We now have via the beeb a chance to rebalance the judging panel and lest we forget the nature of the advice given to pro and contestant

We have two top "show" judges but they are not ballroom or latin experts

Len has become the beeb one liner who ensures the likes of Jason and other beeb favourites stay for as long as possible, his early series integrity having been lost along the way

To balance the team we need a ballroom/Latin pro be that teacher or ex-competitor and of course one with added personality

The race for viewer ratings is all well and good but we are losing the integrity in judgement and the focus on dance (in the series long run) , that does not mean we dispense with fun

.....Errrrr.... No!

"WE" do not have ANY chance whatsoever, via the Beeb or not - to "rebalance" the team.

It is, in the words of British Gas's Helpline, "Nothing to do with Us".

It is to do totally with the new Exec Producer and her team. He, she or it will not consider "balance" one iota - they will only consider what will bring them enhanced ratings.

Why would you think that "balance" is a desired requirement, anyway?? Strictly is not - by any means - a democracy!

JJ

*sighs - when will they ever learn*

JJ

*sighs - when will they ever learn*

Have never suggested they take out the "fun" but they being producers etc are on a short run to making the show a nonesense
Take away the integrity that normally produces the best dancer as the winner and you have frivoulous lack of meaning which in turn will be replaced by some other sprint for ratings which in turn will only exist for the life span of nonesense

Go back in the earlier series and you will find great ratings with superb entertainment and all based on dance development and end performance with show dances giving great entertaiment rather than average ballroom/Latin dances prostituted into poor show dance attempts

Producers must not only attack ratings but must give the show stamina in performance and balance is essential to gain that stamina

Ps it would genuinly assist pro and competitor to have knowledgable advice along with the balance in judgment

Personally I think there will be 2 ways to go;

1. Simple change of showbizzy female judge for another female showbizzy judge.
However to have any credibility with viewers needs to be an ex UK competitor (or Brit who did DWTS etc like Mel B)

2. Complete revamp if Bruce decides not to carry on, Len and Bruno re-evaluate their weekly commute to and from London/ LA.
Craig (or Len or Bruno) to host?
New judging panel with several new judges (James & Ola/ Vinvent & Flavia)
This also means pro's have to be revamped if some "step up" to be judges.

More will depend on Brucie and Len/ Bruno deciding if they want to carry on doing what they are doing at the moment.
No American based in the USA is going to appear as a judge on SCD, it is too small a market for them and the BBC will not pay well enough.

Oh, I am firmly in the "dance competition with some entertainment thrown in" rather than the reverse.

BUT nobody cares what WE want - least of all the Production Team.

JJ

Oh no, PLEASE not Craig or Bruno (or Len) to host!!
James or Ola on the judges' panel would be fine by me, but fat chance I guess, since they already seem set for axing.

There's always someone who wants to re-write a traditional pantomime.

Sorry, but you seem to have missed what has happened over the past couple of years.

John Sergeant's popularity, whether genuine or media spin, made it possible for the 'entertainment' contestant to generate publcity and up the ratings. Moira Ross understood that and pushed it as far as she could, in 2010 with Widdicombe and last year with Grant. And it's worked: it may have been my least favourite series, but millions disagreed with me - the 2011 ratings were fantastic and pretty much all the publicity was good.

So don't expect the focus to suddenly shift back to dance. It won't. Because that's not all the show is about. Part of the format involves dancing, of course but, beyond that, it's a reality show where we, as viewers, are invited to invest in the celebs as characters. The judges' scores and comments are heavily scripted - that was very apparent last year ... another feature of reality television.

So don't expect integrity to rear its head. The show headed in a much more populist, mainstream entertainment direction this year and its success, whether you like it or not (and I don't much) is hardly likely to be thrown away by Ross' successor.

There is balance in the show: it's just not the balance that you would like. And nor, after the staged standing ovations, fixed scoring and 'comedy' sketches, would I. But many millions do ...

Expect someone like Emma Bunton, or some other well-known female, I believe the BBC have already said elsewhere they don't want to change the format much, so the replacement will probably be a 'platitudes' judge.

Let's face it, anything will be better than Alesha.

A cat turd would make a better judge.

.[quote=jjackson42;55662688]Oh, I am firmly in the "dance competition with some entertainment thrown in" rather than the reverse.

BUT nobody cares what WE want - least of all the Production Team.

JJ[/QUOTE That sums it up well. They're only interested in beating the X Factor viewing figures. They seem to be trying to make SCD as similar to that as they can.

Anyone see this on Twitter? She would make a good judge, in terms of knowledge and expertise.

Camilla Dallerup @CamillaDallerup

RT @strictlyblog: @CamillaDallerup Is that your sparkly hat tossed into the ring then? I think it is lol xx

Brilliant

I am sure yours is is already mostly writen

You have after all a seemingly endless supply of one liners in this forum that would do any pantomime justice

Is that another thread starting perhaps

Thank you for all the laughs