3 judges work perfectly well on DWTS so I can't see why the same format should not work on SCD.

Of course all 3 judges should be capable of spotting any footwork mistakes.

And we'd avoid Len stupidly having the casting vote in the dance-off

Good idea actually - I'd have Craig, Len and Karen on the panel in that case

i know it works good but the extra judge gives more variety in the scores.

I agree, Craig, Karen and Len would be the ideal panel.

+1

Prefer four, I'm afraid. *Any* number would suffice, but we've always had four so frankly why change?

Seems to me we already have 10 million judges

So that Len doesn't have absolute control over any dance-off?? That seems to me to be a good enough reason without any other!!

I'd rather drop the dance-off than a judge, personally, but that might just be me.

ETA: Len's actually decided 11 out of 35 dance offs - and only four of those were decisions against the other judges. This isn't me trying to justify it, I just wanted to see the numbers. I thought it was higher than that, but that might be because three of the four times he's gone against the majority were in series seven.

3 judges would be good actually.

I think Bruno should go. He doesnt really offer anything and he's too nasty sometimes. We dont need another one as Craig has that job.

Len and Craig should stay imo. Maybe add a new judge like some have said, Karen. I am really surprised she didnt get offered the job. She always sounds such an expert when she's on BBC breakfast discussing the show.

I agree with the OP, and they all have big enough personalities. Alesha doesn't have any chemistry with any of the other judges, apart from maybe Bruno.

has all the judges been confirmed to return to strictly this year???

Yeah - Craig, Len, Alesha and Bruno are all on the revamped website.

Don't mind if it is 3 or 4. Probably prefer 4 to get more variety in views, In the 4 judge scenario, Len 's vote only carries extra weight if the other judges are already split (i.e. at least one of the other judges must agree with Len). If someone is so obviously better than their opponent then that split shouldn't happen in the first place. So I don't see why his casting vote is thought to be so controversial. Since he is head judge and the one who is most qualified, it in theory seems to be fair (although in practice there have been times when I haven't understood his decision - wouldn't go as far as to say he's been wrong since there is no absolute right and wrong in these things).

Thanks for the info

I would like to see 3 judges, namely Len, Craig and Karen Hardy. I'm fed up with having to endure the antics of Bruno and Alesha, they mess about too much.

I can't see them ever having 2 latin/ballroom judges on the bench.
How would it look if they didn't agree? Can you imagine Len and Karen having a difference of opinion,especially if they wanted to ditch different people out of the dance off.

I think three judges would be great, it gets a bit repetitive and time consuming with four. Len, Craig and Karen Hardy or Shirley Ballas please!

I don't see anything wrong with our 4 judges!.... why would we need to change it?.... after all the changes going on that no-one seems to like, why should we change something else?...

Most of the International series have had 4 judges.

I believe the decision to craft DWTS in the states as they did is due to the shorter season, and the requirement of advertisers to keep much more pace on the production. Americans seem to have a much shorter attention span than other people.

JJ

I wasn't aware that anyone had said it wouldn't.

Of course SCD started before DWTS, so that might be a factor.

Exactly, and I agree with JJ on this one, totally.

And my two cents, lets not change too much more about Strictly. As much as I have said that everyone needs to wait and see, I still will miss Lilia, Ian and Matt!!!

4 Judges gives more variance as JJ said whereas on DWTS it's often 5,5,5 or 6,6,6 or 7,7,7 or Len get's pissy and scores lower!

3 judges is enough.

it's always worked with 4 so why change it now ?

Interesting statistics. Even though Len has the power, it really hasn't made a great deal of difference overall in the dance offs.

I'm happy with 4 judges.

I don't think 3 is enough, and when you have 5 (like for the closing stages last year, and as in Dancing on Ice) they leave out some judges comments. I like to hear what all of them have to say, even the judges I'm not so keen on