I'd keep Len, even though he's been even more inconsistent than usual this year.

However I'd like them to replace Alesha and Bruno with judges who will mark fairly, consistently and using the full range of scores, like Craig does. Hopefully when surrounded by sensible people, Len would fall into line rather than risk looking like an anomalous tit.

No. Definitely not.
Len's marking has been inconsistent this series, but that is not a reason to sack someone. He wouldn't be sacked from this job in real life if he were to mark inconsistently at a competition according to our opinions (that is not to imply anything of the sort that he would. Plus real competitions are not marked anything like SCD). Dance is subjective and we don't know what his full criteria for marking is.

We need to bring balance to the panel of judges to bring in another specialist ballroom and latin judge in addition to Len (and perhaps remove one performance judge). By all means use Karen or a judge with a more modern approach to the dancing, but I think it's also good to have a judge with a traditional approach on the panel.

In my opinion, the problem with Len is that he thinks it's his show. He even has a go at the audience if they think his marking is unfair or inconsistent. Elsewhere, having that sort of go at an audience in showbusiness is usually curtains for someone's career.
The BBC must encourage him or at least not attempt to restrain him as they must believe it helps the ratings.
I wizz through his bit on ITT which I record as I find him an attention seeking annoyance.

I can't hear him without thinking of "Mr 'odges" the air-raid warden in "Dad's Army."

Yes - it's not just his inconsistency it's his blustering grumpiness/rudeness when disagreeing with other judges; particularly Craig.

Karen would make an ideal head judge.

I think they should leave the judges as they are. Consistency is what's needed, not new judges.

I think it's time we had loads and loads of judges on the panel, and they could toss coins for the privilege of commenting to the contestants.

Some judges would mark the dances, some
the performance, some the costumes, the music, the lighting and the audience reaction; etc. Scores would be out of 1000 points and the leaderboard could show digits up to several thousand. The totals of the viewers's votes would always be added in the results show and Carol Vorderman would come on to explain the results.

Now that would make everything fair, wouldn't it?
I mean, nobody would notice Len's remarks any more and he could carry on as he pleased.

Which is why I think Len should go.

If they don't have a problem with Len's marking, I doubt they'd enforce consistency with a new judge either. They're probably actively encouraging Len to score this way. I think the show's producers are the problem, not Len.

I have seen him being booed, jeered and interrupted when he passes an unfavourable comment or mark. So unless all that he should offer are favourable comments, he has a right to defend his statements when faced with discourteous audience booing. And he has a right, as a judge, to mark how he sees fit, whether it meets with the audience approval or not.


Or it's accepted as a performer's right to answer any hecklers.


I see it the other way - the BBC must be encouraging the audience to boo and jeer when any of the judges says something negative. And that does annoy me and does cheapen the show.

I mostly agree with you but I think the audience has been rude in booing the judges when they say anything which is not 100% positive and I find that as tedious. Craig has been boo'ed too and people do need critisism as well as praise.

I think a way needs to be find to diminish Len's ego and try to curtail his worst excesses like his total inconsistency. Maybe sacking him is too much but I think if someone else like Karen brought a bit more ballroom/latin based knowledge to the panel it might help.

This is true, but I think the "booing" has been good natured mostly, but his reactions not so. His attitude being, "after all I am Len Goodman aren't I?"

Much as I like Karen I don't think she'd be outgoing enough, the line-up is like "The Village People" characters, much of what she'd bring would be the same as Craig, she'd be a replacement for Alesha but not as popular amongst the viewers in the opinion of the BBC.

I don't think it has been and you can tell Craig was irritated by it too. I do argee Len is too big for his boots.

Where's the poll?

Because of his inconsistent and irrational voting, this year especially, I would like Len to go - but I fear he must have a lot of shares in SCD (and DWTS)

He makes an interesting contributor to ITT when he forgets to be a berk.

parthena

They should have a problem with Len's marking - which has been inconsistent in the extreme.

23rd October - same mark for Jimi's charleston and Ann's tango.

Does that suggest consistency from the alleged 'dance' judge?



imo they wouldn't need to 'enforce' consistency with Karen; she proves herself every week with choreography corner and at least we'd be spared the silly blustering of Len when disagreeing with his fellow judges.

Just to clear it up, I totally agree with you that Len is inconsistent with his marking to the extreme and it drives me bananas, has done all year. But I think it's a push from the producers more than from Len. He was a competition judge for years and I'm sure he knows his marks are unfair and inconsistent but he'll be being pushed to deliver some controversy, put down one couple and overmark another to try to manipulate the public into doing what the Beeb want without employing the dance-off, which was a very open way of saying the judges have all the power. They still do but in a much less obvious and far more underhanded way. Which is why I think it doesn't matter who they draft in, the scores would be just as crazy and inaccurate. It's not just Len. It's all of them, even Craig. It's the producers, not the judges in my opinion.

Fair enough - I see your comments in a different light now!

Though I disagree with them.
Last edited by Ignazio : 09-12-2010 at 13:31

I don't think the BBC dictate that much to the judges. I believe they've combined some "combustive ingredients," then each week "light the blue touchpaper and retire immediately."

My opinion of Len's inconsistencies is that they are more a bit of attention seeking.

Surely if it was about attention seeking he could have got all the attention he wanted by steaming into the couples who used props and too much 'faffing abaht' and marking them down accordingly

I can hardly believe that this is the same guy who got so humpy about Tom Chambers using a cape for the opening 10secs of his Paso two years ago yet now appears to suffer from selective myopia and inconsistency-itis...

to the vote no Len should stay.

I think he marks and comments the way the show is. It's and entertainment program or a popularity contest and not a dance competitioin. The other judges need a ballroom/latin qualified judge to balance and guide the others. None of them are consistent.

His marking has been all over the place this series, but I wouldn't like to see him go.

However...I'm up for Bruce going, definately.

Paul why dont you just ask if they should scrap Strictly all together and have done with it......so far you have wanted to get rid of everyone, and whilst I think its time for a few to go its silly to sack absolutely everyone.

Didn't mean it like that, however there are certain aspects about the show that take the mickey, if you see what I mean.

I've a feeling that he is now toring the line as dictated by the production team, and he knows full well that such props are here to stay thanks to the new production direction taken. So maybe he tolerates them but sometimes the number of pointless props, somersaults and faffing around at the start is (quite understandably) too much and he doesn't quite manage to bite his tongue.

Len is a Gold medal winning championship Ballroom dancer, and is the only judge who knows what he is talking about.

In one word: NO!