I actually wonder whether it was to get it out of their system. If they kept doing it in practice in order to be allowed to do it on the show then, now that they've done it on the show, they shouldn't be practising it any more.

Both Sam and Brianne knew that they hadn't pulled it off correctly so I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't do it again at some point in the series!

I really hate the headbanger no matter who does it. It's undoubtedly clever, but imo it is very ugly. They're not allowed to do it in proper competitions so don't think it should be allowed in doi. David Seaman who is a big strong lad hurt Pam when doing a similar sort of move (it wasn't a headbanger but looked equally dangerous) and it was clear she completely lost her confidence after that. But imagine the damage that can be done in a headbanger?

Random question but is DOI broadcast live Live. Even BB evictions runs on a 15 min delay, does DOI. Considering there could be accidents I just wondered

I've wondered this as well. What would they do if a lift went drastically wrong? Just go to an ad break?

I think Sam and Brianne done the headbanger at completely the wrong time. It was about the skills this week not the biggest lift and it wasn't done properly, I really thought something was going to go wrong. It wasn't comfortable viewing at all.

I thnk it's live apart from some of the Torville & Dean/Group/Guest numbers being pre recorded .. plus I think they pre record bits and pieces where all the contestants line up before the results (I gathered that from some of the tweets from the pro's and celebs)

DOI literally goes out as you see it. As it has been said before occasionally the opening numbers etc will be recorded especially if there are a lot of different things going on and the line up that you see at the beginning of the results show is recorded other than that anything can and does happen.

An example of that is from series 2 when Matt was with Lisa Scott Lee and they fell during the initial skate on if there had been a delay then it could have been corrected before being transmitted. I suppose it is lucky in some ways that there hasn't been any major incidents in the years that the show has been running but I would put that in part to the skills of the pros as they will do their best to protect the celeb from coming to harm.

It doesn't 'literally go out as you see it' - "live television" programmes (opposed to sporting events, news etc) are always on a slight delay - usually no less than 60 seconds. They only need 5 seconds to go to plan B should it be required for any reason

The best example is Todd Carty's infamous exit off the rink!!

They are very lucky that hasn't been a serious fall live. Imagine if Vanilla's fall was live on the show. What would they have done? Cut to VTs or ads?

I have been in the studio a number of times now and most of the show goes out live, T&D routines at start of show are usually pre recorded about 1/2 hr before show goes out as they sometimes need to record it more than once to get camera angles etc and if they have a lot of extra stuff to move etc, this year for example the opening number was recorded at the dress rehearsal and they had to stop and start again due to something falling on the ice that was then a danger to the skaters so it was re done.
Also the line up at the start of the result show is recorded just before the show goes out and while its being aired the skaters have a quick skate round to warm up.
The rest is very much done live.

Going back to the headbanger, it wasn't very well done. He was bouncing her too high and low from where I was watching. His shoulders seemed too high and stiff and he didn't really look in control. Scarey stuff. It's a wonder there haven't been more injuries over the years TBH.

There's not more injuries because the pro males know what they are doing. Sam had the height but it looked far from clear if he had the strength, knowledge, experience, reaction speed or ability to spin fast enough himself.

I think he'll still be hoping to regain 'his' place at the top, so it makes you wonder what flash move will he come out with this week to impress the judges

If he'd worked on the skills and practised dancing in sync he'd have probably scored much higher

Pam had a tough run in that series. She hurt her shoulder one of the weeks (I think it was week 5).

They were doing the headbanger in week 6 with the props and she didn't put her foot down properly. He didn't hurt her, she couldn't save herself and he couldn't either.

Week 7 - they did it on the show although it was a bit of a shambles and they were in the skate off where he did it properly.

After all these years, I'm sad that people still blame him for her accident when it wasn't his fault.

Sam may want to do the headbanger again but I hope that Jayne & Chris put their foot down and don't let him do it. Aside from any safety concerns 6 years into the show I just don't think the audience are as wowed with this move anymore and I think he's far better off focusing on his partnership issues.

Same with Laura, even if she were to do the headbanger, to me it wouldn't be as impressive as either her spin or her backflip.

I think you've made some fine points there. Maybe we won't see it again, atleast for a while?

I agree with you on this. I did competitive figure skating for 10 years and the 'headbanger' (or aeroplane as we used to call it) was served solely for 'show' or exhibition skating. It isn't really a particularly technical move - it just looks impressive/scary....

Having said that, since what they do on DOI is actually a sort or weird pairs skating/ice dance hybrid (no lifts above the shoulder in ice dance for example), with some show-skating/tricks thrown in for good measure, I guess it doesn't matter what the rules of the sport are!

I apologise, I worded that really badly. I shouldn't have said that "DS hurt Pam" - I should have said that she was hurt because the move they were doing didn't work out. There is absolutely no way I was trying to suggest David would hurt anyone by being careless or anything..

I still think the headbanger should be banned though. It is unnecessarily dangerous, and we have all seen it now, so it isn't even a novelty. I'd much rather see the celebs working on delivering some really great skating moves - twizzles etc., and jumps - that sort of thing.

Sorry for the confusion, I meant to say male pros not celebs

I wonder if Sam feels a bit of a plonker in hindsight and regrets doing it at all.

To me, he's made himself look a bit foolish.

Me too. I think it was almost certainly suggested to him and he agreed thinking it would give his performance the edge. I really don't like it - it's such an ugly move and I can't see what it has to do with dancing!