[Lorelei Lee]

Oh FCOL Veri, it's not Holiday on Ice, it's still a celebrity show. For once you could scrape your face off the floor and be pleased that we've actually got gold medal winners competing rather than just anyone who's scraped into a team, as we might have expected.

[Tiger Rose]

Originally Posted by Veri

With the talk of Robin skating, I thought the Olympic heros might be skaters, but no.

Instead they are:


That's not looking good at all.

I just hope Colin isn't as irritating as he was on SCD. Presumably there won't be any call for "dance faces" this time, or puppets.

Well there wouldn't be much point in having Olympic skaters on as that defeats the object of the show which is teaching people to skate.

I think the line up is great - it's better than some of the sports stars they have had on the normal show.

I liked Colin on strictly but I agree that hopefully he won't get any puppets on DOI.

[Veri]

Originally Posted by Tiger Rose

Well there wouldn't be much point in having Olympic skaters on as that defeats the object of the show which is teaching people to skate.

How much footage will there be of them learning / being taught to skate?

If it will be like DOI, it will be hard to maintain that the object of the show is teaching people to skate.

I think the line up is great - it's better than some of the sports stars they have had on the normal show.

Better how? I suppose it's good in a way that most of them are gold medallists, though that's spoiled a bit for me by seeing CBE, CBE, MBE, OBE, MBE, which smacks of "the great and the good" rather than people it might be interesting to watch. What's next? Politicians?

[Tiggergirl]

Originally Posted by Veri

How much footage will there be of them learning / being taught to skate?

If it will be like DOI, it will be hard to maintain that the object of the show is teaching people to skate.


Better how? I suppose it's good in a way that most of them are gold medallists, though that's spoiled a bit for me by seeing CBE, CBE, MBE, OBE, MBE, which smacks of "the great and the good" rather than people it might be interesting to watch. What's next? Politicians?

I'm not quite sure why you have such a problem with this show who on earth do expect them to put on an special one off show which is being done for the OLYMPICS because it is in London this year. That is the whole point of it hence them having olympic medallists as contestants.

Its not the contestants faults that they have been given whatever honour in recognition of their sporting achievements.

If they aren't interesting enough for the show then who on earth is?

[Veri]

Originally Posted by Tiggergirl

I'm not quite sure why you have such a problem with this show who on earth do expect them to put on an special one off show which is being done for the OLYMPICS because it is in London this year. That is the whole point of it hence them having olympic medallists as contestants.

Its not the contestants faults that they have been given whatever honour in recognition of their sporting achievements.

If they aren't interesting enough for the show then who on earth is?

The list of their honours gives it a smug, stifling, Daily Mail aspect that I find distasteful.

Asking "if they aren't interesting enough for the show then who on earth is?" makes it sound like they are the most interesting choices possible, which is surely not so. I don't have anyone in particular in mind as an alternative, if skaters are for some reason ruled out; but I don't have much interest in seeing any of these (with the possible exception of Olga Korbut).

Jamie Baulch for some reason doesn't have an honour ... I see he was a contestant in the 1st series of Cirque de Celebrité, though I don't remember him at all.

[diamond1]

Seeing as it's a one off special along the lines of the SCD Xmas special I don't see why they would gave gold medal skaters taking part as the "celeb" .. the whole idea is that it's a non skater paired with one of the DOI pros

[Veri]

Originally Posted by diamond1

Seeing as it's a one off special along the lines of the SCD Xmas special I don't see why they would gave gold medal skaters taking part as the "celeb" .. the whole idea is that it's a non skater paired with one of the DOI pros

It can't be quite the whole idea if Robin and possibly Katarina are also performing (not to mention T&D); but in any case, nothing says non-skaters had to be part of the main idea.

[Scencia]

Originally Posted by Lorelei Lee

Oh FCOL Veri, it's not Holiday on Ice, it's still a celebrity show. For once you could scrape your face off the floor and be pleased that we've actually got gold medal winners competing rather than just anyone who's scraped into a team, as we might have expected.

