Without. There were no toe curling moments and Tess & Claudia didn't try and hog the limelight

I have to agree with that. I have long thought that Bruce would be a hard act to replace, but Tess & Claudia did a fine job. However, at the start it was not the same, and I don't see Tess as having the weight or authority to get the programme started, which is where Ronnie C came in. But really, his contribution at the start was a bit of a let-down. He just didn't seem at home there.

Yes, some of Claudia's comments were brilliant.

Without Bruce (and Ronnie).

... look at the response from fans on this thread.

Virtually unanimous! Brilliant job by T & C - and I have to say I am not a big Tess fan!

Without most definitely! No dreadful jokes, no Me!Me! Me! and no cringeworthy comments and dancing. It was almost as slick as Dancing with the Stars.

I wasn't sure about Tess' ability to do the front of house bit - but she was actually very good and she and Claudia worked together far better than Tess & Bruce do. With a little more practice Tess could be VERY good. She lacks Bruce's 70 odd years of showbiz experience but she just needs some time to settle in and she could be brilliant.

There was no need for Ronnie's presence either - he was surplus to requirements.

Without - I really enjoyed Tess & Claud - no need for Ronnie either. First time I haven't had to fast forward through the Brucie cringy jokes & links. I could watch & read the forum in real time.

thought the start of the show was a little creaky ,but that was cos of the running order being geared up for brucie and a few nerves but it quickly settled down mainly down to claudia .

Ditto. How great not to have to put up with his dire puns and lousy stabs at humour.

Loved Claud, she's a star and Tess was good out of Brucies' shadow too.

Without and with no other doddery old man playing lip service to 'entertainment'. Claudia imo could do Brucie's job, leaving Tess to see to the afters, but as long as Claudia remains I don't mind either way.

I feel guilty for saying this, but without (and without Ronnie Corbett)

Without, Tess did Ok out front, carrying the show but not becoming it, and given time the role would suit her well.

If Claudia didn't want to take over in the 'Tess pit' maybe that could be the role Anton could take.

Tess was a bit bland but better than she normally is because of her script. When she attempted to make off the cuff comments during the judging she did come unstuck. It did show that just letting the judges have their say uninterrupted works so much better and the show really proved was that the 'jokes' are completely unnecessary and all they do is slow the show down.

If they can make Claudia interview sitting down she'd be better. She is very awkward and manic when standing up.

The problem with Bruce is that for at least the last forty years (i.e. the parts of his career I've seen) he hasn't actually been any good at hosting shows where is isn't the real star. He has been excellent where he has been the real star of the shows and it has all revolved around him but that doesn't really apply to SCD, even though he and the production team would seem to think it does.

I have to say I thought the show worked better without Bruce. That isn't Bruce's fault really, it is just not the right format for him. Tess isn't the answer though. The show can cope with a big name as the host, it can't cope with a host who is treated like the star.

I missed him, Bruce is the glue that keeps the show together last nights effort was pretty shambolic though i have to say a little more relaxed. Tess was not very good.

I usually can't abide Tess but she did a much better job without Brucie - why? because the usual sexist 'bruce is the star and tess should just simper and smile at his stupid jokes' went out of the window and she actually did an ok job

Claudia is a legend in the tesspit as I knew she would be

I much preferred the show without Bruce and thought Tess and Claudia did a fantastic job.

Well, as someone who has never had much time for or anything very flattering to say about either Tess or Claudia, I had to eat a large slice of humble pie last night after the two of them proved themselves more than competent to run the show in a relaxed and most enjoyable fashion.

The only tired and predictable 'jokes' came from that old fossil Corbett, who was fortunately stashed in the audience for much of the show - I do wish Bruce a quick recovery, but I'm hoping he takes a very long convalescence and that the Beeb have the courage to stick with 'The Girls'!

Claudia was brilliant. She was excellent in the back room.

Definately without Bruce and Ronnie. The girls did a fab job and there was no fast forwarding this week for me.

WITHOUT!

The show was slicker, more professional and contemporary (aside from the Ronnie Corbett bits...shame on your BBC!). Brucie worked for the first few years but as the show has got bigger and is competing with the much slicker and modern X Factor I really think it's time for Brucie to retire.

I do appreciate that to a lot in the audience he IS Strictly - and I'd love to see him in the final doing one of his dance numbers with the cast or on ITT or something, but not presenting the show.

Tess did an ok job, I was surprised by how competent she was but she's not good enough to front the whole show by herself every week. She has no 'showbiz', she just read the script. She's also terrible backstage, and the glorious Our Claud showed her up big time last night (the backstage was fun and geeky and everything it should be).

So let's have two new presenters next year with Our Claud backstage please!

Am I the only one who cringed everytime Tess opened her mouth? She is not a natural presenter like Bruce and Claudia but she does do the backstage bit reasonably well - but then, how difficult can it be???

Tess should have stayed in her TessPit and Claudia should have fronted the show. It would have been more lively, more funny and much more spontaneous.

Wasn't the same without him. I do think that Tess & Claudia should have been left to do it themselves without bringing in Ronnie Corbett though.

Great without Bruce as I was able to watch it live not on Sky+ like I have to every other week to fast forward past his unfunny comments.

Without, no doubt about it; my fast forward button got a rest tonight!

It's just a shame that Tess did not have flue as well.

Ronnie Corbett was first class and much funnier than Bruce.

This shows that the show can be revived with new presenting blood.

First class performance by Claudia as well.

I agree I did miss Brucie, although the girls did a good job I hope that when the time come for Brucie to retire they will get a male MC ,I don't think Tess is a natural presenter. Ronnie Corbett was surplus to requirement.:yawn: