Why don't Bruce and Tess walk down the stairs any more at the start of the show?

Perhaps it's because it would take Bruce until the end of the show to regain his breath

I think it's better this way - it took too long and the focus of that part of the show is on Bruce and his dancing. Why they have this ridiculous thing with Tess is beyond me. Anton said that her dancing was like an octopus falling out of a tree. I don't think she should even attempt to move let alone walk down the stairs !
http://wp.me/p124B5-P9

haha!! Ive been saying for YEARS that I worry about Brucie going those stairs! Hes 82/83 and whether he likes it or not I think "dodderiness" is a probablility at that age. Ive always wondered that he, or someone else (but mostly him ) would take a tumble on them!

I hate the beginning of the show where they waffle on and take ages to get the show going. Bruce doing his ancient jokes - I really wished they'd pensioned him off this year. Tess is great and could do it on her own.

I prefer to record the show now so I can FF all the crape.

I preferred them walking down the stairs too. I preferred the couples backstage as well before they walked on to do their dance.

Maybe I'm just being picky.

I think the reason Tess can't dance is the fact that her left eye is only half the size of her right one and as a consequence her vision is off............

What must be considered is that Tess has difficulty putting one foot in front of the other.
The changes might be due to "'elf 'n' safety."

No Mimicole, you just hate change.

everybody else has been panting for change for years.
the presentation this year is designed to cut out unnecessary repeat seconds, - but boy that's a lot of stairs to run up at the end of a strenuous routine!!

Insurance probably won't cover it anymore. He's in enough danger from the jokes that rebound on him.

Sometimes it feels like I am the only person who likes Tess.

Now that the set is more solid-looking perhaps a couple of stairlifts could be employed to get him and his dodderiness and her and her little eye down the stairs - if they were synchronised perfectly it would have a touch of the Busby Berkeleys about it.

Nope mimicole I don't think you are. I preferred the previous entrance too, it was more ritzy, more glamorous, more Rodgers and Astaire! But I guess Bruce is getting on a bit so they thought they'd better tone it down