I think in this case it was only intended as a light hearted bit of fun but Len has been uttering too many caustic and nasty remarks recently

Another problem with DOI is the judging has got less and less serious which rather spoils the show

It was a joke. At least I'm pretty sure it was supposed to be one. Unfortunately it wasn't very funny because Len is to humour what Russell is to pole dancing.

Please don't suggest that to him!

Well, pickle me walnuts! I'll have them with me cheese. (finished dinner now).

Yes, pole dancing would be a fantastic idea. But just don't mention the Poles.

ETA I think Arlene mentioned them once...

Well I for one think Len is cantankerous, argumentative with Craig, is au contrair and is out of touch with modern dance. So many times he gets on his high horse when the audience start to boo him and forever tries to exert his authority. No good and time for him to move on. He takes away from the show not adding anything. And as for lifts - it's time someone lifted him into touch

Roz

Yes he is seriously starting to spoil the show now and his comments are getting increasingly silly and out of touch.

That's what I think too. Len is actually killing much of the atmosphere of the night.

I'd just like some consistancy in Len's judging and marking, (this applies to all the judges to be fair). Its always so obvious who each judge favours, has been for several series, but it seems more marked this year.

How can they mark any celeb but ignore errors?
How sometimes its ok to have an illegal lift but other times it isn't?

etc etc

I agree too. His sheer nastiness has been getting worse, his "humour" fails, and his voting is inconsistent and biased. He needs to go now.

THe marking used to be faily consistant in the past but the judges are all over the place no. If they are making sensibly you should not expect more than 1 mark difference from them most of the time ith occassionaly 2 points but this year we have been getting silly differences

That offhand comment was not a joke, he almost said it absentmindedly on the way to saying something else. He obviously thinks he can say anything and he is exerting no control.

I heard exactly those words, but I didn't see Harry laughing, in fact I thought his first reaction was bewilderment, which he then covered up with a half-hearted smile. I could hear someone laughing, but I think that was Bruce, presumably trying to convince everyone that it was meant as a joke.

If it was intended as a joke, then it was in very bad taste because it was open to mis-interpretation. Particularly since Len was alone in criticising their routine the previous week and gave a lower score than the other judges..

Thats got nothing to do with the judges. The producers have changed the rules and the purpose of the show. The judges and the pros and the celebs all have very little idea, and conflicting demands on, what they should be doing. Its unclear how important dancing technique, or difficulty, or rules, are and clear that votes seem to go for entertainment and naked male chests.. Unless someone defines whats wanted, either in new terms, or goes back to the old ones, confusion is totally inevitable, as different judges and pros will do different things.

You can also blame the public vote which consistently ignored dancing ability for "entertainment" and which may have caused the producers to give up on marking it for a dancing show, or getting the best to the end. And there's also the studio audience, who have progressively joined in with the producers efforts to go panto, by booing every realistic low mark and every negative comment about technique.

It might have been a bad one, but it was so obviously a joke, i can't believe people are taking it serious. He might as well have said it to Russell.

The body language on the results show was revealing. Goodman was sat on the end and Alesha was almost in Craig's lap trying to get away from him.

For me, strictly wouldn't be the same without Len ... he is the judge who's opinion I value the most ... as he doesn't add extra points simply because there is more flesh on view ... he generally gives balanced feedback with positives & negatives {if there are any} ... which should {hopefully} give the celebs something to feel good about & something to work on ...


I would agree that the audience/public really dont help ... this is a dancing show and should be about good dancing ...

Afraid i can't agree with the joke version being perceived here.

Len looked irritated when he said it, as he does when the audience or Craig gets told to shut up from him, he delivers such remarks with a scowl on his face, not very jokey looking at all. He just doesn't take to being disagreed with at all, and really needs to chill.

That scowl seems to be fixed these days, apart from when Claudia's speaking to him. He does get his knickers in a twist at the drop of a hat, but i'm sure he has no gripe with Harry.

Thought you were describing Craig there.

Actually Len let celebs/pro's away with lifts earlier in the rounds and had a go at Craig for deducting a point for illegal lifts, then he said last night he was going to start taking points off for them, not very consistant and a tad hypicritical after giving Craig a mouthful at doing the right think adhering to the rules.

I've found him to be the opposite of what you said this series too, he's not really been giving constructive criticism, some of his critique has been personal and some has not said much at all. Imo Craig is consistant, he tells all the faults at the start of his critique, so they can improve on their mistakes, then lets them know what he enjoyed; Len usually gives him one of his looks at this point and talks over him not letting the celebs hear what Craig is saying. Particularly noticed that last week, as Jason was trying to hear what Craig was saying, but was struggling as Len was interupting him.

Indeed, i agree, which was why i was surprised by his comment to him, his gripe has been with Aliona from the time she unwisely said she ignored comments from the judges. I think the old boy needs some relaxation classes, something has really got on his wick this series, not just Aliona either.

I will say that I do generally rate Craig's opinion ... my only problem is that he can give 100% negative feedback ... celebs like everyone would like at least 1 positive

It was nice tonight that Craig agreed with Len on his critique on Harry ... do think judges have been spoken to about their blatant overmarking for Harry

Thank you for that. I did not think Harry's hip action was that bad either. Craig in particular made it out to be worse than it was.

Sorry but it was bad- it was good in the VT in the cafe but his huge step back when dancing on the show made hip action impossible- considering this is a basic step he was very lucky to get 9's IMO.

Having looked at it again on iPlayer, that's the way I see it.

It seems that Len now has a problem with Harry, although this is the first and only indication I've seen of that.
It may be that Len was hoping to influence Harry to take his side against Aliona and that hasn't worked, so now he has changed his approach?

As opinions are divided on whether Len's remark was a joke (ho ho ho ), whether it was ironic or bad or hilarious, then this would seem to indicate that it is not 'patently obvious' that it was a joke, that the laughing may have come from Harry or Bruce or the planet Zog, and that we can all agree to differ.

I am sure we nearly all have superb social skills as well.