I just love this post

[diamond1]

Originally Posted by Veri

It can't be quite the whole idea if Robin and possibly Katarina are also performing (not to mention T&D); but in any case, nothing says non-skaters had to be part of the main idea.

of course that's the whole idea ........ the main competitive part of the show will be the non skating celebs skating their routine with a DOI pro

Robin skating is just part of the additional entertainment ... just like T&D doing a routine each week on the "normal" DOI series .. Robin isn't competing with the "celebs" . .. he's skating on his own as an exhibition number (or perhaps as part of an exhibition number with all the other pros just like T&D do) not as a "pairs" skater paired up with one of the other pros

It's like on SCD when Len or Craig get from behind the judging desk and do a little number

[Scencia]

Originally Posted by Veri

It can't be quite the whole idea if Robin and possibly Katarina are also performing (not to mention T&D); but in any case, nothing says non-skaters had to be part of the main idea.

It doesn't take a genius to work out that these 2 would have been asked to perform guest spots and not take part in the actual partnering aspect of the show

[Veri]

Originally Posted by Scencia

It doesn't take a genius to work out that these 2 would have been asked to perform guest spots and not take part in the actual partnering aspect of the show

That doesn't make any difference to what I said. The whole idea of the show has to cover everything that's in the show.

But in any case, there's nothing that says the only possible SCD "Olympic Heros" special there could be is one that has only non-skaters as the "heros". Now it's clear that non-skaters are what they're using, but it's not like that was written in stone since the beginning of time.

[RachVG]

Originally Posted by Veri

But in any case, there's nothing that says the only possible SCD "Olympic Heros" special there could be is one that has only non-skaters as the "heros". Now it's clear that non-skaters are what they're using, but it's not like that was written in stone since the beginning of time.

Erm, I think it probably was.

But that aside, it's an Olympics special. Not a Winter Olympics special. The Olympic Heroes (not 'heros', btw) competing were all champions in sports which will be represented at this year's summer Olympics.

Otherwise it would be very hard to 'sell' the idea for the summer Olympics, using Winter Olympic champions skating with DOI pros doing a sport that has nothing to do with the summer Olympic disciplines. I really think you're being a bit ridiculous suggesting otherwise.

That would just be a skating showcase. Not a DoI special.

[mindyann]

Originally Posted by diamond1

Seeing as it's a one off special along the lines of the SCD Xmas special I don't see why they would gave gold medal skaters taking part as the "celeb" .. the whole idea is that it's a non skater paired with one of the DOI pros

If they are only taking entrants from Team GB, then including Robin we would have a grand total of 3 medalists to draw from.

Would be a short show, if nothing else

[Tiger Rose]

Originally Posted by Veri

The list of their honours gives it a smug, stifling, Daily Mail aspect that I find distasteful.

Asking "if they aren't interesting enough for the show then who on earth is?" makes it sound like they are the most interesting choices possible, which is surely not so. I don't have anyone in particular in mind as an alternative, if skaters are for some reason ruled out; but I don't have much interest in seeing any of these (with the possible exception of Olga Korbut).

Jamie Baulch for some reason doesn't have an honour ... I see he was a contestant in the 1st series of Cirque de Celebrité, though I don't remember him at all.

They haven't been selected because of the MBE's etc. that they have but the Olympic medals they have won. You would be hard pushed to find any GB Olympic Champions without some kind of honour as they are pretty much given out automatically nowadays if you win an Olympic Gold Medal. Of course you may think that giving honours to sportspeople isn't right but that's one for the General discussion forum & not DOI.

And the fact that you don't have any alternative names says a lot.

[Veri]

Originally Posted by Tiger Rose

They haven't been selected because of the MBE's etc. that they have but the Olympic medals they have won. You would be hard pushed to find any GB Olympic Champions without some kind of honour as they are pretty much given out automatically nowadays if you win an Olympic Gold Medal. Of course you may think that giving honours to sportspeople isn't right but that's one for the General discussion forum & not DOI.

