They'd better get her someone good next year, because doing without her for most of this season was what was missing from the show. We just got a glimpse of her on Saturday, a little morsel.

I agree that she deserves someone good next year.

They knew what they were doing by pairing her with Paul Daniels this year. :sleep: They did that because she won last year.

But he could have been this year's John Sergeant instead of Anne Widdecombe. She was probably match with for the same reason as the choice could have been last year, because they were similar heights.

Does anyone know if the pairings actually are a complete surprise to both parties or whether any negotiations take place beforehand?

This year was a surprise to all involved.

The couples don't pick their partner but there must be negotiations backstage with those higher up (BBC bosses, producers whatever) deciding which professional gets which celebrity. Otherwise how come the short or tall pros and celebs always end up together?

She was too tall for him, so when she's not the shortest pro in the show she really should not have been paired with him if it was going on height. A lot of the partnerships weren't great matches height-wise.

Ola got Paul because the BBC seem to have an irrational fear of a pro winning/getting to the final 2 years in a row - only Lilia has ever managed it. They knew he would be rubbish, he claimed never to have seen the show, never to have listened to music, and he was working a lot during the show so it was clearly not his top priority. Considering what she had to work with, getting through to week 3 was quite an achievement, and i think she gained an enormous amount of credit, as I guess Anton has done also in many people's eyes.

Like Ola but she doesn't have divine right to a good partner. Brendan's had some abysmal partners, as did Lilia; Camilla's first partner was David Dickinson, Flavia landed Jimmy Tarbuck - if he hadn't left through ill health he wouldn't have lasted long anyway.

Others spring to mind - but I'll leave it there.

I think it has happened a couple of times that pros have slipped from winner or finalist to first one out - didn't that happen to Karen too and possibly others?

If you look at DWTS the same few pros have won most of the seasons, with one (Derek) winning three times in all, and twice on the trot. You could argue it shouldn't matter, although I guess it incentivises the pros if they think they stand a chance because the last winner has been given a more challenging partner this time. Not sure it's nice to see the champion pro go out first next season, though.

Yes...Karen Hardy went out in the first week of SCD when she was partnered with Brian "Corrie Killer" Capron (I think that's his name, I've just had a mental blank )


I always assumed that when they have new pro dancers on the show they would give them the not-so-good ones for their first year, but it doesn't seem to have worked this year as Artem is still in the competition and Robin only went out last week. Of course, there is the factor that sometimes you have a celebrity that looks like they'll be a rubbish dancer and then improve so much they stay in for quite a while (like Patsy).

I do hope Ola gets somebody better next year as I really like her and James Jordan - they're my favourites

Darren won in his first year with Jill. The same year Ian was runner up with Denise and Lilia was 4th with Aled. Vincent also got a good 'un first time around with Louisa.

i miss ola, kristina and lalia, i dont think alot of the new pros for the pro dances,

We have hardly seen the so called "Dance troupe" and even the Pro dances haven't been as good this year!

For the next series perhaps there should be a greater turnover in the pros?

Ola is a beautiful dancer, but I wonder how much longer her and James will do SCD.

Ola & Jimi Mistry would have been lovely!