Hayley still has to get the public vote so there's no guarantee she will win

I really think Hayley will certainly win. She is the only skater to have above 250 000 youtube views (for Jai Ho) the ONLY skater to have NEVER been in a skate off...and let's face it...she totally deserves it.

(also both Gary AND Kieron have been in 2 skate offs, even when they were not bottom 2 on the leader board)

Unless the UK public are absolutely CRAZY - Hayley should have it in the bag

Well the public voted for suzanne when Chris should have won 2 years ago so maybe this time around there will be another surprise ? ?

Personally i think Hayley has won it but i would love Kieron to win instead. His "journey" (typical reality show fav word!) has been amazing and i will be voting for him to win as he has entertained me the most throughtout this series.

Also for some reason -- maybe their pretty outfits and femininity -- the girls always look better in the flying routine!

Like Annie29, for me, Kieron has come a lot further from day one than Hayley and he was shy and had not skated or danced like Hayley, who was a 'natural' and hasn't really had to work at it like Kieron or Gary! Kieron has made huge progress!

You seem to think the scores last week should have reflected how much skating they did on their own, but last week was props week and it wasn't until this week that there was any solo skating requirement. Props are unusual as a requirement because they can be involved throughout most of the routine, so I don't think it's unreasonable for Daniella to be top.

5.5 does seem high, but if they gave her lower marks, they'd have to lower their marks for at least one of the others as well.

When has Hayley ever done "stunning, complex SKATING footwork" and come second on the leaderboard, btw? I guess you must mean last week, but her skating wasn't that good last week.

There never has been a competition on overall ability or performance. Daniella just got nearest to suggesting that with the right routine she might get close and might have the journey story. Her challenge though fizzled out somewhat strangely some time ago. Its now ridiculous but for accidents if Hayley doesn't win. No one else can do more and her lead is sustained and enormous. No one else has a decent journey story, Hayley's marks have gone up more and their journeys don't break 25. Someone winning for being male and pretty over someone who is overwhelmingly better would just plain look silly. None of the males left even has a SCD case to win for doing something else well like being funny or inventing a decent catch phrase . They even remove the prospect of a change of fortunes in the final itself by using past routines, introducing flying and having an emotional dance like Bolero as the decider - anyone see Gary flying or acting emotions better than Hayley?

The surprising thing is that again they have failed to find enough really good people and to get two to the final .Last year the top girls were too tall, Roxy and Melinda were probably under-developed and Ray was too good. This year Daniella sems to have been put on ice and not developed, Hayley was the complete act and none of Mikey,Danny, Gary or Kieron has shown the ability you would think they could have got out of at least one of them. You would think they would be able to find some male as good as a Duncan and two good competitive people in the same year. If you look at the age profile though this year (older females than usual , younger males plus some much older ones , another youngest female who ought to have been better) it may just be who is available deciding how good the show can be..

Suzanne stepped up her game for the final - well deserved win imo and one of the closest contested finals in the last few years.

Suzanne skated much better than Chris in the final so the public vote in her favour was merited but to be fair to Chris the competition between him and Suzanne was rather closer than between Hayley and Gary/Kieron. Hayley is in a league of her own by comparison.

PS I HATE reality TV contestants winning just because they whine on about having been on a *journey* Its the last refuge of a celeb who knows they aren't good enough to win on merit

I bet you're the first person ever to accuse Melinda Messenger of being 'underdeveloped'

mwaah - mwaah Sid. xxx

In honesty I was a little disappointed with tonight's semi - it didn't even touch the sides of series 3 when Suzanne and Chris F were battling for supremacy: but...if there was any bias from the judges, why did Daniella top the leaderboard last week?

Sadly, you're quite right - those of us who believed that the best dancer might win SCD last year all know what prize mugs the GBP are!

hehehe

tbh its not the conterstants that use the word "journey" though. It is the presenter that sums up their time on the show as a "journey" and those who have made the most progress often have this title attached to them.

Personally i like to be entertained as well as seeing someone skate well afterall this is an entertainment sunday tv show. IMO Chris consistently skated and entertained more than suzanne however flying was never going to suit his style or frame and therefore she had an advantage which made the contest a very close one.

I am looking forward to sunday nights show and hope all 3 step up their game and give the audience a fantastic final.

