Ashley and Patrick might find it advantageous to be perceived as popular if they're desperate to break out of a soap rut but it's a bit risky - being seen as a well-liked celeb doesn't necessarily translate into being cast in a decent acting role.

I think Susanna has by far the most to gain. I can't imagine she'll want to do Breakfast forever; if she comes out of this looking like a beloved BBC golden girl, she'll have much more clout when it comes to picking and choosing work, either her own pet projects or a prime presenting gig in an established show. She seems an ambitious woman who wants to be in control of her career (nowt wrong with that) and a win could help.

Hmm, Chris won but he's presenting Watchdog with Ann the witch? Some achievement!

I wish. I really like Abbey and Aljaz but something is not quite right. I hate the video clip where Aljaz shouts at Abbey to stop making noises:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01jsbgz

It is horrible. When I was studying linguistics at uni we learnt that cultures where people make spontaneous vocals are very expressive, and innately musical, even poetic. With a name like Clancy, Abbey could have roots in Ireland, who knows? Ireland has wonderful, incredibly poetic, musical, and comedic traditions! (Even this morning on the radio, I heard Andrew Marr chatting with Janet Winterson about the vernacular dialects of the north of England and their fabulous poetic, expressive qualities.)

What exactly is Aljaz trying to do? If you Google his name you always get stories of his "girlfriend warning off" Abbey and criticising her for "clinging" - when Janette is clearly the one who is "clinging"!!!

So if you have to shout at anyone ,Aljaz, don't shout at Abbey who is so unique and beautiful, shout at Janette.

But he wouldn't dare, lol. Chicken .

i don't know that natalie does 'want it' the most, if 'it' is winning - i think she just loves dancing, and enjoys doing it well.

i don't know who i think is most competitive this year, they've all been a bit drippy about that aspect, i would have quite liked a bit of rivalry between ben and ashley, or abbey and sophie.

Shouts? Why should he shout at anyone (he didn't shout at Abbey), and why would he want to shout at Janette?

Abbey 'unique and beautiful' I don't think so, she's just like many other attention seeking wags.

Why on earth should he shout at anyone anyway

Much as you dislike people being 'nasty' or nasty to Natalie, why do you have to say unpleasant things about Abbey?

Susanna would don sharpened stilettos and trample over puppies to get her hands on the Glitter Ball.

But I am telling the truth, Abbey is not unique or beautiful imo and she is a wag. It's not meant to be nasty.

I am also not posting ridiculous rubbish and nasty stuff about her every 5 minutes like most Natalie detractors.

You gave her too much credit. She just needs to poison their food, all of them, not puppies, the dancers, except of course Kevin. And after the glitter ball, just push him under the moving bus...

A vocal Natalie supporter having another dig at Abbey.
Quelle surprise.

Also check the 'hare-people' having a go at his/her favourite's rival Susanna...

Another dig, how many digs have I made at Abbey? Maybe a couple.

I find her vane and very attention seeking and not really that good a dancer I am afraid.

I can't comment on Abbey's unique beauty or poetic gift for language or how jellus Janette is but I really don't think Aljaz was shouting at her. He was smiling and laughing at her, merely playfully teasing her for a mannerism she wasn't aware that she had.

I think some go on simply for the experience. You (hopefully!) get to learn a new skill and a lot of people who have done it previously say what a great time they've had and how fantastic it all was. Of course the fact you're getting paid to do something that should be good fun isn't going to hurt either. Not everyone who goes on needs the extra publicity and only a small minority will have their career prospects enhanced, even if they win. Louis Smith is probably one of the few exceptions, although it was apparent even before his glitterball victory the BBC rather like him and want him to succeed as a media personality

and I agree with you but I don't go around making ridiculous accusations against her just to get a dig in like many on here do to Natalie.

Aljas was shouting at her.

Susanna may well be the celeb I would perceive rightly or wrongly as most gunning for it but even she pales against Kristina who is Desperation Writ Large.

Before Strictly he had a 5 minute slot on Breakfast TV. Overnight he suddenly became the go to man for daytime TV. Granted he was never going to win any awards but I am sure they were nice little earners.

It is a horrible video because you can clearly see from the way his clothes change that it has been patched together and exclamations added. At the beginning he IS shouting at her and sounds ready to lose his temper. Most people would tell a person about such things quietly and discreetly, not out loud for cheap laughs on a video,

And why ape the prejudices of ignorant hacks and call her a wag? She is clearly an intelligent individual in her own right.

I have to disagree with you, I am afraid. I see at most a little light-hearted ribbing at most from Aljaž, nothing more.

Go ahead and disagree!

"Light-hearted ribbing" eh? When this was on ITT Abbey did say that Aljaz was getting angry with her, but they obviously wiped out that bit - to please the idiots who think it is funny and can't see that it is insulting.

Granted, he might be annoyed with her off camera, but that part you alluded to in the clip can't be construed as him shouting. Otherwise I would stay clear from you in real life because you might easily costrue my slightly raised voice (at times) as shouting at you!