For those who want to celebrate how Strictly use to be...

Before celebrities, and the viewing public, took it all to seriously.
Before the judges thought that a 10 had to be given out to every other routine, regardless to how good it actually was
Before people who were obviously talentless over-stayed their welcome by months

Those were the days .

So many memorable routines ranging from Zoe and Ian's Tango, even to Gloria and Darren's Jive .

This was Strictly at it's best

It certainly was

Series 3 - best series for me

It all went downhill after that

Definitely agree with both of the above posts.

Zoe and Ian's Tango...

James & Camilla's Tango!

Will we ever see the like again?

Not likely :sleep:

But when do we ever hear about James' Tango

(Yet how many times will we hear about Tom's Showdance and Rachel's Rumba/Foxtrot this year )

When have we ever had such drama and passion since? I guess it's hard to follow that.

And what about comedy? Who can forget Dennis's Paso? Better than Kenny Logan's any day. And he tried so hard, bless him. The only one that's come close is Chris whatsisname, who was in the final of series one and did it again on Tour in 2008 with Nicole.

Bill and Karens cha cha to Love Potion Number 9?

Pure genious (and the only routinue of Karens I have liked )

series 3.

I remeber - i had a spreadsheet to work out who was going each week as we had Soooo many tickets for the studio audience....

And you could meet the stars after the show - I met Bill, Zoe, Colin Jackson, Anton and Erin, had my photo taken with 3 friends at the judges table...

Oh those were the days....

How about their VW to Golden brown?

I hadn't thought much of Bill before he did Strictly, thought he came across as a bit smug. His participation completely changed my view and I really like him now.

Ooops, just realised I used the 'S' word. Not going to get banned am I? Oh sorry, wrong thread.

Wasn't that the year when some of the Forumites from DS went on ITT to do the quiz?

*cough* *cough*


let you off seeing as you said you thought he use to be s***

yes i think it might have been!!! and i didn't know what forum Claudia kept going on about!!

yep those were the days - you were actually allowed onto the floor afterwards to say a quick hello and you were treated like humans - not cattle!

My favourite by a very long way

-Fiona's Rumba still kills me, especially the section where she attempts a couple of spins and Brendan basically pulls her to the floor and even she laughs at how awful she is

-Colin Jackson's Quickstep- what a WOW routine for week two! That jump at the end was insane. And shame on Craig for giving them nine in the final!

-Zoe's Tango- having seen it live on tour I appreciate it all the more. And bizarrely enough have always been fairly keen on their Jive! I know it's not great, but I like the choreography and costumes.

-First year of group pro dances: Samba and Jive being particularly fab. Also Darren, Lilia, Ian and Camilla jiving to Cliff Richard (I've always regretted that they weren't dancing to an artist I actually like!)

-Two hilarious group dance rehearsals- you got the impression the entire group of pros and celebs just giggled solidly through the whole rehearsal

-Darren and Lilia the giggle twins!

-Fabulous costumes (I heard they lost a talented designer between series three and four, and I believe it because they were never quite as beautiful after series three). Particular favourite was Lilia's Tango dress.

-Strapgate... which must have been awful for Lilia, but was actually really lucky for Darren because his Samba was pretty much going to suck anyway, at least this gave him an excuse!

-Muppetgate... the reaction we all had afterwards can never quite be recreated!

Very true .

You can't forget Colin and Erin's American Smooth either. Full of class and deserved the first male 10 of SCD too.

Zoe and Ians showdance to my favourite song from West Side Story (I adore WSS)
Darren and Lilias paso - my all time favourite dance
The Salsa Group dance - loved it
The Argentine Tango group dance

Series 3 was just brilliant on so many levels!

ITT was quite new and fresh then as well.

Didn't they dress Anton up in a white suit and make him do a John Travolta routine to Night Fever? As I remember he was self concious and a bit rubbish.

Oh, and the best chest contest. How could I possibly forget that...

Erhem, back to the dancing. Was Colin's Rumba possibly one of the best male celeb rumbas ever? I remember Len commenting on some of his 'shapes'. They always seem to struggle with Rumba, don't they?

I've kind of blanked Muppetgate. Did that really happen?

Colins rumba was brilliant - no one has come close (not even Matt DA) and yes, Len did comment on his 'shapes!'

*whispers - Muppetgate really happened*

I'm have a proper gush on this thread later but as I'm rushed for time right now I will say just two names .... BILL .... KAREN.

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lol I didn't think they'd move this one .

They're moving anything with the word Appreciation in the thread title, but it seems a bit daft moving this one.

I adored Ian & Zoe in this series, plus many others. As you all say, no other series has come close really.

Series 3....pure CLASS.

No chavs saying they'd dance in a thong.

Nobody outstaying a welcome and it was all about FUN.

Zoe's Tango. Oh wow.

Darren doing the whole thing with such enthusiasm and verve and reinventing the whole idea that dance could be great for men to do and responsible for a huge uptake in dance classes.

James and Camilla's Tango, so fresh, thrilling and original.

Bill and Karen!

The judges for the most part being nice, not nasty. DWTS hadn't started, so no jetlagged Len.

Laurie Holloway. A far better band than Dave Arch's pennywhistlers.

ITT was bloody hilarious every night. Sometimes it hurt laughing.

Anton's Saturday Night fever. Bill shouting 'more points for the over 40s'!

The group dance training with Shouty Salsa man and the Wiggly Salsa Lady.

Zoe giggling to the circus paso music.

Patsy and Anton. A great double act.

The final...3 class acts in Colin, Darren and Zoe with every dance brilliant. Even Muppetgate for it's totally unexpected WTF quality.

I've watched series3 more than any other series which says something.

Y'know there's something to be said for a place for Appreciation threads all of their own, it's caused this one to be resurrected from the depths of the Forum and reminded me it's there.

Agree with everything there nancy. Particularly: "Nobody outstaying a welcome and it was all about FUN"

Olivej, thanks for breaking it gently about muppetgate. *Ehem*, dare I ask about father christmas then?

As much as I've loved each series of Strictly, after that it lost it's sense of fun and started taking itself a bit too seriously. Funnily enough, I have highish hopes of this coming series, and I'd love it if a few of the lesser known and more appealing characters stay in a bit longer without the furore of last year. It would help if they got the chance for their dancing to develop, a la Goughie. I'll get my heatproof jacket and go and burn in hell now, shall I?

Bill & Karen ... footgate. The week of his Rumba, he did CIN the night before, Mum thought he was dying. Tears in my house ... live results. The public saved him ... joy in the house. Aaaah, the good old days.

Oh, and the first time I experience Strictly in the live studio. November 5th 2005. Paso/Foxtrot week. Brendan stomping off in a huff after the show. The night I fell truly in love with it all.

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I missed this thread when it was created. So there are advantages in splitting out the threads!

I loved:

Zoe and Ian's tango - for me the most memorable ballroom tango on strictly
Dennis's paso - agree that it's a close call between his and Chris whatisname's. Who did Dennis partner though?
Darren and Lilia's foxtrot.
Fiona and Brendan's rumba (laughed at how Brendan just moved her round the floor like a rag doll).


Oh and just generally Colin and Erin's ballroom.

Izabela Hannah. She was lovely. I adored her accent.

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