I think he's cheesy but i like some of his dancing and his partnership with Ola. I suppose that makes me nasty and bitter.

As for the threads started about Chris a quick look at them shows that this thread was started by a poster that has posted once on the 3rd October that they liked Ali and Brian.

The one about if Chris wins its the end of Strictly was started by a Chris fan.

The poster who made the thread about Chris not being able to win has also created a thread complaining about Ali being overmarked and i see no indication that they are an Ali fan.

The thread on Chris being like Norman Wisdom was started by a poster who has posted 3 times this series.

There are a lot of regular Ali and Brian fans on this board and non of them have started the recent spate of threads about Chris so yes i think your comment 'these Ali fans are a spiteful bunch' was unnecessary.

Its bad enough when posters can't just support and defend their favourites without slagging off the competition when they resort to spiteful comments about the fans of other contestants its really scrapping the barrel.

I'd argue that Natasha, Jill and Alesha were technically the best dancers of their respective serieses - if not the best, very, very near the best.

Mark was also quite near Emma Bunton in technical standard, and much better than Matt.

Darren and Tom are the only obvious two "personality" winners.

Through the series I would have said:

1 - Claire
2 - Jill
3 - Zoe/Colin
4 - Emma/Louisa
5 - Alesha/Kelly
6 - Rachel

But it's not all about technical excellence. If it was, there'd be no public vote at all.

What it's about - and what Jill, Alesha, Mark and Tom had in spades - is showmanship. If you can convincingly get yourself out of a mistake, that is nothing if you can sell the dance and imbue the dancefloor with your personality.

Chris and Ola did that hands-down on Saturday - with what Craig sniffily referred to as 'crowd-pleasing steps'. The audience in the studio were on their feet and the audience at home got on the phones.

Which is, quite frankly, what it's all about.

A shame the judges seem to have forgotten that. And Craig should perhaps bear in mind what happened to the people who dismissively talked about 'crowd-pleasing steps' in Strictly Ballroom ...

Credibility?

Anyone would think this was the World Dance Championships.

Strictly's a bit of light entertainment. So what if Chris wins? It's not the end of the world.

Would that be a little like Diet Cola world ?

Chris & Ola chops to win. If either of the cardboard cut outs win i'll stay home and pickle me walnuts lmaoooooooooo

Throughout this current series Ali and Brian have consistently demonstrated a level of talent and pedigree, that unquestionably marks them out as being the most worthy winners of this series.

Those who have been so vigorously championing the cause of Chris to the ludicrous extent of describing his Charleston as the routine of the series,have obviously been looking at a completely different dance to the rest of us.

Ali and Brian`s routine captured perfectly the nature and vintage of the dance,

Those contentions that Chris`s Charleston was in any way comparable, is plainly absurd.

The advocates of this particular view have obviously confused a display of farmyard antics with any recognisable dance routine.

The thing that would see the show lose it's credibility and viewers is not having someone that isn't the best dancer win, but having the judges prevent the public favourite from winning. There is a real possibility that despite being the most popular dancer with the public, one week that will be not enough to keep Chris out of the dance-off and he will be out. If the public believe that their '50%' can be ignored then they will turn off.

I wasn't arguing that the technically best dancer should have won, just stating who I thought was the technically best dancer. The personality versus techical thing has been done ad nauseum on this forum, it doesn't need to be argued again.

I'd actually agree with all of those - I didn't watch all of series 1 so I assumed Nat was technically the best.

However, my point was that the winners in most series may not have been technically the best, but they weren't far off. Mark was a very good dancer (I didn't warm to him at all), and I assume Nat was too in series 1. Chris is actually miles off the dancing ability of Ricky and Ali.

That's not to say he shouldn't win, that's up to the viewing public.

I thought it had now been established that it is an entertainment prog not a dance comp. This became evident when Arleen was replaced by Alesha.

Yet people still expect the best dancer to win

Sure, but he's not dreadful, is he? I mean, Darren Gough wasn't very good, but he wasn't horrific. Semi-finalists like Letitia and Christine were nowhere near the standard of their rivals, but they weren't horrific.

I don't think it becomes a travesty until we get to the point where Chris Parker, John Sergeant and their ilk reach the final and win. And so far, SCD viewers have shown that they're not like the idiots who let TPT win Fame Academy, who let Jedward survive several weeks etc etc etc. They recognise that talent is a prerequisite.