That the DOI special is packed with people who received automatic honours is a subject for the DOI forum.

And the fact that you don't have any alternative names says a lot.

What does it say?

Anyway, how about this alternative: don't have the DOI special at all. As someone pointed out above, skating is a winter sport, and this is the summer Olympics. Just leave DOI out of it.

[Tiger Rose]

Originally Posted by Veri

That the DOI special is packed with people who received automatic honours is a subject for the DOI forum.


What does it say?

Anyway, how about this alternative: don't have the DOI special at all. As someone pointed out above, skating is a winter sport, and this is the summer Olympics. Just leave DOI out of it.

As I said you won't find any British Olympic champions (summer or winter) without an honour so it seems pointless in berating DOI for choosing people with honours when all they've tried to do is pick people who have been sucessful. Would you rather they picked people who had gone out in heats/qualifying at the Olympics instead?

The fact you can't pick any alternative names suggests you are just looking for an excuse to pick holes in the line up.

Of course if the Olympic special doesn't interest you then you don't have to watch. Although why you are then getting worked up about the line up is beyond me.

[icedragon]

Originally Posted by Veri

That the DOI special is packed with people who received automatic honours is a subject for the DOI forum.


What does it say?

Anyway, how about this alternative: don't have the DOI special at all. As someone pointed out above, skating is a winter sport, and this is the summer Olympics. Just leave DOI out of it.

Nobody is going to force you to watch it Veri. So if you hate the whole idea so much just leave it to those of us who do want to see it and think it could be fun - even if having Colin Jackson get in my way on patch ice is a bit of a pain, I think he is great and looking at the lifts he's been practising it should be a good show.

[Veri]

Originally Posted by icedragon

Nobody is going to force you to watch it Veri. So if you hate the whole idea so much just leave it to those of us who do want to see it and think it could be fun - even if having Colin Jackson get in my way on patch ice is a bit of a pain, I think he is great and looking at the lifts he's been practising it should be a good show.

I can both not watch it (if that's what I decide) and say what I think of it. It's not like I have to choose between those two things.

[icedragon]

Originally Posted by Veri

I can both not watch it (if that's what I decide) and say what I think of it. It's not like I have to choose between those two things.

Not if they didn't have it at all which appears to be your preferred alternative- what would you have to complain at then?

[diamond1]

Originally Posted by Veri

Anyway, how about this alternative: don't have the DOI special at all. As someone pointed out above, skating is a winter sport, and this is the summer Olympics. Just leave DOI out of it.

So because you don't like the idea and won't be watching it you think it would be better that they just didn't bother inspite of the fact that many other people do like the idea and would like to watch it?

[Veri]

Originally Posted by diamond1

So because you don't like the idea and won't be watching it you think it would be better that they just didn't bother inspite of the fact that many other people do like the idea and would like to watch it?

No .

[Tiggergirl]

Originally Posted by Veri

Anyway, how about this alternative: don't have the DOI special at all. As someone pointed out above, skating is a winter sport, and this is the summer Olympics. Just leave DOI out of it.

Why I'm even trying to reason with you is beyond me however in case it has escaped your attention the Olympics are being held in London which is a major deal for this country hence getting DOI involved encompassing the best from the Winter Olympics T&D etc and from the Olympics themselves hence the choice of contestants.

I was having a sort of stuff earlier and came across an article with T&D from December 2010 and there was a comment then about them being asked to be involved with the Olympics in 2012 initially with motivational stuff etc and mentoring. It may then be possible that they have been asked to do additional stuff with DOI as well to include that aspect.

I'm still not sure exactly what you were expecting from this show or what exactly you want from a DOI Olympic special but your reasons against it i.e the competitors having honours seem a bit petty IMO and as others have said if you went down a list of no honours, only competed but didn't win etc then you wouldn't have that many to choose from.

I think its good that there is the link up between both Olympics and anything that gets people interested in either the sports the competitors are known for or for getting into skating.