You've just reminded me and we have a general election on the horizon in which the GBP will be voting. Very scary

Last year's final was still more interesting that this year's imo. I think you may undervalue it because Zoe didn't make it to the final and you didn't especially like Jessica.


I would love to know what happened there. Even tonight -- why was she sent out with a routine that featured a bout of standing still in the middle of her solo skate?

It's hard to believe she couldn't have spent the time skating somehow.

For weeks, they've been giving her routines with hardly any skating in them. Why? When they gave her something more complex to do a few weeks back, it was stepping in place that hurt her knees, not skating. Why?

If they'd wanted to sabotage her, they could hardly have done a better job.

Tonight there's also a question mark over Kieron's routine. Why, when it's solo skating week, is the big feature of his routine a lift?

Meanwhile, it's hard to fault Hayley's routines in terms of maximising her potential. Even though last week's wasn't a performance winner, it was enough to place her 2nd and gave her skating practice.

Agreed - something happened to Chris on final night - he didn't fight for it - it was as if he thought he had it in the bag and didn't have to try - maybe too hype in the run up.

I like Hayley - and she has been the best program on many weeks - but she does not have this in the bag. Keiron has improved vastly over the last few weeks and has grown in confidence and popularity. Gary maybe technically the best skater (and I love Maria as a pro) but he has never delivered the wow factor for me on a performance. I hope that changes next week as it is much more exciting to watch a close final.

We don't know how the final nerves will affect anyone. Indeed Maria looked as if she was going to be sick tonight waiting for who was safe - I've never seen her so anxious.

As we've seen over the last few weeks with others as well as Hayley a lot depends on the choreography they are given, not just on performance and skating ability.

The other thing to remember is that a lot more people will vote in the final than in previous weeks.

If they were competing in Come Dancing then the best dancer should win however this was Strictly, the entertainment version and the GBP voted on the dancer they enjoyed watching.

Time and again people moan about the best singer/dancer/ice skater etc not winning an entertainment show but its the same every year. The public like to see someone improve from when they started and thats the one they vote for.

I always felt Chris was a more powerful skater but he lacked the musicality and grace of Suzanne. I had weekly debates with a colleague over which was more important. For me, Suzanne was better most (but not in all) weeks, especially in the final and that week that Chris wasted most of his practice time trying to do an axel that he wasn't experienced enough to do and ended up with a routine that was rather unpolished as a result. However, it was a close run thing and I can understand why those who felt Chris was better think that.

The contestants do sometimes go on (and in some cases on and on and on and on...) about their journey....don't get me started on Darren "I've never danced before and its so hard and I've been on such a journey" Gough

Gary and Kieron will definitely need to up their game. Hayley will be more suited to the flying and she's bound to be doing her top scoring routine.

tbh annie - whenever I hear a contestant utter the word journey I switch off.
e.g.[LIST][*]It's been an incredible journey[*]This journey has taught me so much about myself[*]I didn't know what to expect when I started this journey etc.[/LIST]

she won it weeks ago not worth watching will be very predictable

Its Hayley's now to lose..............if she performs to her best ability next week, the boys have no hope of getting within ten miles of her. But thats thinking logically the way it should be.

While neither come close to her skating and performing ability, Kieron has this likeability factor that will gain him a lot of votes next week. Still....... it really would be a farce if a guy, while extremely likeable, but with not that much skating skills ended up winning because the public think he is a lovely guy.

They have three numbers to skate to next week. Forget the boys..... Hayley will have a fabulous flying piece (and don't forget it more suited to the girls), then they skake their favourite ( who can possibly beat Jai Por), and then they have Bolero. She just can't lose, its logical. I really like Hayley, have no idea why there is all this Hayley negativity and I think she will be a fine winner, as worthy as all that have gone before her.

Can you remember if they repeat their favourite routine in the final and also do the flying thing?

Apart from Alesha winning ..

Yes they do.... and who can possibly beat Hayleys Jai Por routine... can't be done.

Everyone knew Bracken and Quinn were going to win from the outset, but their respective series were still quite enjoyable to watch.

I think this year's has been a bit dull, not because of the perceived predictability of the outcome, but because the contestants and the performances have on the whole been less than inspiring.