Isn't the whole voting system flawed when they open the lines before anyone has performed?

Not very fair to the person going last, surely?

I'm assuming there will be many people who are watching for the first time and voting purely on the performances in the final.

Therefore is it right that the first contestant gets considerably longer to earn votes than the other two?

Say the third act was brilliant - which it wasn't because she actually wasn't done any favours with the song choice - surely it's much harder to get through on the phone.

Or have the BBC simply stopped counting votes and just guess at the result instead?

Can't believe no-one has un-appreciated Sheila's "tits" so far?

...or maybe we just appreciated the comment. Hence wrong thread.

I cringed on hearing that last note. Was most surprised when the judges praised it. Heigh Ho!

I agree. I was v angry about it because Danielle went last, not just in the first show, but the second too...

Opening the lines from the outset did seem very unfair - particularly as they seem to have always opened them after all performances in the earlier episodes - why change for the final, when surely the result is MORE important?!

I was definitely groaning in part#2 when Graham said 'lines close shorty after Danielles performance'... was like, wait, she's given 76 damn trombones for part 1 and then when she gets her mambo back, people dont even have time to call

On the other hand,do you think that the vast majority of votes were already cast in stone.The margins were perhaps to large for floaters or undeciders to make a difference.Similarly everybody who had voted knew who they were going to vote for if their favourite went out.

Of course you may argue,that is'nt the point,and you'd be right.But in the context of the whole series,I think the final performances were never going to make much of a difference.

Everyone on this forum knew the finishing order,and probably worked it out 2 or 3 weeks ago.
I kidded myself it was all on the night,how wrong or self deluded was I.
Secretly I knew Danielle would win,but we owe it to the girl we support to see her through to the bitter end,so as to make it as close a contest as possible.
But for Lauren and Sophie,Danielle was just a Dorothy too far.

Going last has its pros and cons in the final. Less time to call, but it's still the pimp spot that people remember the most, if they were deciding between performances.

Your wish is my command, mistress! I need something, what with the end of OTR, House, Ashes to Ashes and the imminent end of a few other things I watch!

It's a little weird. Whether it's because Danielle brought the GURN back or what, but I kinda wanted Sophie to win. A much more likeable girl, I think. And this is knowing that she wasn't the best. Never found myself particularly wanting the underdog in these shows elsewhere.

Not that it particularly matters - the finalists always seem to do well, and I'm sure a good few of these girls will be working fairly soon.

Well done Sophie for giving the performance she's been threatening to do for weeks. Very honest performance and I feel that she certainly pushed herself much further than Danielle vocally, and again proved superior.

From Danielle's perspective, I don't think she was really done any real favours by '76 trombones', although it could be argued that a rather 'shouty' and acted number played to her strengths. Still don't think she was helped being given less time to collect votes even though the majority of people had probably already decided by then.

I've no doubt that she will deal with the role and perform very capably. She's clearly got the right temperament for it. However, that said, I just don't find her very pleasant to listen to.

The two self-chosen songs performed by the final pair were also massively in contrast, Sophie with her big introspective ballad and Danielle, with a piece that again allowed her acting skills, while perhaps once more forgiving her vocal deficiencies.

And I have to say CONFIDENT MONSTER was superb. She totally outclassed the other two vocally and suddenly, perhaps because she realised that she had absolutely no chance of winning, appeared to visibly soften in front of the cameras and as a result became much more appealing.

I can't help thinking I've rather misjudged her. Had it been a true singing contest she would have absolutely walked it, but I actually think there is probably a lot more to her than that.

Can't warm to Danielle, and don't care for her voice, but seeing as I wouldn't go within a mile of the Wizard of Oz, film or stage, what I think doesn't make any difference.

Just warming to Lauren and thinking her the best, when she goes and does her Frankenstein's younger sister lurch across the stage (note to Lauren that is not a dance move) add that to that truly horrendous note at the end of the song and it's bye-bye Lauren.

I guess that just leaves Sophie, mainly as the best of a mediocre bunch. To be honest it's a bit of a relief that it is all over, my enthusiasm was waning.

'ere, can you start that thread perdie pet? There's one out there and it's full of teens screeching about their own age group. Young Zoe with the lippy is getting a lot of flak for being over confident and I'm getting bored defending her.

I am always staggered by the amount of venom the 'yoot' have for just about everything

Lets destroy any illusion that this result was the outcome of a public vote.
Slug Webber made it perfectly clear before agreeing to do this show that there were a number of pre conditions that the BBC would have to accept. Clearly one these was that he would get to pick the winner.
From the start of the show Danielle has been consistently in the top two with the bookmakers, very often favourite, despite being nothing more than an also-ran early in the series, when she was frankly useless.
Bookmakers may be shady characters but they are anything but stupid, and have access to people and information that the general public are denied.
Stick her in the bottom two some weeks and make it look real, introduce a bought and paid for panel who'll do as their told and Bobs your uncle.
Shes a competent dancerl, not a bad singer, not a bad actress but she was'nt best at any of them.
Sadly another reality show ends and I'm left feeling a bit cheated - but at least I never lifted the phone.

I think the attitude to women of the whole show was summed up when Nick was incredulous at the fact that Hannah Cherry "thought she ran the show". Hannah Cherry who was Project Manager. It's no surprise this attitude gets bounced back by a receptive audience.

Also we have to go through this bullshit every series on the adult show anyway. Strong capable women scares everyone with her strength and capability, but then has redemption towards the end when she cries/stands up for a friend/reveals a tragic backstory, and then finishes second on the promise that she behave herself in future. I'm sure the same thing will happen to Zoe.

I can't wait for Hannah Cherry to get fired next week for "undermining Rhys' authority" or some such rubbish.

Have started one in the Apprentice forum - thought one elsewhere would be lost within minutes.

Must admit Zoe isn't my favourite, but at least so far appears to have the ability to back up her confidence, unlike a lot of the others. No harm in knowing you're good if you actually are.

You're right of course, as ever.

Oh, thank you! I had no idea there was that App forum. Silly me! I could only find that one on its tod with all the screaming teens.

I just wanted to delurk to unnappreciate the fact that this is depressingly true

Unappreciating Diet's face after he praised Sophie for the Tin Man/Scarecrow/Cowardly Lion filler number. It actually makes me feel a little bit tummy-sick.

I thought maybe he was being controlled by the electrified pen, either that or someone spiked his spray tan.

Where did catman AWL snaffle his stunt dog from for the 'come and chat to me in my garden' seg?

I wondered too. Suspect his cats, when briefed about the bench chat, told him to sod off and a hire a mutt for the moment instead.

Cats are like that.

Mighty Monk Seal's final edition is up! I loved the fairy tales.