That would be the perfect solution.

I disagree

Could Darcy Bussell have a go this weekend?

No. She becomes fifth judge from the quarter finals onwards.

Why is that

I thought she was replacing another judge?

Nope they've got five from the quarters onwards (which will completely muck up the stats!)

Cause I think Alesha should be given more time. Controversial eh?

I don't think you can actually compare the two - Cheryl is commenting and judging on something that she does for a living every day, and yes she's been through the same process as the constestants have been through (like Alesha), but I think what people are bothered about with Alesha is that she's commenting and passing judgement on people who she's been in the same position as but she doesn't have the background or made a living out of that particular skill/genre and she won't unfortunately be taken seriously by a huge majority of the public because of that. I'm not actually an Alesha hater (I've liked her for years) but as I said in a previous post - she's doing what she was employed to do which isn't her fault. I personally think the BBC made the wrong decision as I don't think we need a judge on the panel telling US what the public opinion is. A lot of the time, I watch SCD or DWTS and want to learn, I want the judges to tell me what was wrong or good about a dance, about what they need to do to improve and then see if they take the advice. I don't need someone on the panel telling me that Joe was nervous (for example) - I can see that for myself.

Arg, I know!

I'm thinking of scaling the scores down from the QF onwards so that my stats will still work... Inconsiderate BBC!

So do I and btw all the judges can and do watch rehearsals - not necessarily all the time, but in their comments they have all referred to rehearsals before now. This is nothing new and not a special arrangement for Alesha, despite what the media have said.

... you could just exclude Darcey's scoring from the stats!

... while I love Alesha, I'm really not a fan of her new judging role ... but I can't see why all of the papers are gunning for Alesha, as she's performing in the role the Beeb hired her for just fine! ... if I have a problem with anyone it's the beeb for deciding we needed an ex winner on the panel, and not another ballroom/latin specilist ..

I'd start planning for a transition to 5 judges for the whole series, as I've got a feeling Shirley Ballas will join them next year.

Yes, I suppose so... but, as Buddy says:


... I have a feeling that 5 judges might not be limited to the end of this series.

As Buddy says, and I said myself earlier, the judges watching footage of the rehearsals is nothing new at all. On ITT, we have regularly seen the judges doing just this! Clearly the clueless Mirror, Mail et al are too lazy/stupid/both to do their homework, so desperate are they for a 'story'. Pathetic, really.

And you say viewers expect a certain degree of experience from the judges on SCD. Too right. The judges last year behaved appallingly, and did not score fairly at all - and Arlene was more guilty of this than anyone else. I do expect better than that, and so do many others who are quite happy to see the back of Arlene.

Alesha isn't supposed to have the same perspective as an experienced choreographer - that's the whole point. Besides, as we have experienced choreographers in Craig and Bruno, why would we need another one? If you don't like that idea, fine - but why not just let the series bed down? There is a long way to go, and don't imagine Alesha will back down now - the tabloids have made it too personal.

All this rubbish in the press aside, this series has begun more promisingly than I, and many others, could have hoped for. Continuing to obsess about the judging panel will do nothing but damage the show. But then that is what the likes of the Daily Heil want - isn't it?

I just hope it's not Darcy that's added for the whole thing ... they really should have someone from the ballroom/latin world ...

Can't see any sign that significant numbers of people compared to the viewing numbers care that much or think anything is wrong or worse. The Murdoch Press and the Mail just want to replace the BBC with Sky 1 and Fox news. The marks are about what they would be so far and Len is being more random than Alesha. Many are saying the mood is better.I agree the ploy may not work (didn't with Martina) because they have made a completely different mistake. They may not get people phoning up now to undermine the judges and keep dire people in , but they seem to have put 2-3 people who are pretty dire in with already existing fan bases which will give them the same problem.

The main point is the old panel wasn't being listened to and it needed to change tone - someone had to go and it couldn't be Bruno who has moved into a more critical role or Craig who has basically stayed the same but added some more constructive points. There's a case for Len being less useful than Arlene but he was seen as positive wheras Arlene was seen as critical . If you need to give the panel a more positive face Arlene either had to act like Bruno or someone like Alesha had to arrive.

Yes, Martina Hingis came and went, hardly noticed. Matthew went over the side, hardly noticed. One person towers over Strictly, it's a one-person show now.

True but there is no smoke without fire, there is animosity towards the girl, that much cannot be denied and yes she was heard asking the opinions of her family,judges ect and people are wrongly laying into her for that but what you have to remember she has hit the show running and is still finding her feet, she needs time to settle in and the level of criticism towards her is unwarranted.

Maybe the BEEB has made a mistake by hiring her but only time will tell, give her a few more shows to prove herself because to judge on her after only two is extremely unfair, one thing though it will be unacceptable if she was still seeking others opinions about the couples performances from now on.

This really is turning into a witch hunt. Its unsavoury at best - just another variation on the mob bullying seen on other reality tv shows.

Yes, because everyone remembers the indelible mark left on the show by Brian Capron, Mica Paris, Nicolas Owen, and... well Siobhan Heyes, the last time Matthew got paired with a personality black hole.

What is the point supposed to be then? To reflect the experience of having gone through the show? If so, that could be done more combatively: pointing out to the other judges how hard it is to learn the steps, or telling us about how own experiences of learning (say) the tango. That might work. Just being more "positive" in the sense of offering platitudes is boring.

Hi,

Just thought I'd correct you're whole view of things.

The NOTW piece was completely made up. It was lies. At no stage did she ask her family what they thought. It's a phisical impossibility which anyone who watches ITT would know. It's laughable and yet people still believe.

So please do not take what you have read and let it colour your view.

And that was her first week.

I thought Darcy Bussel was covering for Craig because he's doing Panto this year.
It might muck up the stats but wouldn't it stop Len from havig the sole say on who is eliminated in the quarters if 3 is a majority vote? Or am I really tired and and my brain is in lock down?