Sam is back in the race - even if his musical fans are being deserted. He may have been part time and ill served with routines for too long though to gain any momentum. He's suffers too in comparison to Ray, and Kyran I think had more wow factor.

Beth is a much better combination of skating basics, tricks, and lifts than Hayley. Her acting and dancing is Ok in the right role. Her pair can do more than Sam's or Ray's in some areas. Give her Hayley's numbers, though, and she will look weaker. Give Beth one that follows her strengths, and Hayley looks weak.

The better combinations were Suzanne and Jorgie who can do everything Hayley does, and more tricks. They have been edged out though.

Kyran I thought served the useful purpose of being the opposite to Ray. Ray dances and performs far better, but Kyran indicated tonight just how much Ray can't do . There's no moves like the axel, no headbanger, no single handed overhead lifts -in Ray's repertoire. He can spin - but so can Hayley and Sam - and he can jump - but we have seen that too much already.

It then depends on want you want. Beth can do more exciting moves than Ray, but dances and acts less well. Ray has a wide repertoire, but there's room to do something more impressive. Beth has the only journey story, has learnt new skills and is putting up new moves - Ray isn't doing that so obviously. 40s and jumps may look samish by the final. One will appeal to a female vote, the other may have a host of inspired young female gymnasts behind her. And, as you say, coronations may not be popular.

Beth has many younger fans who adore her as a gymnast and want to be a great gymnast just like her. It the first time British gymnasts have had anyone to aspire too who isn't Russian, Romanian or American. So she has those votes.
She is also working most closely to how the skaters in Sochi do, she has tricks, she skates very well and she lets the work speak for itself. The Ice Dancers in Sochi are not jazz hands, smiles and pulling faces.

I think she is a very good skater and is not given routeins to showcase her skills. Unlike some who are hopeless solo skaters and get scores just for gurning lol Only Ray was better than Beth with Sam greatly improved,

EXACTLY!!! I totally agree , I have never once seen Olympic ice dancers skating with jazz hands and smiling with loads of facial expressions.

Might be just me but the last few weeks I haven't really seen the fight in Beth to want to be their that I have seen in the others . I know she was ill this week but for me her or Sam should have gone

I don't think it is that obvious what Ray can and can't do. For one thing, he makes it all look so incredibly easy that it isn't necessarily that clear to the uninformed viewer that he is actually doing something really difficult. Robin made a comment tonight about how what he had been doing was 'so incredibly difficult' so there must be something there that from a technical skating perspective elevates his performance in Robin's eyes that isn't apparent to me as a non skating expert.

It wouldn't be safe for Ray to do the headbanger - he doesn't have enough of a height advantage over Maria for that. This doesn't mean he would not be able to and he has done overhead lifts so we should not assume that he can't do them.

It has taken Kyran years to get the axel. Ray doesn't have the time within the constraints of the show to learn it but I suspect he could if he had the same amount of time at his disposal that Kyran had.

Maybe so but those in Sochi have expression and artistry which Beth doesn't have. She has no performance skills, even Sam has managed to improve in these areas. It's all about all round performances, Beth, Hayley, Sam do not have it, only Ray does.

I'm sure the fight would go out of you if you were going out there week after week putting your all into it and getting absolutely nothing from the judges. Beth is constantly trying to improve is trying to do all they say and when she does it they then find something else to complain about.

I'm sure if she came out all singing all dancing and did a triple axel the judges would still complain that she wasn't doing enough and mark her below everyone else and give the others more marks just for turning up.

Sam is an actor so should possess performance skills, thankfully without the gurning!

Beth is still in because the public are voting to keep her in

Is it really that difficult to understand that

Well, the flu is a sort of virus, and she seemed to be floored by what it was. However, unlikely to be full on flu, but definitely more than the sniffles. She thought she might have to withdraw, so regardless of what we call it, it was a battle.

Her skating was underwhelming this week, but no-one would want to see her leave in these circumstances. I didn't vote, but I'm glad she's got the chance to do something decent next week, and I bet her fans that do like to vote gave her an extra few to give her that opportunity..

Completely agree, it doesn't matter what Beth does or doesn't do. the judges will find fault no matter what! Another thing too Beth has a new partner , she won with Dan who is now partnering Hayley, that didn't seem fair to me either!

Someone had to get Dan and it works both ways as Hayley won with him too. If anything it's more unfair for Beth to get him because as a pairing they have the most recent experience and connection giving them a massive advantage.

Of course the fairest way would be for everyone to have new partners - which would just look weird.

As for Beth, she deserves to be there and I hope she and Hayley join Ray in the final.

She's still there because she is getting the votes from the public.

She is getting a couple from me each week because she is getting unfairly clobbered by the judges whilst others are getting away with murder..... I hope she gets to the final where the public can show who they think the winner is.

You're probably right in that some will be putting two fingers up at the judges. Remembering their appalling behaviour last year and seeing the continuation of their bias this year I think this element and her own impressive fanbase could carry her through to the final - but I don't think she'll win.

Ray is clearly exceptional and deserves to win.

I feel privileged to have seen someone of his talent on this show.

I never vote on these shows, but I voted 3 times for Beth last night.

Although Ray is clearly the best by some distance, I think overall Beth is the second best and deserves to be in the final. Her undermarking in this and last series has been so blatant it is laughable.

I must add that I was very disappointed in Hayley's solo skate last night. Sam deserved to get through as he was outstanding last night. He is clearly unpopular with the public though.

She never impresses me too much though, she's very dull on the ice. Not jut the week she was ill. And by the way, did I ever say that I could skate well? It's like saying that we can't have any least favorites on the show because we can't do it better ourselves.

He has improved a lot but I still don't think he is the complete package but I think he deserves to be in the final 2 now.

Me too Ignazio, a real privilege to see such a wonderful mu.lti-talented young man. I hope he wins.