(((David)))

I didn't know you were a Karen fan!

I agree - an experienced judge too.


I'd like to see him back, but your post sounds very plausible and I have been waiting for an announcement that he won't be dancing this year.


I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but this board is full of people with very firm likes and dislikes when it comes to the pros and I doubt if in the real world Karen is nearly as unpopular as your poll suggests.

My concern about bringing in so many young dancers is that they will lack the depth of experience to choreograph routines for real non-dancers. I think Hayley's lack of experience showed last year getting stuck with a duffer like Mark. The older and more experienced dancers understandably seem to be able to adapt well to choreographing routines for duffers to get the best out of them.

PS I am not including Karen and Gary in my thoughts on this subject as I think the biggest problem there was how little time he had made available to train.

If Karen isn't back this year, maybe they will do this with her, and bring her back as a judge in a year's time?

Excellent idea!

According to some news reports Karen chose not to come back and the BBC didn't try to change her mind. If it's her decision and the BBC accepted it, then how is that ageist or a disgrace?

You may well be right but, as I have pointed out on another thread, certain quarters of the media have the BBC in their sights and, even if the truth is really as you say, it's very easy to spin this into a story that makes the Corporation look bad.

The disgrace is, yet again, that BBC management have been so inept in the handling of this story.

Yes, they just don't seem to learn do they.

A shame about Karen. I'll always remember her Salsa and Argentine Tango with Mark, two of my favourite ever Strictly Dances.

I hope it was her decision to leave

So another new pro or one of the males leaves, except i like all the male pros (yes even James) so i dont want to lose any of them!

May well be true but the BBC are not helping themselves by recruiting pretty young things as replacements.

Im happy that James and Ola are returning! It kinda seems thats there's only a minority that like them but hey!
I like Hayley too
Sad about Karen tho

Two pros who won aren't returning then - doesn't bode well for x-mas special shows/ champion of champions

I'll be very happy if Ola comes back, not keen on James at all tbh...

Make that 3! It's a little awkward for Matt with Alesha on the judging panel!

Without pointing the finger at other Pro dancers, it is a travesty that an excellent pro who is hot to trot in both ballroom and latin (which others aren’t) is left off the rota! She has a real spark, unlike some others that I will not name, unless bribed with copious amounts of chocolate and coffee…… (Yep, I’m that cheap)

We are heading down the DWTS road, all tricks and no substance….gord help us…… not that I’ll watch for long if that’s the case. Still, it means the Pro tour will be all sparkly, may be they’ll draft in some poodles on bikes…..

I respectfully disagree. I find Anton's Latin worse than the Latin Dancers' Ballroom.

(Does that sentence make sense? )

He is 43 elizabethjo

i say this every year, i loved Anton's jive in series one.

As for the comments re ages (not Anton;s, but everyones), how can the beeb be said to be age-ist if they have kept Bruce on!!!!

There is absolutely no way that they will bring back Nicole - no way I assure you.

Why not?

as far as i know they are both returning

Because BBC-bashing is obligatory on here (and the Daily Mail, and Sky).

Where did you get that from.? That is all he will admit to I guess but people who know him from way back have a different point of view.

When he first appeared on SCD he was trying to convince everyone that he was in his early 30's, as well as being adamant that he was born Anton Du Beke.

I guess that is part of his charm.

Daily Express reports today that Karen does have a guest slot on ITT.

(And that the launch with celebs etc is likely to be in 2-3 weeks time)

To be fair I'm not sure, but remember thinking ooh he's the same age as me and it was a fairly reliable source!

I was told different by a professional dancer ( female) who competed in Anton's early days. She knew him well and he always tried to flirt with her, she makes him around 5 years older than that.

As I said his manipulating of his past is what makes him so amusing.

Not that it matters unless the bbc are into ageism.