Strictly was never a pure dance competition to begin with.

Otherwise, the participants would all be roughly the same age, of the same fitness level and starting ability. And the viewers would not be given a say because the majority of us aren't dance experts.

If Chris wins, it will be entirely in keeping with the spirit of the show. His dancing will have entertained the audience more than anyone elses. That he isn't technically the best dancer is neither here nor there. Neither were Tom Chambers or Darren Gough, but it didn't stop them lifting the trophy.

Yes and he is a much better dancer than them two

No I'm objective enough to acknowledge that Chris would probably be the weakest dancer to win Strictly so far (as would Laila who I'm also supporting).

But I don't care. Someone has to be the worst!

They have been more enjoyable to watch than the others. So they will be getting my vote

I didn't say he couldn't dance! But he didn't dance as well as others in the same series, let alone better than anybody else apart from Jill.

Am I reading that right, or are you talking about a different Jill ?

I don´t support Chris but if he won it wouldn´t bother me. He has been entertaining and he is very popular.

The standard this year is very poor anyway so maybe the ´comedy couple´who bring fun to the floor should have the glitterball.

I'm talking about Jill Halfpenny.

Neither did Ramps, Goughie or Alesha.

Let's face it it has never been a dancing competition, it has always been a popularity contest with a bit of dancing thrown in.

As Ricky bores me, and his professional partner is (IMO you understand) an arrogant pushy little madame, Ali makes me want to throw a brick through the telly and Laila sends me to sleep, I'd rather like Chris and Ola chops to win.

Is that the end of SCD as a Dance Competition?
Well no, seeing as it was never a dance competition in the first place. When will people realise it's an entertainment show with dancing?
And I would love Chris and Ola to win, but I just know what the reaction will be from certain forum members who take Strictly completely seriously would be.

Jill was a great dancer with a great personality, but I thought Denise a superior all round performer.
Back on topic - Chris and Ola finally won me round last night; I loved their Charleston.

With Jade gone I'm still ambivalent about the eventual winner, but if it's Chris you'll hear no argument from me.

Don't forget, England had just won the Ashes and Darren was a recent member of the England cricket team (although not in the Ashes squad) so the number of "cricket fans" in the UK was about 8 million (number who watched the Ashes)

That's a bigger viewerbase than Colin or Zoe would have (previously) enjoyed.

I do agree that it was never a dance competition in the first place. It's an entertainment show, neither art nor sport. Let the voting public choose who entertains them the most, whatever the reason.

Now let me think, if Chris wins would it be the end of SCD as a dance competition:

Series 1
Natasha beats Chris √

Series 2
Jill beats Denise -

Series 3
Darren beats Colin X

Series 4
Mark beats Matt √

Series 5
Alesha beats Matt -

Series 6
Tom beats Rachel X

Series 7
Chris beats "whoever"

In the previous six finals we've had two finals where the better dancer won, two finals where it was too close to call, and two finals where the better dancer lost. I would say that Chris winning wouldn't be the end of the show as a competition, as the "random" factor of popularity over technical ability adds to the tension.

In a way its far worse. Donny is a showman and can act and at times hit a high standard and had a decent record. You can also explain his win in terms of an older audience voting for someone they knew.

Chris would be a strange winner. His record is weaker, his highs lower, his journey short and circular. He hasn't got as near to the best dancers as Tom did. His acting is terrible. Nat had more journey and acted better. He doesn't fit the conventional macho male winner model - though weaker people with under-dog tags do win reality shows. He hasn't changed much or overcome problems en route - Ali has become more outgoing at last and dealt with two injuries. He's likeable, but then so are Ali and Brian except to females who don't vote for females who look or sound like Ali. He's trying, but others tried at least as hard. Ola is wonderful, but she always has been. He has a great relationship with Ola - but its pretty absurd to claim its better than the Ali-Brian one or the rumoured Ricky Nathalie one. He has the little boy lost look and tries his best - but being shy is used to argue against Ali and wanting to do well and win is used against Nathalie and Ricky. If he wins its going to be a good BBC producer who finds any spin to explain why - apart from saying people liked him.

The problem is the show will then move on from having a winner who clearly wasn't best but was top 3 or 4 to having a winner who was probably top 6 only. If thats seen as the norm or happens again, why bother trying hard and doing well when the right VTs and turning up as the right sex will work better? Why not vote for Phil or Nat or Ricky G or Jo Wood to win - the most alpha male , the person with the best journey story, the funniest and the person who tried hardest? The more people see the show like that, the more it will become that and the fewer people who might do well will apply - until someone cancels it.

Can SCD survive - yes if they move on and get the casting and format better next year and sort out whether they should push the back stories so much for the weaker candidates. No more Blackpools. Lets also have a bit more care with labels -no more Tess claiming the people who do best are favourites or Alesha spotting a front runner when some people will misread that. One idea might be to push the Charleston week earlier to let the people who are dancing better show they can do comedy too and to make things more challenging for the weaker people so voters can see a difference. Another would be to make sure that the music fitted the dances and what they wanted people to try and be, rather than what they were comfortable with.

A lot of its been bad luck though - Ricky W looked too good at the start, all of his female opposition was injured and/or left even after they put 4 in. Its even suffered from love breaking out as the closest relationships have been downplayed on camera whilst the weakest have been shown having fun together. They ought to be able to do better next year - though how they respond to any Chris win to stop it happening again is going to be difficult.

I'd be more than happy if Chris won strictly. As much as I love watching the more gifted dancers, it's a combination of factors which make a winner, not just dance ability. Chris's personality is appealing and he has worked hard during the competition. Seeing someone like Chris progress through the series, and work to overcome problems, can be far more of an encouragement to the public to get out there and try it themselves than seeing some of the more naturally gifted.

I do think it's right that the judges give a serious dance critique (something that we don't get enough of, in fact), but I also think it's right that the audience have different criteria when choosing a winner.

Darren though had the story and Colin had a terrible show dance . If you allow that one because there was a clear reason there's clear progression. Tom was closer to Rachel than Chris is to Ricky or Ali and Chris has less story than Darren. The finalists pre last year were arguably all top 3 contenders afer series 1 and even Tom was equal with Austin on average marks. Chris is worse than Ali, Ricky, Jade, Zoe and Laila and Nat on a good day and last series his average would put him behind Cherie.

Two successive points in the same direction is a trend.

Its a learning to dance programme and he has learned to dance. Of course it's not the end.

Actually, I think that sums up nicely what the programme is all about.

Two is a line, three is a pattern imo.

Come to that, I'll start getting anxious if Chris triumphs.

Good gracious, what shocking grammar. I'm outraged.

And no to the OP's question, the end for Strictly will be when we, the viewers and voters, are denied the opportunity of putting who we want in the final. I'm more than happy for either Ricky, Ali or Chris to win, based on the fact that I enjoy watching all of them.

If Chris wins - Is that the end of SCD as a Dance Competition ?

NO. He isn't that much less good than Ali and Ricky, and better than Laila I think, and you also have to take into considerating how much harder this competition is for the male celebs, so comparing Chris with Ali isn't fair anyway, just like comparing Tom to Rachel and Lisa wasn't.

no. The end was when Alesha was made a judge.

Chris is a terrible dancer.It would be a joke if he wins.

I agree with everything you have said but change Ali to Ricky in the final paragraph. I would be happy if either win but Ricky just edges it for me.

It will not be the end of SCD as a dance competition but it will be the end of my enjoyment in the show. I have always put the dancing first and foremost (which is why to this day I have still not got over Darren Gough beating Colin Jackson) so I always want the best dancer to win. I'm not sure that I would have the same enthusiasm for next year.