The Dirty Dancing Remake Is Happening: Here's What You Need To Know

Uh-huh. It’s happening and there’s nothing you can do to stop it

American network ABC has been given the go-ahead to remake 80s classic Dirty Dancing for the small screen. ‘Why, oh why would you mess with something so perfect?’ we hear you wail. We don’t actually know, and trawling the internet for answers is futile (we’ve tried). We're willing to venture it has something to do with money. You know Dirty Dancing, and its smash hit songs by heart. In a nutshell: it’s the story of the most romantic holiday romance that ever did happen. Wide-eyed, 17-year-old Baby (Jennifer Grey) falls for her dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) at a summer resort in 1963. Then the pair get Hungry Eyes for each other and have the time of their lives while dancing everyone’s favourite on-screen dance. It remains one of the most watched films of all time, because it is awesome and timeless (ie. does not need tampering with). So what of this TV adaptation that’s already triggering distress in Dirty Dancing fans worldwide? Eleanor Bergstein is on board as one of its executive producers, which actually bodes well. Bergstein wrote the screenplay for the original movie (it was inspired by her own experience) and is obviously confident this whole thing is a good idea, even if we’re not. The three-hour-long TV musical movie will be penned by Jessica Sharzer, known for her work on American Horror Story and Abigail Breslin (whose breakout role was as the lead in Little Miss Sunshine) will play Baby. Swayze’s role will be filled by actor / dancer Colt Prattes.

http://giphy.com/gifs/wggDQfZSh5Iic

Perhaps our favourite castings so far have to be the very hilarious Debra Messing and Sarah Hyland. Yesterday it was announced that Modern Family’s Sarah will be taking the role of Baby’s sister, Lisa Houseman, while the former Will & Grace