There was a lot of bunching of the scores yesterday - and I wonder what it is going to be like in a few weeks time when 9's and 10's start becoming the norm?

To mitigate this, one approach would be to allow the judges to score a 9.5. This would allow finer grading of each dance.

What do you think?

I think there should be .5 paddles from five upwards.
It would stop a lot of the ties on the leaderboard & stop so many 8s & 9sbeing dished out so early in the competition.

It needs someone to take Len's 7 score away. Perhaps then he might think about the worth of the dance rather than his trademark Sevhen?

I was thinking about this the other day - except for the final - I would like to see half-marks in the final. Then we would probably see less undeserved forties and less ties!!

We always have. I like marks out of 25. Multiply by 4 and you get a percentage. Much better for the statisticians amongst us.

Using all the paddles they already have would be a good start.

The producers should put a middling dance on first and give that 5, then everything else is scored above or below that.
When they give out 8s for first dance, it doesn't leave them anywhere to go.

This is so true. A high mark for the first dance has always lead to anomalies as the judges try to balance later scores.
But it's a "telly programme" more than a dance competition, so a "good un" is usually on first to hold the attention of the viewers.
It really doesn't bother me if the bunching leads to some of the poorer dancers don't go out in "order of abysmal performances."
No one really good I've though has ever gone out in the first few weeks.

In the past I did suggest there should be two marks as in the original marking of ice skating competitions.

"Contents of Programme."
"Manner of Performance."

But that'd slow it all own.

It's best left exactly as it is, it's really just an entertaining Saturday night show.
I really don't care who wins.

I don't think they ever got rid of a true talent too soon. And an order in which the rest leaves isn't that important to me.

The .5 is too dancing on Ice

I agree. That would solve everything at a stroke. If they lowered their marking from the start of the series, so that there was no stigma attached to getting 2, 3, or 4, everything would be fine.

If there are people on the same scores the judges should have to rank them at the end of the night but the judges need to realise that they had 10 paddles for a reason

Don't like the .5 idea, don't know why though, Darcey and Len need to stop only using marks from 6 and above, with the odd five. len's marking last night was abysmal.

If they marked fairly and accurately, there wouldnt be bunching of the scores. I don't like the idea of .5 paddles though.

If Julien and Vanessa still in next week we could start with 0.5
I agree that the early marking has been too generous and led to this 7 7 7 7 bunch up.
8's and 9's should be reserved for later programmes when they would be deserved!

If they used their paddles from 1 to 10 it would help , Len said before he gives a 5 for Turing up and trying, therefore he treats all sort of dances as equal when they are not.

He and Darcy need to know they need to score from 1 to 10 ,

1 for turning up and effort on top if he wants but 5 is too high

No need for half points, but if judges had the option of "Zero". I bet Craig would use it for one!