It is not possible to buck the market, and in the long term not possible to play tug-of-war against the audience. The paying customer will simply walk away. Whether Arlene should be let go is a different decision, one impractical to roll back now even for her fans. But the Alesha appointment start date is still two months away even as this Forum is shaken and stirred.

Should Alesha be given the benefit of a doubt, a tryout?

Should Alesha protect her media career and sidestep a probable backlash?

What do you the customer think? This poll has been requested from the DS Mods:

YES - Alesha should be SCD7 judge

NO - Alesha should not be SCD7 judge

No.

Adored her as a contestant but fail to see what qualifies her to be a judge.

I don't like the way Arlene has been ditched in favour of someone "younger and prettier."

What a superficial bunch the BBC are.

No. Like Sid I adored her as a contestant, I adore her as a person, and I adore her music career - going to numerous concerts in November. She'd make a great replacement for Tess but she's no more qualified to be a judge than any other contestant or forum member.

I voted no.

As lovely as she is, I don't think she should be given a tryout. She doesn't have the requisite expertise.

I think she does need to protect against a backlash, although if she delivers her comments in a tactful bland way she might get away with it as far as the majority of the viewers are concerned (not with me though).

Looks like you have already set your mind to dislike her, what is the point of her delivering her comments in a bland way, thats not what she is about , so why should she "dumb down" to suit narrow minded individuals like yourself

Couldn't you deliver your comments in a less personal way? I try not to make personal comments about other posters. I've said on numerous threads that I DO LIKE HER but that she doesn't have the right experience to judge. I care passionately about dancing and I am not suggesting she should dumb down, but if she did, I think that she might avoid criticism from some of the viewers.

Hello Sid - been awhile, I do believe I've missed you.

Answer to the Alesha question - a definite no!

She was a deserved winner in 2007 - but that doesn't qualify her to judge others.

Strange how the beeb opted to ditch the only female on the panel in favour of a younger former contestant; both ageist and sexist imo.

Perhaps the ladies (and some men) would like to see grumpy Len and jack-in-the-box Bruno replaced with a bit of male totty from past competitions. Ramps was a fantastic winner, Colin Jackson is probably the best dancer not to win and has interview experience on the sporting programmes.

They'd be just as credible as Alesha which actually means incredible. i.e. incredibly absurd.

It's not a question of like or dislike - she brought magic to the show in 2007 - but she is not qualified to judge dance: and being brought onto the show in that role is indeed a dumbing down of the judges panel.

No way. Loved her as a contestant but having her as a judge makes a joke of the show. I didn't like Arlene but she at least knew what she was talking about (when she wasn't making lustful comments). I would have liked them to bring in a ballroom/latin expert, as long as it wasn't Camilla.

Definitely no!
Very poor decision to make her a judge, Alesha will add nothing to the show IMO

Sorry, but I think this poll is pointless.

The outcome is a foregone conclusion and given that the BBC has never taken any notice of what is said on message boards in the past , I can't see that changing for something as trivial as this.

How many more threads do we need for people to say they are against Alesha being a judge or Alesha replacing Arlene?

Buddy, I agree with you about the proliferation of threads - this always happens when there is a hot topic. However, I don't think this thread/poll is pointless since it does quantify people's views. There are more people voting for Alesha as a judge than I expected. So maybe those people who are against her being on the panel (like me) are more vociferous.

Hey Ignazio! - I believe I've missed you more <smooch>


Hi Buddy <smooooch>!

I've not been keeping an eye on the SCD forum so this is the first thread I've encountered on the matter, and have been quite interested in the results of the poll and the responses to it

Indeed, in the privacy of the polling booth customers vote freely. Their voices matter, both the vocal and the less vocal.

Very true.

Excuse me while I just send a long time no see <<<<smoooch>>>> to Sid!

You've got a lot of catching up to do if this is the first thread on this topic sweetie!

If Alesha was taking over from Tess I'd be dancing on the ceiling...had to vote No as a judge though.

Can we really see her giving criticism to Matthew Cutler

She is not qualified to criticise any of the pros at all.

She will put me off from watching SCD at all.

NO!!

I didn't like her as a contestant and I found her annoying. Her Latin was extremely mediocre, and she just isn't qualified to be a judge.

I could have written that myself... NO, NO, NO.

No.
I liked her as a contestant but I dont think that she should be a judge.

No!!!!

I dont know what qualifies her to be a judge!!!

I understand that the BBC have made their decision but it is interesting to see what everyone thinks

No poll on a forum is going to make the BBC change their minds but it MIGHT make them see that the public dont agree with their decision

I put Yes because I refuse to pass judgement until I see what Alesha has to offer

I completely understand peoples opinions that Alesha doesnt have any technical experience to judge and Arlene does but it's not Alesha's fault that the BBC asked her.

Alesha just wanted to be a part of a show she obviously loves. It also gets her to be on a primetime saturday night TV show, which gets her exposure.

This may be a complete disaster and Alesha may be terrible but she also may be fantastic and put a spark into the show which many believed was missing last year with all the fiasco's such as judges, favouritsim, phone votes etc.

Il probaly get linched for saying yes lol But I dont blame Alesha one bit, and as for backstabbing Arlene that's just stupid as if Alesha didn't take the job it would have been given to someone else. Arlene was going to be gone either way.

Nada.

Its nothing personal with Alesha but the whole thing denotes ageism. Looking at their merits Arlene is intrinsically more qualified and if this were a commercial context then it would be viewed as very suspect indeed.

Bussell as a full time panelist I'd vote in favour of over Arlene though considering the technical gravitas she could bring to the fore.

No. Way.

I think she seems like a lovely person and I enjoyed watching her as a contestant, but she is in no way qualified to judge. Not even just from a performance point of view.

Like some other posters, I'm also a bit p!ssed off that the only woman gets the boot in favour of a 'hottie', but all the men are old, cranky and still there...

No reason for a lynching - you've expressed an opinion which you have every right to do.

Very few have laid blame at Alesha's door, but 'wanting to be part of a show she loves,' is hardly conducive to being professionally equipped for the role of judge.

She's charming, she sparkles but I don't think her charm or spark have any place on the SCD judges panel.