American smooth I can't see the female pro's trusting a man to lift them after 3/4 weeks of training.

Foxtrot is the hardest ballroom for a woman to do, as the male professionals say most of the time.

I think a Quickstep is a good dance to start on for a woman, and then the Cha Cha.

For a man the waltz is the easiest to lead, the other ballroom dances involve more experience to lead, maybe change the latin dance to salsa. Though it's usually a waltzing Male who leaves the show first. Rather than one who Cha-Cha's

i dont know what all the fuss is about, has anyone on this forum seen Craig, Bruno or even Arlene ballroom dancing, i think the issue here is that they have been there since the beginning and were presented as "experts" , so of course we all assume they know what they are talking about. I think the show needs a shake up and bringing in Alesha is a good idea, she knows better than anyone on the panel what it's like to perform on the show and the pressure the contestants are under. Also Darcy is a bit of a strange choice because all her experience is in Ballet, except for the dreadful Viva la diva, less said about that the better





I said

Good point about the lift!

Also meant to say that the results show needs to return to Saturday nights (obviously make it live) - that would be the best change to make I think!

Settled for me this year, X Factor it is!

Bad move, what dance qualifications has Alesha, other than appearing on the show?

Im a bit worried about what else will change. After last year it does need rethinking but i dont want it to change drastically.

I'll reserve judgment on Darcy until i see her.

Not sure about a past contestant being a judge, it could be a really good decision or a really bad one! I like Alesha though and who knows she might be there to just comment and not score.

I just wonder what else the producers have got planned!
Last edited by Sparkle_Pink : 09-07-2009 at 14:57

My impression was that it wasn't so much the viewers wanted the judges to consider the entertainment side of things as the viewers wanted to vote contrary to the judges. It seemed to me to be more of a "judges vs public" issue than a "dancing competition vs entertainment show" issue.

My impression too. If the judges were seen to have a 'favourite' that week, even when completely deserved, the public vote often seemed to be in spite.

G

I pretty much agree with this post. I loved Alesha when she was a contestant, but really think it's a bad move to make her a judge. After the last series things obviously needed an overhaul, at least as far as the judging is concerned, but surely Camilla or Karen, or an equivalent pro, would have brought far more expertise to the panel?

This just reeks of dumbing down, and I hate to say it because I love the show and have a lot of time for Alesha as a person and a performer.

I guess we just have to wait and see how it works - as long as there is a good mix of couples this year SCD should be OK.

I think it's all wrapped up in the same bundle. The reason the public were wanting to vote against the judges was because the judges were marking harshly against people who, true, were not technically very good, but were improving and providing great entertainment. A lot of the frustration and backlash against the judges was because the audience wanted them to consider the enjoyment of the dance as much as the technical. At least a certain portion did - this forum certainly descended into an argument between itself as to whether SCD should be just about dancing or dancing&entertainment.

Wrong Wrong Wrong ,No way should she be a judge. Do they want us all to switch off, Will it be worth watching I doubt it very much.

I can't help thinking that Anton will probably turn out to be right.


No, they know best! In their little world us plebs know absolutely nothing and we should all just shut up and do as we're told. Don't you know that they're the TV experts?


It's ageist AND sexist!! Notice how the older MEN are all still there? Including Bruce who must be nearly a hundred by now!! Who's the one to go? The ageing woman, even if she does look great for her age.


Her screechy laugh does my flamin' head in


I too feel sorry for Arlene All in all she has been a good and entertaining judge who does not deserve this shoddy treatment by the BBC and if I was her I'd have told the BBC where to stick the One Show (even though I personally like it)


Agreed Always the older woman who goes. But if she was going to be replaced I'd have rather seen Camilla on the panel as she's not dancing this year is she and has expressed and interest in being a judge before. Or as Katinka said replace her with Karen who's brilliant, has been a world champion with YEARS of experience



Mmm. It did make me wonder last year if by slagging off John Sargeant at EVERY opportunity if it would ultimately cost her Arlene job - and it looks like I was right. She really was horrible and wouldn't shut up about him being terrible on literally every programme she went on including breakfast TV, The One Show and It Takes Two! I was yelling at the screen for her to shut up as she was coming across really badly. Until then she could be a tad bitchy or nasty but with John S she just didn't seem to know when to stop and I know a lot of people pointed the finger at her when he withdrew from the show. Strange no one seems to remember that Craig could also be totally vicious about John too though But for some strange reason I'm a fan of Craig

