I've seen that Joe Calzaghe is favourite with the betting people, other than the fact he may have quick feet I'm not sure I agree with them.

I quite fancy Ricky Whittle's chances, he's young good looking and I think will be as smooth as silk on the dance floor. He's a more slender version of Rav who in my opinion is just sligtly too muscular...

Other than Ricky I think Laila or Zoe has the best chances of the women, I imagine Laila more so for some reason.

I never realised that there was a forum dedicated to this! How wonderful!

It'll be one of the "hunks".

Would that be celeb hunk or Pro hunk????

I think Joe, Ali, Ricky and Martina will all prove to be very good dancers. Can't see Ricky being popular enough to win so I would put my money on Joe or Martina. I think both will do a lot of training and will improve quite rapidly.

I have a feeling Martina might be a little reserved and shy when it comes to the Latin.

I have a hunch that Anton & Laila could do very well.

That may well be the case at first. I have a hunch that she's going to surprise people and come out of her shell as the weeks continue.

I agree Sid, I think Anton could do really well this time. I'm not predicting any winners because they haven't actually danced yet.

One of the reasons I'm really interested in this year as I feel that it isn't obvious whom the people who will be any good and those who won't are apart from Jade who has proved she can shake her stuff for Sport Aid.

This may well happen.

Lots of the celebs begin nervously and after a few weeks it's a case of "oh what the hell" and they really get their confidence.

This is the first year since SCD started that there isnt someone in the group that I either love or hate ........which is nice........I have a hunch that Anton and Laila might be hot to trot this year.

Yep. Obviously all predictions are blind at the moment. My above post is just a hunch from the bits and pieces we've heard and things we know about them. I'm sure I will probably change my mind.

Wasn't having a go at any predictions in case you thought I was!

Yes, there are obvious ones already mentioned who will be virtue of age, physique, or pro probably do pretty well. Still, as has been proven in the past some unlikely candidates come good in the end.

As much as it pains me to say it, no matter how well they dance it all reather depends on how they come across. All this has been said before, I know, but it'll take a combination of a nice personality and being able to dance, or at least have the ability to learn and work hard. To me, that's the fun, 'cos as of now we simply haven't a clue!

I'm rather hoping Natalie can do both to prove her detractors wrong *ducks*. But if I'm honest, I'm hoing Jade will do all of those things, and she looks like she may do, as I'd dearly love Ian to have a chance at winning.

Oh no, was just agreeing and chatting!!

I'm hoping Matthew will wave his magic wand over Martina and get her to loosen up enough to enjoy the latin dances. I'm sure she'll be good at the ballroom. But time will tell. Not long to go until we'll at least know what 8 of the couples are like. Although I suppose we might get a vague idea from the group dance by the other 8 couples.

Joe and Martina seem like a good bet, Joe's fitness and quick feet from his boxing background should be a big help.

I have high hopes for them as well Jan IF he can nail the latin which is his weakest area.

Matthew and Martina for me...

Matt is a great teacher and a proven winner, hopefully Martina will respond...

I agree Matthew is great and sports people do seem to do well, probably because they have the physical fitness to cope with the training. So yes, they could be front runners.

I agree, Anton is popular, Laila is beautiful and classy. Trouble for me is when Anton dances latin numbers, I find it embarassing!

I think that is maybe partly due to the fact that he's (Patsy apart) always had older ladies/2 left footed dancers and so he's always had to ham it up because of all the passion/sexual innuendo in the Latin dances. This looks fairly ridiculous when he had to dance with Esther/Gillian/Kate and so he went the camp/hammy route. Sometimes because the ladies were much older than him and sometimes because they were appalling dancers.

I think with a decent dancer/younger lady he could tone down the cut to the navel shirts and the camp, over the top/almost taking the p*ss act and actually dance properly. I seem to remember him doing some ok Latins with Patsy?

I know what you mean.

He's got this 'comedy face' which makes it quite difficult to find his Latin dances sexy and passionate. You do just want to laugh/cringe sometimes!

Poor Anton. I'm going to try really hard to take him seriously this time!

Not long til we all find out. If anything, can I say how much I'm looking forward to what Erin's wearing. She always looks so classy and beautiful.


Alli! We're still surviving in the appreciation attic from last year!

He did a very nice rumba with Patsy at the start of that series. Nothing wrong with it. Some of his other Latins with her was a let down but as time went on, she had more and more problems with her nerves which didn't help.

I think Jade and Ian will be excellent. As will Ali and Brian.

Tuffer's could well come up fast on the outside, he is very popular with the public and is a very entertaining personality, and by all accounts already enjoys a bit of dancing skill.