Her performance this evening was the same as it's been throughout the season, but this is the first time she's been given accurate comments.

I wonder why it's taken CRH so long to comment on her wide-open gob, she does it every time she performs a Latin dance.

Her expectations have been mismanaged. The judges should have been honest with her from the beginning, this would have given her a chance to improve on her dancing & facial expressions. There's no point in telling her at this stage, it's too little, too late. It's all a bit cruel & it hasnt helped her at all.

Perhaps this was there intent all along: tell her how good she is to lull her into a false sense of complacency then crush her spirits near the end of the series.

Totally agree.

This is the first time they've marked fairly accurately (apart from that 8!).

I agree OP. Craig normally is very honest with all contestants but he has really bitten his lip with Nataie overhyped and overmarked her. Now he is turning on her but nothing has changed.

Now they're getting to the business end, the judges are probably more confident in letting their true feelings be known.

They are fully aware that there are much better dancers in the contest, and if they keep pandering to her, telling her she's getting better each week, they'd end up HAVING to give her 10s to justify the comments.

Let's be honest... she's no dancer. This is the beginning of the end for Sonia from Eastenders, and I am glad to see it.

Why would they have hatched this ridiculous plan?
I agree that the comments were accurate and should have been said earlier but it's probably more like because only relatively good ones are left so her failings are obvious, not a far fetched plan from the start to destroy her inner happiness.

Definately, i actually gasped and went "EIGHT?!" when i saw it

I made that comment in jest

I can only assume that they overmarked out of kindness - something they haven't generally shown to other contestants. It may have been better if she'd gone tonight, because it looks as though honesty is the order of the day now.

Agreed.

I thought she was the worst of the bunch (if you include Ricky's 2nd attempt at the Tango.)

But this isn't all about dancing. The public vote matters and like it or not, it is obvious that the public like Natalie. If she doesn't get in the bottom two, then the judges can't do anything about it. She will probably go next week, but given that she is filming EE at the moment, she will probably want to go so that she can actually have a life.

Ricky Groves was the worst this evening. He was terrible, he knew it, the judges and the public knew it and he went. It was totally right.

I felt sorry for Natalie as well, but I don't agree her dance was of the same standard as her previous dances. The Samba was not a good performance, but her previous dances have all been much better. Even Karen Hardy pointed out on Choreography Corner on ITT how well Natalie copes with Vincent's hard choreography that looks deceptively simple.

She didn't dance well tonight and she does have problems with her posture that is unlikely to improve much now, but over all she has danced better than Laila and Ricky G. This was Natalie's first bad dance - Laila has had several and Ricky has a few too.

I'm glad Natalie survived another week and I thought Ricky G was better than Laila tonight in the dance off. I'm not saying Natalie should win, but she is not the worst dancer left yet.

My family all enjoy her dancing and think she is a dancer. Not the best, obviously, and she has thngs to work on, but she puts on a good show, in our eyes. She seems very unpopular on here though and I can't help thinking it's a lot to do with her size.

There's nothing wrong with her personality either. Some people are very harsh. Perhaps she's another Marmite character, but I don't understand why.

why feel sorry for her? The way she has been judged throughout series has been a joke, the judges afraid to criticise and tip-toeing around the fact she is not very good, stomps through her Latin routines and is v average in ballroom.
She should have been out at least a month ago. It's a damning indictment on the SCD voters to keep saving someone who is so poor, and now completely out of her depth.

I'm not much of a fan of hers, but I don't get all the comments that she's such a terrible dancer, she's not very graceful but overall the standard of her dancing isn't much different to Chris or Laila.

I really don't understand why people think Natalie is being 'overmarked and overhyped'. OK, so this probably was one of her worst dances and she maybe isn't as lithe and supple as some of the celebs but she has been incredibly consistent. She's one of the few people that hasn't forgotten steps, she has great rythm and timing, is very precise and has put a lot of work into getting the details right. Most of all is incredibly enthusiastic.

If anyone has been overhyped I'd say it's Laila. She's never looked like she really wanted to be there and most of the time she's behind Anton timing-wise getting dragged around like a sack of potatoes.

I would bet anything that you are EE and Sonia fans, that's why you make allowances for her.

I was like that with Luke from CS (Craig Kelly).

You answered your own question.

In fairness I think her ballroom is relatively good, although I'd veer towards 8 rather than 9. Her latin isn't too good, though.

Well I said the same thing as winenroses and I don't watch EE and and although I knew who Natalie was before the series started, I couldn't have names her EE character to save my life.

Why can't you understand that some people take things at face value and don't have preconceived ideas about Natalie?

I agree. Since Laila did that Tango as her first dance, the judges have gone on and on about what potential she has and she has never delivered. She definitely has timing issues and can't remember the routine, meaning Anton is constantly trying to get her into position (sometimes at the expense of his own performance) and they dance in hold far more than any couple because she needs his constant support. I think next week will be a disaster for Laila because she will have dance a fast dance, whereas I think the new dances will suit Natalie (and Chris) down to the ground.

You've said it all for me. The judges have indulged her, perhaps fearing she'd become the laughing stock - because she is so bad. Last night they really couldn't hide the truth any more. I suspect they thought she'd be gone by now, but EastEnders fans have kept her in out of kind but misplaced loyalty and the British love of a loser who 'tries'.

She hasn't helped her fan base grow by gushing over everyone in an OTT and frankly nauseating way and bleating about her weight and her blind belief in her ability.

Time she went home and stuck to acting. She'll never, ever be a good dancer so she might as well stick to being a Sonia.

I think it's because she is so loud and over the top. That's certainly why I can't take to her. I think it's a bit dismissive to say she's not popular because of her size. There'e lots of people who are not sized perfectly that I like but I tend to shy away from such extroverts.

It is such a pity it took the judges this long to get to the
business end, in taking so long they have spoiled the show for many. All they have been doing to Natalie each week is imho patronising her. When I think of the better dancers have gone out before her, it really puts my back up, I am sure Vincent must be feeling embarrassed , he did give extra bum wiggles for his fans last night to try to make up for the clumpy one.

Well, not really as you've taken my quote out of context.

I'm not even voting for Natalie, but given that Karen Hardy is full of praise for Natalie on Choreography Corner on ITT, why do people keep saying she is a bad dancer?

If you don't like her, fair enough, but she can dance quite well. She's a better dancer than Laila and on a par with Chris.

I think people are confusing ability with personality on here.