For me Bruce, Tess, Bruno and Len are all past their sell by dates......

I like Craig.

For me, the 3 remaining judges are all very good
Bruno is sometimes as critical as Craig (sometimes) but also balances it with the pleasantries and flamboyance
Len is needed as A) a ballroom expert and B) Someone who can stop the likes of Aliona, Anton and James trying it on with silly choreography and messy props.

Brucie- well considering now's an opportunity to save Erin from cruel producers giving her duds, and redundant obscurity when Anton inevitably replaces Brucie by making her Alesha's replacement, I'd say speed up the process and shove Anton in.

To accomodate both Zoe and Claudia, who are equally good at ITT in my opinion, just for different attributes, I'd leave Zoe on ITT and replace Tess, who is wholey expendable, with Claudia if she's free to return.

That should be that

I would hate Craig to leave, his remarks are usually spot on
Bruce makes me cringe sometimes but usually I just shake my head with disbelief at the stuff he comes out with sometimes, but I think he is a big part of the show. Tess has an aura about her and not a good one in my opinion so I would be happy to see the back of her.
Len went off to LaLa land a few times this season and I do wonder if he is passed it, maybe he shouldn't be so greedy and just do one show.
Bruno is........just Bruno I can take him or leave him to be honest

Keep Craig. Len knows what he's talking about even if I don't much like him.

Bruno may leave with my blessing.

Bring in Camilla and A.N.Other.

Craig is my favourite judge - mainly because he's the only one that gives mostly honest critiques, in my amatuer-judge opinion!

I'd also like Bruno to stay because he can be good, and I think the show actually benefits from the barmyness he adds to the judges.

Len - if they could find somebody equally knowledgeable about ballroom, I wouldn't be gutted if he left.

Brucie was struggling last series, but I think he'll peg it out for another year to coincide with the shows 10th anniversary. I wouldn't mind Tess going either.

No, because no way in hell will the BBC give their flagship entertainment show to Anton du Beke. And thank god.

As much as I don't think it would be a good idea- I can't see anyone else being seriously named unless they really surprise us with someone random. Also- Anton and Erin have been permanent fixtures on the show- seems natural progressions for the both of them? I mean, there's nobody else who's a natural Brucie replacement- who else built up their career in that era of showbiz?
Maybe Wogan with his Come Dancing CV? only one I could really see...

Totally agree with the OP.

Bruno's act has been the same every series and it has worn a bit thin. Len is far too grumpy and offensive to Craig.

I'd love for Craig to be head judge with 3 ex-pros. Lilia, Brendan and Camilla would make for a fun combination.

I would DEFINITELY stop watching if Anton Du Beke was hosting the show. He is the most annoying person on tv in my opinion and the sooner Strictly get rid of him the better.

Craig is by far my favourite judge. I would probably keep Bruno although he is becoming a bit predictable and I wouldn't really miss Len.

Are you seriously suggesting Craig and Brendan would get on any better? I know Brendan's lovely with his celebs... but with Craig? Have you seen clips from the version down under XD

I think that was alll for the cameras. Craig was the only judge invited to Brendan's wedding.

I like Craig, and he is the one who should stay - but NOT as Head Judge!

He has NO ballroom or latin dancing credentials whatsoever, and sometimes his lists of things wrong, whilst they are things a show dancer would need to work on - aren't always relevant to ballroom dancing (as confirmed by several of the pro dancers in ITT this series). The panel needs at least one (if not TWO) of the four judges with proper judging qualifications (Karen has them - and so - I think - does Ian (we saw him judging the competition in which Blue Peter's Matt Baker and Zoe Salmon took part).

Whoever is brought in to replace Alesha, I hope that the Head Judge at least is a qualified Ballroom Dancing judge... and i for one would like to see the balance of "proper" judges and "show" judges evened up. At the moment with the 3:1 ratio - the emphasis is on the performance rather than the proper techniques...

I think he just needs a good talking to by the producer and told to tone down all the "being Bruno" stuff and make sensible with comments with just the odd joke occasionally.

