Yes, Jason did take it too far, but Louie is a bit over-defensive. He managed to praise Sebastien, quite legitiamtely this week, but thought it was appropriate to tell people they were wrong to complain about him not getting the point of Sebastien's performance a couple of weeks ago, by saying "this is what I was looking for". As if the kind of performance to Scissor Sisters in pop week was what exactly what he wanted from Mad World. Give it up Louie.

Apparently bosses believe that the slump in the ratings is down to Gardiner leaving http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s101/...sses-fear.html

I wasn't aware that the ratings had fallen when I posted this thread and not entirely sure that Jason leaving is the only reason. But if the skating is a bit lack lustre (there's no Ray Quinn or Chris Fountain this year) and the judges are a bit boring, it doesn't make for great viewing.

I thought the judges were great tonight. Loved Kat's bonky scoring and her "Meh" when she lost her train of thought (for the second time in one night! ).

Personally I would rather have a group of good skaters which we have this year than 1 outstanding skater as we had in series 4 with Ray. At least competition isn't predictable this year. I think shows are too long generally & there is increased competition now from BBC with likes of Call The Midwife.

I love Katarina & I'll forgive the lapse with Rosemary's score. Anyway she isn't the only one who was a bit mad tonight - Louie's 5.5 for Chemmy was equally ridiculous I thought.

I do think it is missing controversy this year eg Jason and Karen' s spat, Jason and his hair transplant, Jason and his run in with Denise's husband. This is what made it more watchable last year.... so yeah, Jason is probably the reason. I don't believe people don't tune in because Holly is gone, because she didn't have a major role in this anyway. Of course, Katarina is filling what was her role now.

I am wondering if Katarinas cleavage needs a promotions boost of its own as I would be willing to do it for nothing. The Panel as a whole are being constructive and are willing to be out of sync with each other because of how they feel about a performance and not just to drum up some booing from the audience. They all say what they mean and are not negative unlike Jason who would say anything other than what he thought just to get his barbed(pre-written and pre-planned) comments in.

I think the new presenter has created like a perfect storm.
for the input shes having Phil could host this show on his own.
Thats not just a cheap pop because it seems like the new thing now.Its Robin im having a major issue with this time around he seems to think because the panel is more about the skating now he's like a judge at the winter olympics.

I would have loved Louis and Jason there with Kat and Robin.
Is the show on the verge of taking its so serious its being judged like a pro skating event and its lost the pantomime,

I personally am glad that Jason has gone. I could not stand his arrogant, self rightous attitude. His remarks to some of the contestants were disgusting and out of order. I am not overly impressed with Katerrina has a judge because she seems to have her favourites and overmarks them and undermarks some of the better skaters.

But I personally think that the ratings are lower this year because 1. Holly is not there with Phillip and she is a big loss, and 2. Call the Midwife is on the other side, which is very popular. But I think that they definitely need a different woman who is more outspoken and charasmatic! Katterina definitely had a off night tonight!

Agreed, I miss him so much

Think Louie is trying to sorta take over his role, he's failing though.

If people want to see one bigheaded idiot compare others to faecal matter then maybe Dancing On Ice isn't for them anyway; surely the show was always about the skaters and not the panel?

I think the panel is working brilliantly this year; though I think it was yesterday's show where they really hit the ground - especially Louie having little digs at Katarina. They work much better and it's a massive improvement on last year where it offered hardly anything but insults and empty platitudes.

It seems you're right - many people do seem to be missing that bigheaded idiot and have decided that DOI isn't for them after all.

For me, DOI has always been about the skaters and the pantomime of Jason. People loved to hate him and waited to hear what he had to say every week.

It's why X Factor viewing figures went down without Simon and I dare say, Strictly would lose a few viewers without Craig too.

ITV made a mistake getting rid, imo.

Unfortunately, this programme is pitched more as entertainment rather than a skating tournament, so the actions and comments of the judges play an important part in its success or failure. Love him or loathe him, Jason is missed and I think that his absence has much to do with the decrease in viewers.

I prefer a calm atmosphere to a lot of argy bargy and at least there are two skating experts. If people only watched because someone was causing embarrassment to others then I feel sorry for them. Not a good example of kindness to one another. Luis does for me

Jason became too dangerous and caricatured himself. However the current judging panel doesn't work as well. Louie is going on and on about who he finds attractive (rather like Bruno and Craig and Alesha on SCD) and can't judge the performance as a whole as well as Jason. He judges detail, and isn't qualified to judge acting - so the few broad comments he gives are random. Robin seems to have turned into Nicky, and is watching blade angles and feet and overmarking what little he sees looking that low down.. He's taken the division of labour too literally too. Katerina produces marks like Nicky's , but produces her random marks by marking all sorts of criteria - rather than Nicky who usually focused on technicalities. No one is commenting/marking enough on the overall impact, and Katerina randomly covers the past non skaters role of being generally encouraging. Emma's marking was more rational than this lot are managing - though she often just followed Robin - or rather the past Robin, before he was reincarnated as Nicky this year.The balance has gone without a wider qualified dancing judge being supported by, and when necessary counter-marked by, a gneralist judge from the wider entertainment community. The marks are now for arms, or feet, or whatever Katerina feels like.

I do miss Jason and prefer him to Louie - but Katerina is an improvement on Emma I'd also rather have Holly as presenter

He doesn't need to know about skating - he is there primarily to judge performance.

Jason, Ruthie, Emma knew nothing about skating either., and Emma didn't seem to know much about performance either.

That's the thing - It's a sum of all the parts and Jason was a part of that sum. As there is no standout skater this year either, I'm finding I'm not that bothered about who goes and who stays. I missed it last week and haven't bothered to watch it on catch up.

This programme is one of my favorite and although this year as someone else said, there is no one predicatable winner, there are some entertaining skaters who could equally win the competition.
The judges, however are a different kettle of fish. Can some one remind me but didn't the show start with five on the panel and now we are down to three.
Louie is just not right for the panel IMO, far too all over the place with his markings for one. He tends to be attracted to the personality rather than their skating ability.
I would go as far as to say he is spoiling the show for me and hope his spot on the panel is for this year only, i hope so anyway. Felt the same about Emma last year to a degree but she wasn't so half as annoying as Louie with his over the top behaviour.
To start, I wasn't keen on Christine taking over from Hollie but I must say, I have warmed to her, she seems to be doing a good job and always looks lovely.

Really enjoying the show without Jason. I found him a nasty, vindicitve and cruel idiot, some of his comments were obnoxious. Last season I recorded the show and FF through all the judges comments, I just couldn't be bothered listening to what he had to say. This years panel are great imo.

I am impressed with Louie, I though he would be just like in Pineapple Dance studios, which I tired of very quickly but I find his comments constructive and informed. Katarina is a great addition, female judge with authority, I have no idea what Emma Bunton contributed..

I detected a bit of friction between Louis and katarina on Sunday, both of them like to make lots of comments and there isn't time for them both to have their say so it's turning into a competition to see who can say the most!