Laila's latin isn't up to scratch and I'm afraid I'd rather see them go this weekend. The AS is a harder dance than the waltz but it's also very Anton which will give them an advantage - actually Chris probably has a harder latin dance as the samba requires much more technique than the salsa does. Chris's only dance is if he avoids the dance-off which is why I think it's unfair if Lanton do a great AS and a rubbish salsa if they come up against Chris who does two kinda ok dances then Chris will go home which is what stuffed Austin last year and why the DO should either switch to the weakest dances or be scrapped altogether in the two-dance stage it encourages people to put all their eggs in one basket so to speak.

This article was in the Daily Star today.....reporter is obviously a forum reader...

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/posts/vie...ting-loophole/

The telling part of that article is for me

Last night a show spokeswoman said the show "wasn't just a popularity contest" and that the judges' votes had to have some worth.

"Strictly is made up of a combination of judges' scores and audience votes," she said. "There is always the potential once phonelines open for any couple to be saved from the dance-off.

"Our format ensures that no-one is safe but any couple may be saved.

"It's not just a popularity contest – the judges votes have to also count."

The scoring regarding ties was changed for this series after it emerged the public couldn't save Holby City star Tom Chambers last year not matter how they voted.

The spokeswoman stressed the Chris situation was different because, while Tom couldn't be saved regardless of votes, Chris may be safe depending on the scenario of how viewers vote.

Thats the crux......the BBC can always argue that Chris (or anyone else in a similar position) CAN be saved from the dance off and Tom couldnt no matter what and thats the difference.

By a quirk of fate a tied score this year would help the bottom placed people but with 5 judges and 2 dances each I think thats unlikely to happen but you never know.

I think what some folk are worried about is not whether Chris (or for that matter any of them) dances well/badly but whether, comparatively, they will be marked accordingly. I think it's fair to say there is ample recent ammunition for that argument (e.g. FWIW I did not think Chris should have got any 10s last week but neither would I have awarded any to Ali).

I gave an example on the previous page showing how the public could not save Chris from the dance off if the judges know what the public voting is going to be and they manipulate their scoring accordingly.