Yeah I thought the exact same thing. That trail was not what I expected to see as the lineup for Wednesday 22nd.

From BBC - Strictly Come Dancing - Champion of Champions
Get ready for a Christmas edition of the show.

On Wednesday 22 December Bruce and Tess will be presenting Strictly Come Dancing: Christmas Champion of Champions.

The show will feature top couples from series one and two competing against each other for the honour of being named the Champion of Champions.

The judges will give their candid comments and their scores, there will be a public vote, and a winner will be crowned!

The couples competing from series one are Natasha Kaplinsky and Brendan Cole, Lesley Garrett and Anton du Beke, and Martin Offiah and Erin Boag.

While, from series two we have Jill Halfpenny and Darren Bennett, Aled Jones and Lilia Kopylova, Denise Lewis and Ian Waite .

Unfortunately, top dancers Julian Clary and Christopher Parker cannot compete because of work commitments.

All of the couples will compete once, dancing to a popular Christmas track performed live by the Strictly Come Dancing band and singers. The costumes will also be suitably Christmassy, and the evening's entertainment will be rounded off by Bruce leading everyone in another Christmas number.

So come all ye faithful for Strictly Come Dancing: Christmas Champion of Champions, BBC One Wednesday 22 December at 8pm and 10pm.
Last edited by bigbrother_eire : 11-12-2004 at 23:35

Natasha and Brendan just shone in the trailer for the Christmas Special. I DO think Jill is technically probably the better dancer, well yes, she is.... but Natasha and Brendan have that romantic edge... the connection that Erin and Julian have... that adds so much to their performance together.

The BBC cocking up as usual then.

Have to agree that technically Jill is the better dancer. Though nothing comes close to THAT chemistry Natasha and Brendan have.

I think we think very similar Laura! Have you seen Natasha and Brendan's DVD?

On another note... I was hoping Natasha would be on the show tonight.

I think Brendan and Natasha have a slight edge over Jill & Darren in the Ballroom dances. However, when it comes to the latin dances, Jill & Darren are miles ahead of Brendan and Natasha.

Yeah Peach i have the DVD. Its fantastic. Her dancing has improved so much even from the first series.

On Natasha being at the final. Didnt suprise me she wasnt. But i think they could have mentioned her. A wee thankyou. She did co-host over half the series afterall!!

I have a soft spot for Natasha and Brendan. It's between those two and Lesley and Anton for me. Wouldn't mind Jill and Darren taking it either.

Jill And Darren to win! I detest Natasha and Brendan for being so horrible and smug and I have hated Brendan since I heard his bitchy comments about Sarah Manners. He's almost a bit of an arrogant pig and there's something about Natasha that akes me think that she loves herself.

Go Jill!

Well, only wish I could vote (for Anton and Lesley of course) but live on the wrong side of the Channel. Huge audience overseas for SCD. So please cast extra votes for me.
Thanks
"marooned in Brussels"

Cassandra!! You have to get your vote in somehow for Anton and Lesley!!! They need your votes!! I have had emails off them both saying this!!! Is there a friend u can ask to vote on your behalf??

Nat
xxx

Cassandra14- will definitely cast extra votes for you, consider it done. You obviously have excellent taste. But to ensure that Anton and Lesley are in with a good chance of winning perhaps you could inform anybody you know in the UK to vote too. Every vote counts.

Elena- go on choose Anton and Lesley. You know you want to! Natasha and Brendan have won series 1, Jill and Darren have won series 2. They've both had their moment of glory. Let someone else have their moment too. Share the joy!! Anton and Lesley were cruelly robbed of a place in the final last time, this is their chance to shine like the true stars they are.

VOTE ANTON AND LESLEY

What are the two obvious reasons?! What are they man?!

I think i can guess captainsensible what the two reasons are. Or definately one of them!!

jill and darren are miles ahead of natasha and brendan, absolutely leagues apart!

