It's the first time I've posted so I'm sorry if this has already been said elsewhere.

Am I the only person who thinks that the powers that be at Strictly are keeping the idea of a non elimination week until they actually need it. i.e when it suits them.

It could happen this week or next or in the semis (I've worked out all the maths but it's too complicated to post here) that the judges favourites Ricky and Ali both end up in the dance off. Cris and Natalie are both very popular with the public and the public vote is more important than the judges.

If they are both in the dance off I think they will then announce that there will be no elimination that week just to keep their 2 favourites in the competition.

Or maybe it's just me getting cynical in my old age.

Welcome to the boards sweetiecat.

I have to say I dont think they are saving an elimination week for the 'judges favourites' Ricky and Ali. If they had that then they could have introduced it when the original judges fave - Zoe Lucker was in the DO with Ali.

I wouldnt also class Ricky and Ali as the only judges faves tbh. Natalie C has the judges and ITT constantly praising her. Laila is also quite popular with the judges despite lacklustre routines. I think its only Chris Hollins that has really not had the seal of approval from the judges, however he has the love of ITT to make up for it. Ali is favoured by the judges but I dont blame them as her dancing is beautiful (although not perfect before I get shouted at!) and Ricky has been criticised rather regularly despite the high marks.

I think I probably agree with you......say for instance Ali and Ricky end up in the dance off tonight (the producers know in advance of the audience ofcourse) they could suddenly say everyone goes through to next week.

They wouldnt have done it for Zoe V Ali because at that stage Jade was still in the competition and we didnt need a non elimination week to get a 3 person final.

Really? You think, I don't think she's popular with them at all, her Paso was sorely undermarked and then her VW (a good dance) was all but ignored so they could have another go at her Latin. They give the impression she doesn't try with a lot of their comments, a theme picked up and ran with by a lot of people on these boards. But a judges favourite, nah!!

As for the non-elimination week, I'm not entirely sure the BBc are at this point capable of formulating a plan that cunning. It should have been the first week Jade was injured. Unfortunately that week someone was trying to separate their elbows from other bits of their anatomy.

Personally I hope they do - I'd like a three couple final, preferably with both Ali and Ricky in it.

I don't think it's fair that Ali seems having to dance tonight and if she ends up in the bottom two it'd be a nice gesture to put them all through, rather than make her dance again.

Welcome from me too Sweetiecat!

I think the BBC will make tonight a non-elimination week just to maintain the credibility of the show as a competition, especially if, as some people say Chris and Natalie are at the top of the public vote. I don't think it is about favouritism though - just common sense.

I agree with Len that losing Jade has left a gap between Ali and Ricky and the other three celebs. It makes a two couple final much less appealing than ever before - and it was never appealing in the first place! It isn't quite on the same level, but the BBC are risking reverting back to a Series 1 scenario when Natasha (a beautiful dancer) and Chris (not a beautiful dancer) were in the final.

Please BBC - no elimination this week and give us a 3 couple final.

I agree, as long as all the marks are rolled forward. It would be unfair other wise, plus the public will have spent their money voting for nothing which would cause uproar again.

Yep, totally agree

Fingers crossed then!

I dont know, she does get a lot of praise in her ballroom. Maybe I said that because I agree with them regarding her latin, I wish she would deliver (although her paso was very good) it frustrates me about her because there isnt any reason for her poorer Latin numbers apart from confidence and a bit more effort in terms of getting over her mental block.

I'm not convinced by the mental block theory. Not that she doesn't have them , but I think Laila has timing issues and just can't do a fast dance. I do hope I am proved wrong tonight though!

I think you're right, I think something gets lost between her brain and her feet. I suppose at least the Charleston isn't quite as fast as a jive and to be fair I'd be clueless what is and isn't in a Charleston as limbs seem to be flung around in all directions!

I'm not sure if all the moves they do at the same time are supposed to be in sync or if it okay for them to be doing their own thing!

I would imagine that they would be in trouble if they had people voting for one thing and then turned it into something else so I cannot see them waiting until they know who is in the bottom two to anounce no elimination.

However, they should have a no elimination week this week (and not becuase of the ricky and ali fiasco) but because a three person final is more exciting and less predictable than a two person final.

Ah, my thoughts - another conspiracy theory ....... surely we must have the set by now?

I would also agrre with this

I just dont understand how someone can do so well in Ballroom but not in Latin! But then Anton cant do Latin very well either soooo....

What the BBC should do is to bring back all the eliminated celebs, give them a week to all train on the same dance - preferably one that they haven't done before - and then the public vote for who they want to continue in the competition. They would all have a level playing field and it would then allow a 3 couple final.

It's not Anton ok, don't say that!??

No, honestly I think she's a bit like Ali to be honest, she likes the princess-glide of the Ballroom and the Latin all gets a bit scary and quick. Plus, yeah Anton can't guide her around as much (not through his own inability, no, no, no) so she gets all panic stricken.

Gawd knows what this means for the Charleston, according to the lady herself she's channelling Miss Piggy for this one!
No I don't know what she means either...

Lol, sorry for the Anton-Hate Vic

so you would ignore the simple fact that the most recently-eliminated couples had not only progressed much further in the competition, had learnt more routines, had received marks from judges & public alike to keep them in the competition longer than those couples eliminated earlier?

Hardly fair on those couples who had trained the longest, and had mastered more routines.

It also ignores the fact that some will almost certainly be doing other things now anyway.

No, they had their chance last week when Jade's injury became apparent, they should have took control of events and brought the last eliminated couple back into training that week, or not had an elimination (yes, either Phil Tufnell or Ricky Groves would have still been in the show). But they chose to do neither and displayed an incompetence that seemingly knows no bounds.