It wasn't so much the dance that made me smile as the comments on here!

In a nutshell.

I honestly don't believe we would have found ourselves discussing this subject at all if the judges had stuck to judging and not got more and more carried away each series, making so many personal or unprofessional remarks that only got the public's back up enough to make them vote against the judges rather than for the celeb.

By adding someone like Alesha to the judging panel hopefully she will not get as personal or as insulting as the other three have been in the past or display blatant favouritism. She wouldn’t have been my choice as I would have preferred someone from the ballroom/Latin world, but I can understand why the BBC has appointed her. Rightly or wrongly I think the BBC assumes Alesha will side more with the public than the other three judges and will answer the calls of accusations of the judges being out of step with the public. Alesha is not a direct swap for the experience Arlene brought to the show.

I have always supported the view that SCD is a dancing competition and the entertainment or fun comes from watching the celebs learning to dance, getting to know the couples and following our favourites, etc. I think the judges thought this too, but how they responded verbally to celebs like JS or Kate Garraway often annoyed the public to the point of rebellion. Personally I agreed with the scoring of the judges, but dreaded their comments antagonising the public thereby keeping less able celebs in the show longer than expected, often at the expense of more able celebs. I would never support a contestant like JS because I want to see someone discover they have a talent for dancing.

Imho Alesha replacing Arlene is the BBC’s attempt to freshen up the show and as I said earlier redress the imbalance of the public vote caused by the introduction of the dance off.

If she is going to be the Voice of Viewers keeping pantomime judges in check, where is her mandate? Has she been voted in by 85 to 15? Knowing as little as Craig and Bruno is the qualification of a kettle judging a pot.

For years Craig has asserted it was his place to educate (his exact word) viewers on how to vote. Is Craig now going to educate the VoV?

Alesha is in danger of walking into a trap, taking well-intentioned supporters with her.

Ok so maybe my choice of words in "the voice of the public" weren't as good or didn't really express what I meant.

We have complained mightlily over the last 2-3 seasons about how the judges bias is becoming ever more obvious and their interviews on ITT/ Breakfast etc were getting ever more strident as they told the viewers we were idiots/ didn't understand/ didn't know what we were looking at etc.

The panel needed a change, Arlene blotted her copybook last year by
a. getting over vitriolic about JS at every opportunity (its a light entertainment show dear not a matter of life or death) and
b. letting it be known that she had received a tempting offer from Broadway which would clash with the new series.

As such she put her neck on the chopping block - leaving the Beeb with an opportunity to give us what we have been asking for for a couple of seasons now - new blood on the judges table. So who would they ask?

The pros would probably prefer to dance than judge (the obvious one Karen who IS a judge in real life has said that very plainly), Camilla is merely an ex-pro with too recent a connection with the show and no judging quals to justify her going on the panel.

Len's professional colleagues who refused it first time round are probably still wary of taking part, and if they were willing to play, are probably as boring as Phillip Jackson (brilliant red button but NOT a great panellist), and we have all (let's face it!) complained vociferously about the domination of West End choreographers who know squit all about ballroom dancing on the panel.

So they have reduced the west end choreographers by bringing in an ex champion of the show who has a background in modern dance, stage performance and highly successful in her own showbiz field - oh - and she's young, pretty and has a pleasing personality.

She is not going to replace Arlene with the awful alliterations, drooling over male contestants, and sometimes uneccesarily acidic comments - she is going to be the Miss Nice on the panel - as a counter to Grumpy Len and Nasty Craig.

Can't we at least give the girl a chance before passing all these hurtful comments about her ability/ qualifications etc? She was probably delighted to have been asked, only to be met with all this abuse which has spoilt it for her.

Lets see what she will do before writing her off - she may surprise us all!

I wondered when you'd get around to bringing up the poll result on here. Last year's weekly poll on here did not reflect the public vote, so why should this poll on an SCD goldfish bowl?

I think your question about her mandate has been answered.

I have to ask CaroUK, If Camilla is 'merely an ex-pro with too recent connection to the show and no judging quals to justify her going on the panel', what does that make Alesha? An amateur who won two years ago and who's knowledge of dance is a fraction of Camilla's, never mind Karen's or Arlene's...

At the end of your post you quite rightly ask people to give the girl a chance It would help me to do so if you gave my girl a chance too

I don't think Alesha's had a lot of abuse. Most people, who are opposed to her taking on the role, have been really nice about her personality, and have said they'd like to see her as presenter.

They've just questioned her qualifications and expertise, and for those of us who would like to see a more skilled panel of judges then that is a valid thing to do. If she does see these comments as hurtful then she won't last as a judge, since I'm afraid that that type of job is going to attract criticism (look at some of the comments about Craig, Len, Bruno and Arlene. They have been far more personal.)

I love Camilla - I voted for her & Tom last year until the phone was red hot (and I still shudder at my phone bill for her and James....), and I have been to see her and Ian dance. In fact the only time I haven't voted for her was in series 1 when she had ol' Jaz Hands Dickinson as her partner...

However I really cannot see her as a judge AT THE MOMENT. Her SCD dancing career is too recent, she is far too close to all the other pros as a former colleague, and although it was some time ago - she is open to criticism over the way she would judge Brendan whether it be criticised for being too nice or too hard on him because of their past history. (Yes I know some people are saying that Alesha will find it difficult to judge Matthew and his new partner objectively too).

IF Alesha doesn't work out, and IF Camilla would still be interested in doing it after her wedding etc next year, maybe the break from the show would do her chances more good than harm.

Let's face it, after a couple of dud partners and early baths since she won it with Ramps, I am VERY surprised that Karen wasn't asked to do it.

