I not one to have a go at Len but at the weekend Len got me annoyed when he had a go at Gavin on Friday but then the next day calling him Your my hero

Im not Gavin fan but i thought Len was sending him mixed messages on the way he performs, i know Len has done that with other Celebs in the past but this one to me really stick out as odd

I know the other Judges did the same to him at the weekend but Len i thought was being Patronising to him which really bothered me

he sounded a bit difficent when he said that I've got to say.

I don't think he was patronising at all. I felt the same; Gavin was a hero when you remember that he clumped around with two left feet at the beginning and ended up dancing fairly decently imo.

I think the "you're my hero" comment was about Gavin never giving up or becoming despondent despite all the criticism and struggles he endured.

Better described than my post

It was a bit over the top, but I think this is what was meant. There are a lot of people who would have let Craig's constant criticism get to them.

I think Katya had a valid point tonight that Craig never commented on his improvement. I can think of only two complimentary things Craig said - he liked the spooning in the CC and "Finally, a bit of personality". No one's pretending that Gavin was as good as everyone else, but there is no doubting he had improved and it would have done no harm to have said so.

was very over the top, I agree.

he should be fired for unprofessional comments.

Gavin on ITT said he didnt have a problem with any of the judges......he said 'I get on well with all the judges' he obviously didnt have a problem with any of them....shrugs shoulders and gets on with it........which is what Len was getting at really

I think many contestants have said that all the judges are helpful off camera, even Craig.

He probably also realised that Gavin was likely to be one of those leaving at the semi final and just wanted to say something positive.

good thing you're not in charge of SCd Paul, I don't think there would be anyone left!

Am I the only one with 'Wind Beneath my Wings' stuck in their head now - I loath that song with a passion

I know in the past a contestant said the judges didnt mix with the celebs at all, kept to themselves in the after-show bar etc. However, as much as I have missed certain faces from the past, I don't think Ive ever watched a series where the camaderie among the celebs and pros - and to an extent the judges - has been as genuine as it has this year.

At the time Len said it, I did agree that Gavin's attitude had been heroic, however Gavin let himself down on Monday when he said to Claudia he wanted to Matt to win as, like him, he had a day job and was therefore disadvantaged. It was quite ironic as Gavin's improvement only really come about after he landed his new position and he still managed to maintain his lead at the top of the training hours table. Silly boy

I agree.
I found it quite moving actually

Len is talking a lot of nonsense the last few series. I would take what he says seriously most of the time. It's a shame because at the first few series of SCD Len was the one who made most sense from the judges. Then suddenly he went bonkers for some reason...

didn't say get rid of everyone fyi. Btw there is talks of Tess moving to America. All that I'm saying somewhere down the lines it needs a facelift.

There's a hard and fast rule when it comes to judges' comments:

If they say something unjustifiably positive and go out of their way to decry the other judges for being "too picky", then they've made a mistake and given too high a score.

All Len was doing was blustering to cover up for giving a 9 to a mediocre dance, so that he didn't look like such a tit when it came to revealing the scores. Instead (he imagines) he comes across as a maverick - he alone can see the wonder that is Gavin!

They all do it (even Craig, when he gives too low a score). Hastily over or under mark, then blather on in their comments to cover the mistake. Remember Len's 6 for Kara's American Smooth? He had to work really hard to make that seem justifiable!

I think the other judges got scared after Katya laid into Craig. I got the impression the other three hastily changed what they originally intended to say.