However, even if that's the reason (not that I think they'll say it publicly) I still maintain it's a nice excuse to get rid of the older woman and bring in some 'hot totty' a la The X Factor. Trouble is, I don't think that people will warm to Alesha the same way they have to Chery Cole. I could be totally and utterly wrong on that though


I think this was my first post on a Strictly thread! V exciting

Wonder what the shake up of the voting system will look like that was announced by Jay Hunt at the press launch today?


Report here about two thirds down.

I just popped in here to see what people thought when I read on another website that Alesha has been confirmed as a judge.

I really really like Alesha and was delighted when she won the series back then, BUT imo she is much more suited to the Tess role than a judge. I wonder if Brucie has had anything to do with this. He was always going on about her getting into programming like this.

I haven't watched a couple of series now because of the Judges behaviour and Tess' inanity (also I became fixated on her dodgy eye ).

Making Alesha a judge won't win me back as a viewer, but if she had replaced Tess I would have been back like a shot and just muted the judges when it was their turn

OH GOD......NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

No wonder Bruce took a pay cut..........Alesha must be part of the deal

Not sure I can take an 80 year old with an Alesha crush
feeling sick already

Although you got to give him his due..........he is persistant in trying to make her a star

This is just about the worst thing they could have done.

If they are looking to ruin Strictly and trash the viewing figures then congratulations to the BBC.

Arlene, like her or not as a personality did know what she was talking about and looking for. Often she diffused situations between the rest of the panel too when things got too heated.

Alesha will never be able to fill this position, she will end up like Kelly Brook on BGT - a complete disaster.

I cannot understand anyway why Arlene had to go - why not Bruno who is virtually incoherant and never actually manages to come up with anything original. The other judges are so much better at criticism constructive or destructive !

As I said in another post. Blatant discrimination agains the older woman. The show has done really well for years with the panel it had. I love Alesha and am not a huge Arlene fan but it looks terrible! Doddery old Bruce, Old Len, and the gorgeous young Alesha! Who is not even a dancing expert!

SHOCKING

My thoughts exactly .... i wonder if they will have the same bottle as Simon Cowell and ITV and sack her if things dont work out

Cannot believe we now have Alesha in a judges position if i was a pro dancer i wouldnt be very happy at her critiqueing my choreography or the performance of someone i had taught

I disagree, I think she'll end up like Cheryl Cole on the X Factor. A huge sucess!

Thanks for that link Buddy

I think she will 2 I can see why people are miffed as she doesn't have any experience so wouldn't b e able 2 comment on the technical side of the dances but Alesha is a lovely person and easy 2 warm 2.

I much prefer Alesha to Cheryl Cole

The difference is Cheryl Cole mentors and judges unknown wanabees not professional dancers and celebrities

Cheryl is a popstar who mentors wannabe popstars. Even she can't sing, she's still a well known and successful popstar.

Alesha is a popstar who judges professional dancers...

see the difference?

Arlene gave everything a bit of technical gravitas amid all the bitching and back biting. Alesha really is a poor replacement.

Darcey Bussell is a real coup though.

Not at all happy.

When money was given to CIN the call charges were higher, they are now 15p , as was seen in the independant report into BBC phone ins by Price Waterhouse when looking in to the case where people had been charged when they called outside the "call window", the BBC does not look to make a profit above running costs of the lines , except when the call charges are deliberately higher when raising money for a specified charity.


“[the BBC] should normally ensure that
premium rate calls are priced at the lowest tariff. They should not normally be used to generate a profit with the exception of BBC charity appeals.”

It is clear to us that many of these issues have already been recognised by the BBC itself. This is reflected in the actions on PRS identified in the BBC Director General’s Report on Premium Rate Telephony and Associated Issues to the Trust (May 2007)15. Additionally the terms of reference for the internal working party as shown in the BBC’s Internal Review16 expanded upon this.