I think they've brought it across from DWTS, you know. On the odd occasions I've seen that over recent years, every couple does it and it's stopped me wanting to watch it. I don't mind it if they're trying to 'rouse' the audience into clapping, like during a jive - in that situation, I'm one of them. Argh I've got an eye twitch.

Ben being a sportsman would never do that without being told to by the producer. It's hard enough for a non-entertainer without making them do that.

1. The appalling music - the inappropriate choices are bad enough, but the way they are performed is just as bad. I almost cried during Song 2 the other week.

2. The not funny 'comedy' VTs.

3. The over acting, the hamminess, the prayer hands, the fakery. It's all much of a oneness, hence I'm being cheeky and sticking it as one item on the list.

And this list assumes that Bruce is a given.

I tried to watch DWTS but quite frankly I found it nauseating.

It's all producer-led, definitely. Poor Ben.

@Sofajudge: tell me about it. I absolutely love Tom Bergeron as a host, though, and it's such a shame I can't bear the antics.

(Sorry for derailing the thread, OP)

1. Dreadful and inappropriate music.
2. Dreadful and inappropriate music.
3. Dreadful and inappropriate music.

I can live with most of the other things people have listed but not with the music!

Another three.....

Wembley - I detest that venue for Strictly.

The decline in the standard of the professional routines.

The ridiculous pretence that there's a Saturday show and a Sunday show.

1. Len doing his crinkly 'Head Judge' face when he's been rude to someone earlier in the show (usually Craig). No,I don't think you're a friendly, charming person.

2. Stupid VTs that have nothing to do with training.

3. Ridiculous props. What was that big bed all about? Mark used it for about 30 seconds and then it was forgotten.

You want to limit us to three? Oh my. Okay, things that most make me shout at the TV set!

1) Bad judging. Populist overmarking; complimenting for "givin' it some" instead of giving useful advice; being rude to Craig when he's the only one talking sense; hypocrisy (I see the good...); favouritism and bullying; lack of consistency; telling people they're going to get through to next week/Wembley/Blackpool/ the Final etc. (Well, it's all basically the same one thing!)

2) Bruce. Fumbling; saying "look look look" for every single standing ovation; telling judges they're wrong;

3) The audience booing valid criticisms from the judges. That and out of time clapping, and applauding over the singing on the results show.

Bad music choices, pointless unfunny VTs, Claudia's frocks, "we can't do this on our own", the lack of tie-breaking, props and distractions, lack of transparency in how dances/music are chosen are probably all contenders, but you said three!

1) Kristinas pole dancing round her celeb stop it

2) Sunday show - put it back on Saturday (get rid of Casualty )

3) Len a bit outdated in his attitude.

I love the props btw (runs and hides)

1. Clapping to the music. The house band and singers are very good and yet so often their performance is marred. I assume it is encouraged to add to the atmosphere

2. The dizzy camera work. I'm another one who would like to see the feet of the dancers for the vast majority of the performance.

3. Gross marking inconsistencies from the judges - often delivered with kindness to some and inexplicable rudeness to others. Rudeness is never necessary.

Don't understand this thing about the Sunday show. There is a Sunday show just like there is a Friday Coronation Street. Nobody says it is live.

Definitely the moronic studio audience.
Inconsistent marking depending on who the judges like.
The mind numbingly awful unfunny VTs.

1. Bruce. His constant chuntering when the judges are speaking drives me nuts.

2. The inappropriate music choice. There is an abundance of suitable music available so please use it.

3. The recent Pro dances. We used to get some fabulous dances & now they are just a mish mashy, tacky mess.

My biggest issues atm:
[LIST][*]The Cringe Factor - a lot of it down to Forsyth.[*]The Dance-Off and its ramifications. The original format was much better. There's nothing wrong with a shock exit or two (in fact the reverse).[*]The way the audience claps along to the theme tune.[/LIST]

It's not the fact that there's a Sunday show..... It's the pretence of it. On the Sunday show they keep referring to a few hours previous as 'last night'

1. The spinning camerawork
2. Stupid un-funny VT's
3. The audience

Mine this year are:

1. Noise made by the studio audience.
2. Anything said by the old gaffer.
3. Noise made by the studio audience.

1. Inappropriate music for the dance.
2. Wembley as a venue. It's ghastly.
3. Halloween

1. Bruce, especially when he asks contestants to look at the standing ovations.
2. Real stories, such as the dressing room break-in at Blackpool, being completely ignored on ITT.
3. Programmes being more formulaic than they need to be.

Keeping it down to three is difficult but

1 Bruce
2 Producers inflicting themes and inappropriate music rather than letting pro dancers choose
3 Camerawork which assumes we don't need to see the footwork but only want to see dancers from the waist up

Stupid VTs
Clapping from audience during dancing and overuse of standing ovations
Couple dancing when musical guest is on - either have one or the other, not both

Bruno - like a ferret on heat.
"Live" acts on the Results Show.
Len "cor blimey, shrivel me kipper" Goodman.

Good thread. Weirdly, I have only 3 real gripes with the main show:

1. Bruce Forsyth. I am aware he has dozens of apologists who post here so will leave it at that.

2. The inappropriate music choices. In what world is "Where have you been" a tango? The most ridiculous has to be "I'm still standing" as a samba - or was it a salsa? With such awful music choices is it any surprise some people can no longer tell what's being danced?

3. The scripted VTs. Not that I bother watching them - I usually catch up on twitter/DS thoughts about the just-completed dance instead - but it's a real shame as years ago I couldn't take my eyes off the telly when Strictly was on. Pointless waste of airtime.

Edit: Have now read through the thread. Still the same 3 for me - I can live with props, Wembley, Halloween, Len, Craig, Kristina twirling round her celeb, the sunday show being on a sunday, the dance off...

My top 3 gripes are

1. the dance off - hate it- put the power back to the public

2. Erratic marking - too high scores being given for dances with lots of mistakes

3.Not enough training in the training videos