http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/ne..._ice_1_4127102

So hoping that Dan will be given the ok to skate this Sunday as the show for me would not be the same without him especially as along with Matt he is the only other pro to have been in every series.

Jen is saying she won't skate without him even though there is a reserve pro available.

What do others think of this? Should she still skate but with someone else IF the worst happens, and if Dans not fit enough and she doesnt take part should they be allowed to skate together next series IF theres a next series.

Or as has happened in the past should they get put through to the following week without even having to skate? This would give Dan an extra week to heal. This has happened before but that was at least after we had seen the couple skate.

Wow, such bad luck with injuries this year so early in the series!

Hmm, it's a tricky one, as Jen would have a definite unfair advantage over the others by being allowed to skip a week, but would be at an enormous disadvantage skating with the reserve. Even a pro would find that tricky, but would obviously be able to handle it better.

And waiting til next year is quite harsh too, given the training they have done and the fact that Jen herself is not injured.

Perhaps deferring for a week would be fairer with Jen skating with the reserve until Dan is deemed fit?

No easy solution here.

I would have thought she would've been training with the reserve till they knew what was happening, then it wouldn't be so last minute.

They could always ask Brendan Cole

It sounds more like she has bottled out rather than just not wanting to skate without Dan, anyone who really wants to take part in the competition would just be grateful for the chance to compete!

Part of me thinks that if Jennifer really wanted to do the competition then she'd knuckle down and train with the reserve, but part of me thinks that it might not be possible to adjust in the short number of days til Sunday.

I'd welcome opinions from Tracey and any others in the know as to how much it'll hamper Jen's chances if she doesn't skate with her original partner this week?

That said, I wouldn't actually be sad not to see Dan - I get fairly sick of him never having to work with a real dog, though after last year with Kerry perhaps I should give him a break

In fairness the performance may come across as stiff & wooden with no connection to her partner (which would be obvious as to why there isn't), but she could possible get the sympathy vote, as this has happened to her.

LOL. Rent a Pro, though sadly wrong discipline, unless he can skate?

I think Jen should skate with someone else if Dan isn't ready, or wait for another year. I think her refusing to skate with a reserve will put too much pressure on Dan, and that's not fair on him. Personally I'd rather Dan took it easy with his injury.

Firstly I hope Dan is fit enough to be able to compete. If Dan isn't able to take part then Jennifer should skate with the reserve pro, Heidi had to have a new partner, why should Jennifer be any different?

I don't think it would be fair to make Jen skate with a reserve pro at such short notice.
If Dan's not fit enough, then she should get a by into the next round. I'm sure people have miised a week before and this early in the competition it's no big deal.

I think that's what happened with David Seaman - think his partner Pam was injured and they were allowed a bye - although this was at week 3 or 4.

The problem here is that she hasn't even skated yet - it would be unfair if she didn't skate and someone else were eliminated who turned out to be better than Jennifer.

But that happens anyway!

I agree, it would be totally unfair. What's stopping others taking a sickie so they get through to the next round?!

Exactly!

i would definitely NOT be happy if Jen gets a free pass into Week 3 because of Dan's injury. If he is unable to perform - and that seems like a big if at the moment from where I'm sitting - then I honestly think the best thing would probably be for both of them to pull out of the competition altogether. Jen could skate with someone else but with only a few days to go, is it too late? I do think she'd go through anyway, if only on sympathy votes, but it would arguably be a hollow victory.

Out of interest, we've had mention of a reserve pro skater but does anyone know if there's another reserve celebrity on stand-by? Obviously Chico's already stepped in to replace Chesney, so I wonder if there's anyone else?

I agree. We don't want to start a precedent here of people being allowed to opt out before they've skated on TV.

IIRC with Pam she was injured late in the day in rehearsals just a few hours before the live show so I don't think they had much alternative there. Dan was injured last week so if needs be Jennifer has had a week or so to train with another pro just in case. Heidi wasn't even given the luxury of skating in week 2 with Andrei she just had to get on with it. To my mind she's at a disadvantage either way because she can't have been able to train much with Dan over the last week anyway.

The worst thing to happen would be Dan coming back too early & making his injury worse.

If Dan can't skate & she does pull out I'm not sure I would want her invited back next year whereas I'm quite happy for Cheggers & Chesney to get an invite back.

Just had a thought as to why Jen may not be skating with a reserve pro. Andrei was the reserve and is already in use so maybe there isnt another pro lined up? There is usually only two reserves one male one female they dont usually end up having two injured pros at same time and over the last years the reserves have hardly ever been needed maybe it wasnt even considered that they would need more.

I really hope Dan doesnt go out there on Sun because he feels he has to and ends up making his injury worse, BUT given hes a stubborn guy and hates to let people down then have a feeling that he will be there unless the DOI team/Drs etc refuse to let him.

And Tiger Rose if the boys are allowed to come back for another series then why shouldnt Jen be allowed?? Same rule should be applied to all as its harldy her fault that Dans hurt and given its looking like theres no other reserve what else can she do??

A lots of ifs there.

Did anyone find out who stood in for Dan during the Pro dance last week?

I think Jen should skate with a new partner and let Dan have a week to get totally better After all its week one for Jen and its not like they have to do all the big lifts and hard technical stuff just yet. And even if they do have a lift she not happy doing with a new partner they could just tone it down.

I also think Jen putting pressure on Dan by saying she wont work with another is totally wrong. If anything it sound like something s spoilt brat would do.

I did ask Sylvain on twitter about this and he said he thought Andrei,Matt G and Mark shared doing Dans part, and that some guy called Alexander was covering Sylvains part. No idea who this is though.

I would love to know what Stuart was doing, maybe he was in the audience!

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-23695263/


SO many mistakes in this!!

Jen does not have an extra weeks practice as Dan hasnt been able to skate

Dans injury is more serious than a tweaked hamstring its actually torn

All the skaters were ready to skate on Sun as the names only got decided on Wed as to who would be on which week.

As for the stuff about Heidi and Andrei, well Sylvain was injured on 16th Dec and Andrei was brought in then so shes had more than a few days to get used to him.

Claiming that Jorgie only had 48hrs of rehearsal is also total bull**** she had the same time as the rest of them it was only the week she was skating that was changed.