The vast majority of dances they only got the comments from 4 of the judges and then at the end they didn't even bother to ask Bruno and Len who they would have voted for (not that we have any doubt that it would have been Ricky and Natalie)

So why did they have the 5th judge. Either they wanted 5 judges or they didn't!

My sentiments exactly Dave. In fact I've just said the same thing on another forum.

Why have 5 judges and then not take comments from them all? I'd rather have done without the judge predictions VT and heard more from them about the dances they'd just seen. Darcey barely spoke a word!

I think it has something to do with the voting fiasco last year but it makes my heard hurt thinking about the logistics!

If it had been closer then we wouldn't have had to leave the decision to Len. I would have liked to have heard from them all on each dance rather than some of the time wasting.

Len still would have had the last word if it had been 2-2 however his vote wouldn't have overuled the majority of the other judges like it can do normally

I've always found it irritating that we don't get to hear the comments from every judge for each dancer. Adding a fifth judge just makes it more annoying.

If there is a shortage of time they should cut Tess's bit right back in favour of hearing the judges, or stop Bruce's stuttering intros to the VT, or cut back on the length of the VT.

I also found the VT sections before the Latin dances particularly inappropriate, even if they weren't so badly made. I am sure Laila and Anton were particularly delighted to hear the judges asserting that they'd be amazed if they got more than a six for the dance and how they doubted they had the skill to do it. Just what you want to hear while you are waiting to dance.

that wouldn't have done their confidence any favours. Though I did think going off that VT that Bruno might have sneaked a 7 in so Len had to go on a date with craig or whatever it was he said he'd do

I thought the VT with the judges was painful. And Bruce's jokes are always cringeworthy. Would have much preferred to hear all the judges comments for each dance.

Yes I thought that was particularly badly timed, why show those vts before the hardest dances?

Why introduce a 5th judge in the quater final stage?? Not needed, because at this stage the 4 judges already have their favourites, and don't really need another 'colleague' in order to shoe in their blue eyed boy/girl

I don't think having a 5th judge has added anything new or different to the show. Wonder what the justification for bringing in Darcey was?

I also dont think thee 5th judge was necessary. Also all teh top scores are in other series are markes ut of 40 now some of them have scores above that which means the top scores of 40 from previous years have been out shind by the scores of high 40s

Probably to reduce the risk of a tie in the latter stages.