[quote=BelgoLift;36525212]My problem last night with ALL four judges in this regard is there was no constructive comment on how he could improve. If (heaven forbid) Craig had been saved again by the public, what could he have worked on?

I must admit it also occurred to me that their remarks (taken as a whole) could well have seen Craig voted back in yet again - only when I saw Tess's face at results time did I suspect we were not in for another "shock exit" (it was plain to see in her expression last week).

IMO they could have afforded to ease up and not tinge the night with unpleasantness for Craig or his supporters, let alone anyone else.

It's called manipulation. My Granny's ill, I have a broken toe, I hurt my finger, I just want to get to Blackpool etc., Manipulation.

'Zoe's gone and I've gotta endure this!' (chucks pen down)

Classic telly.

The judges are damned whatever they do. If they had said he was good, they would have got just as much a slating here as they did for being unconstructive etc. People in here are always whining on about "It's a dance competition" and when somebody judges honestly on the dance, moan!!! He can't dance, and he IS deluded about his ability. The judges over the weeks have said it nicely, and nastily but thanks to the GBP vote power he was still here. I do agree that the "I had to endure" comment would have been best unsaid, but everything else she said was true, and not unfair. I do believe she said it in the heat of the moment, and ALL judges have been guilty of that (Arlene more than most) over the years. Yes, that one comment should have been left unsaid, but he DID need a reality check on his dancing abilities.

The sob story this week was "Don't be horrid to me because it's my home town, mum and dad met here / are in the audience". The week before it was his birthday, the week before that is "I want to dance at Blackpool". What would the next sob story have been if he'd have got through again?

I somewhat agree that a little more tact should have been exercised, but if they feel they can't be honest week after week after week because of the sob story of the week it's going to boil over at some point, and they will revert to being brutally honest. I dont believe they should have been especially tactful and treading round him on eggshells this week in particular. Despite the comment that should have remained unsaid, she HAS gone up in my estimation for being the most honest of the judges - even moreso than Craig RH.

Sounds to me like he tried to phone after the lines had closed.



OK, I bit and read it but read nothing to demonstrate Carrie is an Alesha supporter. Quite the contrary infact; if you read her comments regarding Natalie's critique, Carrie couldnt hear what Alesha had to say but dismisses it as not having missed anything important.

When it comes to Craig, the only comment Carrie made re: Alesha's Zoe comment was a huge Caps Lock "OUCH!"



It's a shame, but tonight's comment casts doubt on the integrity of Alesha's decision last week. Assuming this friendship between she and Zoe truly exists, ofcourse.

It doesnt help that she supported John Sergeant in a year when his popularity meant better dancers leaving before him.



Excellent


Last word, while people are commenting on how humiliated Craig must have felt by Alesha's barb. I am sure Zoe wasnt too keen to have attention drawn to her in such a negative manner either.

I think that's a good point, and I wonder if it's a deliberate attempt to change her public persona. Watching her on Jonathan Ross, I noticed a difference. She was again quite arrogant, and seemed keen to put across a "don't give a sh*t " attitude..a far cry from the giggly, happy-go-lucky, girl next door.
Perhaps she hopes to cultivate a younger fan base, appear more "edgy". If so, she is on dangerous ground. Ask most teenagers, and they probably think Alesha is a bit "naff"..if they ever buy one of her albums it would probably be for their mum (or dad) It was SCD that made her new career, her days in Mis-Teeq were long forgotten. Trying to re-invent herself again won't work.

there was just no need to be rude - craig may not have been very good and everyone knew it, there was no need to humiliate him in front of millions - nor comment on the previouse weeks' dance off decision. My mum used to say that if you can't say something good say nothing at all . Shame on you.

I agree. I was a great fan when she danced with Mathew , I loved her then .I supported her throughout the judge contraversay
I posted many times that we should all give someone a chance
Now I too see a change , I dont think its nice , I dont like the arrogance and now wont speak up for her anymore .

Ah, but that nice Ms Dixon was put in the pannel to be kind and sympathetic to the contestants, because she knows how narrrrrrsty that Craig R-H can be! Now that she's out-heinoused him, she's Queen B*tch, don't you know!

