Surely the "older" contestants are there to reflect the audience demographic of "older viewer" ( the one's who pay the licence fee in most households ie for them to watch someone they have heard of?

My mother had no idea who Kara/Michelle/Jimi/ were, vaguely recognised Scott/Gavin/Pam/Patsy/Goldie (when I reminded her about the conducting programme!)...

I probably wouldn't put it like that, but overall I kind of agree. I generally agree that we should have older contestants and that they could be an inspiration. However, Anne doesn't seem like a good role model to me. It's like watching a documentary about teenagers. In one of the documentaries, the teenagers care for their parents, and are responsible. In the other documentary, they are lager louds and don't put much effort into anything. It's the same with Anne, at the moment, she is more known for giving witty replies and being dragged around the floor than for putting any real effort in.

There are so many older people out there that are far more inspiring. Here is one of them. I'm sure Anne herself would agree that we shouldn't celebrate people for non-effort (her and her government's views about the unemployed, I don't think that unemployed people don't put effort in!!!), so why should we celebrate her non-effort.

They were indeed graceful and lovely, and it would be a pleasure to dance with any of them. My only fear is that I would let them down.

As at least one of them clearly dances several times a week, I also think they were much more of a role model for anybody retired and looking to take up a new interest that would keep them active and make them new friends.

Conflict is the vital component of any narrative drama. In this sense, conflict doesn't mean fisticuffs, it means opposing forces/entities/relationships.

Older contestants are one form of conflict in Strictly. The audience is being asked to engage with the differences between old and young and assess/debate them. In Strictly, there's also female vs male, performer vs athlete, entertainment vs skill, etc ad infinitum.

Conflict is what engages the audience. So that's why they have old and young contestants. So people like the OP post threads like this. So people talk about it at the water cooler at work and at home with their family.

It's the whole point.

Added to that, Ann appears to have a physical problem, and I am NOT being facetious here, where she actually DOES lean to the right - perhaps some congenital, spinal condition?
(A few of the fms questioned it earlier in the series but didn't get an answer AFAIK.)

Another public vote coming Ann's way from the less physically able.

Dear me , so one has the choice to look like Ann in their 60's or go for the full on plastic sugery route

I think you find that quite a few 60 year olds do neither and could I point out that according to Ann's political party Ann widdicome is 7 years from the age when she should be retirnig

I do realise when you are a young 60 seems ancient but not many 60 year olds behave as dododery old women inspiring OAP around the place by being hefted around like a sack of potatoes

If Ann were to inspire an OAP to take to dance dont you think she she attempt to dance , stand correctly , train hard so that she is loosing weight and getting fitter, considering wieight loss that the other conrestants have had if Ann is trying how come she hasn't lost an ounce .

Both felicity and pamela are far more inspirational in my mind and though both have had plasitc sugery not every 60 year old with an unlined face or neck has had surgery. Some woman simply haven't smoked , have stayed out of the sunlight and have good genes

No, of course, not. Nor does my post say that. However, there are many 60 year olds out there who do look more like Ann (or worse). Statistically, I would venture to suggest rather more than those 60 year olds who have had breast augmentations and thread lifts! And they are more likely to identify with Ann rather than the other two. What's more, in the absence of a dance background or considerable training, to learn some basic steps and have a bit of fun is a more realistic goal for them (and most of us whatever age) than performing like Pamela and Felicity. That is why I can understand why people are identifying with Ann. [ I do take issue with your view that any Caucasian 60 year old could have a line free face, whether she has smoked or not - there may be genetic freaks out there but most of us have the odd wrinkle by 30 at the latest].

It's difficult to take any of the over 60's as reasonable examples of inspiration for their generation as they are not typical examples. While I'm sure many 60+ years olds would like to be able to do what Pamela and Felicity are doing, I'm not sure many of them will be thinking they can and as for Ann, while people of a similar age may well think they could do what she's doing, I doubt many of them would want to!

However, the history of the programme indicates that those celebs of over 60 who might just represent Mr/Ms Average in that range don't do well; they're not good enough or bad enough to make people want to see more of them. Is a sedate, simple (in terms of the competition) but technically mainly correct foxtrot going to inspire people to pick up the phone? Past experience would indicate not. Is it going to inspire people of that sort of age to give dancing a try? Maybe - which would seem a decent reason for celebs of a certain age to be there.

the odd wrinkle is a given , but famous for not having plastic surgery I would give you Candice bergman, Susan Sarandon and when she was 60 Joan Collins . It really is an insult to many 60 year old woman to say that they look anything at all like Ann.

