I would have saved Zoe and James,and they should have been saved.... they performed much better in the dance off,Ali was all over the place.The judges got it wrong in the first show too, voting off Matt Cutler and Martina.
Zoe and James were a great partnership,and I've really warmed to James this series .Zoe had so much potential,although at times Ali can be technically very good,I find her performances very bland,and dull.

Ellie

Brian is one of my favourite pros, so I'm glad they stayed. But, to be totally honest I think James and Zoe did the best in the dance off. Thought both couples were overmarked and I don't think that helps their cause with the voters.

I was crossing everything that it would be Ali & Brian saved. I thought Aleysha overmarked Zoe & James in the first place, no way was that a 9

Ali.

Zoe has been consistent, but only because her dances just haven't been as challenging whereas Ali has had more technically difficult routines and still managed to score well.

I agree that Zoe did better in the DO, but Ali has better potential to win the competition.

Zoe and James should have saved on the basis of the dance-off as Ali crumbled I thought.

Overall Ali and Brian definitely the right pair to stay.

Zoe was the same as before and her routine alternated between good bits with lulls in between. Ali added more attack the second time to a routine that filled the complete time and was moving her feet faster second time around.

Overmarking seems to be an argument but its not a convincing one - it doesn't matter if someone good gets a 9 rather than an 8 if no one else deserved the 8 or 9. Ali on one leg would still be better than 5 people and zoe had more in half her routine than those 5. Arguably the poor dancers are already getting 7s and 8s instead of 6s so you end up with a logic that its wrong to throw the odd mark at the best people but its fine to give the class dunces marks that pretend they re better than they are.

I thought Ali made a number of obvious errors in the dance off, obviously nerves and the injury played a part and Zoe danced the better of the two.

I thought the dance off was supposed to be the best in that dance, i think the judges went for Ali because she had been better overall in the series so far...

Zoe and James. I was not a fan of James before this year, but I really enjoyed his partnership with Zoe, and I loved watching them perform. Also, they were so great on on ITT and in their training footage - Zoe just seems so lovely and quirky, and I warmed to that.

As for Ali, I find her to be bland, overrated and very inconsistent; she so often looks like a frightened rabbit in her performances, wearing this awkward "Am I doing okay?" sort of grin as Brian drags her around the floor. Not my cup of tea.

Zoe and James should have been saved, their performance was a lot better the 2nd time whereas Ali made several mistakes.

Definitely Ali & Brian. Zoe was mostly gyrating during that routine.

Craig...............Oh sorry he wasnt in the dance off

Mistakes aren't all that matters.


Did you think Jade was in the dance-off the other week because of over-marking?

Also, who below Zoe and Ali do you think should have gotten higher marks that Zoe and Ali did? (If no one, what's the over-marking?)

I would have saved Zoe and James

I cannot take to Ali, she always looks on the verge of tears and so wishy washy.

Zoe. Ali was crap.

Zoe and James absolutely.

Ali and Brian's Paso was not performed well at all, even allowing for the injured toe - should not have had allowances made for it anyway as none of the others had that luxury (Ricky W - knee, Tuffers - knee, Ricky G - flu etc)

I didn't feel the impact (no pun intended) of a Paso performance.


Not necessarily others getting higher marks but more realistic (lower) marks for Ali would have gone some way to restore faith in the Judges I reckon.

Based on the dance off, Zoe should have stayed, but the judges (except Alesha) change the rules to suit themselves. If it's about potential, they don't need to watch the couples dance again, they can just find out the bottom 2 after the public vote, and just pick one.

If they are going to make them dance again, it should be just about the dance off performance. ( Just so you know I'm not being biased, I didn't particularly like Zoe, but her performance was better than Ali's in the dance off)

I agree that neither should have been in the dance off, but, I think they saved the right couple. I can't quite put my finger on why I never warmed to Zoe, I think it may be that she never seemed to be 'involved' in the dancing. Maybe I expected more of her <shrug>, she seemed to have such potential at the beginning of the series, but never quite seemed to put her personality into the dance? Not too good at explaining what I mean, and it is, after all, just my opinion

I wanted Zoe and James to stay, but I don't believe either couple deserved to go last night.

I would have saved Ali. I think she's better generally, and I'd always go for the better generally.

However, Zoe was better in the dance off, so according to Strictly rules, she should have stayed. It miffs me no end that the judges aren't consistent on this. Binnings of better overall dancers previously have always been accompanied by pious "we can only go by the dance off" justifications.

Meh.

Zoe and James were my favourite couple and were lovely together, but I have to say that while Zoe is a very good dancer, Ali is much better, particularly when doing ballroom.
The dance off was very close and I wouldn't have wanted to be one of the judges, but I would probably have gone for Ali despite Zoe and James being my favourites.

Ali purely because Zoe had less support and would only end up in the dance off next week. Disgusted with the result. I love Zoe and Ali, fabulous dancers.

I thought Zoe deserved to stay because her DO was better; but I was happy that Ali did because I found Zoe's dances (except the first one which was excellent) good but utterly boring.

i would have saved zoe and james - the decision shoud be based on the DO and Ali lost it completely, she looked like a dear in the headlights it was awful and she should have left
THIS IS THE 3RD YEAR IN A ROW THAT JAMES HAS LEFT TOO EARLY (ZOE, CHERIE AND GABBY ALL THE POTENTIAL TO WIN AND THEY WERE ALL THE ONES WHO LEFT AND GOT THE 'SHOCK REACTION')

I would have saved Zoe, not my favourite out of the group by any means and I found their dances good but sterile. However, I liked her from what I saw of her training clips unlike Ali who always seems like she might melt into a puddle at any given minute!!