Also skating is now an all year round activity. Whilst it is part of the winter Olympics there are many major competitions throughout the year so to say its just a winter sport is IMO incorrect.

[Tiger Rose]

Originally Posted by Tiggergirl

Why I'm even trying to reason with you is beyond me however in case it has escaped your attention the Olympics are being held in London which is a major deal for this country hence getting DOI involved encompassing the best from the Winter Olympics T&D etc and from the Olympics themselves hence the choice of contestants.

I was having a sort of stuff earlier and came across an article with T&D from December 2010 and there was a comment then about them being asked to be involved with the Olympics in 2012 initially with motivational stuff etc and mentoring. It may then be possible that they have been asked to do additional stuff with DOI as well to include that aspect.

I'm still not sure exactly what you were expecting from this show or what exactly you want from a DOI Olympic special but your reasons against it i.e the competitors having honours seem a bit petty IMO and as others have said if you went down a list of no honours, only competed but didn't win etc then you wouldn't have that many to choose from.

I think its good that there is the link up between both Olympics and anything that gets people interested in either the sports the competitors are known for or for getting into skating.

Also skating is now an all year round activity. Whilst it is part of the winter Olympics there are many major competitions throughout the year so to say its just a winter sport is IMO incorrect.

Jayne & Chris are Team GB ambassadors & mentors. They have been selected to carry the Torch & in particular have worked with the Rythmic Gymnastics Team (Robin in the same capacity is working with the Synchronised swimming team) so they are involved in the games quite heavily.

[Tiger Rose]

Is anyone going to the recording of this or know of anyone going? If so it would be great if you could come in and post a spoiler after the show has been recorded on Wednesday. Am not sure I can wait 3 Months or so for the result.

[Lorelei Lee]

Originally Posted by Veri

As someone pointed out above, skating is a winter sport, and this is the summer Olympics. Just leave DOI out of it.

Well, as you've obviously failed to convince anybody that the show is unworthy of the effort because nobody taking part is a gold-medal-winning skater (oh, apart from the four already involved in it), let's consider this line of attack.

There have been a number of sport-based shows with a semi-reality basis that have hit screens recently. The revived Superstars on the BBC is one, The Games on C4 is another. (I'm actually surprised neither of these have been revived in time for the Olympics, and still have one eye on the schedules...) These featured both summer and winter sports, but seem to have proved unpopular enough with viewers that they're no longer going concerns. It suggests to me that the type of sport alone is not what's drawing in the viewers - and I think it speaks volumes about DOI that it's the only sport-based reality show still running on prime-time terrestrial TV.

Second, the calibre of sportsperson taking part in this type of show is key. High-achieving sportsmen alone won't generally sell a show - you need people who have garnered column inches and household recognition for their derring-do. Imagine a DOI special comprised of Chemmy Alcott, Greg Rusedski, Steve Backley, Ellery Hanley, Lee Sharpe and Kyran Bracken. I don't think you'd get immediate name recognition for most of them - and they've all done DOI already. (OK, I concede adding Kelly Holmes might get you a few more viewers. But they'd probably turn off halfway into her first routine...)

Third, you need to consider the sporting calendar. Asking active winter sportspeople to be involved simply because this is a show about a winter sport isn't going to work, because most of them are training at this time of year. Plus a show composed of e.g. Nicola Minichiello, Shelley Rudman, Alex Coomber, Alain Baxter and Zoe Gillings probably isn't going to set ratings on fire. (Although Amy Williams might help a bit.)

Fourth, as this is a show cashing in on the London Summer Olympics and using ex-Summer Olympic sportspeople, how on earth would it be feasible to pick a watchable, entertaining summer sport in which none of the household names taking part have any competitive experience - and in which two legends are already available to coach, given the calendar issue - and expect it to be a level playing field? You couldn't pick one that would be a goer. It just wouldn't happen. Plus I imagine the appeal of the completely different environment is what got the Olympic heroes to sign up in the first place.