when he was matched with Lesley Joseph tonight were, well, predictable.

@bbcstrictly So Lesley Joseph gets Anton. There's a surprise! 😥😥

— malcolm jacobus (@maljacqpr) September 3, 2016

Loving so far, tho poor Anton gets"senior" again. Hope she can actually move! Disgusting he hasn't a younger partner 😣 #StrictlyComeDancing

— Alison Johnston (@Allyba11ybee) September 3, 2016

Lesley Joseph and partner Anton Du Beke (BBC)

#Strictly Lesley Joseph is great, but Anton always get the older ladies? love to see him in with a real chance of a winning for once!

— Julia Chick (@JuliaBrooklyn18) September 3, 2016

No, Anton & Lesley Joseph … who saw that coming? #StrictlyComeDancing #predictable

— Nic Wright (@NJW70) September 3, 2016

Hang on one minute, though. Birds Of A Feather star Lesley may be 70, but she had more lustre to her moves than many of her competitors who were just a fraction of her age.

I hope I'm as mobile as Lesley Joseph when I get to my 70s! #strictly

— calypte (@calypte_sarah) September 3, 2016

I think #LesleyJoseph will surprise us all..Many years doing musical theatre she must have picked up a few steps I bet #SCD

— Belynda (@BelyndaRoche) September 3, 2016

Lesley Joseph is in incredible shape for her age! #Strictly

— Karen Bailey (@KazzieLB) September 3, 2016

Bloody hell Lesley Joseph has good legs for a 31 year old – and she's 71! #scd

— Susan Dalgety (@DalgetySusan) September 3, 2016

Lesley Joseph could be a dark horse (BBC)

In fact, when it came to the group dance, Lesley was among the stand out favourites tipped to do well when the competition gets under way in three weeks.

I've got someone in the know on Strictly who's told me to bet big on Lesley Joseph. So I've just put £5000 down. @trishy60 Good call?

— Stu Joslin (@specialjay) September 3, 2016

Can people PLEASE stop slagging of Lesley Joseph SHE CAN ACTUALLY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Strictly

— kittycat (@ali_paver) September 3, 2016

Don’t underestimate Lesley and Anton – we could be looking at one of Strictly 2016′s strongest pairings.