It refers to her wallpaper-ness. Poor Nina is even moreso '???'

For some reason, he just seems very unlikeable this series? And as others have said, his partnership with Vicky doesn't seem to work as well as the one he had with Brianne, which is weird considering their off-ice relationship.

I think people forget about the skate off & it was at quite a late stage too so suggests his vote was never really that robust. Even in the semi finals there was only just over 1% between him & Laura in the public vote.

As you say he may well be very nice in 'real life' but he doesn't come across well on the show. When you do a reality show you have to play the game to an extent.

He never had a big vote lead until his final winning margin. The vote was distracted that series by Denise Welch. Johnson Beharry. and unfunny Dave. It had a daytime TV female, a national hero and a comedy act pulling it in. That meant Sam couldn't build support or momentum till those people had gone. He also had opposition with an even worse problem - Laura started in the first skate off, and had little name recognition. She also had to compete with Chloe for votes - and Chloe might have beaten her if T and D hadn't run out of good ideas for her routines.

This series Ray is better, at everything but some lifts, and Kyran is a stronger skater. Hayley was a popular winner and is a better dancer - though she had no real competion so we need to see what her vote is like against some. Suzanne can do far more, and also was a popular winner- gainst strong opposition. Beth has more story. and more recent support and a decent fanbase. Sam suffers against that lot.

He's also being given dull routines. His best, like several others, may have been his skate off dance which was the best from his year, or what he put together himself. He won with two dances that suited him and were good routines - Footloose and Riverdance. Riverdance suggested a popular routine that matched his talents. You wonder what would have happened if he had been given this series' nearest equivalent - Beth's scottish dance routine - which was a strong routine - instead of what he did get that week.

I wonder if the problem is as simple as this - I quite like Sam, but not as much as Ray. If and when I vote, it will be for Ray - not because I don't like Sam, but because Ray is better. Isn't Sam's problem simply that he appeals to the same viewers as Ray, but Ray is superior?

I've always liked Sam but this year he's not coming across well. I prefer his previous partner, for some reason he does'nt seem to connect well with his current partner even 'tho they're together off the ice. I'd have thought it would have worked well but it does'nt.
I agree with those who say he's not getting routines that suit him and his dance off's are so much better than the ones he's given. It's a shame really because he can skate but he never looks like he's enjoying his routines.

I like him, but prefer other skaters

I don't think this is a difficult one.

Sam's a young, pretty good, fairly attractive male skater. He puts across his routines decently enough and dances well, if not brilliantly. However, those who voted for him in his series now have far more choice. Even if you keep the criteria the same, Sam voters can now vote for Ray who ticks all boxes, most of them far more emphatically. Anyone who voted for him simply because he was the best skater now have more options open too. Many people who voted for Sam did so because he was the best option available at the time. That's not the case now.

Yes, it's as simple as that.

Agreed.

The question of "likeability" is a funny one. I don't think it's related just to how nice a person is, but also whether or not they are shy and get anxious on tv, or ever look too indignant about a poor score etc.

The nature of this series is that the contestants as a bunch have higher individual likeability than the contestants in past series. Sometimes it's not until a celeb does a show like DOI that people notice that they can be a bit chippy, or an attitude problem that was hidden by good PR. There's normally one or two per series who expected to be brilliant, but turn out to be very average and sulk because the judges don't shower them with praise.

The point being that there's normally a few of them in each series, and that makes everyone else look better. There are none of them this year, so you need to be even more likeable to appear likeable.

I really liked Sam and Brianne, but for some reason I can't take to his new partner. Tbh I think they are all wasting their time, imho Ray is leaving them all standing...and will win.

I like Sam but I like Beth and Hayley better so when I'm voting its going to be for one of the girls rather than him. For me, his series was my least favourite so I dont really remember much about his routines other than riverdance

Except Ray's nowhere near as attractive. I think the problem is no one remembers who Sam is.

That's debatable!

Really? Well, I guess they do say beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

I think Ray's hideous to look at. Sam's features are all normal looking at least.

Well I hope Ray's family don't read this thread

BiB is the pertinent factor.

Ray has many followers. Not saying all or even most of Ray's supporters are doing so because of the attraction issue but I bet that many of those who vote partly because of that, voted for both Ray and Sam in their respective series and are voting just for Ray now.

I tend to forget Sam's performance no matter how good. Sorry.

Simple. He's not in EastEnders any more.

I think the only reason that Sam went through tonight was because they made a big thing about him being in the Skate Off a lot recently and so the public voted for him in the hope that this wouldn't happen. This, as well as being in the winning team helped save him. Come next week, I think he'll be back in the Skate Off again.

He didn't need to get that many votes to survive this week- just more than Kyran I think.

Agree that he'll probably be straight back to the skate off next week.

I thought he went through because he put in a great performance. The routine was fun and well executed and it helped that it was a popular song.

He will be in the skate off definately as i dont think the public really have taken to him(im not a fan of him or his partner TBH) Unless the producers and judges can think of a "twist" to save him and try and get Beth in the bottom again with Kyran..

I find it strange people are questioning whether he is popular or not.

You are clearly and evidently more likely to draw negative heat from the fans if you are unsuccessful than successful on DOI.

There are some who have walked in the same shoes as Sam in the same place but at a different time and there are some who are more known for their voice than the comedy, who didn't so much skate off as appear to be heckled off. All due to the fact, for the most part, they were one of the unfortunate few who weren't able to 'get it'. Who weren't able to master what is a very tricky skill even at it's most basic level.

What could Sam possibly do to draw the same heat we saw for Todd or for Joe?