I have never liked Bruce or Tess but love strictly. This year I am finding it less exciting. I think it is because none of the celebrities seem to be improving. They all showed so much promise at the start but have seemed to just been staying at the same level. The pro dancers seem less interested too. No spark. Even the ones who are supposed to be an item don't seem to have passion.

Still love it tho

I think most of the couples are improving a bit week on week, but the over generous scoring in the early weeks has put them in a sticky situation. If a celeb scores a 7 or an 8 in, say, week 3 or 4, then there's not a lot of margin to show slight improvement, as not many dances are truly worthy of a 9 or 10.

In my view, the judges should make better use of the lower numbers, then they have room to show the improvement through better scores. If a dance is "ok", it should be a 5. The higher numbers should be reserved for something special... not what we've seen so far. There is NO WAY that someone who hasn't danced before is worthy of a high score in the early weeks. They should be judged on the same criteria in week 1 as they are in the final. A dance worth an 8 in the final weeks will be 10x better technically than an 8 rated dance in the early weeks.

I agree with you about no spark, I still watch it but it needs a little injection of vavoom

So why does it lack vavoom?? Theories?

Like I said above, it's the scoring... there's no "journey".... no-one going from 22/40 up to 36+/40 through the weeks (like Lisa & Brendan did)

The rubbish ones are staying rubbish, and the ones who showed a bit of promise were marked so high in the early weeks that there's nowhere for them to go. As a result, their progression (according to their scores) is stagnating.

I'm sick of Bruce, not bored with him.
As for Tess, well I don't know really.
I suspect that Bruce and his toadying producers have cast her in the role of Bruce's stooge, Bruce's assistant and Bruce's ego boosting arm candy so it's a bit much to expect her to shine under those circumstances.
I'm always quite impressed with how she handles some of those very short afterdance interviews, she always manages to hit the right note with dancers who've played a blinder as well as those who are feeling a bit devastated knowing they've muffed it.

It'd take the world's greatest comic genius to reply naturally to some of those terrible 'jokes' that Bruce attempts to read, and he seems to have an obsession with repetition - the same lame shuffle at the start of the show, the same worn old catchphrases etc and it's hard to see what Tess could do with the raw material she's given.
Currently, she is so closely associated with Forsyth that it's impossible to tell what she might be capable of in a different situation.

I've never seen Tess in anything else, and I love to see her partnered with someone who didn't think that they owned the show.

dare I say it...the celebs are a bit bland this year....:yawn:

Yes that too. I have no idea who that chap Craig is, and I'm not entirely sure that being an ex-wife of a Rolling Stone qualifies you as a celebrity. Model and entrepreneur?? hmmm....

Its not humanly possible to get any blander than last year.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

I think Tuffers, Ricky G, Chris, Natalie, Jo and Lynda all had personality this year... so its not as bad as last years snooze-fest..

Claudia Winkleman is so much brighter and more entertaining than Tess. Could she not do both ITT and the Saturday main show?

With regard to Brucie, I agree that his scripted segments are sometimes cringeworthy, but he still excels at off-the-cuff rejoinders and his ability to host live television, imo, takes some beating. I think we should all be careful what we wish for when it comes to discussing Bruce's possible retirement as, like others have said, there's nobody who springs to mind as a replacement who would fit the show and who has a proven track record in hosting 2+ hours of relatively unpredictable live TV.

When the Pope dies, do they call it a day and or just elect a new one !!

When a president or prime minister dies, do they close down the country or just elect someone else.

The sad but obvious reality of life is........... no one is irreplaceable when it comes to a job.... no one, and certainly not Brucie.

I don't mean this badly at all... I am just thinking logically and realistically, but it would be god awful timing if after getting a whole series prepared, he went and died half way through it, or just before it, and ****ed up the whole thing !!! There is a reason the word RETIREMENT is in the dictionary......go before the good Lord comes along and shoves you into the next life !!

If they can justify getting rid of Arlene, then there is NOTHING stopping them putting Bruce out to pasture, and as great as he has been, It think its come to the stage where a fresher face would be a boon to the show.

Bruce is great for his age, but I think the show has become a little prescriptive, although, hands up, I have no idea how to spruce it up.

Maybe they thought bringing Alesha in would do the trick?

Yes, electing a new Strictly presenter is much like electing a new Pope...

... will there be white smoke coming from the rooftops of White city when they agree his replacement??

I would have kept Arlene, bumped Bruce and Bruno, and added Karen to the panel. As some have said this series has lost its sparkle, IMO this could be due to Alesha!!!! I really think every other celeb comes up short of her sparkle on the dance floor, her latin was fiery, sexy and fun, her ballroom was mesmerizing, just my opinion!!! So, for me, other winners will all fall short.

I'm sure I read that Claudia wouldn't work weekends as it doesn't fit in with her family commitments, or I'd be clamouring for her too.
Plus, I'd miss the two and a half hours we have of her through the week.


As for your second comment, if it didn't take Bruce so long to read his 'jokes' off the autocue, the programme could be over and done with in half the time.

