Most on this forum love SCD, even with the manner in which the new production team has changed the show from its humble (and low key) beginnings.

There are reasons to be cheerful after 2010; some great dances, some genuine tension and enjoyment, some nice new touches.

There are reasons to be worried. The BBC has its licence fee frozen and given responsibility for S4C and the World Service; meaning money will be tight in the future. How "cheap and cheerful" will Saturday night entertainment get as a result?

For SCD to survive, the BBC needs to find a balance between what has kept it going (decent mix of celebs, good dances, fair use of its professional dancers) and what changes were made in 2010 (the gimmicks, the loosening of rules)

So, for the purposes of this thread in the "wind down" moment of the series.....How will SCD survive? What changes should, and should not, be waved over the programme?

Forum - it's over to you!

Think of some things that have nothing to do with ballroom dancing, but might attract additional viewers to any programme and be assured a few will be included in SCD next year.

Can we bring back Arlene? Or is that old news now? I just want serious judges and Craig's the only one left now.

First off, no to Arlene.

Secondly, they should just really concentrate on getting the 'right' celebs for the show. This year, SCD is entertaining DESPITE the changes, not because of it, mainly because the celebs are such a good mix. We finally have a proper three-way final where people genuinely have no idea who'll lift the glitterball.

So for me, no more external changes necessarily, just really try very hard to get a good mix of celebrities.

I'm one of the minority who actually really like the changes that have been brought in this series

i love the new set, the diverse and wide range of couples. There is just the right amount of couples and sooo glad Artem has been added to the show, however i do agree that Matthew Cutler and Ian should be brought back as pro's next season

I also like the fact the Argentine Tango hasn't been left until the semi final as it gives couples a chance to dance it who would not necessarily reach that stage of the competition

i think the changes are a breath of fresh air and it shows in the ratings (yeah that may be partly be because of the clash with XF) but still this has been my favourite series yet and i think it can only get better from here

bring on 2011

I'd definitely get rid of three judges, Len Alesha and Bruno. Craig is easily the best. I used to like Len, but he's lost the plot. Bruno is just plain silly and Alesha doesn't really know what she's talking about. I'd like to see Karen Hardy as a judge. I'd also 'let Brucie go' and give the job to Anton. I'd give Tess's job to Natasha Kaplinski who did a brilliant job standing in for Tess. I'd keep Claudia as I find her hilarious,

Think the 'sleb mix is the most important, definately. This year has been - just! - a good enough spread of the great, the good, and the joke....

i think they should have carie anne inaba as a judge she is really good in the US

1. Have Claudia Winkleman present with Bruce
2. Have Alesha removed from the judging panel and have her upstairs doing Tess' job
3. Get rid of Len, add Karen Hardy and Darren Bennett as judges
4. Get rid of props
5. Bring back the dance off for the earlier stages of the competition
6. Keep the pre-live show where the couples find out who is dancing with who in front of an audience
7. Bring back Lilia and Matthew

No professional who is more recognisable to the viewers than some of the contestants will be invited back. Expect more well known pros to disappear next year.

If the viewing figures are up (I have no idea if that's right) then I imagine the beeb will continue with the dumbing down....having more of the pro's in ever decreasing costumes/bikini's, even more dire pro. dances, more props and gimmicks and even less content/time in the actual dance, it appears to be a winning formula

Alesha just about knows what she's talking about and has improved enough to keep her place. After all, she has marked Kara the highest with an average of 9.3. Len is really hopeless when he's doing DWTS as well. Someone should substitute for him until the QS of SCD. From that stage onwards, he has been more reasonable No problem with edging Karen Hardy into that slot.

ahhhhh, all they need to do is.... keep dancin'

i hope they ditch the bit where the judges go backstage and reflect on the nights events.it couldn't be more false.

I'd like more theme nights, showdowns...
Also "best dance of the night" repeat as in Dancing with the Stars
A bigger dance troupe with interchangeable pro's - ones that provide all the non-celeb dancing, like opening the show, dancing to the guest bands etc.

I don't get the clamour for Karen to be a judge. When I see her on ITT she is SO wooden and reads the autocue so badly.

Argh *buries face in hands*

Theme nights are horrific, routines shoehorned into completely inappropriate music to fit some spurious theme and ending up being a completely bizarre mish-mash that bears no resemblance to the dance they're actually supposed to be - a la Timewarp or whatever that Austin Powers thing was.

I don't like themes.

No more themes!

i wish the missus was that wooden.

Frankly, although I don't like the constant changes, it's not difficult to understand why the BBC do it.
The BBC are ratings driven, so I can't criticise their motives for making changes if the ratings increase.

However the BBC now have an increasing "one size fits all" policy as far as programmes and scheduling go. This inevitably leads to a general dumbing down in content.
As a programme as I do many others, I record it and start watching about thirty minutes into the show, so I can skip through the crap. Unfortunately, with some programmes like this, I've often caught up with the "real time" before the end of the programme.