Please let it be Karen so when she sits next Craig she can hit him with one of those score paddles

It will not be Karen as she is doing the dire red button commentary

I think it might be (YUCK) Jason Gardner

They've already got the resident 'Mr Nasty' in Craig and I think Jason is just too vile in his 'judging' for the Beeb.

And he's from ITV.

Oh I would give all my life's savings for Arlene to come, sit next to Alesha, and kindly point out how to be a judge on a dance show!

But my money HAS to be on Karen as the realistic choice... although, that said, would she be abandoning her red button duties?
So probably Ian...

Louis Spence!

How many Drama Queens do you want on the panel

I honestly think this wek could be a testing ground for any replacement for Len.

If he HAD to choose btw the UK & US show he'd go for the US one surely, & he aint getting any younger.

I reckon Anton would be seriously piised off if he didnt get a judging role but even more now Im not sure he'd be right.

Obv Craig to be promoted to head judge. He seems quite happy with his role on SCD, I cant see him going anywhere for a while.

I didn't know Len was leaving - where did that come from?

Anyway, I agree Karen is the logical choice - after all she is the senior professional in terms of competition experience - she and her partner Bryan Watson were runners-up to Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather in the World Professional Latin Championship for several years. And I am not saying this just because I met her 20 years ago when she was an amateur, and bought one of her dresses (for my wife, in case anyone is wondering).

easiest thing in the world to get Ian to cover for Karen on red button commentary

Just had a flash of inspiration - when Len's over there (for one week only incidentally) - why not make a lot of women of a certain age (inc me!) very happy and send Donny Osmond over for a week?

They couldn't afford him lol

They might just go with 3 judges? Works fine on DWTS. less faff more chance to chat to the celebs maybe

I would be surprised given the tone of the story on DS. Put Karen on the panel and Ian fills in on red button commentary

I hope it is karen so she can show that she is capable of being a judge and replace alesha next year ( I do like alesha but karen is more suited as she knows what she is talking about)

I would like Karen too.

Karen should be on the panel already - what that lady doesn't know about ballroom and latin isn't worth knowing

Perhaps Karen is too much of a threat to the other judges ego's for them to agree to having her involved.

Matt Cutler...pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease

Judging by their comments on choreography corner/blogs, I'd actually go for Nicole Cutler. Lady talks (writes?) a lot of sense on her blog. Can't argue about her credentials either.

I'd like Shirley Ballas.

I would prefer Camilla over Karen just because we will be seeing Karen every week this series on the choreography section for ITT (plus on the Red Button during Live shows) and so it would be nice for a fresher appearance from someone else, I personally think. As there are already two men on the panel already I wouldn't mind seeing a girl (who actually has a Latin/Ballroom background) commenting alongside Alesha, just for a change.

Seeing as we see Ian Waite on ITT (like Karen) I don't know if he'd get the gig, though it might well be possible actually. Was Matthew Cutler sacked or did he leave of his own accord (can't remember now)? If he was sacked I doubt he (like Nicole) would be asked on. And if he left of his own accord (for the same reason that Lilia and Brian did) I doubt again that he'll be asked on. Shirely Ballas is always an option (as mentioned above).

Someone else can easily do that Red Button stuff for a week, Ian Waite for example.

Yepp, she is critical and encouraring at the same time. She had managed to turn the phrase "It's harder for the male celebrity" into a sensible critic and not utter cliched horseshit like len used that sentence.

The main criterion here should actually be the new judge's ability to come across on camera. Of the ex-pros who might get asked, I reckon the best bets are either Karen Hardy or Darren Bennett, both of whom have a good clear style on camera and would be able to stamp their authority on the judging panel.

If that doesn't happen then I think Angela Rippon would be a great shout; she did a week on DOI and was pretty good, and ballroom's her proper milieu. Plus it would redress the whole 'ageist' thing from Arlene's departure - although that might be a reason NOT to hire Angela.

Yep - they need money to pay for Nancy's demands too.

I'd be happy with Ian or Karen - both knowledgeable and experienced. Neither given to huffing and puffing a la Len.