I don't think Mark will be in bottom 2 this week. He's been on TV trying to garner votes. I think it could be Ashley and Abbey in bottom 2 with Ashley going.

I don't see Ashley in the bottom two just yet nor Natalie.

Could be any of the others though.

No he has been on TV promoting a show (and a tour) as have all the contestants to varying degrees and as does every actor, singer, comedian, writer who has a product to plug. Its part of the commercial deal - we will pay the production costs your play, show, book, CD but you will go on TV, signings etc to promote it. Did you ever see a guest on Graham Norton, The One Show, Jonathon Ross who didn't have a book, tour, CD or TV show coming up?

I do think Mark will be in the bottom two though. He has been for three weeks now and unless his dance Is spectacular I can't see why he would suddenly rally support. If he is then he will go. As for who is in the bottom two with him, it depends on the dances and the performances. Based on training footage it should be Abbey - but judges don't get salsa so they will probably love this disco/salsa garbage.

You're so right, all contestants that go on the tour do the promo for it, along with Craig, who's head honcho

But this year, they seem to making a bigger deal of it, I must say....all the contestants going on the tour seem to have won a Wonka Golden Ticket, or is that just me?

Ben is already out yet touring so I am not sure how this Golden Ticket thing works for him.

Or Deborah
It Bens was a bronze ticket, Deborah must just have got a sticker for taking part but still gets a tour slot

I think Ashley is very popular and he's never been in the bottom two so far, while Patrick and Abbey have.

I would suggest the majority of the voting public and with on-line free voting there will be more votes, don't go to the tour events.
So although the BBC can do a bit of "navigation," it really doesn't matter to them who wins, but they'd like "one of their own" to win or at least be in the final.
Who goes on the tour, won't I believe make much difference to the income they receive from it.

No, what I meant was, those going on tour are seemingly delighted to be chosen, like they didn't expect to be or something. That's all.

Mark has had a really high profile on TV over the last few days and I could kind of see him somehow scraping through if he hadn't hit the dance off three weeks in a row. But given that run, I just can't imagine where the extra public support would come from given that it's all but certain he will be bottom with the judges.

I think Ashley has a big ask this week. Never mind all the rows about raunchy rumbas, I really don't know how he is going to get past the Aladdin theme.

Shock exit?

Nah, I think Mark will be out tonight..., imo he should have gone two or three weeks ago. I don't dislike Mark but I just don't get the "love Mark bug". lol

On dancing ability, it has to be Mark, but he must have a huge following to keep him in so far. I think he has only been in the bottom 2 once, but suspect he will be tonight/tomorrow

It is unlikely any of the dance-offs from hereon out will be particularly shocking - the last three have all involved the bottom two on the judges' leaderboard. And it's not as if we had any shock boots last year or the year before - you have to go back to 2010 (when there wasn't a dance-off) to find the last time anybody even remotely surprising was eliminated.

Mark has been in the dance off 3 times already.

oops ...Thanks for correcting me, Monaogg! I have not been following Mark and don't watch the results show, so sorry about that. I should have checked my facts. I record to watch the Pro dance, and see if there are any musical acts and don't bother with anything else as I already know the result by then

Its because he has great rhythm and timing - which are what dance is all about in essence. He good interpretation too. He lacks the physique to do really well and many people who think dance is all about lifts and flashy stuff think he can't dance. But that's not what dancing is about and he can dance.The reason I love him even though I don't think he is a great dancer is because being much better than he looks as if he will be has been a surprise.

Sophie, or Abby in the dance off with Mark.

LOL I take your point. Even leaving aside raunchy Aladdin is not the first thing that comes to my mind when considering sensuality and romance.

Most likely to be Abbey or possibly Ashley in the DO with Mark.

Sophie has her legions of fans and a nice safe in hold dance, similarly Susanne. Patrick has a Charleston with a popular song & Natalie has an AS which usually goes down well (even with the Artem out of hold choreography and odd music choice).

Actually I think it might be Patrick , I don't see him having the lightness of touch to do a funny charleston ,and think he may go overboard with the faces

Tonight I think will be very interesting in terms of bottom 2 and will tell a lot about their popularity

I don't think anyone would be a particular shock, as they are all pretty dull.

I also think it will be Abbey or Ashley in the dance off with Mark.
Both have been given a dance that won't suit them. The judges will try to keep Abbey safe (overmarking) I think, which may backfire with the voting public. Who knows how popular Ashley is with the public?

I hope Mark will be safe

If anybody other than Mark leaves tonight it will be the most shocking boot in the history of Strictly Come Dancing, ever.

Only shock exit will be if someone electrified the door handle on the way out. jk

I think Mark or Abbey tonight. Others would be surprising, but not shocking.
Last edited by BelgoLift : 30-11-2013 at 14:50