I do not agree with some of his ruder comments but I think that his advice to the skaters (when he is not shouted down) is often more constructive than that of Nicky Slater. He (Nicky), is I think swayed by his personal feelings more than Jason is. I know the Jason bashers won't agree.

I don't like Jason because of his unnecessarily personal comments and whilst I know the producers believe that they have to have a pantomime villain on the panel, I believe it is totally unnecessary and even sometimes inappropriate and distracting. However.....I do know what you mean about some of Jason's less personal comments. When he forgets to play his "role" and talks to the contestants as real people he can talk sense. If only he would do that all the time

It's not that he can't be constructive, it's more how he packages his constructive criticism. Very often I agree with him (although there are times, where I don't get where he is coming from). If he kept a tighter control on his Diva tendencies and his need to be the controversial judge, he might even deserve his place on the panel. However, his antics are hard to stomach.

PS: I'm not a basher, but I don't completely agree with you either. Not everyone that doesn't agree is automatically a basher.

I think it's obvious that Jason has been given the role of pantomime baddie (think about it...Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman etc) as I personally think the show would be pretty boring with a bit of harshness. But he can go too far - absolutely!!
(like the pathetic 4.5 he gave Hayley :P )

For me it's a case of "it's not what you say, it's how you say it". Sometimes he can give really good advice, and he clearly knows what he's talking about. Other times he'll say something blatantly insulting that has no baring on the skating whatsoever (hello fecalgate!). I do think the panel needs someone with a no nonsense attitude, as the cruel-to-be-kind approach sometimes galvanises the contestants into pulling some amazing routines out of the bag, I just wish he'd rein his bitchiness in sometimes.

Also he has the tendancy to pick 'least-favourites', i.e. once someone is in his bad books, that's it for them no matter how well they do or how hard they try. It was Roxy last year, Sharron copped for it this year and I fear Danny may be in his firing line now she's gone, as he seems to have a problem with Frankie.

Thats how I see him too. I think people generally get a bit to het up about his comments.

I did not watch the first series of DOI until the last 5. Back then I thought his judging was objective, but over the years I have noticed he can be very vindictive and if he get it in for someone he comments are far from constructive. He is a vile man.

I can't remember how far into series 1 this was but Jason's comment to Kelly Holmes that she looked like a man in drag was really nasty. So I think he's always had a tendency to go too far with some of his comments.

His comments are far too personal sometimes and absolutely nothing to do with their skating

He is unprofessional and goes too far. I just wish the person sitting next to him would tell him to "button it" and if that failed apply superglue to that nasty mouth of his. The world has heard enough from self-opinionated bag of wind.

I feel like having a childish moment. He actually looks like Bugs Bunny - I think it is the teeth. What up Doc!

Karen has a go sometimes, bless her Like when Jason was making his "tree" comments to Sharron she said (something like) "honestly, some of your things you say are so insulting!" and then when he tried to interrupt her halfway through her critique she silenced him with a 'death stare' Hee, yay Karen!! It can't be easy training someone and building up their confidence only to see it smashed to pieces with one withering comment by someone clearly doing it for attention!

I like Jason as a judge, he speaks his mind.

If people don't like getting critisized by a judge who is there to judge them, then they shouldn't be on the blimmin' show in the first place.

As others have said, when he actually does critique someones performance, i.e. gives constructive criticism and advice, he does it well. It's when he makes personal, hurtful remarks that help no-one, or derides their costume or other things that the skaters have no control over, that he lets himself down.

Jason is graceless, charmless and has no natural wit. He is not fit to lick Cowell or Craigs boots. I am hoping somewhere along the line Itv will just quietly dispense with him. A big ask i know but you can only hope.

He seems to have started saying who he thinks should be out next, this week it's Emily apparently. Now he may feel that her performance was the weakest of those left in (did he mark her the lowest?) BUT surely he should reserve judgement till the next show? Or is (as has been suggested above) he merely trying to gee up someone he thinks can do better?

I always get the impression that Jason has already decided who he is going to talk up / down BEFORE the show!

He shouldn't do that.

Oh there's a lot of things that Jason shouldn't do. Doesn't stop him doing them though...

I'm repeating myself (from a different thread), but I do think it's a good thing to have a straight-talking judge on the panel, as sometimes a cruel-to-be-kind approach galvanises the contestants into pulling off an amazing routine the following week, but I DO feel Jason oversteps the mark a lot and bypasses the straight-talk, choosing instead to go for the personal and withering remarks. This is the first series where he's actually been brought to task an been made to apologise - through gritted teeth mind you! I think this, more than anything, was the root of his dislike for Sharron, and why he was so gloating in his damnation of her last Sunday

One day he will really overstep the mark. Every time he opens that poisonous gob of his he lets himself down. The man is a joke - the Z lister of Choreography - who is so in love and pleased with himself. If he had the humility to see himself as others see him he would hang his head in shame for being such a disgusting piece of humanity.

Agreed. And I think that's very unprofessional. But he has always done this.

I rmember him saying that Chris Fountain had an unfair advantage and shouldn't win the show because of his hockey background. I can't believe he got away with that.

Jason is one of the main reasons I watch.

It is great entertainment.

I'll take the scores and critique of a professional ice dancer over Jason any day.

That's not to say Jason doesn't make some valid contributions, but I have more time for Nicky, Robin and Karen given their background in the sport.

Yes I agree. With regards to constructive criticism, yes sometimes he says something worthwhile, but most of the time his need to use unsuitable metaphors hinders the constructiveness of his remarks. Michael Ball was much better with Sharron for instance, he told her to lift her head and drop her shoulders (which I was wanting her to do since the beginning). Now instead of comparing her to all sorts of things, Jason could have used plain English to tell her this (indeed he has done so before with contestants he likes).

You really are shameless, aren't you?

Absolutely, but I think the answer lies in that sentence - if he likes you, he'll give you constructive advice and help. If he doesn't, all he'll do is put you down, insult you and generally batter your confidence until you leave the show. Total favouritism / anti-favouritism on his part, it's so wrong