I hate to say it, but The Daily Mail is far more prone to being, um, liberal with the truth than The Sun and The Mirror. All they will have done is regurgitated the story that was already doing the rounds and sprinkled it with some anti-BBC bias.

My guess is that the next series of Strictly will be more about performance and 'pizazz' - taking a leaf out of DWTS. Into which Alesha wouldn't be that bad a fit, at the end of the day.

But, to be brutally frank, you'd probably get more objective judging from a cardboard cut-out of Fiona Phillips than you would out of Arlene.

It's unfortunate this has thrown up a debate about the presence of older women on television. That is a valid subject, but Arlene's age does not justify her previous (bad) behaviour.

How are you? Long time no see.

Nunno, granted, only that there doesn't seem to be any denials so I give it a bit of credence...for the moment.

All of the judges behaviour was bad. The last series still leaves a bitter taste. For me the worst was Len, though his crimes against humanity are too many to regurgitate all over again.

As for SCD going down the DWTS route, well I greatly enjoyed the series of DWTS I saw but I wouldn't care for it here. Apart from the style of dancing and the more or less bypassing of technique, it's not really in the audience character here or indeed the celebrities to 'whoop it up' like the Americans do, and it could all fall flat and be rather embarrassing. They do it differently and they do it very well, the band is certainly terrific, I wish we could import it but it's still a different baby to ours.

If we are not going to have a professional ballroom and latin dancer or professional judge, then why not Darcey Bussell who performed a guest dance in SCD6?

Once at age 20 the youngest ever Royal Ballet principal dancer, at 40 the exquisite Darcey will of course learn super fast anything she needs to know. Her perspective from ballet will be refreshing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009...ance-interview

She was actually my first thought when I saw this thread but I wasn't sure how much dance knowledge she had other than ballet - ie choreography etc etc. She'd be great - a real breath of fresh air.

Darcey Bussell is a very bright thought, and they can't say that she wouldn't inject glamour if they are obsessing on that issue. If Karen and Camilla are otherwise engaged, then I'm for it.

At the hightest level of dance there is now some meeting of ideas from latin and ballet.....

Darcey isn't from a ballroom / latin background though, is she? aside from the obvious Karen and Camilla there must be dozens of well qualified alternatives in London alone that could speak with some authority on what they were seeing...Surely there's no need to go outside of the latin and ballroom disciplines?

Hi there ...

I suspect the reason there are no denials is because the BBC is in flux given [1] the Tory/Daily Mail attack on its principles and what exactly it should do (see the Broadcasting forum for some ridiculous proposals that the BBC gives shows which are 'too popular' away to commercial broadcasters ); and [2] the cuts the BBC is currently implementing.

The latter in particular will have a potentially big impact on Strictly. It's not a cheap show (costumes, live music, etc.) - and as open war has already been declared on presenters' salaries, I would wager that Bruce and the judges will be in the firing line. So it isn't surprising the speculation has started - it will almost certainly reflect conversations that are taking place.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Alesha has been approached; nor does it surprise me that she's keeping schtumm. It's quite early for deals like this to be done (I seem to remember the judges' deals happening quite late last year).

My comments about DWTS are pure speculation - I have no idea what they have planned.

As for the last series - don't get me started. All I hope is that lessons have been learned from the appalling mess it descended into ... which was down to the judges and the producers.

I had a dream last year that Lionel Blair was a new judge & everyone said i'd gone crackers!!
Lets wait and see. Imagine if it was true!!

At least Lionel Blair would know what he was talking about

Er...having said that, if he was on the show I'd have to take the cat out for a long walk

PS: Don't get your hopes up Servalan

I hope your dreams don't come true. If that were to happen I don't know that I could bear to watch any more.

Really disappointed that Tess has been kept on for at least another two series.

Total nightmare! Please noooooooooooooooooo

Alesha was an incredibly popular and charismatic champion but I don't see how any previous contestant would be able to join the judging panel because of their previous show partnership and friendships with the other professional dancers - can you imagine the cries of favouritism if she gave good marks to Matthew and his new partner?

Oh that famous phrase...'lessons have been learned', well, we hope!

As for the rest, yes it is obviously difficult at the moment, given the current recurring fuss over the licence fee. I have a sad feeling that SCD could get progressively tackier and low rent, especially if some of the rumoured celebs to take part are anything to go by.

How could Alesha who has little dance experience be a judge of SCD and have any credibility. The idea is ludicrous!

Arlene is one of the better judges and I would be very sorry to see her go. In fact IF this story is true, I won't be watching the programme any longer.

If a judge should go then it should be Bruno IMO

For a moment I wandered into a parallel universe, into a dream where The Apprentice combined with Strictly, and Alan Sugar was speaking as one of the judges........

"You're fired," he thundered.

I awoke and found the toast was burning.

I agree, I like him but he adds very little.


I think I'd quite enjoy that!

Hello,

I am wondering if Alesha has any credentials to judge on Strictly. I think not. Arlene is sometimes really harsh, but she is a former dancer and therefore has experience. I adore Alesha and I don't mind her laugh, but come on. Her role would be as similar as Piers Morgan's on BGT. (I checked his biography and it doesn't write anything about singing career). So, I hope Arlene to stay.

About Daily Mail. I don't read it, because it makes me feel sick. Full of lies, speculations plus homophobia and xenophobia. DIS-GUST-ING. I was reading a year ago and I think it was about Craig Revel Horwood and they were discussing his homosexual relationship and down there were homophobic comments. It was like reading BNP website. Ewww....

Hello,

I am wondering if Alesha has any credentials to judge on Strictly. I think not. Arlene is sometimes really harsh, but she is a former dancer and therefore has experience. I adore Alesha and I don't mind her laugh, but come on. Her role would be as similar as Piers Morgan's on BGT. (I checked his biography and it doesn't write anything about singing career). So, I hope Arlene to stay.

About Daily Mail. I don't read it, because it makes me feel sick. Full of lies, speculations plus homophobia and xenophobia. DIS-GUST-ING. I was reading a year ago and I think it was about Craig Revel Horwood and they were discussing his homosexual relationship and down there were homophobic comments. It was like reading BNP website. Ewww....

P.S. I apologize for the double post.

I'd miss Arlene if she is going, she might have got on my nerves sometimes with her comments but she did give good advise and sometimes when it was followed you saw good improvements.

But if she does go then Alesha would be a bad replacement. As much as she was populare and a good dancer, she couldn't judge another celeb. She knows the basics of dancing and thats it, and she loves the show too much she'd probably love everyone (not in a nasty way its just the way she is). Theres a few of the professionals that would be good to replace her.

Piers is a strange comparison. It's Britain's Got Talent, not Britain's Got Singers. He doesn't need singing experience.

It's true. But I think the singers are in majority. Singers, dancers...I really like Piers, but he is a journalist. And Alesha is singer, not dancer. Well, she knows Hip Hop, I think...

I don't think putting a pro there would be fair.

The judges and the dancers should be seperate imo.

If Arlene is replaced, I really can't see anyone else replacing her apart from Alesha though. I mean, I think Jill Halfpenny would be a better choice, but she doesn't have the same sort of profile as Alesha.

That said, Alesha seems pretty busy.

Hang on! If the pro's shouldn't be judging each other surely the same applies to former contestants? Why should Karen or Camilla be disbarred on the grounds that they might be biased when the same applies equally to Alesha? she must have her favourites and not so favourites too

Oh, and there are plenty of alternatives to Alesha Check out the phonebook under professional dancers and choreographers...You'll be surprised how many there are