Yes! to bumping off Bruno too...Karen would be great. I had a look on youtube at Alesha with Matt and she really was fantastic, but I think she was wrongly appointed on the panel...but that's another thread.

yes,yes,yes

Bruce is not funny and I find his "jokes" awful cringe making. He looks like Tess grandfather!! Can you imagine the public reaction if it was a much older woman with a young man!!! Bored with Strictly this year. I am so tired of the "romances" and the pics of the "stars" and professional dancers kissing etc. Just seen a pic of Boxer Joe with a woman hanging on his neck, no sign of Kristina although we were lead to believe they were having a "romance". Same thing with Brian and his partner, the rumours are never denied or commented on yet we get headline after headline. Remember Camilla and the Chef James years ago which was just a publicity stunt, admitted by both in invterviews after the show. Camilla was actually living with her then boyfriend at the time of the great romance. I remember headlines about.....How will Brendan cope with Camilla's new romance with James......X Factor has the same thing, war between the judges now they have the Irish twins and the fact that Simon hates them. They obviously think the general public are completely stupid to believe these ludicrous stories. I am bored with the whole thing!!

Alesha drives me crazy because she cannot speak English correctly and has never learnt the difference between was and were, for example.

I am sure the conclusion of so many z list celebs this year as contestants did not help make Strictly a winner!!!! Who are these people?? The professional dancers are better known by the general public than the competitors. I used to love Strictly and used to tape it religiously each week no matter where I had to go over the weekend but now I only watch if I happen to be home. Could care less who wins. Bruce is no longer funny and very predictable, Tess seems to be in the wrong show and the very obvious publicity stunts have been used time and time again......romance between the pro dancers and celebs, the war between Craig and Brendan.....Brendan waltzing off in a temper.......Craig and his bitchy comments! I still enjoy Claudia on It Takes Two but I am very disappointed by Strictly this year. Remember they used to collect money for Children in Need and the last few years this has stopped with no explanation given to the public as to why this decision was made.

Another thing (on a roll!) the dresses are definitely not as memorable this year...oh dear, we'll need to find something positive!!

When the F1 over-ran and Bruce had trouble keeping up, Tess rescued him a couple of times during the night's show, giving us glimpses of her having earned her job for more than just a pretty face.

Not much, but something!

I agree the celebs are so dull!!! None of them are really improving. Chris seems to be getting worse. Phil is only good at ballroom, Ricky G is just all pizazz and nothing more (although signs f improvement this weekend I guess), Ricky W can't improve. Hes stuck in a "9" mode.

Zoe is so boring, I like Jade and Ian but there is no signs of 'improvement'.

We all hate the word "journey" but we need it to get to know the celebs. I don;t count "I just want to get to blackpool" as a story or journey!

Bruce has made more gaffs these past two weeks then in all of series 6. I think he will quit at the end of the series.

Bruno is annoying me with his attitude to the ones he hates and adores his favourites. ALesha is just fuill of crap, Len is too much Mr nice Guy "SEVAN" and Craig is the only one wroth listening too and he gets booed. What is it with the booing. I want to throttle the audience that boo a 5.

THe music is AWFUL this year. Its like they sacked the singers and hired some alley cats.

The dresses are awful this year

I agree with those that say that the BBC ONLY care about ratings and it is destroying the show. Get back to basics. You have an audience that is all that matters. I thin kJay Hunt realky thought by adding Alesha that this year would beat X-Factor. Even more deluded than I thought.

Having been an avid fan since the start I too am very very disappointed with this years show thus far.

My thoughts are perhaps it is time to give Strictly a rest for next year then bring it back with a two new presenters and LESS couples.

I dispute that this years celebs are unknowns - may be one or two who have been the given the "celeb" label a little spuriously - but Joe Calzaghe is very well known as is Jade Johnson and Richard Dunwoody.

I think they need to sack the producer of this series as well - he/she hasn't got a clue, and also make it more accessible for the "ordinary" people to go and watch the show instead of doling out tickets to anyone in celebdom who asks.

If they take a break next year - possibly a refreshed judging panel and a deal that they if they keep Bruno and Len they either do our show or the American one - these two (esp Bruno) have got way way too big for their boots.

A dream panel of judges would be Craig, Len (for Ballroom) and Karen or Camilla (for Latin) Three instead of four judges makes it far more balanced if they insist on keeping the "judges choice" and please NO blatant favouritism from the judges (yes Craig I am referring to you - as well as Bruno in this).

Anyway rant over - just I am so so so sad to see what has been a fave part of my "winter viewing" being destroyed by the powers at the BBC

Both should be replaced for next year.
Bruce is embarassing and boring.
Tess is completely useless.

You've got the dress designer for that. According to what she said on IT2 "They've got an "eighties theme" this year.
So you've got a llot of rubbish music too from that era.

Many of the tunes selected are beyond the range of the singers (probably beyond the range of some of the original artists, without some digital help).

If they stuck to recognised dance tunes from the well known and loved songwriters, all the "memorable" tunes have a range of not much more than an octave and a half, which would be well within the range of the singers.
Pick any song Sinatra has recorded and you'll know what I mean.