When Michelle comes on screen, I cringe like I did at no other contestant since the likes of Jan Ravens and Dom Littlewood. She's hating every second of the whole contest: she was a big signing and I think what is coming across is disappointment from both sides, Michelle being irked and the judges annoyed at the lack of a competitor.

I'm sorry to say but I don't have much sympathy for her: people love a trier and rather than laugh it off or engage in some banter with Bruce, she effectively shuts off and stops trying. She really needs to get her act together, as I'm already convinced she'll be the first woman out.

Given that they're only being paid by the episode this year and not a lump sum for the whole series, I don't see why she can't walk if she wants to. And if Brendan goes back to NZ for his father's funeral, that could be her perfect excuse to call it a day.

I think if she'd gone on DWTS she'd be having a much better experience. Not just because she'd be at home but because they generally suck up to the crap ones over there because Americans can't take criticism. I have no idea why she wanted to come over here and do SCD because while they don't always go for the jugular, more often than not they do. And that's pretty much the reason I love SCD and not DWTS. The fact that Michelle is quite bad and that expectations for her were very high is not her fault. It's just an unfortunate sequence of events. I think she's very much regretting coming on Strictly but if she leaves, it's only going to make it worse IMO. She should stick it out, try to get stronger and attempt to enjoy some of the experience. This is just my opinion of course but her biggest problem is that she thinks she's rather brilliant and that it's really unfair that other's don't see that. Maybe she thinks they brought her on for some anti-American bullying lol. She's reaching Natalie Cassidy levels of delusion. Okay she's not half as bad as she was but she is not looking like she'll ever produce a strong, confident, capable routine and that's a shame for her but you know what? You don't have to be the best dancer to enjoy yourself. Just look at Ann Widdecombe, Chris Hollins and John Sergeant.

I have been surprised since week one at the way the judges were so critical of her - I don't think she expected it either - she had probably only ever seen DWTS where they are very nice compared to here.
I have not warmed to her at all - she seems very jerky in her movements and even though she is young and glam, I prefer watching Ann than her this season.

I'm not a fan of hers, for most of the reasons already cited here, but as someone who is 5'3" and has 31½" legs (ie half my entire height), I do feel for Michelle. As soon as she and Brendan walked on in week one, I took one look at those long legs coupled with such a slim frame and crossed my fingers there wouldn't be solo spins (futile I know), as I guessed she'd struggle with them. When leg length is well out of proportion to body length, as appears to be the case with Michelle, it raises the centre of gravity and makes trying to centre a spin a far more exacting science. (If you look closely at any sport requiring good balance, for example gymnastics or ice skating, you'll never see a competitor with disproportionately long legs, although you'll see a lot of cleverly designed costumes trying to disguise disproportionately short ones!) It might explain their rumba this week, as it just seemed to be a series of poses, but it did take a lot of the pressure off the poor woman trying to keep her balance against the odds and from that point of view it was a good routine for her.

The first week, the judges commented on Michelle's poor balance and told her to learn to centre herself more. I wish it was that easy! No one's ever been able to teach me to do it and I suspect that the only way is probably something along the lines of lead lined knickers to bring the centre of gravity down, although I've never tried it! Len's advice to wear lower heels is about the only constructive tip I've heard so far.

She's not very good, is she?