All the discussion and all the argument centres around Chris, Ali and Ricky - the assumption being that Laila will take no further part after tomorrow.

Is it even worth Laila turning up? If she does perhaps the beeb should simply dispense with the formalities, Leila should go straight into her farewell dance and hang up her dancing shoes.

I for one hope she dances a blinder tomorrow.

Me too but I want Chris too aswell.......Ali and Ricky further down the board will be fine by me.

I hope they all step up and do blinders tomorrow, it'd make for cracking entertainment regardless of who's placed where!

I've started threads on this before - so much of the discussion seems to be all about how Chris will go through vs Ali and Ricky, completely ignoring Laila's chances.

I thought Laila's ITT footage yesterday looked very good - I certainly wouldn't rule out her completely outperforming Chris, or even Ricky if he has a bit of an off week. Obviously she'd have to be on her game to beat out Ricky and I don't think she can get near Ali, but still...the potential is there.

I think the real question is can Anton manage to pull off a salsa that's good enough to get them through?

She may be the darkhorse. I hope not though as I'm not a fan at all.

Me neither.

Well I'm a big fan of Laila's.

She and Anton seem very close now and her attitude has totally transformed. She sounded very upbeat in the latest training clips and I hope she can do herself justice come Saturday.

xassy

I actually like her, and last week I finally 'got' the Chris/Ola relationship, although at this stage of the game I haven't got a firm favourite: but apart from anything else, I do like to see the judges with heads in hands as they agonise over their dance off decision.

So I would allow myself an evil grin if the improbable (some might say impossible) happened and Laila and Anton went straight through.

Afternoon Sid - mwaah xxx

I'm sure this stage last year many people said Tom was a goner (as they said Austin and one of teh girls would go through and Tom facing teh other girl in a dance off). It ended up being AUstin.

So, you never know especially if she is top dancer (enough points to be safe) or bottom dancer (more likely to pick up votes)

I think it was all over for her weeks ago, and i still think this will be Antons last year. a couple of decent shows from her out of how many weeks & dances im surprised shes still there anyway despite jade having to pull out.
I dont like her much but shes still there so good luck to her where ever they end up.

Afternoon sexy good thread x x x


I agree that Laila hasn't been consistent.

But none of them have this year.

Which suggests to me she has just as much right to be there as anyone else and to progress further.

I wouldn't, because it would mean Team Cola were screwed. The only time my evil grin would come out is if Ali and Ricky were pitted against one another

She could pull a blinder - but Anton seemed to indicate the AS will be quite safe - and I don't think she'll get the public support with a safe AS and a salsa anything like their other Latins.

But who knows, that Charleston may have been the making of her!

In that scenario I'll be leaping up and down on the sofa until all the springs went while screaming.

And wiping tears away from my eyes at the judges faces.

I don't dislike her. I'm just not 'feeling' the partnership between her and Anton. Maybe I'd have been a fan if she was partnered with someone else.

Funnily enough, that salsa didn't look disastrous to me on ITT - and I don't think that the drape lift they were practising can be described as all that safe, can it?!

I think Anton is being very sensible.

He knows Laila's limitations. So he's choreographing simple yet effective routines for the weekend.

As long as they sell the dances well (which Laila is getting better at doing each week), they stand a chance.

The salsa looked ok, but tbh I've thought that other weeks, that she'll pull it off and then it didn't happen. Agree re the lifts, it was more what Anton said, as Sid said just there.

I think you are right there.

I think that's only going to be true if Ali or Ricky cock up their technically superior - and probably more fun to watch if they nail them - routines.

I still hold onto memories of Laila's Foxtrot where she managed to top the leaderboard - I think she has it in her to do it again where the Ballroom is concerned.

The Latin is a different proposition. But I like that Anton is using traditional Salsa music and I liked Laila's positive attitude.

I know a Ricky versus Ali dance-off is too much to hope for, but I can dream!

I hope Laila pulls off two great performances this week to put the cat among the pigeons.I think a lot is going to depend on the judges remarks,if they are obviously pushing for Ricky and Ali to get through and Craig is horrible to Laila again,Chris and Laila could get through and avoid the dance off.

I would be very happy with an Ali,Laila,Chris semi-final!

Cola - with a huge defensive phone vote for both Chris and Ola they should score 4 there. If their judges ranking is 1 or 2 they will have an aggregate of 5 or 6. If 5 then Cola will be in the dance-off and in danger, going into it with bottom judges marks.

Laila - with known poor voter appeal she is likely to score 1 there. Unlikely to beat both Ali and Ricky on judges, so her judges+vote aggregate would be 2+1 or 3+1 if not 1+1. With votes counting in the aggregate more than judges marks when both level, Laila looks a certainty for the dance-off.

Ricky - He came through even in weeks with injury and arrest putting him out of action last Friday. Tomorrow despite man flu, with foxtrot and cha cha (once again praised to the sky by Natalie on ITT) on judges he is likely to outscore...

Ali -- with tango (not enough staccato verve) and samba (not enough mardi gras). However Ali will almost certainly outvote Ricky on audience appeal.

Assuming voting rank 4 is already taken by Cola and 1 is already taken by Laila,

then iff Ricky scores judges+votes : 4+2 = 6
and Ali 3+3 = 6

then Ali edges it on the phone vote weighting. Cola is then likely to waltz in the dance-off against Laila's AS. In the final moment of truth which way will the judges jump? Who is better box office? Who is a bigger draw on the Tour? Considering Laila has already received one favour on Frozen Peas Boot Saturday, and then she thanked her rescuers by flying off to Morocco, I guess the judges will evict Laila before Chris after nailbiting tension for viewers.

If in the dance-off Laila faces Ricky, then the outcome would be simpler. Laila will go in an unanimous verdict, including from Ricky's fan Darcey who now joins the bench.

What's this known poor voter appeal you mention regarding Laila?

She escaped the dance-off last week despite being second from bottom on the leaderboard and the week she and Anton finished last with their Jive.

I'd say they are a fairly popular couple (although not as well liked as Chris & Ola).

Also, as an audience member who has voted for Laila, I didn't feel at all resentful about her trip to Morocco. She had made a prior work commitment (just as most of the celebrities have) and it didn't seem to hinder her performance.

30 hours, then the answer.

Bookies current elimination prices:

8/15 - Laila
7/2 - Chris
9/1 - Ricky
10/1 - Ali