Except that inside info that series () told us that Matt was way out in front in the public vote until Blackpool.

That week they brought out the big guns and gave us a fabulous AS from Kartem, beautiful dress on Kara, a mean judge voter backlash against Len, the love story on full display and injury porn/brave soldier Artem. I believe they were invincible from that point on

Matt had never been in the bottom two up until the finals though, so I think voting in the final could have been very close. They've had on screen romances on strictly before which haven't led to those couples winning. Perhaps Kara's romance captured the public imagination more, but I don't think it was the main factor in her victory.

Kara wasn't in the bottom twi either.

I knew nothing about supposed votng figures and can't vouch for their accuracy, if any.

Yes I know that but it's easy to say in hindsight just because of the romance Kara was going to win.

As fridgesoup said Matt was favourite for quite a while during the series. I remember even near the finals still a few bookies had him down as favourite to win.

I know nothing about voting figures - I'm just guessing that it could have been very close in the finals.

I'm using my mobile to type so I didn't elaborate. Kara was warm, cute, stunning, has a sort of disability and she could dance. That was a no brainer to me. Matt doing the New Yooooooooorrrrkkkk AS winning? Ha!

Damnit, SCDO! You could have told me at the time and saved me a humungous phone bill, couldn't you? Matt had a dip in his fortunes in the semi-final, with a salsa that was heavily criticised by the judges (a worse dance than the New Yoooooorrrkkk AS, IMO) although he hauled it back a bit with his tango. But he was still the bookies' favourite after the semi-final and the odds didn't change until just before the final. It really was nail-biting, speed-dialling stuff.

I'm quietly confident that this year's competition will be similarly tough to call, since Natalie's clear superiority in the dancing stakes will be eroded as others catch up, plus the fact that a lot of people haven't yet warmed to her. I haven't nailed my colours to the mast yet, and I guess a lot of others haven't done so either. Could be very interesting, and not so much of a foregone conclusion as the OP thinks.

Yes Kara had those attributes & her struggles with dyslexia story line touched people too, but to write Matt off on the basis of one controversial routine - which by the way I happened to enjoy is a bit ridiculous tbh. He performed well throughout his series, a few routines didn't go down well with the judges but he was still saved by the public, and this was despite him having a hectic work schedule. He was very popular and he engaged the public which is why he reached the finals and went on to win the tour despite having missed out on winning the tv series.

Hey, don't get me wrong. I wasn't saying Matt wasn't popular. I liked many of his dancing, his charleston was like a marmite thing but I liked it. I hated Aliona's choreography except the Charleston and Samba, and that could be the reason (for me) I didn't think Matt would win it.

Well she won it with Harry - so even though I accept her choreography is not to everyone's taste, I don't really agree it's what lost it for Matt. I just think overall Kara had the stronger story lines and more time to train and perfect her dances.

So getting back on OT, I don't necessarily think Natalie will win because she's the best dancer - someone might pip her to the post because their 'journey' has been more involving for the viewers.

Concur on your last paragraph. Agree to disagree on your first one.