The DOI story on Chemmy's exit claims that whoever finishes top of the leaderboard in the semi-finals will be going straight through into the final.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that effectively gives the judges the final say over two-thirds of the people in the final, as opposed to the one-third they'd normally get by choosing who to save in the skate-off.

I'm not really sure this is fair, and I'm not sure what the producers hope to achieve by it.

Have I got the wrong end of the stick or is this a rather cynical ploy to do something I haven't picked up on?

I think whoever is at the top of the leaderboard always goes through to the next week (as does whoever is top of the public vote). It's in the arithmetic.

4+2=6
3+3=6
2+1=3
1+4=5

The winner of the public vote can go out in any week of the show. This gets more likely as the numbers drop. If they stick to the old format next week for the 3 that aren't saved it could be chaos.

I think this is unfair, it has been proved that being in the top of the leader board, can still see you in the skate off. I know for definite that Matthew will be the one going through to the final straight away. Also if you look at it this way Charlene Tilton was in the skate off 3 times and then the following week she was voted off, same with Chemmy. And I think by going by this Chico will be gone next. He has been in the skate off several times.

If they want Chico in the final they could give him the highest score on Sunday.

Cant remember this, but does it ever go to just the public vote before the final, It should do.

Is there definitely a skate off next week? Maybe the person who is top goes through, then out of the other 3 it's down purely to the public?

I remember Jessica and Ray going through and a skate off between Donal and Coleen

if there is a skate off it will between Matt and Chico

But Matt and Chico are better skaters than Jorgie and Jen- so maybe Jen and Jorgie should be in a skate off

Not necessarily! Jorgie proved least night what a huge fanbase she had, and as for Jen, even when she has been near the bottom, she has been getting through. Problem is no one knows exactly how the voting goes, so Jorgie or Jen could be coming top of the vote each week! I do think Chico should be worried, having been in the skate off, he is at risk!

They are my favourites and for me they are the best skaters but i still think that they both of them will in the bottom 2 if there is one.

I presume they will do a scored routine with their partner first. Apparently all four do the solo skills routine, so I wonder if they will be scored on that too

Wasn't Bonnie in the skate off in the semi final & was she top then? I think though that other than this those at the top of the leaderboard have always been popular anyway & I think that Matt/Jorgie are both popular too.

I'm guessing they'll do their scored routines, then their skills test, and whoever "wins" the skills test will be put through to the final regardless of the score for the previous routine. Then the three go into the skate-off based on a combo of the public vote and their earlier scores.

I think for definate that Matthew will be the one to go straight through. Then Chico and Jen will be in the skate off and then I think Chico may go home. If its up the the judges scoring then Matthew will go through without a fight. They have proved that Matthew is their favourite. I don't think it's fair at all for the judges to have favourites.

Here's another fact as well about the semi-final, whoever is bottom of the leaderboard ALWAYS goes out as we have seen over the years. Which could spell trouble for Jennifer.

I don't think it's fair that the top goes straight through. What's the point? DOI are also not going to receive money from phone votes, so I'm confused to why this is the way it is.

It also means that the public vote is just down to 1 place only (with the other 2 in the skate off)...meaning even if the bottom of the leader board tops the vote, they could still be in the skate off:
3+1 =4
2+2=4
1+3 =4
Makes no sense to me.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Jorgie had to top the vote last week as she was bottom of the leaderboard yet Chico who was second on the leaderboard was in the skate-off so Chico had to have came last - 4 & 1 = 5 and Jorgie first - 1 & 5 = 6 so unless Chico does really well this week, he stands little chance of getting through

But surely if Chico is in the skate-off against Jennifer (which IMO is extremely likely to happen!), then he would stand a very good chance of being saved by the judges as he is a strong and consistent performer. The fact he's done 2 skate-offs before may also help as he's getting used to it!

But he's their favourite because he is a good skater. He's not perfect - none of them all - but Matthew is surely the best all-rounder of the people left in the show.

Chico I'm sure will get the rebound vote

I hope your right!

However, I think the fact he's done 2 skate offs could go against him...as the judges might say something like "Jennifer has never been in the skate off before, Chico has twice so I save Jennifer." Just a thought...

I agree Jorgie certainly topped the vote last week from Jennifer, Matt, Chico and Chemmy

so they want to get rid of Jennifer, and the way they can do it is to put Chico through as top of the skills test- and then leave it to the public vote

If the vote pattern holds up then this is what we would be looking at

Chico - through on skills test
2. Matt 3 + 1 = 4
3. Jorgie 2 + 3 = 5
4. Jennifer 1 + 2 = 3

Matt meets Jennifer in skate off - Jennifer goes home, and the judges get the final three they want

Ad gve that it is the skills test Robin and Kati are going to be very critical of skating or lack of this weekend. Matt and Chico are the best skaters, Jorgie is just behind them and Jennifer is last out of these four

Or if they put Matt through this is what the vote would look like if Chico gets the rebound vote as he didn't deserve to be in the skate off last week (all the Dan fans saving Jennifer...)

Chico 3+ 3=6
Jorgie 2+2= 4
Jennifer 1+1 =2

Jennifer meets Jorgie in skate off and goes home

As much as I want Chico in the final, I really hope that doesn't happen - he should get there on merit rather than by fixing!