That said, I don't think there is anything wrong with talent not being the Holy Grail. Plus, who's to say that likeability is not a talent in itself? Chris turning himself into the darling of many viewers is almost as brilliant as THAT lift that Ricky did

I agree, I'd equate Chris to Darren. But most serieses, the "not dreadful" dancer hasn't won - the one who is technically good and had a personality won. Darren was somewhat of an anomaly.

He's playing a very good game. HE says the right things. He's only now getting the marks he deserved while others have been overmarked and fast tracked to the final. We the public like to see someonesuceed against the odds. If he nmakes the final I think he'll win.

But I think a lot of Chris's routines would be a walk in the park for the other couples .. especially Ricky and Ali.
I'm pretty sure .. if he had to dance any of Ricky W's routines .. his mediocrity would've been proved long ago.

He is undoubtedly popular .. and that can be enough to win the title as we have seen before, but I don't think he's undermarked ... that paso was pure comedy and it did .. as Bruno said .. look like a child having a tantrum. Even when he executes a dance well .. it's simplicity means that they can't really score him that highly.

He has a samba this week .. and I expect the focus will be on Ola .. and he will get away with the minimum of actual dancing.

The catchphrases .. and the t-shirts and the 'cola' tag (which they themselves started) have ensured them the win ... but the dancing is not that good and not up to Mark Ramprakashes standard (even though he wasn't technically the best dancer of his series).

I think it would be an all time low for Chris to win .. at the standard he's at now anyway. Len thought his ballroom only worthy of a 7 .. and ballroom is supposed to be where he excels (if anywhere).

I would have no complaints if Team Cola won, though I am rooting for Ali and Brian.

Wouldn't bother me at all if they won and I'm not a supporter (I might be after the result on Saturday, hopefully not).

You know what I don't buy into this 'the best dancer has to win' theory. I agree in terms of other talent based shows such as X Factor that the best should win. That's because those kids are trying to start a career and it might be their only chance at doing that.

In the case of Strictly they all already have a day job that they aren't going to swap dancing for. It's no big deal, I will vote for who I find entertaining, like, think is hot, blah,blah. Nowhere in this do I factor in the ability to dance like Fred Astaire, they can dance like Fred Basset for all I care as long as they do it with a little bit of sparkle!

a) It's up to the public. If that's what they want, then so be it.

b) It's an entertainment programme. If it was a proper dance contest, the public would not be allowed to vote (as I would guess that many know little about the finer points of judging, and no viewer gets to see all of the action due to camera shots).

c) It still produces the goods, why else do 8 - 9 million still watch? It has lost little credibility in their eyes (if an entertainment programme can indeed have credibility to lose).

I think you will find that Team Cola was a name coined on the message boards - indeed, by DS poster.

So Len scored Chris with a 7? Who cares what Len thinks? He gave Ali a ten, 'mysteriously' ignoring her and Brian carelessly colliding with Laila and Anton, then Ricky and Natalie.

As we know full well, Len is far from impartial, so let's not pretend otherwise.

Well said Vic!

Daziechain- I think you will find that Team Cola was started on here and not by them at all- and good for them to promote themselves and have a good time- gosh how awful for two people to enjoy the SCD experience!

If the samba is all about Ola then thats clever choreography and thats the pro's role in all this- to make their celebrity look good.

Final comment- a 7 is a more than admirable score for a male celeb in their first freestyle competion without the benefit of floorcraft training.

Whoever wins this series it will be on their own merit- whatever that is- and well done to them whoever it is

The only reason Strictly is on our screens...let alone a prime time Saturday Night slot is because it`s a light entertainment show were the audience decides who wins....If it were a pure dance competition then......Oh wait for it...there would be no Strictly and no forum to discuss Chris`s credentials.....No audience participation=No show.

A farce if Hollins wins ??
just because your favourite dancer doesn't win doesn't . mean it's a farce. The best dancer hasn't won every year strictly would be a bit boring if the best dancer won every year because theres usually always one stand out performer this year Ricky whittle (or Ali) so it would get a bit predictable?
...........and no I don't think strictly is predictable

btw Chris isn't my favourite, my favourites were out in week 2

If the public want Chris to win then he will win

I, for one, hope Team Cola do win!!!!!!!!!

It was started on the BBC boards not here. Just correcting you sorry.
...bad habit
btw I agree with everything you've said