coz if the BBC hadnt changed things around, Im sure that both would still be on the show...

The BBC can't get off scott free with all this......do you really think Matt would have walked away more or less completely if he was given a celeb this year ?? of course people want to move on and persue other interests...... thats a natural progression but all this feels just a few years too early and i can't help feeling he would have stayed for at least another year or two if he had been treated with respect.

Of course hes going to say he wants to focus on other work,he is a very positive guy and will put a positive "spin" on it........what else is he going to say ??...
" i'm going to sit at home all day for months" ???.......but as the old saying goes "was he pushed or shoved ".

It's positively Shakespearean what's happening with Strictly this year - and it hasn't even started yet!

So sorry that Matt's left but well done to him on walking away under the circumstances. I thought he was the best male dancer they had.

Are Matt and Lilia going to be involved in Strictly like Karen was last year? From Matt's quote it seems as though he may be involved behind the scenes.

Hi sc

I don't think anyone knows the answer to your question......this is from the earlier BBC press release.


Reads to me as if he maybe will be in one or two "guest" appearances and thats it.

Gutted that Matt isn't coming back, I can totally understand why, but I'm very sad that he and Aliona won't be dancing together anymore, they were fabulous on tour (especially at the weekend, when looking back it is obvious she knew he was quitting, they had a lot of fun with the last 2 shows). I can only hope that Matt's guest appearances will be dancing with Aliona!!

Sounds to me like he's taking on Karen's role basically - choreography, a bit of group coaching and maybe some ITT. Wouldn't surprise me to see him choreograph the group numbers the first couple of weeks and I hope he gets a few dances - another hip hop samba would be lovely I can't imagine a pro jive without him either!!!

The puzzling thing is why Lilia isn't doing the dance troupe. To be honest, I expected both her and Darren to quit, but him saying and her going doesn't make sense, except for the obvious conclusion that I think everyone has jumped to - rumoured every year but never with a basis such as this!! Her statement seems a lot less sure than Matt's: all she talks about is different opportunities, not even dancing ones, and supporting Darren and the other pros....





What has that got to do with anything? Some people will do anything to have a dig at Alesha I'm sure she'd be the first person to say she's gutted Matt won't be coming back!!!

It's all rather unsettling. Whereas I'm relived that Ian will be dancing, and I'm pleased Darren is also back, I'm gutted about Matt and Lilia. It doesn't make sense Darren returning without her. I'm afraid I won't buy the 'conspiracy' unless she confirms it herself, but she may have her eye on something else. Didn't they start a dance school a couple of years ago? Perhaps they will both concentrate more on that, but with Darren keeping his foot in the Strictly door.

they are both involved in Essentially Dance Project for schools but they didnt open a dance school. Darrens parents run City Limits in Sheffield which is a dance school

Just to try and cheer us up, I thought I'd post this (I watch it a lot and just look for any excuse really as it's one of my favourite routines)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n59-r5haCg

Matt choreographed and Lilia is great in it.

I guessed what dance that was before I even clicked the link - I think it's in almost everyone's top 5 pro dances ever!! Unfortunately Youtube is being slow, but I've watched it so many times I know it well - fabulous dance. The jive from last year was good too, although missing Vincent and Flavia!!

I'll be very disappointed if the pro group jive isn't choreographed (and danced!!) by Matt this year!!

I'm really going to miss them both, especially Lilia Fantastic teachers and choreographers.

I would very much doubt that Darren would do it if the BBC had said Lilia couldn't. I think that's an insult to Lilia that would make Darren walk (and vice versa if the other option happened). I would assume this was a joint decision of theirs.

Of course I never thought one would do it without the other in any circumstances (other than the one we're all trying to avoid jumping to- sorry Lilia!), so what do I know.


I must qualify this by saying I don't know D&L at all, have never even met them as an adoring fan! But they do not strike me as the type of people to take a backstage role whilst other people dance.

Karen had already retired from dance pre-Strictly, she has a family and outside interests, and she's a good few years older than Lilia.

Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliaaaaaaaaaaaaa

*sobs inconsolably*

Bah!

It's ironic that Alesha would probably not be involved with Strictly were it not for Matt's teaching.


It makes sense for one of them to keep their foot in the door


Surprised Anton wasn't one of the dancers wasn't selected for the troupe.


Would be great to see him on ITT.


....Lilia keeps her hand in as well.

Will miss Matt and Lilia, good luck to them whatever they do and hope it's not the last we see of them on TV.

Well exactly!!

Who'd have thought Alesha would outstay matt on Strictly??

GUTTED to lose Matt and Lilia. WTH is Darren staying without Lilia - have they split up?

I'm gutted Lilia has quit She's my favourite

Sad to see them go but perfectly happy to see what the new pros bring to it.

Wouldn't surprise me if Lilia has decided this is a good time to start a family. Matt may have simply thought that he's won it once and decided that he wanted to move on now.

"Strictly" without Matthew is unthinkable

The Powers that Be at the BBC have obviously completely lost the plot in insulting and side-lining their best professionals and their clumsy tinkering with the format.

Not sure I'll have the heart to watch this year...

Maybe Lilia is finally going to get her pug

I agree. I also wonder if Lilia is pregnant - that would explain it wouldn't it?

I would let her share mine if she unquit herself

Gutted that Matt has left, I still get palpiations remembering his and Aliona's steamy dance to Sex and Love and Magic last year.

I wish the BBC would stop all the tweaking.

There is an irony to this situation - Matt (and Lilia) are brilliant at what they do whereas Alesha as a judge...!!

It seems to me that the producers do not seem to be thinking of their loyal viewers and are hellebent on dismantling the X Factor audience

I wonder will Claudia and co ever mention Matt, Lilia, Brian? She got through ITT last year without even mentioning Arlene - neither did Bruce it was as if she never existed

Well i guess Im not gonna bother watching this year then. First Brian leaves, then Matthew then Lilia.

They're all my favs. I cant believe it. What are they thinking. Why move all the best dancers and choreographers to a rubbish dance troupe, to keep the mediocre ones and add newbies nobody wants. All they need to do is add James Jordan to the list and we need not bother watching at all.

The end of an era for me - Lilia has always been my favourite.

I had hoped to see Lilia with a talented celeb who could do latin - then we have seen what she could really do.

Some great times with celebs who were limited in ability - I guess Matt Dawson was the most talented, and became one of the best ballroom dancers. Unfortunately the last few years Lilia has had little to work with and even she can't work miracles.

Sorry to see Matt having a very much reduced role. He was fortunate to have had a chance with Alesha to show what he could do. His Hip-Hop Samba with Aliona last year was an example of great choreography, rehearsed to perfection, and with good lighting.

Like Ian's Ballet Jive with Darcey, I'm OK with flavouring SCD dances with other moves, but I dont want other genres of dance - the show would lose its character.

Maybe they will still make the new ideas work. I wanted a better SCD, but the indicators are growing that it is planned to be different, not better - which is a very easy target to achieve.