Exactly, that is my point...Chris feels he has the right to pass judgement on the show and on the judges ability, yet he never had the skating ability to actually win the show...

You think people actually win this show based on ice skating ability? ... lol.

Oh I think he did. His problem was that Suzanne did aswell. We all pass judgement, why should only finishing 2nd mean he cannot?

I wouldn't really want to see Chris as a judge but if you see Emma as qualified why not Chris?

I always felt that the flying clinched it for Suzanne that year (and I don't mean that in a mean-spirited way, I'm not a huge fan of the flying element of the final but she did it beautifully).

Oh I have to disagree with you there - Chris is right up there with Ray as the best skaters the show has ever had. In fact, I think in terms of actual skating he's probably a bit better than Ray, if anything (though Ray is a better dancer).

If they ever got any of the past contestants back to judge the show, he or Kyran would be the obvious choices, and I'm sure either of them would do a great job.

I'm not an Emma hater though - she's not great, but she's not awful either. I often prefer her as judge to Nicky (and even Karen sometimes - I'm never totally comfortable with the fact that they have someone who coaches some, but not all, of the contestants, sitting on the panel).

I'm not a big fan of either but if I had to pick which I'd rather have judging 'performance' I'd go for Jason. He's a renowned choreographer.

Nothing to do with his gender though.

I think she and her pro partner had a better connection too.

Frankie and Chris never quite gelled in my opinion.

There was a bit of that, I agree.

That's partly why I think it's quite exciting that Chris is partnering with Brianne instead this year on the Tour. They seemed to have a really good connection even before they were skating together, so hopefully that will transfer well to the ice.

I agree with you. I don't think Chris was ever much of a partner skater. The way he skated most of the time it was as if he forgot she was there, and she was always trying to catch up with him on the ice too. He was very fast. When you compare it to how Ray skated with Maria there was much more of a partnership. I remember Chris sometimes had problems doing lifts as well. Along with his ice-hockey player skating style these were things he never really overcame by the final, and that's why Suzanne ultimately beat him. I think he's matured a bit since then though, and improved even more technically, so I'm looking forward to seeing how he gets on with Brianne.

In spite of what I've said above and some of you guys' following comments which I can understand, Chris is actually one of my favourite DOI contestants, I do find his routines exciting to watch.

But he can't dance.

Neither can Emma

I uploaded a fabulous Samba to YouTube which proves otherwise! She wasn't as good as Ramps but she was good.

I'm not saying Chris is sexist just because he had a go at Emma, but it did come over as 'she's's a dizzy blonde who knows nothing' she been working in the entertainment business for nearly 20 years, she knows more about performance than Chris Fountain. I think she's been the one of the best judges this year.

She spend a lot of time on SCDITT, professing she wasn't a dancer

Absolutely. Never had any dance training that's what she said.
Personally I don't like Emma as a judge, I just don't see what she has to offer. I also have no desire to see Chris as a judge but if you're going to compare a Strictly Semi-Finalist with a Dancing on Ice runner-up I would think Chris's experience was more relevant.

Still don't think he's qualified either though.

Chris never had any problem doing lifts!! The table top, the helicopter, the step up lift, probably the most spectacular lifts ever done by a male celeb!! Plus he can dance, it has to be said he seems more into street dancing and the more contemporary kind that doesn't necessarily look as natural on the ice as the kind of dancing someone like Ray does. I would agree with whoever said that Chris is probably the best skater and Ray the best dancer but I don't think there's much between them on either element. Having said that though I don't think he should really comment on Emma's abilities, many of us have thought it but still........I don't feel it was necessary for him to comment on it. Oh and I agree with everyone who said they can't wait to see him with Brianne!!

At the end of the day I would rather not see Chris as a judge, especially on the TV show as I fear this might rule him out of future specials & tours and I would rather see him skate. I feel the same about Kyran - I really hope that him being a judge on this year's tour doesn't rule him out of skating on future tours.