Hes now had his operation on his knee and is currently resting up as all the others rehearse for Saturday. Provided he doesnt have to pull out ala Jimmy Tarbuck, will he/ should he be treated the same as the other conestants and therefore at risk of bad comments and low marks, or should he be given positive coments "given 2 days and an op, you were fabulous" and given a mark theyd have expected him to get under normal circumstances?

I cant remember a circumstance in other series as a comparison.

How do we know he is in a wheelchair ? he said on Twitter last night that he was back training....not full out I am sure.......

Personally with 13 couples and him not having been in the dance off at all already I think he should be given a pass but I dont know how fair that would be on the others. However I just cant see him being voted out by the public this week anyway even if he comes on a hops around on one leg as he is well liked and people will recognise that he has a good reason for not being on top form this week.

He isn't resting up, he was back in training yesterday.

EDIT: Jan beat me to it.

Wasn't Kelly Brooke given a pass when her father died. She was going to return a week later but then decided to pull out altogether.

Not really a similar situation though.

Kate Garraway had a week off for a poorly foot!

Where have you seen this ?

Tuffers tweeted that he was back training yesterday

She only missed a group dance, though.

Tuffers is no longer playing cricket professionally; he won't be risking a career as would some of the other sportsmen and women who have competed .

Nor do I think he will give up unless he absolutely has to : he is enjoying it too much for one reason and it isn't in the nature of sports pros to give up without a fight !

I have certainly seen nothing on DS or Twitter or SCD Website to say that Phil is in a Wheelchair so perhaps the OP is just assuming he will be resting his leg. I am not going to panic yet as he said himself on Twitter he was back in training. I am not expecting great things this weekend but sure he will be there.

Methinks due to his knee operation, he would be under-rehearsed this week, slated by the judges, but endeared himself with the audience and be voted through for yet another week. Unless of course Katya was so sensitive and clever with the choreography and did John Barnes style salsa choreograpahy, concentrating on the intricate arm movements, and just a little bit shimmering and gyrating here and there and he might yet again be another pleasant surprise for us on Saturday!

*won't make a comment about how much Tuffers moved during the average Test Match *

There was a photo of him sitting outside in a wheelchair with his wife when he first got out of hospital, but it seems that he is up now and slowly getting back to training. Thank god hes got the salsa rather than the Jive!!

I've seen a picture of him coming out of hospital in a wheelchair but I think that was straight after of the op - doesn't mean he still is. It's really bad luck for him as I think he's real potential - he has lovely straight posture in the ballroom, for one thing, unlike most beginners. If he can, I think he's better off walking through a simple routine on Saturday and trusting the public to understand, because once you start needing weeks off, I think the public vote slips. But if his knee is really bad, then I don't see how it's going to get better through weeks of dancing.

Injuries tend to be the issue for sports people - Jade's back sounds bad as well, and Austin was held back by injuries last year. Phil will be forced into the role of charming, funny bad dancer, when, fit, I think he could have been properly good. I hope it's not that bad.

Actually, I would rather he dance the foxtrot this week because he'll be in hold most of the time and his footwork and posture is already quite good so foxtrot would pose less of a problem for him than the latin dance salsa.

To be honest if Tuffers comes out in the wheelchair and swishes around the floor in it , with his partner twirling him around to the beat , I think he will still sail through

Brian Fortuna is an expert in wheelchair choreography and he's also a street salsa king, so him to help with the wheelchair routine might actually work!

I think Tuffers should be marked on what he does. If not, then it sets a dangerous precendent for "Socialist Come Dancing" where everyone is marked according to their needs and not according to their ability.

Besides, at this stage, he could get 0 from the judges and still miss the dance off given his apparent popularity with the punters. I shall be voting for him whatever happens, so long as he doesn't overtly go for the sympathy vote. I like people to suffer with a stiff upper lip, although not stiff hips if they're dancing the Salsa.

I'd agree, at this point Tuffers could give a dancing display inspired by his fielding efforts for England*, and still sail through



*Marvellous bowler, rubbish batsman and fielder

I think that's a bit harsh. No-one had faster footwork than "The Cat" when it came to getting into position so that he could dive gracefully and miss the ball. He just didn't like running after it to the boundary.

He just didn't like running full stop I'm still slightly shocked at how hard he's been working at this, I honestly expected his pro to have strangled him by this point.

I didnt mean literally in a wheelchair. I was exaggerating as everyone knew he needed the op and has now had it. I know he wont be in or dance in a wheelchair or cructhes. It was simply to air the fact he is at a disadvantage this week by missing some training.

If he can train according to doctors, he should do so with the advised effort levels only. Dance his best, be scored truthfully and allow those watching to save him, if they want.

If he medically cannot train then he deserves one week bye, as would anyone in that position.

But not a two week bye. That would be a bye bye.