Agree with all these comments! Alesha has been around long enough to know that there would be some kind of backlash about her lack of experience and is unlikely to blindly take a role that could jeopardise her current popularity. Her album and singles have done pretty well, and with a first solo tour coming up, as well as another documentary for BBC3, I can't imagine this is a decision she has taken lightly or without being aware of all the potential pitfalls - she doesn't need the job, and if it was just to take advantage of her Strictly success, she would have done that before - she has had ample opportunity to do the tour, west end musicals, presenting jobs offered by Sky etc. I therefore trust (possibly blindly) that Alesha knows what she is doing and that she can make a success of this, and (hope) that there must be aspects of her judging role that we don't have full info/understanding of as yet.

I agree, I think Jay Hunt et al saw Alesha as a must have, thinking she would have popular appeal, appeal to the "yoof", and (I hope i am wrong) also be a means to address any worries about racism. Remember all that debate about whether voters are racist. It was a lot of tabloid muck stirring, helped by posters on the BBC boards, but during a "blue sky thinking " session, I can imagine the BBC execs thinking that having Alesha as a judge will help their credibility as producers. Whatever the reasons I think the decision stinks on so many levels. Alesha has been used, but clearly she wants the job for her own reasons.

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I agree with you Stu. The BBC were definitely looking for a way to get Alesha onto the show. We hardly got a break from her last year. She was on both SCD and ITT. When the SCD/ITT crowd went to an awards ceremony and won an award, Alesha was there up on stage with everyone.

On ITT she reviewed the dresses and she was rubbish at it. She wasn't in the least spontaneous and had to look at her notes all the time. So I dread what she will be like on the judging. I expect the BBC will give her some coaching though.

footygirl - Don't presume to speak for us all. Also don't try and tell us that Alesha has been coerced into taking this role. Wasn't she bleating about another woman doing the dirty on her? It's a different situation but now she's done the same to another woman. How hypocritical of her.

I don't share your optimism about aspects of her judging role, SG. I like Alesha but I can't for the life of me think that she'll have anything to say other than anodyne phrases and generalized comments that any one of us posting here could do without much effort.

There are already loads of people waiting to pounce and tear the girl to shreds, and given that a large proportion of Strictly fans are older women (by todays standards that's probably about 35+) with a particular (and justifiable) dislike of seeing 'older' women replaced by younger models, the diagnosis doesn't look too promising to me.

It might not be fair but then you could say the same about Arlene's treatment by the beeb too...

if she continues to make good records then being a judge on strictly shouldn't harm her music career,

Optimism is about all I have left Stu! On the comments side, it depends how they use Alesha's role, as her experience as a competitor is something that few other people have and I am hoping this is wehere her strength will lie, just not sure how yet! (Hope springs eternal!)

As an "older" woman myself, I can definitely relate to the ageism point of view, although it is unlikely that Arlene could have been replaced by someone of a similar age, with as high a general public profile? Alesha's lack of experience is surely the key - would there have been as much ageism argument, had Arlene been replaced by Camilla or Karen say - I personally don't think so, because their experience counters that argument. I agree it's not fair, but Alesha's decision to take the job is a separate issue to Arlene going, and if it hadn't been Alesha it would have been someone else. I think Arlene would have been gone whatever (not saying I agree with that, just I think it would have happened).

Well, Alesha is not a particularly good singer. Her voice is one dimensional, rather flat and doesn't have much musicality. I can't see her having a long or particularly successful career as a singer. This could be the reason she has taken this job for which she is specularly unfitted. I do think it is a mistake for her and for SCD.

THIS! Nobody forced her to take it. I suspect had it not been Alesha it would've been someone else - Rachel Stevens, Jill Halfpenny, Emma Bunton, Mel B (from DWTS) or someone similar. But still, at least Alesha could have quite conscionably said "well, I had no part in it".


But how? The only dancing or performing she's done is on SCD so by that token we might as well ask Darren Gough to be a judge.

I have a horrible feeling that you're right on all counts.


