But they should be accompanying the singers (and sometimes they do this quite well) but they weren't, they were slap bang in front of them and writhing about inappropriately.

I think it's the one spot in the show where the dancing should be secondary and last night it was not, otherwise it's just another pro-dance and the singers may as well not be there.

Although to be honest ... James' singing was particularly bad at the beginning of the song - with no dancers present.

Excellent notion

I thought the singers were the stars not on this occasion the dancers

Just want to agree with daziechain, the dance was the chacha and the staccato of the dance doesn't complement the lyrics of Broken Strings. I understand that it fits the beats and the rhythm but not the nature of the song. Perhaps it would have been better for there to be no dance to it this week.

James who? I missed the name when Bruce introduced them.

EDIT: Aaaagh...it's in the thread title!

I still don't know who he is, though.

He was nervous no question but I think the performance got a lot better .. but it was hard to tell because of Darren and Lilia's bizarre routine

James Morrison .. you know ..

'well, I know that it's a wonderful world but I can't see it right now .. well I thought that I was doing well but I just want to cry now'

Nope. Never heard of him or his songs. Shows how much I know of contemporary singers, eh!

Did you know JM is going to reprise the song on Top Gear?

With just a small lyric change to "You can't drive on broken springs"

Ahem, I'll get my coat.

Darren and Lilia saved the performance from being a complete let down, I'm just sorry they were dancing to such a dire rendition. The crowd were obviously pleased to have something else to focus on

Any time I've seen James perform (although I may be wrong) he's usually behind a mike stand, holding a guitar. Tonight he was kind of out there by himself until Nelly came on, and didn't look totally comfortable to me, which could have thrown him off a bit.

Also, what exactly were Darren and Lilia dancing? From where I was sitting it looked like what can only be called a 'Rhumba-cha-cha'.

Just listened to the start of the singing on I-Player and it was painful. Then Nelly came on and she sounded whiny and nasal. I didn't listen till the end of the song.

so I'm guessing that the pro dance to rock royalty Muse's song passed you by completely

I thought Bruce said Van Morrison and I got all excited.

Boy was I disappointed

Yes, absolutely. I was wondering who or what was Muse, when I saw it mentioned on here.

I also saw him at TT and heard a bit of his set at V Festival in August and he sounded brilliant both times. Not really a fan though and I haven't watched his performance from last night yet but as far as I'm aware, he's usually very good live.

Starpuss, I agree: Van Morrison would be fab!

The start of the number was so embarrassingly flat I muted the rest of it.

It was a performance that wouldn't have been out of place on the X factor. That bad

Yes: James Morrison DID sing out of tune - dreadfully last night. For all those people that complain about the singers and band: he outdid any of their performances with 'pitchy' singing. I have heard him live before and he had intonation problems then.
I also know from people working in recording studios that his singing is 'fiddled' with when it is recorded, to make him sound he's singing in tune.....

I heard the same as you. He doesn't have a "traditional" voice by any stretch of the imagination, but last night he was most definitely off key.

I could hardly hear him at first. It wasn't a good performance of what is normally a great song.

As someone who never usually notices these things but did this time, I'm pleased others saw the same. I love that song but that was dreadful to start with, it did get better but I was disappointed with the dancing by my favourite professionals I really didn't understand the smiles when the song is about a relationship breaking up.

I have to say by the time Darren and Lilia came out I had pretty much stopped listening to the "singing" for my own protection! It was a bit weird for it to be so smiley, but it was beautifully danced.

George Ivan Morrison wouldnt turn up for this gig