Craig needs sending on a course on teaching or something to learn that you do try to destroy someone with a series of nasty criticism and then add on the end something positive. Say the positive things first then add that it might be a bit better if they bend their little finger a bit more or whatever.

Len needs telling to stop being so lazy and not read out scripted one-liners, make a sensible comment and vary the marks rather than seven nearly every time.

I'd like to see Craig replaced. He's not qualified to be Head Judge plus I'm totally fed up with his being in every aspect of the show...eg vts, pro challenge, on a wire, etc . It's becoming the Craig Revel Horwood show. He relies on being rude in order to seem important. I've often wondered why people are so impressed by him. I'm not asking though. :yawn:

A long list, but mostly that he is always true to the passion he feels for dance. Len is so obviously there for the money, Bruno is tired and Alesha - well, let's not go there. I thought she was quite plainly bored and fed up this season.

I think that the producers are unwise to put all their eggs in one basket ie Craig. He's going to really upset someone befre long and it could affect SCD badly.

Craig can defiantly stay and also Bruno Len is expendable miserable old man

Bruce can go too

How old are the three male judges ?

Keep all 3 remaining judges. Add 1 female - possibly Lilia. And definitely not Craig for head judge. He doesn't have the ballroom experience or professional objectivity for that role. I found his constant fawning over Harry this last series quite embarassing!!

I actually like all three judges and wouldn't really want any of them replaced. I got used to Alesha but to be honest never took her comments or marks as seriously as the others. IF she had judges as we had been promised: the judge who empathised with the contestants I think I would have liked her a lot more but, she very rarely did that. For most of the time she just reminded me how much I loved constructive criticisms of Arlene.

I know Arlene wouldn't be asked back but, I would like someone who could tell the contestants (and the audience) about posture, feet placement hand movements. Craig seems to have taken over the mantle but, I do feel there are times when he needs someone-else on the panel to back him up. For me that's what's been missing since Arlene's departure so it would be nice to have someone like that again.

I really believe that the replacement judge should be an expert in dance who is actually qualified to judge the dancing. I'd hate to see another celeb doing it.

Bruce should definitely go, he's so past it he's embarrassing.

If Brucie doesn't fall dead between then he will do the tenth series and bow out.

without the bow out bit.

[quote=CaroUK;55668663]I like Craig, and he is the one who should stay - but NOT as Head Judge!


He has NO ballroom or latin dancing credentials whatsoever, and sometimes his lists of things wrong, whilst they are things a show dancer would need to work on - aren't always relevant to ballroom dancing (as confirmed by several of the pro dancers in ITT this series). The panel needs at least one (if not TWO) of the four judges with proper judging qualifications (Karen has them - and so - I think - does Ian (we saw him judging the competition in which Blue Peter's Matt Baker and Zoe Salmon took part).

I agree about Craig. I do like that he seems to judge on the dance he just saw, but he does tend to concentrate on negatives when watching instead of maybe getting a more balanced picture. However, that may be part of his 'grumpy judge' role. He does use all the scores (which they should all do) as they are supposed to be ranking the celebs - not handing out sweeties.

Len hit a new low this series when he said to Brendan that sometimes you have to break the rules. He also indicated by saying he was going to punish illegal lifts from now on that he had not been doing so even though he saw them. Len has been inconsistent, uses a very limited range of scores and maybe because he stopped competing in the early 70's he is going to have a more old-style preference in what he wants to see. I still like him when he is on form and at least he is used to judging based on the ballroom dancing techniques, so if he could sort himself out he still has something to offer.

I dont learn much from Bruno, and his performance is OTT but a bit predictable so I think he wouldn't be so difficult to improve on. He is enthusiastic though, and that is appealing in itself.

They have all had a long run and they haven't ruined the show, so it may be that they are harder to improve on than most people think? (including me)

Agree. Why are people in such a hurry to get rid of him? It's not as though he has the life expectancy of Philip Schofield.