Actually, regardless of my feelings towards her validity as a judge, I think she's in a no-win situation. She will either have to stick to brief, upbeat and meaningless critiques along the lines of "You woz great, well done" or tell someone they didn't point their fingers the right way (which makes everyone think "what right have you got to point out technicals, you upstart"), because the moment she gets all Simon Cowell she's failed in the one criteria she was brought in for: to be the kind face of the show.

I have always been pro Alesha , check my history of posts.
However last night she behaved in an appalling fashion. I am not pro Craig and i am glad he left last night but there really was no excuse for her spiteful comments.

" I can't believe Zoe has gone and I have to endure that......" dramatically and angrily throws down pen.

Well actually Alesha you're paid rather a lot of money to "endure this" and whatever you think of Craigs dancing he deserved a professional critique.

Craig put a lot of time into doing what was required of him, he worked hard. He deserves respect for that ,Alesha deserves none for abdicating her responsibility to judge professionally last night.

Anyone see her on that show with Fearne Cotton?

I thought she came across quite arrogant when talking about becoming a judge on Strictly. She came across as very entitled.

I think the problem is that Alesha does empathise with the contestants, but only with the "good" ones, feeling for them when they undeservedly go home/get into the dance-off. Not having been there herself, she can't imagine what it's like for those without great natural talent who put in the hours week after week and then get slated by the judges.

I dont think she should have said it out loud but goodness me it was EXACTLY what I was thinking at the time .

I agree, i was going to bring a thread up on that but thought there was no point. I didnt like the way she was acting like ''the people at home don't mean s**t'' and basically they are all complaining over nothing. Well i am sorry ''love'' but if people were using their phone bill to complain that they thought that you were awful after one show, i would be rather destroyed by that.

She is actually arrogant, something i thought i would never that. I wonder if she will be back next year because i know alot of people who don't watch the show because of her.

You can't blame Craig because someone else got voted off. That is plain moronic.

her comment to Craig was quite harsh. There was no need to bring Zoe into it.

I was pretty shocked by it!

Arrogant Alesha. She has thrown away any sympathy she might glean for herself by showing no mercy or sympathy to others. We now expect her to come up to scratch as a judge, or no forgiveness will be shown to her.

This was particularly highlighted with Ricky's dance. Len said "you went wrong but, I'll leave the others to talk about that". Personally I would have preferred to hear Len's opinion because he is the head judge and the ballroom expert. As a viewer I like to hear where they went wrong or what they did right and this type of constructive criticism does seem to be lacking this year.

As for Alesha, yes I thought she was wrong to bring Zoe's name into it (just as she was to bring Andrew's name into it). However, I do find it a bit rich that the forums are now up in arms about what she said to his face in front of millions of viewers, when worse has been said about on here, by posters safely hid behind their computer screens!

Excellent response to a rather naieve post.

I didn't see the programme, but this is the impression I have got from watching her over the weeks... probably a defensive response to the Arlene backlash that she clearly felt she was left to shoulder alone.

On the whole, I'm disinterested in her as a judge and as a 'personality'. I thought she was OTT last night, quite nasty, but then I couldn't bear Craig so....

Len did have to say where he went wrong after Natalie tried to cover it up by saying it was her rather than Ricky.

I said earlier that Alesha said exactly what I was thinking however I am not a judge on SCD.

I had to go back and read this one, just to understand the reply quoted in a recent post. What a strange post.
Tongue in cheek, sarcasm..or is it serious ?

I had no problem at all with the sentiments Alesha expressed. And for those thinking she's shot herself in the foot for next series, I'd doubt it - it was certainly what producers think of as good TV.

Alesha's increasing tendency to say what she thinks is actually a sign of her becoming better on telly, not worse. Imagine if she'd spent the whole show scared to say what she really thought. THEN she'd have been a waste of space.

I do think a little bit of edge-softening in the WAY she said it would have gone a long way - she could, for example, have left that comment til the end rather than going straight in with it (leave that sort of thing to Bruno ). But frankly, I'd rather have her than someone who was going to be completely PC about it.

What I would like to knoow is that Bruce tore Craig off a strip for his kangaroo comment to Jo= why didn't Bruce step in against Alesha who's conduct was worse than that

Ignoring the first part the second bit of her comment really hit the nail on the head:

"You're not as good as you think you are"

At least someone's got the balls to tell him that rather than just "You got to Blackpool anyway..."