I'd mostly lost interest this year but now they are actually finally going to make them do a solo routine (not just a solo bit within the routine). I think it's made it really interesting again. They can't rely on partners or lifts so i hope we'll see some spins, jumps and great footwork as they are all capable of it - though Johnson less so than the others and this may be the week he goes out because of that.

My prediction is we'll see great jumps from Sam, great spins from Laura and great footwork form Chloe as those appear to be their strengths at present. No idea who will bring the best combo of those things but can't wait to see.

There re two performances per couple. I do however think Sam will top the leaderbaord as he is the best skater- however that will not inspire me to vote for him. He'll get the pimp spot too - Laura is stronger than Chloe

So this I think will be the leaderboard after the two routines

1. Sam 4 + 2 = 6
2. Laura 3 + 1 = 4
3. Chloe 2 + 3 = 5
4. Johnson 1 + 4 = 5

Skate off is Laura v Chloe

I think Sam may well get highest judges score for solo routine but it's not by any means clear that he'd get highest for the partnered one, so not necessarily at top of leaderboard after both.

Nor am I convinced Johnson's public vote will hold up this week (since he has been bottom two before) given the calibre of skaters left, so I'd imagine it could be Sam vs Johnson in skate-off - or in fact any other combination which is why it is more exciting really.

This reminds me of strictly two years ago

For Sam - read Ricky and Natalie - not getting the public support
For Johnson - read Chris and Ola - not the best technician but the one who has captured the public imagination
For Laura and Colin - read Jade and Ian - again lacking in public support
For Chloe and Michael - read Ali and Brian

The only reason Johnson ended up in the bottome two was down to the two alleged judges on the panel who supported Laura's team in the team challenge - and I am still to be convinced it wasn't motivated by the fact that Laura was in the skate off the previous week

I think Sam may very well get the elusive 3 x 10.0 for his solo routine

But for the pairs routine - he could score 3 x 8.5 again (25.5) as they are sometimes out of sync

This makes his over all total 55.5

If Chloe and Laura can score 28.0 for their routines - 2 x 28 = 56, putting Sam in second place.

If one of them gets higher than 28.0, Sam will be in third place

So Sam might get his three 10.0's, but the double scores could go against him

At last, a twist that is actually good

I think Laura will top the leaderboard for the pair skate and Sam will top the leaderboard for the solo skate.

I think what makes this series interesting is that it's not a certainty on who will top the leaderboard each week. I can actually see any of Chloe, Laura or Sam topping the leaderboard.

From what Colin's just Tweeted, it sounds like the solos are going to be pre-recorded. Not 100% sure that's what he meant but it seems that way.

I think it will be the rehearsals he was talking about.

I see that Colin confirmed on Twitter that the solo routines are choreographed by T&D, not the skater

From the preview & his tweets earlier in the week it appears that Robin was providing the celebrities with advice on their solo routines which makes sense of course with him being a solo skater. Can't help thinking it would have been a great opportunity for Robin to do some choreography too.

yeah it would have made a nice change .. I'm actually getting a bit bored of T&D's choreography

I keep saying I'm not gonna watch then all the twists they do make it interesting again so I'm re-hooked! I think Laura or Chloe will top the board for the paired skate then I think Sam will win the solo skate. Johnston and Laura will most probably be in the SO, and obviously Laura will go!

Colin & Laura are currently doing a twitcam and Laura started to say somthing about if they got through to the final but then Colin stopped her as it's a twist that hasn't been released so they're not aloud to say ..... but she said enough to more or less lt the cat out of the bay and implied that the finalists may have to choregraph a routine (whether that's another solo one or the pairs one not sure) ... she also let slip that for the final there wlll be 30 extra performers on top of all the skaters coming back .....oops . blabbermouth .. lol

She also said she's skating to These Boots Are Made For Walking for her solo routine and is wearing hot pants and a very revealing top

Thank goodness for the solo skate. This should be introduced at regular intervals during the series to get rid of the dross and numpties that make a laughing stock of the show. Now we'll see who really has some blade control although we already know who he will be, won't we?

That happens every year though - with the Bolero, they're told that they must finish on the ice a la T&D (and possibly include one other move) but it's entirely down to celeb and partner to choreograph.

More likely he stopped her either because he's superstitious or thought they might try to "use it against her" in VT

Skating, just like any other sports have moved on in the last decades and so have skills and choreography (in the case of skating). Not wishing to take anything away from T&D's past glories but I find their skating routines rather boring and samey.

Yes! Really like it - keep it for next year!

Right twist at right time. Nees to be saved for Semis as you wouldn't want to see some of the dross doing it. The ultimate skills test earlier in the series was another great idea & got rid of Kerry but i really wouldn't want to see a full 1 minute routine from likes of her (most of which she would have just stood there waving her arms)

I'd love to know what you thought of the solo skates, icedragon.

Well I thought it showed up how hard ice skating is when you take away the lifts and tricks but it was great that they had skaters this year capable of producing just about watchable 1 minute routines.

A bit disappointed by Chloe's although her spiral sequence was nice (free leg could have been higher and skating leg straighter but nice control). She didn't put in any jumps and messed up her spin. A few decent bits of footwork, mohawks and 3 turns and good speed but lacked any real pizzazz.

Johnson surprised me by having some good stuff in his including a couple of good 3 jumps but sooooo slow it took away any interest.

Thought Laura gave the best performance overall - she really made an effort to 'sell' the programme. Some good footwork and well controlled 3 jumps. Pity about the spin which was horribly unbalanced although she scraped 3 revs on it. Quite liked the hoppy sideways footwork just after the start - a real confidence move - and the heel/toe steps. Bit of a cheat to do the cartwheel with sucker pads though.

Sam's had great speed and ice coverage and some nice moves. Good pivots. Jumps had good speed going in and height but the second jump was so cheated it was a toe 3 jump rather than the toe-loop it was supposed to be. Disappointed he didn't put a spin in since I'd seen him practising a sit spin thought he might have tried it. Not impressed with the hydroglide (unlike the Divine Donal's) and thought the breakdancing stuff was a bit of a waste of time.

I found that assessment really interesting. I've got little technical knowledge, so I judge a routine on what the eye sees. Dare I say that even if I don't always see the finer points of ice skating, I sometimes surprise myself when the judges agree with my very amateur, overall impression.

As for Laura's cartwheel and the sucker pads, bless her she's just too honest, who else would have shown them to the voting audience?

Wouldn't a cartwheel have been impossible without the pads? She would have fallen straight on her face.

I couldn't believe how high the judges marked Laura. Her solo wasn't at all graceful - consisting of foot stamping, where's the skating in that?