Oh, please no.

I wouldn't mind if it was someone fairly inexperienced. Once they could laugh off any mistakes they made and could banter with the couples, it could work.

Wonder who'll be doing the voice-over introducing the couples at the start of the show. I always got the impression that Tess and Bruce's bit was pre-recorded - it'd be weird having Bruce's voice and no Bruce.

I think that could play a factor in who they'll get to do the duties in the Tosspit...but I'm sure the Beeb are also fully aware of all the positive feedback regarding James' presenting skills, so I'm hoping they'll give him the job. I think it'll definitely be a male, anyway.

It will be interesting to see how Ms Daly copes as main presenter...

I think the programme executives will be watching Tess' performance with great interest. She's actually a possible successor to Bruce, for one vitally important reason.

Whatever Bruce's other foibles and faibles, virtually all the celebs love him because he never fails to support them, with delight for the good performance and sympathy for the poor or unfortunate one. The butts of his more pointed "jokes" are always the judges.
This is a MUST HAVE criterion for the choice of "Bruce II" - if it ever comes to that, he could of course outlast the show if so many of you keep knocking it.

If Tess can cut out the innuendos (or at least okay them with the couples involved first), she will be good at mothering the contestants.

Jeremy Paxman would bring some much needed probing questions in the Tesspit.

Austin Healey and Matt Dawson. Both are contracted to the BBC and will already be in London for the rugby international earlier in the day. We could dispense with the interviews in the Tesspit and simply have that pair re-enact highlights of the dance just performed whilst the judges' marks are tallied. They could take it in turns to be the man and even dress up for dramatic impact.

If you notice , I didn't say I haven't seen him live . I have and I still think he has a way to go before he reaches his best .

I do know he does Proms in the Park in Swansea . I have seen him . He is very good . And at the Hay Festival ! And I saw him many times at the Pop Factory in the Rhondda with my daughter . I didn't see him present Mardi Gras as it really isn't my thing at all .

I have met him and know his family as my offspring used to play in County orchestras and so on .

And I also didn't say I hadn't seen him on TV . In fact as you can see from my earlier post I watch regularly on S4C and on other shows and listen on the radio

I assure you my pro Welsh presenter credentials are very sound and may well be better than yours

And on the subject of Welsh presenters , there genuinely is NO ONE better than Aled , whom I do know very well . He is known as One Take Jones BTW
Witty , clever , funny and very ,very quick . That is ,I am sure where Gethin is heading , but he doesn't quite match him yet , but then Aled has 28 years experience and is 8 years older .

Karen couldn't do it because she is dancing at the Albert Hall with Mark Ramprakash on Saturday night.

I would like to see Bill Turnbull or James Jordan

Heard a rumour Jeremy Paxman, who's been in the audience at the show before, will be filling in backstage for Tess.

'And so, Ricky Whittle, how do you think that went?'
'It was fast, man - really fast.'
'Yeeeeeeeess, thought it might be ...' Look of a moderately amused aardvark. 'And we should take it you were loving it, should we?'
'Yeah, lovin' it, man. Absolutely lovin' it.'
'Yeeeeeeess.' Lugubrious roll of the eyes. 'Now back to Tess for what apparently should be some more side-splitting, unscripted hilarity.'

Looking forward to it.

Both Gethin and Aled are good calls. But I think that the producers might be thinking that the front-of-stage job is Tess' to lose.
I wonder if James Jordan has impressed them enough on this series of ITT to be tried out in the "Jimpit" if required. I'd love to find out if he and Ola can do banter as well as mwah-mwah.

vernon has said on twitter that tess is going to do bruces parts tomorrow night

So would I actually . James has been great . A really different side to him has been seen .

As for Ramps dancing ......

Could you imagine if Chris & Ola's dance didn't go to well and got very badly criticised.

James: I told you include that much cape action, I told you Len wouldn't like it, but you wouldn't listen, always think you know best don't you.

Ola looks at him with a stony expression on her face and a really uncomfortable silence breaks out backstage

James: er right erm looks like the scores are in

Camera pans to the judges giving their scores

Camera goes back to the Jimpit to find just Chris standing next to James who know has a nosebleed cause Ola punched him the face

I hope this is tongue-in-cheek, 'cos if not, I think you're seriously misjudging James.

In any case, at his height, James' face is safe from Ola. If anything, we'd find him clutching his walnuts.

Why can't Alesha be a judge and do the backstage thing? Not being able to see the dancing doesn't seem a particularly major handicap to effective judging, if conspiracy theories are to be believed.

In the current climate when the salaries of the Beeb's top people - if Alesha can be so described - is under so much scrutiny, not incurring the costs of a further presenter seems like a great idea.

There's also the potential for Erin to scratch her eyes out if she undermarks Ricky again.

maybe Darren and Lilia will do the backstage bit together

I detected a lot of tongue in the previously referred to post.

If not, my money would be on Ola. Small ones are always more dangerous.

My tongue is very firmly in my cheek. Put together for fun purely on the basis of them being a married couple rather than in-depth analysis of their personalities

As long as everything goes smoothly and no mishaps she should be okay .... love the way Bruce handled the mic episode with Karen and Mark.

If Tess is stepping up to the Brucie role, then finding a Tess replacement isn't too difficult.

Natasha Kaplinsky has done it before and is the obvious choice.
Alternatively I'd like to see Claudia do it, or a combined Darren & Lilia would be a great idea.

Not sure how Tess will handle doing Bruce's job. Although we knock the old dodderer, he is a professional and it's not going to be easy for Tess to replace him.

Might have been better to leave Tess in her normal role and call up a Terry Wogan, Michael Aspel, Des O'Connor type figure in the senior role.

Claudia should do the Tesspit - definitely

I'm delighted I haven't got to sit through Brucie!!

I'm surprised Bruce has got flu, he had it during last years run as well.I would have thought he would have a flu jab.I know it's not 100% effective but flu is not that common at his age because of previous exposure to the virus.

Hope he gets well soon,not looking forward to extra Tess tomorrow.Hope she doesn't make some foot in mouth comments.

Awwwww, Brucie, I hope you get well soon.

*I'm trying to remain open minded about Tess but, I'm not really looking forward to her fronting it at all. I went into a right "hissy fit" in work when they broke the news to me.

Might make a nice change.
I am not a Tess-fan but Bruce's "jokes" are well past their sell-by so I shall be grateful not to have to endure them.

Yes, why should I endure Bruce when there are far funnier comics out there?

I'd love Claudia to do the Tesspit, but really, I'd like Angela Rippon to take over from Brucie.

The last time i looked strictly wasnt a comedy show , his jokes are more of a time filler in strictly and are meant to be tacky for the most part i feel. Some are funny though imo and some are tacky he usually takes the mickey out of himself on those ones. I think Tess will do a reasonable job though if she does front the show.

She could just do it all by herself

Receive the couples at the judges' desk after they've danced then walk with them to Tess'pit, do her thing there and then introduce the next couple, then run backstage to be ready for when they've finished.