I think it just showed he is not some pampered celeb, but a guy who can get his hands diry and cook if needs be, not like some of the raher wimpy actor types.

You are sure? Will he do the same with his two kids if it means he'll win strictly? You claim you don't hate him, but the above 'throwaway' quip might be your Freudian Slip.

Blimey, thats scary! I'll go away and have a think but i'm not sure I'm even that deep! Thanks for flagging!

I really wasn't sure about Gavin at the beginning of the series. I assumed he was vain, thick and emotionless and for the first couple of weeks I was sure I was correct in my assumptions.

I don't think that now. He's very shy, which can come across as arrogant and over confident at times. His comments are ironic, witty and very tongue in cheek. I think that the rugby with Saracens has given him a boost. He's less self conscious, has more belief in himself and has proved that he CAN dance as long as he lets himself go and doesn't worry about what other people might think of him.

His whole persona has changed for the better and I hope he continues to dance on the show.

I would replace the bit in bold with shy and endearing with a wickedly dry sense of humour - and a great giggle!


I do think he is uber competitive and I don't think that's a problem in his career, but I don't think he'd sacrifice family and friends to win!

I also think a lot of his 'public vanity' like touching his hair, can be put down to a lack of self confidence and habit like biting your finger nails.

If you'd asked me for a list of celebs I'd dislike, before a step had been danced, Gavin would have featured high on the list, probably in 2nd place to Ann. Now, whilst Ann retains her position, Gavin, along with Kara is a firm favourite of mine.

Personally I find him hilarious, think his personality is one of the most interesting on SCD, he's a strange mixture of vainity, shyness, highly competitive yet often wracked with nerves. Very nice line in self depreciating humour as well. Give me someone like Gavin any time over slightly bland 'nice guys' Matt and Scott. Also, his dancing is really starting to come on.

that is a perfect example , and one that is really subtle too and open for interpretation . He has on several occasions made me laugh out loud whereas Ann's rehersed and forced with does nothing for me

I love ironic comedy like Eddie Izzzard or on Russel Brand but hate slapstick like the Chuckle brothers or Charlie Chaplin.


Both Russell and Eddie are great wordsmen and Gavin has the same sense of humour but does it with a lot less words and in a much more subtle way.

Some people have obviously not cottoned on to Gavins humour but it is there in spades if you look for it and quite frankly I was amazed and suprised when he started to make me laugh as I had thought he was a charmless plank famous for his vanity, rugby and marrying Charlotte Church.

I now find him funny, shy, sensitive and admire his determination to continue to try at something he is so obviously findig really difficult.

He was very competetive on 71 degrees but then he was completely in his comfort zone.....physical strength.....however in the last but one day he was teamed with Suzi Amy and I thought oh dear he is going to be horrible if she holds him back (she had an injury) but he wasnt he put her first and made sure she was ok and just let it go. Made me laugh when he cooked that hare and Kate Thornton said he was brought up on a farm we havent heard anything about that on Strictly unlike someone else I could mention

I never expected to like Gavin - never have before, having just judged him, I admit, on the tan and the celeb marriage and the Welsh press's version of him.

I find him a mix of confidence, insecurity and humour, so you never really know quite what you're going to get. In sport it makes no sense to claim you don't care whether you win or not before a game, you talk yourself up and believe in yourself, but you take it on the chin if you lose - that's how he comes across to me on SCD, not arrogant or any more competitive than anyone else, just with a different way of expressing it. I think he looked a bit shocked after Scott's jive because he knew he came across badly on Scott's film, not because he wasn't pleased he danced well. Gavin seems to get on very well with Brendan and Jimi, both people who wouldn't bother if he was unsporting. It's not wrong to be competitive in a competition, imv.

He's far from perfect, and he definitely overreached himself in 71 Degrees because the pressure of being favourite got to him. He would be quite goodlooking if he made less effort, but I don't fancy him myself. He knows he's not good at dancing (he wasn't happy with his dance last night despite the comments). He's uncomfortable with the physicality of the whole thing. If people don't like him, that's fine - I've no coherant reason why I like him, other than he makes me laugh and laugh and it just makes me so happy to see him improving.

Matt, Scott and Kara are the best dancers and I don't want to see anyone take anything from them. I've liked Patsy much more than I expected to (completely changed my unfair tabloid-fed view of her too) and I'm willing Pamela on to show that an older woman can stay the distance on this show. It's a great year. But so far, and God help him this will probably jinx him for good, Gavin is definitely the one I'm waiting for most each week, to see if he can do it or not.

Was determined not to like him but I have caved in and must admit he's one of my favourites now,in fact wouldn't be unhappy with a Kara and Gavin last two

Those Gavin apologists insist he has a dry sense of irony, well so do I, but I don't see it in him, where is it?

it's well hidden cos he's shy or something

I am not a Gavin apologist the title of this thread is

Gavin miserable as sin ? that requires an answer which is NO .....if you dont like him thats fine it really doesnt bother me two hoots.....personally I think a few people are beginning to panic that Gavin might be a lot more popular than their own favourite.

Personally though I love Gavin and Katya I wouldnt want him to win this over Kara or Scott but I would be happy to have him in until the last 4 and will be voting accordingly.

For me, I would say last five!

Very well hidden or more likely non existent.

As usual Jan, I 100% agree

Gavin was the one celebrity that did not interest me, when I read the line up for the show. Was determined not to like him from all I'd heard about him. But I have to say I've completely changed my view. I love his self effacing humour.

Same here , as an Irish rugby fan I was all set to dislike him and find myself howling at his irony and actually liking him alot .

I'm no apologist and appreciate Gav's sense of humour - are you sure about your own?

My husband has a VERY similar sense of humour to Gavin and in fact sometimes when my husband makes a joke people sometimes do think hes being deadly serious as he jokes in such a deadpan serious way, people aren't sure how to take him sometimes.

Gavin isn't my favorite by a long way but I do 'get' his humour and can see that hes joking.

Oh dear, lets hope not.

Before the show, I though Gavin was an utter plank but he's completely won me over.

There was a great bit on ITT a few weeks back where they were asking the celebs and pros what they missed most. Everyone was saying things like their children or their bed or their partner, and then Gavin comes along and starts talking about this great mirror he has at home which is really well-lit.

Between that and his love of Peter Andre, I think he has bags more personality than any of the others.

This.

Oh yes you reminded me of another great example....questions out of the glitterball.....'what scares you most' Lots of boring predictable answers like spiders etc Gavin 'Going bald' I laughed and laughed

He is so earnest with the way he is I can't help but love him. I adore how he is vain and competitive and is so unapologetic about it. It is like I am what I am and if you don't like it who cares!