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Last week we had an Ola exclusive, this week it's Abby.

So what if she has? She wants to do well and good luck to her. If that is best front page headline they can come up with, then they are struggling.
What do they expect, everyone to turn on her for wanting to improve her dancing?

The irony of Len and his comments

Agree, Natalie grew up having dance lessons and she,s still allowed to compete so i can't see what the problem is.

'Claims' probably ripped off a forum such as this one

Probably about the 'secret' lessons when she was supposed to be in a girlband.

I don't see how this can be front page news. Maybe four or five series ago but, not these days. I can remember when people were up in arms about Ricky Whittle allegedly having lessons before Strictly but, since then the whole "beginner" learning to dance boat has long since sailed. Besides didn't that awful Gary Rhodes allegedly have lessons and look at how good he turned out to be.

Wouldn't surprise me one bit!

These things always seem so "leaked" that it makes you wonder why the public relations person concerned can't at least leak something interesting.

He was dire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmk-M37SuIc

Of course

Well, now Natalie's out of the running we do need someone to get with the 'RINGA' pitchforks...

Also, the fact that she was in the bottom two the week before the article is posted and is still the 'favourite'.

Mind you watching that clip he'd would be doing quite well in this series.

she isn't good enough to be having lessons that have helped ) this is abbey's PR to keep her on the front pages of the papers - bet we have loads of stuff this week from the horror frock she wore the other night - to this story re lessons and of course next will be im not cheating on Peter Aljaz is like a brother

It's not as though she'll get that much of a backlash - Jason Donovan had had lessons before the first show, and iirc Pamela Stephenson had had some too (I know she did Argentine Tango, but I'm not sure if she did for any others). Matt Baker had entered an amateur Jive competition with another Blue Peter presenter before he went on the show as well (they might have won it actually).

Let me first state that I like both Abbey and Natalie.

However I find it ridiculous that people are using Natalie's "ringaaaahhhhhhh status" to excuse Abbey's dance lessons. Natalie was honest and upfront about it from the beginning. Abbey wasn't...

So I think it is a bit absurd that people are using this as yet ANOTHER reason to attack Natalie.

Isnt it claimed that she had 30 hrs "training" For most young girls this is absolutely NOTHING! I wonder how many hrs Natalie has had throughout her life, and what level she reached, isn't it claimed that an injury put an end to her engaging in a professional career?? IMO this is a non story, dregged up by some jealous nobody.

Abbey is not the first to have lessons before the series starts.
Pretty sure susanna has had lessons too. Doesn't bother me

I've had basic training for a special do years ago, while it helped I don't dance like Abby Some people can be on TV and make idiots of themselves but you cannot moan because someone wants to be better than that!

Honestly, a few hours training before the series is nothing, and actually commendable (shows she's taking it seriously).

It would start to get unfair if we were talking about years of career oriented/dedicated training.

The article http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/s...clancy-2715274 states that she had "30 hours’ training from professional dance teachers during her teenage years when she was in girl band Genie Queen."

So she's had 30 hours (which is nothing and less that a week of her current training) in dancing for pop music (presumably and so totally different genre) when she was a teenager. Bit of a no news article if you ask me.

Imagine how many hours of training Kimberley Walsh, Alesha Dixon & Emma Bunton had (even Michelle Williams) when they were in their bands. Abbey's 30 hours are pretty nominal in comparison

Makes no difference, 30 hours is nothing. Imagine if Dave had had 30 hours dance lessons, would THAT have made any difference.

Sounds sensible to me.Wouldn't you do the same?

She kept it quiet though. Should have said this at the start and there is no problem. It is 30 hours more than everybody else except natalie

I really dont care if Abbey has had lessons and I think it quite likely that she has had far more lessons and far more intensive training than that article suggests.....what irks me is the dishonesty especially when week after week Natalie has been relentlessly slated and hammered for it.Not forgetting of course Len's comments holding her up as some sort of shining example Abbey is becoming tabloid fodder following in the footsteps of many talentless wannabe's.:yawn: