I don't prefer Kieron because of a soap he is in, it's Hollyoaks . I just find his routines entertaining and love seeing his confidence grow. For me he has made the show entertaing and something to look forward to.

Hayley may be the better skate but i don't have to like her or want her to win

I don't even watch the soaps, so no bias from me there.

I like who I like and for some reason, that I can't explain, Keiron is just it for me this year. He's so eager to learn and push himself and he tries every week to move forward. He could have played safe in the semi but pushed himself again. To pinch the title of another show, he's got the X factor for me.

I don't think that many people prefer a contestant just because they have been in a soap (they might know them from there). Some people may not be able to take to Hayley or maybe they don't like her performance, or they just find someone else more endearing.

We are all individuals, we cannot all like the same people.


I think I agree with this. The judges shouldn't make such statements during the competition when contestants are still in the competition.

I don't think we can tell who will win yet.
We do know that both Hayley and Kieron must have been more popular in the public vote this week than Gary otherwise they would have been in the skate off this week.
We don't know if Hayley or Kieron was more popular, either is possible.
We do know the judges vote doesn't count next week so IF Hayley is less popular with the public than Kieron then she cannot be saved by a high judges score.
We don't know how Danniella's fans will vote and we don't know who the public who only vote in the final will favour.
We do know Hayley has 1 very strong routine to reprise, whereas Kieron and Gary don't have a standout routine.
We don't know who will take best to flying, which we've seen in the past can have a big impact on the result (Suzanne comes to mind).

If I was forced to bet, I'd probably go with Hayley, because I think her wow style of performing will bring in the floating voters at the end, whereas Gary is more likely to appeal to the skaters and Kieron's appeal is partly based on his improvement.

So you don't think some have decided who they like before the show starts? I have read posts saying differently about Daniella and Emily so I think it does happen.
I don't expect them all to take to Hayley but to always put her last is ridiculous. By no stretch of anyone's imagination has she ever been the worst.

... or Hayley because of Emmerdale.

Yes, of course, all of them.

Hee. It's gonna be Soapstar Superstars Danicng on Ice. Just keep Peter Kay away, alright.

Always.

Of course some people might have done this, but I don't think that the majority does it. Along the same lines, you could say some people only like Hayley because she was in Emmerdale.

Not everyone is putting Hayley last. She has her fans and she does have people who don't like her. I just don't like the implication that everyone who likes Kieron or Gary or Daniella does so because they took part in a soap opera (e.g. for some superficial reasons, although people are allowed to like people for whatever reason without being judged for it).

I don't watch Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, Eastenders or The Bill. I didn't like Kieron to start with, but I like him now. I still like Hayley, Gary and I did like Daniella.

That much is true - she has never been the worst - but the DS polls are generally for favourite and least favourite, rather than best and worst competitor.

I haven't said that everyone likes Kieron or Daniella or Hayley because they are soap stars, but some do and will support them til the end.
I watch Emmerdale and Coronation Street but have no favourites but I have read posts on here stating that they saw Emily on such a such and are supporting her because they liked her on that programme. I have read others but can't remember where. Also off DS, I have spoken to people where I help out and they say the same. But not everyone.
I prefer who I think is the best overall skater, some vote who they think has improved the most and some vote for who has entertained them, fgs people even voted for Coleen and Todd Carty.

Well each to their own, which is the beauty of these types of competitions. If everyone was voting and supporting just the best (as indicated by the judges' choice) it would be rather boring.

BTW I do apologise, of course you didn't say everyone does.

I can just about understand voting for Todd for the odd week, just for the entertainment value, but Coleen, I really never could understand.

I think you're right, some people do vote based on liking someone from something else they've done, especially in the early days, but I think there is a tendency for some people to suggest that if people vote for someone who isn't their favourite, they must always be doing so for reasons external to the show.
I think because performance wow factor is so subjective some people may just not get that someone may enjoy a performance they haven't liked and so look for other reasons why those people may be voting as they do.

I can't imagine anyone making a conscious decision to 'not like the best whatever' before it starts.

Nor does everyone watch soaps so I didn't actually know Kieron or Hayley at all and only had a vague inkling of Daniella (more from the bad publicity angle than anything else) and Gary I recognised but couldn't have told you what he was in.

I actually expected to like Hayley and not like Daniella but as it happened Daniella exceeded my expectations of her and Hayley did not. Kieron grew on me due to his enthusiasm and improvement. Hayley unfortunately began to grate for reasons I can't really explain. Gary I could always appreciate his skating skills.

I was sorry to see Daniella go as I enjoyed her performances but Kieron is my favourite now as he totally exceeded my expectations of what he would be capable of and for all that he has achieved.

For me Hayley probably has the best all around package (but not the best skater) but I don't find her engaging and she relied far too much throughout on her dance ability and the toepick moves which got uninteresting. Gary is still the best skater but still hasn't managed to get his performances to match, so for me and hopefully for many others Kieron is the one who has made this series entertaining and so gets my vote.

We are still voting for our favourites and he is by a huge margin my favourite.

I think Hayley probably will win but I'll still vote for Kieron.

I think a bit of the Coleen and Todd voting came from people wanting to annoy the judges (or one judge in particular). I think last year a lot of people felt that Ray was overhyped and had an unfair advantage, and there was a certain type of backlash against that.

This year, we don't have the same situation. Hayley is very good, but the other people are good as well

PS: I still don't understand how Coleen made it into the semi-final, but I hope it wasn't just due to the fact that she was in the iceland advert and on loose women

I think it definitely helps them to stay in if they are a popular character in a soap or if they are very familiar to viewers, like Coleen Nolan last year. However it doesn't usually take them right through to the final.

I can see why people like Kieron as he's improved a lot since the start. He's this year's Donal. But he's nowhere near as good as Hayley IMO and I've never found myself transfixed by any of his performances, nor Gary or Daniella for that matter (apart from the secretary routine)

I don't watch any of the soaps and had not heard of any of the 4 finalists apart from Daniella Westbrook. Is Gary Lucie in a soap too? But I tend to support the person who shows the most ability so I've supported Suzanne Shaw, Chris Fountain, Bonnie Langford, Ray (streets ahead of anyone else) Kyran Bracken to a degree (more fearless than finesse) Lisa Scott Lee who was robbed IMO and this year Hayley who is just better than the rest.

So what it all boils down to is that you vote on whose personality you prefer?

I very rarely start out with any strong preferences for any of the competitors in these things, nor can I ever get wound up enough about them whether like or dislike to let them rule my life. I don't watch much telly (just really things like Strictly and DOI and while I like other reality shows, I'm not actually that bothered if i miss them - I never watch soaps either these days

They are participants in a light entertainment show on TV - I don't know them in real life nor have I ever met them (and don't particularly want to either). In fact - this series was unusual in that I'd actually heard of the majority of the contestants!!

In this series of DOI - I haven't really got behind any couple to the exclusion of all others (Sharron maybe as she was one of my heroines in my competitive swimming days - and she was skating with my fave pro Pavel) and up until now haven't really cared who will win.

What does push me towards one participant is what I perceive as unfairness in the judging or dubious editing in the VTs. If I feel that one has been unfairly treated and a "chosen one's" mistakes are ignored - then I'm more inclined towards the underdog. And I think that's the way a lot of other viewers work too.

Yes Ricky was the best dancer on SCD - but he did make mistakes which were on the whole ignored, and he had postural issues which were never remarked on by the judges (compare the way the judges treated Chris Hollins - repeatedly pulling him up for mistakes, and his face pulling and his hands (Ricky pulled just as many faces - just never picked up on)) The VT editing also only allows us to see what the producers want us to see and endorses the agendas they may have.

I've said repeatedly over the last couple of days that Hayley SHOULD win as yes, she is without any doubt the best all round performer in the show, but I just can't take to her for some unfathomable reason (its not Dan 'cos I've loved him with his previous partners) - there is just something about her I cannot warm to.

Its clear that she brings the same reaction to a lot of other people as well. Its difficult to say why - maybe its because of the cheesy overly smiley personality, the impression of trying that little bit TOO hard/ desperation, the fact that the fabulous performances she delivers hide a multitude of shortcomings, and yes the fact that she is clearly the judges (especially Jason's) darling doesn't help her cause.

I also do get swayed by the over reaction of certain of her fans ( a couple in particular) to even the slightest criticism of Hayley - even when the criticism is entirely valid. The more they try to ram the idea that their pet celeb is the only worthy winner down my throat - the more inclined I am to go away and vote for the competition.

My voting intentions for next week?

Well Hayley SHOULD walk it on the basis of her performances all series - but Mr Richardson is the one who will be getting the votes from this household because of the sheer joy he seems to have in actually being in the final, the enthusiasm and hard work and the eagerness to try whatever is thrown at him - and the fact that of the three finalists - he is the one who has improved the most over the 12 weeks. He started out being completely unable to skate or dance and is now a great little skater who can deliver a performance. Gary could skate well at the outset and while he can now skate even better than he could then he still can't deliver a performance. Hayley started off good and has stayed good but the "journey" man is the one for me this series!

Surely not that many people eat frozen food the whole time?

I think it definitely can help in the beginning, but it probably changes towards the end (if people don't deliver).

I don't always go for the best (in terms of judges' choice), but a person has to inspire me. I'm quite happy to admit that I'm a sucker for the "journey" contestants, and I want to see people improve throughout the series. This year, I didn't mind too much. Hayley seems lovely, and I enjoy her performances although she is the judges' choice (I don't mean there is favouritism by the way). However, I also enjoyed Daniella's performances (particular in the earlier weeks), Gary's skating skills and I am definitely impresses impressed with Kieron.

I just had some this weekend, and it was bl**ding marvellous. Come to think of it, I must go back in time and vote for Coleen based on that premise.

Come on you know you want to as well.

You say you get swayed by the over-reaction of certain Hayley fans, do you also get swayed by the amount of ridiculous criticism she gets?
Hayley will be getting votes from this household and we do not usually vote but have been swayed to do so because of all the bile and unnecessary criticism she has received on here.
I won't mind if she doesn't win, it won't be the end of the world, if Gary or Kieron beat her it is because the majority of voters wanted it and I will congratulate them.

Nooooo .....I've still not been back to Iceland since Coleen was in DoI!

Well I haven't been back either, but the party I went to had lots of party food (now imagine Jason Donovan and Coleen Nolan singing "what a swell party this is").