Taking it for granted that Arlene has now been axed, who would have been your choice as a replacement?

Presumably needs to be female, must have personality and experience of performing and also (preferably) judging.

My vote would be Denise Van Outen (especially if she sneaked Lee into the studio from time to time!)


[I've deliberately not chosen someone from the ballroom dance world, as it seems obvious bbc want someone famous to general viewers].

Following your lead of not trying to chose someone from the ballroom world (for me that would have been Karen), I agree Denise would have been the perfect choice.

She has a great personality, looks stunning, can sing, can dance and has previous TV show judging experience - she is also very 'now' if you know what I mean.

Ray Quinn?

I can't stand him, but he's in the public eye but has loads of dance experience so at least he'd know what he was talking about. Also I seem to remember he wasn't too bad when he judged Baby Ballroom, or whatever they called it.

But he won ITV1's top dance show

If we're not choosing ballroom dancers then Denise van Outen, Bonnie Langford, Ray Quinn, Jason Gardiner, Ruthie Henshall, Anita Harris, Wayne Sleep, Cherry Gillespie, Deborah Bull...

There's plenty of people they could choose who have greater relevant or transferable experience and knowledge than Alesha. I like Alesha but don't think she's the right choice to judge SCD.


It was ice skating - besides, he's not contracted solely to ITV and he was a British Junior Ballroom Dance champion I believe, so he'd a realistic choice.

Ray Quinn would actually be an EXCELLENT choice, for a number of reasons:
1. He is a trained ballroom & latin dancer
2. He is very famous and well known (as much as anyone up for being a judge will be, that is), and has won DOI more recently than Alesha won SCD.
3. He has a presence in more than one type of media (dance, reality, singing, theatre)
4. He could pull viewers from ITV as he was part of the X-Factor.

I'd love Ray Quinn too, but I suspect starring in the West End as Danny in Grease would be too good for him to give up - but who knows?

On the down side a lot of people can't stand him - Ray like Karen is a bit like Marmite (I just love that phrase!).

Yeah, I forgot he was doing that. Also he couldn't really replace Arlene since that would make the panel all men. Otherwise it was a good idea

I'd choose a man as i think Bruno should have gone rather than Arlene.I'd have Brendan on the judging panel as he has previous experience in NZ and his bad boy image has been done to death.

But if Ray replaced Bruno and Denise replaced Arlene that would suit me!

i would love to see karen on the judging panel

since we're not choosing ballroom dancers then Denise van Outen, Ray Quinn, Jason Gardiner, Ruthie Henshall


i think denise van outen would also good on the panel as she has the experience on the westend and she is well known

jason gardiner would be good too, i love to see him and brendan

I too think Karen would be good as the new judge. She is an international judge anyway so would slot in quite easily.

Now who would youhave to replace Len? I plump for Phillip who used to do the red button commentary.

Get rid of Arlene, Bruno and Craig to be replaced by Karen, Ray Quinn, and Camilla. Kate Thornton to replace Brucie and anybody to replace Tess.

kate thornton might replace brucie next year sadly

Roll on SCD8 then.

i think anton might actually get brucie job when he finishes this serie

I hope Anton does get Brucie's job when he goes.

I would choose Tone.

^ Ahaha. Becca.

You couldn't have Jason Gardiner and Craig and Bruno on a panel. My that'd be handbags at dawn....day and dusk.

Jason Gardiner, Ruthie Henshall and Ray Quinn on the panel - why not go the whole hogg and Get someone else to present it - Philip Schofield perhaps, with Holly Willoughby to co-present then set the whole thing on ice.....

Oh hang on that's already been done

Denise Van Outen would be a good choice

and replying to an earlier quote - yes Ray Quinn is a marmite character, the only difference is that I like marmite

Surely the only one to replace Arlene is Karen Hardy,
She by far the most expierenced person and has style and personality to go with the show. Vote for Karen.

I don't like Marmite but I do like Ray (goes off to watch Ray doing Mmmbop again!)

My vote ideally would have gone to Karen as someone with perfect experience for the job.

Otherwise someone mentionned Bonnie Langford, her experience is probably as relevent as Craig or Bruno at least.

Karen did say she might not dance again if asked this year, but then she decided to after all (and I am delighted), but it has crossed my mind that Karen might have been first choice as Arlene's replacement.

Another marmite character - read my above post re Ray Quinn

Karen would have been ideal.