Yes I noticed the Alesha overkill too and I also noticed that she got on stage to receive that award. I think this has been in the bag for a long time.

And the part I highlighted really, REALLY made me think. Like I've said before, one day she'll be the older woman getting shoved aside for the young hot totty!!

Although that is true, I believe Camilla has other plans afoot for her future....

I think the beeb are way off track with their thinking:

Replacing Sharon O with Cheryl C may well have made X-F more popular with a larger audience, or it simply could have been coincidence.

But SCD attracts a different audience - young kids tend to love the show, and are not likely to worry too much about the judges. The sort of young people who might follow Alesha .... (most - not all) older teenagers, for example, probably wouldn't watch the show - they are hardly likely to sit in with Mum & Dad and young sibs to watch dancing! Alesha or no Alesha.

The other huge part of the audience is made up of slightly older viewers, most of whom would much rather have a judge who knows something of what he/she is talking about than someone who's main activity seems to be flicking her hair!! (OK so that's an exaggeration, but you get my drift?)

Alesha was at the TV awards because it was an award for SCD5 as the most popular show of that year - as winner she was a big part of that season. No different to Austin, Cherie & Jodie being at an awards show, during SCD6.

Hardly see how accepting a job offer for a position that the BBC had chosen to make vacant, is the same as your husband having an affair! I don't really see where Alesha personally has wronged Arlene, although the BBC is a different matter. So far as we know, Arlene's contract wasn't being renewed whether the job had gone to Alesha or to someone else?

I agree - I think the decision was made to replace Arlene with a "younger more glamorous model" sometime ago; if Alesha hadn't accepted they would have found someone else. So I don't see this as Alesha stabbing Arlene in the back in any way.

Apparently Arlene is to be "roving reporter" for Strictly matters on the One Show ...... Now that is a stab in the back!!!

I think that is the sort of role that would have suited Alesha better

Yes, I think you are right.

It would have meant she could have still toured - not re-arranging anything

I still feel though she has been swept up by behind the scenes drum beating for her

I'm not blaming Alesha, but I do have to wonder why she would take this job knowing it meant Arlene leaving. It's not exactly a nice way to get a new job. I know it's about the bottom line at the end of the day, and her agent wants paying let alone the promotion it will bring her but there are good career moves and ill advised ones, and I have a feeling this may be an ill advised one in the long term.

From a personal point of view, whilst her 'big' personality and laugh were endearing when paired with calm and collected Matthew and part of the competition, on the judging panel it could be incredibly, incredibly annoying. I'm imagining both her and Bruno flapping about with Len shouting over them and Craig sidelined trying to be serious at the end.

I'm sorry to say that your imagination has been running along the same lines as mine, violet_creme...

hmmm....I wouldn't go as far as saying Alesha stabbed Arlene in the back. I agree that if it hadn't been Alesha replacing Arlene it would probably have been someone else.

However I do wonder whether Alesha (along with the BBC) has lost touch with the real world a bit. Anyone with any sense would have predicted the reaction to someone so lacking in experience being a judge. Maybe she has looked at the success of Cheryl Cole and thought "I could do that". But it isn't really the same. Dancing on SCD is judged against specific technique, whereas the X factor is more about liking or not liking something (technique doesn't really come into it).

Stu - you were right about the POV message boards

All furious with the Beeb

Yesterday will go down as one of the worst day in Strictly's history- the day when faceless and gutless suits ruined the show

P.S PM for you VL

I've never understood the connection between SCD and TXF. They're on at the same time on different channel's, that's about the only similarity as far as I can see. Different premis, different rewards, different judging. Why do the BBC think anything that happens on TXF has any relation to SCD?! That's their mistake.

By 'dumbing down' SCD, they're playing into Simon Cowell's hands. Let them do what they do best, and let Strictly do what it does best and that's worked for the past six years. If it's THAT much of an issue, just put SCD on so it's not in competition with TXF!

And if I'm not mistaken SCD usually beats TXF in the ratings

Not last year.

XFactor pulled several million viewers ahead after the SCD6 disasters. The old stats thread is still available in DS forum.