I agree Jill is technically better than Natasha but Jill and Darren just dont have Natasha and Brendans fantastic chemistry. And dancing is about that too.

I think it is a shame that Brendan was so mean with Sarah this series... my younger sister in fact has already said she no long likes Natasha & Brendan because of Brendan.... BUT my romantic side says that this was because he really wanted to be with Natasha. I feel sorry for Sarah but his attitude was because he couldn't bear not dancing with Natasha (who is not smug in any way!)

I dont believe it was just Brendan that was at fault in the whole situation. And i dont think his attitude was anything to do with Natasha.

I think Sarah didnt show him that much respect and really wasnt willing to put the effort in that was required. I know she was busy with work but sometimes it felt like Sarah expected him to jump at her every command.

I'm not saying it wasnt a shock to him to go from a partner like Natasha and then to get Sarah but i think there was faults on both sides.

I'm not either saying that he was right to say what he did on camera but hes human like the rest of us and was big enough to make an apology to her on camera as well as personally.

I also believe if ITT hadnt been on and it still had been the BBC3 show then the whole situation would not have escalated like it did. ITT made it into a whole weeks news and longer which was just ridiculous.

I felt sorry for Brendan as the guy was made to look like something he just isnt!!

Who hasnt lost their rag with someone in the heat of the moment then regreted what they've said later?!

Yep I do agree with you that Sarah didn't seem to respect him and she should have done as he was the teacher.. and she didn't know about Ballroom dancing ... But I do think a large part was to do with having been iwth Natasha before... a respectful, LADY who perhaps he has/had a romantic connection with too. He mentioned numerous times that Sarah was a ladette; doesn't fit in too well with Ballroom dancing or manners in general.

I agree that you've to be very elegant and ladylike for ballroom dancing which as you say isnt exactly Sarah!

Where as both his previous partners Camilla and Natasha are very elegant and sophisticated ladies!!

I agree with all that . And NK fans should bear in mind, that she is such a reluctant 'star' that she would far rather NOT win, she hates all the fuss so much - so you would be doing her a favour by doing as I am - voting for someone else

I will probably vote for Jill because I can't imagine any of the others being better than her - but I didn't see much of series 1, so I don't know how good Lesley was.

I am glad to see Aled in it too, I thought he did really well in the strictly come dancing contest and thought he should have been in the final...
Considering he's doing a concert tour as well, I think his effort has been outstanding

Yep, I agree Lippincote. Natasha probably does not want to win. She made out she didn't want to win the first series and was hugely embarrassed by the whole thing. So everyone should take a leaf out of your book and vote for someone who really wants it. And I think Lesley would love to win. She was devastated on losing out in the semi-final last time round. I can tell you that Lesley was fantastic in the first series, particularly in the ballroom dances. Her foxtrot and quickstep were absolutely superb. I also believe her reasons for taking part in the show were the most genuine. She really wanted to learn to dance and enjoyed every moment. Her commitment and dedication have continued, as she still practises each week with her partner on the show, Anton Du Beke, and has done since the show ended back in July. So hopefully by the time the Christmas show rolls round she'll have improved even more and give Jill, Natasha and Denise a run for their money.

Lesley Garrat irritated me as much in the first series as Denise did in SCD2! She was far too OTT.

Do like Anton though.

From The Sun Newspaper Tues Dec 14th:

TROUBLED former EastEnder Chris Parker has pulled out of the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special.

Chris, 21, was sacked from his role as Spencer Moon in EastEnders last month after an overdose.

He was due to join other finalists from the two Strictly Come Dancing series in a special next week.

But Chris, below, says he no longer wants to take part amid fears for his health.

At the weekend he was pictured being carried out of a club after a booze binge.

A BBC insider said: “Chris told us he wasn’t up to doing the special. I think he’s keen to keep out of the limelight.”

jill and darren DO have chemistry - superb chemistry, more so than natasha and brendans supposed fling!

trust me im a dancer