I love Dancing on Ice and now I watch it for the pro's really. Couldnt care less who the celebs are except in reference to who my favourite pro's get to skate with

The celebs grow on me as the series wears on, but if all my favourite pro's were to leave (ie, not do a series, not leave due to their celeb being voted off!) I'm not sure I wouldnt give it a miss.

Pretty much what I was expecting. Probably just made up.

I guess we never know what goes on behind the scenes though so can't really say how the pros feel. Personally I think they deserve a lot more recognition than what they get. The bit on the website for the pros looks like it's just been put on there at last minute.

Interesting that a spokesman said that they will be looking for skaters at the olympics. Not sure but they can't have skaters that still compete can they? Don't they have to turn Pro?

Quite apart from the fact that Heather's already come out and revealed details of Matt's salary (though obviously we can't rely on this as it's only reported), I can't believe that ITV would pay their professionals less than the BBC pay the SCD ones. Commercial TV has much, much bigger budgets to play with. So given that the benchmark, I think, for the SCD dancers is about £35k per series, why wouldn't the pros on DOI be getting more?

I could be completely wrong about this but I believe skaters who are still competing are allowed to earn a living from skating, provided it's not on television. If this is correct, they could work with Holiday on Ice or something like that without turning pro but would have to turn pro to do DOI and, of course, they can't compete in amateur competitions if they have pro status.

They DID make a show I enjoyed, but its becoming a charicature of itself now, you've got Jason who thinks he can say what he likes and offend people (then he says he's commenting on their performance which is balls) then sadly he gets away with some throwaway apology (any other job he would have been sacked for saying comments like that, he's a bully end of, he says it because its live and he can), then you have the website which has some halfhearted attempt at acknowledging the pros who actually without they wouldn't have a sodding show. It took them 5 weeks to put them on the website at all. Last year they were pictured with their celebs why not this year? Alot of the photos they've used are old and blurry. Its disgusting.

You also have a head judge who actually has no authority at all with 5 judges. Get rid of Jason, use Robin as the head judge properly, ask all judges for their opinions and treat the pros properly which means at least getting their bloody names right.

I for one don't watch this show live anymore - Most of it is garbage and adverts. The only bit I watch is the actual skating.

I watched Strictly Come Dancing for the first time last year and I much prefer their setup to DOI.

AND RELAX

Funny how Fred,Mel and as far as I can see Matts bitching about the Nintendo games have all been removed from their Twitter pages makes me think they are the ringleaders in all this as we know the press read these pages and also the fact its mostly been Fred and Mel going on about the article as if they are trying to get extra publicity for themselves in this.

Molly mentioned it as well though.

And they are right, also I would add I don't think, Fred, Mel or Matt need to gain extra publicity, they are already the most popular, one of the reasons we don't hear Dan commenting is he isn't on twitter or facebook.

ITV will make millions from them and treat them like crap. I actually don't know why they bother to do the show. The format is great, but its badly managed with the wrong people on board.

I think I'm going to have to log off, I'm right grumpy today

No sleep and a poorly girl

I wouldnt think Dan would be stupid enough to bitch about it online anyway,seems its only the Americans that are doing that, maybe they should have read their contracts a bit more before signing them and if they werent happy with the terms and conditions then dont sign.

I'm sure they know all about their contract. It's obvious to a lot of people that the pro's don't get the regognition they deserve and can understancd why they would be a little pissed off about not being told about the game.

Also about the article, why aren't they allowed to comment about it if it is upsetting for them, to read? I very much doubt they commented on it just to get more publicity, why would they need to do that.

I'd agree they dont get enough recognition but spouting off about it like this is not the way to go. OR they may find themselves out the show next year.

Agree with this. Mel Fred and Matt are among the most popular pro's they wouldnt really need to drum up publicity for themselves
Sorry have just realized Eviesmum has basically said the same thing as well
Last edited by jackiebops : 07-02-2010 at 12:40

All they said was the article was lies how can that be spouting off?

Do we have proof that its all lies?? yes I know its a tabloid BUT theres no smoke without fire,something has to have been said for this to have kicked off.

We all agree that the pros don't get enough recognition, however, I'm sure most of the pros realise that the majority of them are only known because of DOI. I'm sure most of them also realise that they can be replaced, given there hasn't yet been the same pro lineup two years running. Therefore, I doubt any of them would be stupid enough to complain about their terms and conditions in the press. The time to do that is when they're negotiating new contracts and they should only be talking about their T&Cs to ITV. If they're not happy, then they need to get themselves new agents.

Maybe some of the pros should stop posting cryptic comments on FB and Twitter if they don't want articles like this to come out. Before the show had even started this year Melanie Lambert was on about the way the pros were being treated. Maybe that is true (I think it is) but I don't really think FB or Twitter is the right method to air their grievences. Also there was Frankie last year posting stuff during her marriage split. All this kind of stuff is bound to attract the attention of journalists putting two and two together and making the rest up.

I've run a few FB groups supporting a pros and his celeb and have received a few messages from journalists giving me their phone number and asking me to contact them if I had any information about their private life. I just ignored them of course but it just goes to show journalists are everywhere hanging off every words they say. Very much like stalkers really

Now i've read the story...IF and its a very big IF this story is true i wouldn't really blame the pro skaters! Yes they have a contract with ITV, but why shouldn't they be allowed more recognition, and be able to do "outside" work so long as it dosen't interfere with training and working with their celebs, and of course the main show?

The pro's definately deserve more recognition and publicity, after all, they are an integral part of DOI.

They need to keep some of their views to themselves though and NOT post stuff on Facebook and Twtter that gets them in this situation in the first place!! To me its a bit unprofessional of them to air their moans online on public sites such as these as we all know the press are just waiting for the chance to stirr things up.
And to have now removed the posts make me think they realise they have been in the wrong.

Agreed. I don't blame any of the pros at all. ITV do not seem to give them any recognition they deserve. I can't comment on the wages because we don't know what they earn (and nor do I want to). I do suspect their wages are no where near as high as the judges and presenters who just turn up for a few hours a week and stand there. I completely understand why some of them feel miffed. I certainly would. They need to stick together as a group in any negotiations they do.

Personally I think they should be the highest paid people in the show, after all they do the most work.

Good on them for sticking up for themselves, I do think they need to lay of the comments on FB though as this will only anger the producers and rub them up the wrong way.

I think you will find Melanie has not removed her status regarding the Wii game.

She has on her Twitter page!

The bit about the Producers watching the up and coming Winter Olympics for future possible Pro's made me laugh....I can't see Brian Joubert, Carolina Kostner or The kerrs taking part in DOI anytime soon....

She never mentioned it on twitter

Or maybe there annoyed somebody is making up lies about them and they are the only 3 who have twitter plus Maria. No doubt some of the other pros who have been there for years Daniel, Andrei, Pavel, Frankie etc could moan about it as well. The pros do more work than anyone maybe except Chris & Jane so the pros should get more money than the judges.

Theres more than just those 4 on Twitter, Frankie,Matthew,Molly.

So a new pro such as Matthew should get more money than an ex olympian such as Robin or Karen or Nicky??

As much as I love the pros they have opened a can of worms with this unprofessional way of dealing with their Facebook/Twitter pages its NOT the place so sound of about their working conditions if they have issues they should go to those concerned and NOT on a public website for all the world to see,then problems like this would not become public knowledge.

I think that line is hilarious - why would Olympic standard skaters who have huge numbers of fans and could easily headline shows once they retire bother with something like DOI?

EDIT: I'm fairly sure that amateur skaters can't make money from skating and still compete, they can skate in charity shows though.