I thought Ricky Groves was absolutely appalling. He dances with his mouth wide open and is the biggest showoff I have ever seen. His salsa was absolutely cringeworthy, and his "James Bond" routine was dire. People go on about Craig but quite honestly I would rather watch him than "ooooo look at me, I am Ricky Groves, the cheeky chappy from East Enders -'ere mate let me shake my bits at you cos I am so wonderful".

I really hope he goes next week - followed the ghastly gusher that is Natalie Cassidy. That woman has two styles of dancing - she is either catching flies in her mouth or looking at a flies on the ceiling. She is not the most graceful dancer the world has ever seen and thinks that saying how wonderful Strictly is, how wonderful Vincent is, how wonderful everything is will actually keep her in because she is loving it, it means the world to her. O pass me the bucket.

Natalie is good, I understand the love there.

Well obviously they are still getting enough of the public votes thus far, so many disagree.

Agree.
I think it's a popularity thing with eastenders cast members. Look at Chris Parker for God's sake, although why it's so popular beats me

If you don't like watching them, there is always the off button for 2 mins after they've been announced.

The iPlayer is especially good for removing bits of the show one would rather not see.

I actually enjoy Nathalie's enthusiasm.

Ricky Groves ....

Natalie and Ricky are what makes a show like this. They probably won't get any better but they come out week after week and throw everything into it and smile and have fun.

That is what Strictly is all about. It's about watching Celebs do something different it's not about Ricky Whittle and Ali (I don't watch Hollyoaks or The Bill so had no idea who they were).

Natalie isn't very graceful and Ricky likes to just have a laugh but it doesn't matter. Without them it would be slightly dull.

Ricky has started taking it a bit too seriously and if it hadn't been for Craig I do feel he would have been getting more "pelters" on this forum.

Natalie on the other hand is a clearly fan, and connects to people like me who would love to give it a go. She says the kind of things that fans would say and dances how most of us on this board would probably dance (probably better). Unlike Ricky and Ali who are far superior to her we don't hear or see her mess up her routines. Yes, she's a bit clumpy and flat footed at times but, she follows Vincent's instructions to the letter, and has yet to let him, their fans (and most importantly) or herself down. Out of everyone competing she does seem to be the one who really is there for the experience.

Love Natalie, hate Ricky. Next week boot please.

I have to agree with the OP about not getting the 'love' for them.

I'm not really keen on either of them. I liked Ricky G well enough in the first few weeks but am finding him irritating now, to the point that in the dance off I would probably have saved Craig (who has been annoying me for far longer than Ricky has).

I do like Natalie's enthusiasm but I am just not enjoying her dancing and in all honesty I wouldn't miss her if she left the competition.

In fact I'm finding it hard to particularly like anyone this year. I ldo ike Chris and Ola, Jade and Ian, and I like Phil Tuffnel because I actually liked his Latin dance the week after his knee operation. But overall I'm not that excited by the competition this year. I accept that Ricky W and Ali seem to be the strongest contestants, but I also find them bland and don't really enjoy their dances.

I agree and I’m finding that he has been getting more and more arrogant as the weeks go on. I used to only have a problem with the faces he pulls but his whole attitude irks me now.

I normally avoid looking at his face but made the mistake of doing it twice during his rumba and both times I burst out laughing – which isn’t really the ideal reaction to that dance.

I don't get the Chris Hollins love, but it seems I'm in the minority

Natalie gets A for effort. Ricky Groves isn't a great dancer, but he entertains. I don't think either will get to the final.

Love Ricky, hate Natalie! Should have been out weeks ago!

Actually I don't hate Natalie at all, she's just a dreadful dancer!

I'm not keen on either of them.

I found Ricky entertaining to start off with but he now has an inflated idea of his own ability and Erin's routines don't help.

The judges have been more than kind to Natalie handing out the marks she's asked for. I don't think she and Vincent are well matched and her 'I'm gonna make Ali quake in her ballet pumps' remark sucks.

I feel the same. I find Ricky very entertaining, and I don't think he's as bad as is made out. Natalie however I find really not very good at all, but she THINKS she's great. Her comments this week, now that Zoe is gone, about 'the gloves being off' just shows how conceited she is

I also think the judges over mark her.

I actually gasped outloud when she said that......what an arrogance!

Yes these are another two who think they are much better than they are.

All Eastenders actors have to keep their mouths open at all times. It's in the contract.

Jeez, if they said "Yeah, we know we're sh!t and people hate us" then half the peeps on here would be saying they were begging for sympathy or falsely-modest.

If they keep their chin up and have a go then they're arrogant!

Bleedin' 'eck.

Dislike both, and they are both hopeless. Natalie Thumper's remarks about Ali are quite frankly ridiculous. She can't touch her - even if Ali is a dull as they come. Natlie's ego is shocking! She is overmarked every single week. It's such a con!

Not arrogance, just a sense of humour

Could not agree more she really thinks she is the bees knees

Unfortunately the judges have fuelled her self love by ignoring her dreadful dancing since the beginning and never scoring her accurately.

Deluded, fake and very unpleasant.

How predictable.
Thread after thread attacking Craig all week. Now he's gone the mob on here need someone else to target.

That's how I saw it as well.

*shrugs*