I cant help it, I think hes great, he has a blooming good go at the steps and does everything with plenty of drive and gusto!!. Love the camp too and Flav looks like shes having a great time as well and over all he is far from the worst.

So Wtg Russ.

I couldn't agree more

While his dancing might not be to the same standard as some of the others, he isn't actually bad either. I love the enthusiasm he has, and I have enjoyed all of his routines so far. Him and Flav are great to watch together and I look forward to them every Saturday...... I hope they have a good few weeks left on the show

Agree totally...and I was one of those in the 'oh please god, no' camp when we were speculating on names before they were released. Shows how you can chamge your opinion on someone - turns out he is a total sweetie who is obviously having the time of his life and seems genuinely gobsmacked by the way people are reacting to him.

Loving Russell . Such a lovely man. It is so great to see someone really enjoying what they are doing and not taking it all so seriously like some of them on there.

Would love it if Russell won! He would really deserve it

He could be this years Pamela Stephenson, improving as his fitness levels increase and weight drops off.
At some point he will need to give a "straight" ballroom performance (forgive the pun) and how he handles that technique-wise will probably determine how long he lasts.

The joy shines through when he performs and full marks to Flavia who is really making the best of him.

I love watching both of them, I do hope he stays in for a long time. Flavia ia really doing great guns with him

I have nothing but love for that man. How can you not adore someone who is so obviously having such a wonderful time? He seems to have a fabulous connection with Flavia and they are wonderful to watch. It might not have been the most challenging routine but there was definite content and he 'danced' it - I'm so glad he's not the comedy element this year, he's showing that you can be overweight and 60 and that dance can make you soar as high as any slender 20something year old. Love him x

I believe he is, but in the best possible way. All the other "comedy" acts have always been comedic because of their attrocious dancing, but in this case he's comedic because he's just so vivacious and enjoyable to watch and full of fun.

AGREED...and he has dance ability!

If I were to judge purely on three weeks of dancing, in my opinion he should stay longer than Nancy, LuLu, Dan and Audley, and could still even improve

I agree with all the above. Long may he stay in, his enthusiasm and sheer enjoyment shine through and make him a joy to watch

You just have to, don't you ? He's never moaned once, he loves the whole thing, and his relationship with Flav is just brilliant. What's not to love ??

I really like Russell which I didnt expect to to be honest but to be the voice of the alternate view here for a moment.......I do feel that he is going to get a bit wearing if he stays in to the end....he could become rather irritating (some people probably think so already).

I certainly dont want them to win (at the moment anyway)

Well, Jan2555 I think he might suprise everyone if he really gets going with the dancing. Everyone says he can dance - we just haven't seen much of it yet. And to be fair, he needs to lose a bit more weight before he's going to look smooth and elongated on the dance floor - that will help him too. Staggered to learn that Audley has lost a stone already !

Well I do agree and he has every chance of winning (Chris & Ola (coughs) and he has Flavia's enormous fan base behind him I was only putting forward an alternative view and its not really my view as I do like him a lot but he isnt my favourite or even second favourite at the moment.

Without Russell's great performance last night, we'd not have had Len's lovely little critique.

What I love about Russell and Flavia is that every one of their routines so far has been like a condensed 3 minute stage show. Great choreography, use of props, and Russell really giving it all some welly.

I do fear for Russell though in the long term. Not because he's in danger of being voted off soon, but because once "the group" he clearly loves being with becomes increasingly whittled down, and it all starts to get competitive and a bit less fun, it could affect his state of mind.

I agree. When I saw him in the line up I thought he would be another Ann Widdecombe, but shame on me for tarring all fat 60 something year olds with the same brush.

People are very quick to be negative towards Russell. "Oh, it's another Widdy"

The foxtrot he did had ballroom moves and touches, he clearly understands how to move and dance, there is rhythm and there's an understanding of music and timing.

Remember that Widdy refused to perform any steps. John Sergent wasn't exactly easy across the floor.

More power to Russell for wanting to learn and doing very well on the floor.

I love Russell and all the celebs and pros seem to as well. He is loving every minute of the experience and really working hard to do his best. He is supportive of all the others and very humble. I like him and would love him to win.

Being camp can only get him so far. I'd love Flavia to give him some serious choreography, especially for a Paso Doble, but she's as much of a desperado as he is, so will probably go soft. :yawn:

I must say I have to agree with every word you say, Russell would make a deserving winner, he does work very hard to do his best the whole time.

Loving Russell too, also loving the fact we have 3 welsh in the contest this year. Shame my phone bill isn't.

I'm another Russell lover. He just lights the whole show up, he is serious at learning to dance and I so hope he is given more dance moves and stays in for a long time yet. He's a lovely, sweet, full-of-life man.

i love him too.

He's so much better than I thought he would be!! I've really enjoyed every dance he's done, not only for the humour but for the actual dancing itself .. he doesn't take the easy way out, just playing it for laughs, but truly dances with joy!