Whoever was chosen to replace Arlene would have met a certain amount of flak from those who love the show, but like BuddyB, I can see WHY they picked Alesha, I'm I for one am prepared to suck it and see.

TBH after the way the 4 stooges have behaved over the last few series, they need someone new to break them out of the cycle they have got themselves into.

I think the beeb have made a mistake in offering Alesha a seat on the judging panel, but I fully understand that there are those who take a different point of view and plead for her to be given a chance. If the appointment turns out to be a success I will happily eat my words (provided she tempers that awful laugh)!

But I do think by comparing Alesha and Camilla, to the detriment of the latter you've contradicted yourself a little Caro.

Alesha, found her career in the doldrums and like many (perhaps most) saw SCD as an opportunity to resurrect a career that was no longer 'highly successful.'

Yes she won the competition - but so did a number of others in their year of competition and I fail to see how 16 weeks training, albeit at the hands of an experienced teacher/choreographer at the top of his game, qualifies to judge others. You make the point that Camilla has no judging quals - neither does Alesha.

If Camilla's connection with the show is too recent, then how can one justify Alesha's inclusion which is only one season further removed - and there is plenty of evidence that Camilla, though lacking in judging experience understands what it takes to bring a celebrity from non dancer to the top of the pile. Not only that having witnessed and encouraged her own celebs she is fully able to empathise with them.

She took:
James Martin to 4th in series 3
Gethin Jones to 3rd in series 5.
Tom Chambers winner series 6.

I'm not actually advocating Camilla as a judge, but I don't agree with dismissing her claims to justify Alesha's presence.

I think Camilla is probaby astute enough to forget any notions or ambitions she had of taking the judges chair tbh

Anyway, she seemed happy enough with life on TV the other day, and beyond that, I don't care that much

The pro's and anybody else should just get over themselves. Alesha's been offered a job, she's going to give it a go. Well done her!

How would you feel if you'd taught someone the basic rudiments of the craft you'd spent years perfecting, then two years later found them not only passing judgement on your efforts but being paid 3 times as much as you as well? I've got to admit it would strain my sense of humour and I'd find it quite difficult to 'just get over it'

I think the number of people making more personal remarks is growing - unfortunately - but I'm sure Alesha will handle herself in a dignified manner.

I've seen that, its a shame because up until the last day or so most people were able to discuss this without getting personal.

Most members I've talked to on threads like this and most comments I've read haven't been really anti-Alesha so much as just questioning why Alesha. Likewise a lot of them weren't so much pro-Arlene. The whole replacing a judge with a ex-contestant seemed to annoy people more then the person that was being replaced and the person replacing them. But I've seen some nasty comments pop up about Alesha which is a shame. I don't really like her music and I couldn't get into her dancing wise but its not really a reason to personally attack her as I know many people do like her (and plus she was lovely) and the discussion isn't really about Alesha the person but what Alesha the judge will be. I'll keep discussing it because its the big Strictly news right now but when the new series starts I'm all for giving her a chance.

Another aspect to this I hadn't really considered is that someone who has received three months' training from a pro, is now being a given a salary more than three times what that professional earns. That is just beyond insulting.

Craig has written a book about ballroom dancing. ("Teach yourself ballroom dancing" or something like that - i didn't read it) And in his autobiography he says, that he specializes in many fields of dance - including ballroom. So I do agree, he must know something. My mum is his huge fan and she watched one of his shows where he choreographed a tango. So I think the guy sure knows what is talking about. After all - he has an incredible sense of detail (he sees everything).

Regarding Alesha - I love her, but not as a panelist.

I'm sure Alesha will have been paid the same as the other judges, or the reason she would get more money is because she is a bigger 'star" than any of the pros. When strictly is not on TV how often do you see any of the professionals on TV, whereas Alesha has a career and is in demand, hence her earning power is greater. simple economics really. Plus she would need danger money for the flak she has to take from some quarters

Tbh yelsel, I've seen a lot more of Anton on the TV than I have of Alesha this last year, but I don't watch much telly so I might be wrong

...and thinking about it, the last time I saw Alesha on TV she was sitting in the Strictly audience..

It's quite circular to say Alesha deserves a £100k contract because she's more well known than anyone on the show, when the show itself was what made her so well known!

I suppose my issue with it really is that although I know Strictly is first and foremost an entertainment show, I'd prefer it if it tried to maintain at least a pretence of trying to be a dance show too. And in the dance world, Alesha is worth peanuts compared to the pros, however much you respect what she learned in three months. In the entertainment world of course the reverse is true, which is how this has come about. Unfortunately the more the show moves towards being entertainment only, the less it appeals to me.

It has been said on ITT so many times that it is a dancing competition- sigh

It's clearly not though- I wonder if they will be able to say that with any sincerity this year, knowing they have replaced a dance expert with a singer in the name of entertainment

I don't think that's a question that can ever be answered. I think of it as a combination of the two: a light entertainment programme based around a dancing competition.

As for whether it's more about the entertainment or more about the dancing, that's for each individual to decide for themselves. Different people focus more on different aspects of the programme, according to their own personal interests and their own interpretation of what the programme's about.

Personally, in the early stages I probably focus more on the entertainment aspect. But when we get down to the last half dozen or so contestants, then it becomes about the competition for me. I especially want the contestants in the semi-final and, in particular in the final, to be the best and, therefore, be able to wow me with their performances.

Maybe for one show only they should replace the judges with professional ballroom judges, i'd love to hear what they thought of the standard of the celebs, if they were really honest then i'm sure they would say it was c**p

Same here...

I agree. Otherwise you may as well bring back It's A Knockout and have Brendan and Vincent wearing roller skates and a diver's suit, balancing leaky buckets of water on their head whilst trying to walk over a greasy log...