You are joking aren't you in respect of each of those women?!

It was actually the Labour Government that changed the pension ages. I knew about 3 years ago that I would have to be 62 before I got my pension and my 2 Daughters would have to be 67 & 68. All the Tory Government has done is brought it forward a few years meaning that both my daughters will now be 68 before they get their pension.

Anyway back to Ann being an inspiration - come on look at Pamela and Felicity and even Paul Daniels took it seriously and took 'homework' home with him to learn his steps. They are the inspiration not Ann. And what about all the oldies they have had on I'm a Celebrity' they prove as good as the youngsters in the trials.

Some people age quicker than others. Why someone would need surgical intervention in their 60's to look younger is beyond me. Hello the bus left long since. Oh and we have a wizened old crone in the mail today defending having a five year old daughter. I don't think Wids is an inspiration to the geriatrics to trip the light fandango.

If she had lost some weight which even Paul Daniels managed, then yes, she might be inspirational. It is her pride in this lack of effort which makes her fail, along with her dictatorial attitude "my terms or not at all".

I also suspect most of her posture problems would be helped if she got a properly fitted bra which supported her BoD.

She wants to be laughed at. A failed candidate for fame she chooses to capitalise on notoriety at the public's expense.

"The Generation Game" would suit her pefectly -- but not appearing week after week, 8 weeks and counting .

You people need to vote for Wids judging by this forum you won't have anything to talk about when she's gone.

Absolutely right about the bra. And you don't have to spend a fortune in that posh shop in Knightsbridge (am not giving them a free ad here!). M&S have a wonderful range of bras for every size and shape and certainly their store at Marble Arch has a free bra fitting service.

My hubby said the other week that Ann looked as though she had lost a bit of weight and was walking better. Perhaps this might in some small way inspire folk with similar issues (and I say that as no fan of Ann the politician or the dancer!).

It's nothing to do with having people of all ages there. It's that the Beeb should only recruit celebs that are going to actually try and take it seriously. John Sergeant didn't and now Ann Widdecombe isn't and it's making a mockery of the show. It's up to them after all, if they want to market this show to idiots and get more ratings (which I suppose they always do) then they're heading down the right road. It's just a shame for the rest of us who have been loyal to this show in the past.

Well I am years older than Pamela Ann and Felicity and until he died my husband and I took to the floor on social occasions and enjoyed ourselves. And there are thousands more like us. Tea dances are quite popular again.

I've always wanted the celebs on SCD to at least look like they might be contenders, so as much as I hate to admit it, I do agree with the idea that more mature celebs might inspire other more mature people to take up dancing.

But Ann is not an inspiring example of this and tbh neither are Pamela or Felicity, given their incomes and life styles and/or the constant pressure on them to look their best.

I admire them all for taking part with such enthusiasm and Pamela and Felicity have impressed me with their progress - particularly Pamela who is outstanding. I'd have thought celebs like Esther Rantzen, Gloria Hunniford and Lynda Bellingham might be more of an inspiration (can't think of any men - Don Warrington maybe even though he's not 60). But in the main Ann has just made me laugh and/or cringe.

Good for a laugh sums up Ann for me.

To be fair on the men even Paul Daniels made an effort to dance and no one could say Shilts didn't try & Willy Thorne danced a lovely waltz.

I assumed they had older people in to start with to get people watching and allow the talented of whatever age to get some training under their belts to see if they had any potential.

Paul Daniels certainly has said (on our local radio if nowhere else) that he went in in the belief he would be 1st out and I'm sure John Sergeant was the same, unfortunately for him he caught the public eye.

Unless you are a really fit older person when you go in there would be no way you could train and remember a new dance every week for any length of time.

The last thing I would call Ann is elegant or dignified.

People like Pamela, Stephanie, Gloria, Esther, Lynda or Felicity show that you can look elegant and dignified even if you are an older woman, and even if you don't have much skill.

Ann is the last person we should use as an example for inspiration. Does anyone really think "oh yes, I could go out and look like such an unskilled elephant?"

No but I think that basing your judgment about another person and making unpleasant comments about the way that they look is unacceptable.

I think they were just talking about her dancing. Dancing well can make you look elegant and Ann .. well, she is the exact opposite of elegant. Nothing to do with her looks at all.