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A much more knowledgeable and qualified person hopefully - it is not as if she's indispensable. Erin, Lilia, Camilla, Darcey Bussell, Karen Hardy - anyone of these would be an improvement on Alesha - but so would a monkey.[/quote]

Erin - yes, especially as she wouldn't be on my list of pros to definitely bring back next year. I think she'd be a great judge.

Lilia - burnt her bridges I think, although she has judging experience. I doubt she'd come back.

Camilla - I think she'd be a good judge, she certainly seems to give objective opinions when she scores the dances on twitter

Darcey Bussell - please no, she was about as useful as a cardboard cut-out when she judged in series 7!

Karen - too effusive for my liking, she gives far too much universal praise on ITT. I didn't watch much red button commentary, so someone else who has can problably comment on how good she was at that, but her ITT slots annoy me!

Although I agree with you I did think that Zoe being an ex contestant on ITT worked because you knew that she did know what she was talking about.

Forgotten about that!


Easy. She's been there and done that. She understands the process - we're not watching perfect dancers, we're watching people learning to dance. She knows what they may find difficult and can offer advice which she knows will benefit them.

You have 3 judges who can give you a technical perspective and can give the contestants pointers to improve their technique. Why do we need 4? I don't want to revive that debate, but the vast majority of the Strictly audience are not dance experts or purists. It is an entertainment show about dance after all .

There's a BGT press embargo until 00:01, but t'internet rumour is Cowell, Holden, Walliams, and Dixon.

Horrible thought amidst rejoicing. Are we absolutely sure that Christine Bleakley has signed for Dancing on Ice?

Even worse thought:

What is Dolly Willoughby up to?

Possibly. But she never did, did she?

I just hope John Barrowman has a busy schedule next winter

Wow.

That said, she is taking a risk. I won't be surprised if Simon ditches her after a year and get's someone else in.

TBH, she wasn't very loyal to Strictly after the stuck by her.

Did what?

....and why she was the only judge on the Alan Carr show who had a good word to say about the X Factor....the more I think about it the more I believe the real reason for her departure is that she`s being lined up for a seat on the X Factor panel.....Which I personally hope she gets as I think her style of banter is more suited to that show.

Perhaps you should scribble them a little note and ask them if they'd take you - seeing as you're such an expert?

Curious that the BBC have allowed her to leave as after the SCD final they let it be known that the 'panel wouldn't change' because of The X Factor's problems with their panel changes in 2011.

Maybe the BBC realised that the X's panel will do better next year once the public were more used to them and that Alesha's lack of technical knowledge made her continued presence on the panel a liability.

She's been a judge for 3 series (so 3 years) and then decides to move onto a new job. How on earth is that being disloyal?

I agree, she is often the only person apart from Craig Revel Horwood to make any proper comments when scoring but he often spoils his by having a rant first about the position of someone's little finger. Len more often than not just reads out a scripted one-liner and Bruno does his Bruno act.

Len is often is lazy and gives everyone seven.

Give helpful informative advice. And no, I don't count 'just go out and give it some wally' or 'you need to just go for it'

Why would she be 'loyal' to SCD? It's a job not a lifelong commitment. Stuck by her? Que?

Perhaps she, like so many of us, now think of it as a rather cheap, outdated end of the pier Tatty Rhinestone Fest which is only good for a laugh but not as a ballroom dancing - or whatever - show.

Agree. Whilst I'm overjoyed that she's going, I'm niggled that she left the Beeb. They stuck with her despite repeated criticism and a storm of poor publicity.

Good. I'm sure she's a lovely girl, but everytime she spoke on SCD she used the same lines week after week. 'You got the party started' or something alone those lines to anyone who opened the show. 'You make... this dance... look cool'. It was great at first, but got old real fast. I think she will be better, judge wise, on BGT. A lot of the contestants are singers, which is her background.

Why cant they just keep it to three judges? I would much rather they did that, or bring back Arlene.

My thoughts exactly. Daft! I think people forget that it's just a job. She negotiates her own contracts.

Heavens, maybe they think she works for the BBC?

Well you are right but i am shocked i must say.

I don't really think BGT will be good for her. Simon Cowell get's rid when he feels like it and i can't see Alesha lasting under such a ruthless-man. He got rid of Cheryl, Kelly Brook and was really unfair to Dannii as well.

All this ''Simon will revive Alesha's music career'' makes me laugh, as there is no guarantee that people will take to her music on BGT.

Problem solved!

Just have three judges.

Dancing with the Stars has three judges. Why do you need four judges? Plus, the BBC will save money by not needing to pay for four of 'em!

I have to admit I can't think of anything off the top of my head - and I like Alesha! But that definitely must have been what the beeb thought when they signed her up.

So why didn't she then?

ETA - sorry, just seen your post above.

They had to stick with her because of the Arlene 'ageism' row and the fact that they wouldn't have been able to eat humble pie in asking Arlene back because nobody else would have stepped in either in such circumstances.

Thie timing of this is deliberate by the BBC because even if she doesn't go to BGT or any other reality talent panel they'll be able to spin this that they got the right person in so as to undermine the X Factor.

It's showbiz and it will always seem unfair, whether it's Cowell dumping people or the Beeb. You sound like a decent person sammyvine, but showbiz is not decent at all. It takes a really thick skin to survive and if if you don't make the ratings (judged on how many people watch the show) you're out.

It's one of those things you have to deal with of you want to be Alesha, or Kelly or Cheryl. Happens all the time, but most of them survive it.

They can choose to walk away after all. They are all effectively self employed with their own agent, publicist and 'team't so they can say 'no'.