OK. The one I read about was :

Thanks

I'm looking forward to finding out which dance each couple is doing.

I just hope that Anton & Erin and their celebs get ballroom and not Latin!

Well that's a match made in heaven - it'll be like a gurning contest


As if I don't have enough indigestion on Christmas Day - what's the betting someone sings 'Danny Boy'? Or worse, they dance to it...

I wish they'd give Anton a dancer with a shred of possible talent, just for once. No offence to Su Pollard, who may well be amazing, but it's not looking good. I would just like to see him show how fab he is at the ballroom stuff with a decent partner. Just this one time... I won't make a fuss again!

I second this!!

Hmm, not really loving the full lineup but I am interested to see "Janine" outside of her character, if she is like her character well the judges will be killed on sight if they give her anything other than a 10.

He did get Laila Rouass, who although wasn't a great latin dancer was a pretty good ballroom dancer

Don't think too much of the lineup, last year's one was really good but this years is worse than the proper series lineup

I wonder how much of that was due to the fact that Anton, who was supposed to be teaching her the dances, made it very obvious how much he hates doing Latin. It must have influenced her.

I'm really pleased Simon's doing it as I've been hoping he would for ages. I have a sneaky suspicion (combined with fingers crossed!) that he'll be rather good at it and may even do a Harry and join the next full series.

Either way its just a ratings winner and has been for many years.

Apparently it's up against Downton Abbey this year, although the timings don't seem right to me for that to be correct.

Did I hear right this morning on the radio, that it's up against Downton Abbey? (edit - sorry - Buddy beat me to it)

SNAP!

Great minds.....

I don't understand how two shows can be "up against" each other - don't people have recorders and see both?

Debra appears to be a hugely talented dancer and I am glad she is going to be on at last. I wonder, though, if being in the Christmas show would mean that she could not be in the next series?

I hope she gets Brendan - they would make an awesome couple.

Although Im a big fan, I would say we will have Downton on in our house. Last year's Xmas Special was a bit of a damp squib actually. I much preferred the old format ... ie with celebs from that year vs a few from previous years...

Not everyone has a recorder or access to a computer for i-player.

My mother has neither, and loves both programmes so might have to make a choice.

Even with the recording, repeats and online versions etc taken into account I think there still ends up being one programme in a rating battle that "wins" though?

Hopefully Downton will be repeated at some point like the last series was on the Sunday afternoon after the first showing.

Yes, it's a pity he always gets the comedy spot. Here is a rather unusual clip of him with Lesley Garrett in her stage show

Lesley Garrett and Anton Du Beke - He was Beautiful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zCrH0Q5H1g

... ITV also have a +1 channel, which was very useful this year as Downton clashed with lots of other things I wanted to watch!

... hopefully at least one of them will be properly repeated ... never sure I can persuade the family to watch either ... they decided to watch Elf on DVD the year Flav &Gethin were on the Christmas Special that I really wanted to watch!

Debra is partnered with Ian Waite.

There's no accounting for taste is there!!

It does seem odd to me though that SCD and Downton are up against each other. SCD is a family show and The rating on the Downton DVD is a 12. I'd be surprised if Downton was on so early or SCD so late compared with their usual timings.

ooops oh!

Odd that the Beeb used that picture of her then rather than a generic pic