I see no inconsistency in what James said. He did not say "based on dancing technique".

He lauded Chris and Ola's performance as befitting the dance in question, presentation adding appeal to movement in much the same way as Tom's gurning detracted from his.

Chris and Ola's entertainment content was intrinsic to their charleston, not extraneous to it. There was no flying harness or dry ice or juggler or unicyclist or hot dog seller. Just effort and merit in a dance which suited them to the ground. No question but Chris won on one dance, but Strictly is won by the FA Cup Big Game system not by league points. Alesha was 35 marks, a whole dance ahead going into the Final and uncatchable, so under a league points system her Final would have been shorn of all excitement.

As for consistency very few celebs managed that:
Scott plumbed 28, Pamela 27,
Kate earned her best mark at 26, John Sergeant 25,
Chris only 22, one mark above Ann's tango on 21.

This is the first year I've watched Strictly but I feel really sorry for the Pro dancers. The BBC have set up a show to celebrate dance but don't seem to treat the subject or the dancers with that much respect.

When you consider all the hours of training the Pros have put into their careers and the love they must have for what they do and then have to smile through gritted teeth when the cheeky triers or the 'entertainers' win through - how disheartening.

Personally, I'd like to see the best dancer win and celebrities who really try to dance be given a chance throughout the competition. I'd also like the judges make more of the decisions about who should stay or go - might make them more consistent.

Good for James!

I didn't know that. That accounts for the blanket coverage then.

Actually it is all wrong I feel. He is actually cheating.

to be fair to Anton, I would expect others to have the same in fact some of them probably already ahd that before they came on SCD. Also, doesn't he or didn't he date penny smith so I guess he knows a lot about how the media esp the news media works

however Ann and Antons PR person is clearly a genius and should be used in future to seel other unpalatable things to the GBP. they could probably ahve sold Englands word cup bid to FIfa

Didn't Chris Hollins fiancee work in a media marketing company? Manipulations happens every year.

Did anyone record it?

I'm hoping someone has....I'd love to see it

I keep checking on YT, but nothing yet.

Nothing at all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11910415

Ta da

Easy - he was happy for Chris to have won!

Therefore, he must have a cut-off point for dancing ability above which it is OK for a less than the best dancer to win. This is simple logical deduction.

Ann is trying - if she wasn't, she would just stand in the middle of the floor and do nothing. It's all degrees and personal interpretation once we accept that the best dancer doesn't have to win to preserve the integrity of SCD.

That's why he should be a diplomat. "Based on dancing" means nothing in isolation, but when offered as an alternative to Ann winning SCD, the interpretation has to be that James' view of dancing excludes what Ann does. (Clearly, plenty of people find her entertaining, and she does a few steps, so she is dancing to some degree.)

James' view is an entirely valid position to take, but where do we draw the line? Chris was better than Ann, but compared to pro dancers (or Ricky or Rachel etc.) he was still pretty naff.

I heart you

I heart my fellow Jammies and also James and Pamela

Great interview...I just love how they get on with it without any fuss even though I am sure they are both shattered! I mean I know the others are and they have probably heavier workloads but IMO Pamela should be admired for keeping up with them all to a degree...I'm not sure I have her stamina now and she's 30something years older than me.

Oh, and good on James!! It has been so interesting to watch how he handles such questions over the past few years.

I wonder if it is about effort, dance ability and entertainment (and personality). I think all of these factors play a role, and maybe it does for the pro dancers. Looking at Pamela and James (James particularly with his bags), they look knackered and they clearly put a lot of effort in. Chris and Ola last year put a lot of effort in. I think Anton puts a lot of effort in, but Anne less so (and she has openly admitted that it is all abou the comedy routine now - which is Anton's area). I think if Chris and Ola had won last year, but only based on comedy and no attempt at dancing than other professionals would not have been happy about it either.

Thanks from me as well. They came across really well, and I think that James actually really likes and respects her. She obviously is putting a lot of effort into this. James was still fairly diplomatic, but he was also right (Anton is doing the work; Ann really isn't doing any work).

James is in it to win it. If he thinks that cause is helped by being diplomatic that's what he will be. If he thinks his cause will be helped by speaking out that's what he will do. I'm afraid he is as manipulative as the rest of them if he thinks it's going to help him. He'll be cheering if he sees this thread and the number of people who think he's taken a stand for the sake of the 'dancing'

The change on emphasis this year, to one of more so called "entertainment" rather than dance, may well put off even some Z-listers next year, as the amount of effort required to come "joint nowhere" might not seem worthwhile.

The thing is it's not just the winning, nice as that would be. The longer they are on the programme, the more exposure they get. Also regardless of winning, should any of them display real talent I'm sure they will get offers where they can display their dancing.

Anton isn't dating Penny Smith, as far as I know! He dated Caroline Feraday for a while, perhaps you were thinking of her. I believe, at the moment, he is dating Amanda Barclay, daughter of one of the famous Barclay brothers who own the Telegraph.

Completely agree,cant wait to see his face when he goes out.

So that's why Ann and Anton are always in the Torygraph

For the viewers, it's about whatever they want it to be. There is no unambiguous right or wrong interpretation of factors in deciding how to vote.

From the pro viewpoint, when the Beeb can't find enough pros to sign up at a sensible fee, they'll know they have a problem. Can't see that happening any time soon for the TV show, somehow.

The role of the pro is so much more than simply dealing with a partner who can dance and teaching them. If the partner can't or won't dance, they have to do something different, which is probably a rarer skill than good dancing amongst the pros, which is why Anton will doubtless get knighted before any of the other pros.

Kenny tried to quit to keep Gaby and when Gaby was voted out he freely admitted that Kenny was as much a beneficiary of sympathy voting as Kate Garroway was and did say on BBC TV that "if the public want to see Kate that's their call" and he just talked about how disapointed he was that him and Gaby were out. JS was probably the red rag to the bull because it's the second time it had happened in as many years. Ann is terrible only Quenton Wilson and Fiona Phillips come anywhere close to being as bad.

I completely agree with you, and for me someone like Anton is doing all the right things, while other pros aren't (e.g. devising dances and routines that suit their partners).

What I meant was, if I were a pro and I would take part in Strictly, I don't think it would worry me if a couple does well if they put the effort in (even if they aren't the best dancers). It would only worry me if they didn't put the effort in and remain in the competetion due to some comedy factor.

The public of course can vote for whatever they want (not a fan of Anne, but I will keep true to my word, that if people vote for them, they have a right to stay in).

As such, James spoke out against John and to a lesser degree Anne (because they both put less work in and relied on comedy), but not against people like Tom or Chris for the mere reason that they were putting the work in. It's interesting, he probably never minded to be voted off with Georgina because she didn't put the work in.

I think James is consistent.