Well, they've certainly succeeded in that endeavour this time. I've started watching ITT and got as far as the finalists coming on, but I think I'm going to FF through this bit as a more bland and boring quartet would be difficult to imagine.

I've been searching through the Christmas Radio Times for an alternative to the final tomorrow night.

I enjoyed Marian on the Friday panel, in fact the whole bumper ITT today was fun. I particularly liked Bruno (I think?) saying a big thank you to Zoe - well deserved.

Monaogg, you've hit the nail on the head there - hadn't quite clocked it until I read your post but of course, losing those two on the trot (combined with first double dance week) was bound to take its toll on the general sparkle of the SF. Let's hope this week is better!

And she is SOOO right

Saw a candid of the final four in the ES and wondered who chopped the Jon, Rachel and Hannah out of an S Club 7 tribute act picture...

Let joy be unconfined. Let there be dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor! I'm out tomorrow night.

Oh, the relief at having an alternative to the final.

Unappreciating spiteful journalists from the Daily Fail who have vendettas against confident women.

I don't know which would be worse an MDF umble Uriah Heep speech if he won or TTF going ballistic. Has to be Simon or Caroline for me.

I was very happy to see that in the family and friends VTs last night on ITT, Mark was the only finalist not to have words of support from the public! (Its the little things that make me happy - i somehow see this as a sign he wont win)

Regardless of where he finishes he will have a speech prepared to suit the occasion!

Dear Santa,
Please can Mark finish 4th - its all I want for Christmas (oh and if Kevin could be 3rd, not that we will find out the position of 2nd or 3rd)?
Kind regards from a slightly worried/anxious/panicky Brendans Babe

I wonder if enough of us ask for this, Santa would be able to oblige.

Unappreciating - well, all of it really. I've disagreed with who ended up in the final before now, often, but not with the general loathing I feel this year. I think Mark has surpassed Lisa as my least favourite person who could win ever on the show. He might be my worst ever, but it means thinking about him and Dom what'shisname and I don't want to do for that long enough to decide.

And I don't expect some sort of Karma-showdance from him like the glorious bacofoil and I think Mark could easily win (with the Daily Fail today presenting him as the only learner, ha ha, yeah right. Do they do a big article on the rumours about his lovelife on final day? No amazingly enough they don't - because, you know, not a woman, presumably.)

And I just want to totally unappreciate Mark and Len's casting vote for making me hate the series in the year Claudia's doing it full time, who I think is brilliant.

Bahh humbug! I'm not watching it, I'm not masochistic enough for that, so I know I really shouldn't care, but I saw the speculation about who would win and I just wanted to get out of my system how crap it's been this year.

I'm on Santa's naughty list, so unlikely to get what I want...

I think so too - its not like we are asking for a lot or for him to 'fix' anything

One of my friends, who has watched every series from the beginning, is going out tonight instead. She says all 4 finalists are the 4 people she had never heard of before the series and she still doesn't have a clue who they are and doesn't care if they win. She normally votes about 10 times in the final!

Can you ask him for a Mark win, then please?

No that might backfire and Santa might forgive her whatever misdemeanors she got up to during 2014

Ah, good point

I think in cases like this we need to invoke Satan, not Santa!

BIB - he's not a confident, talented woman on the BBC who has had partners and also people interested in her who she hasn't dated. The only way it could be worse is if she were an immigrant (but Pasha is). Kristina is all the above, but they've already done their character assassination of her this year.

Unappreciating how invested I've become in this final. Up until the week that Pixie was booted, I didn't care who won/lost but recently decided that Mark and TTF MUST NOT WIN!!!1!

Preach it, sister!

I like (?) the way she is a Scarlet Woman for both going out with people she likes and who like her back and NOT going out with people that she has hypnotised into liking her but doesn't feel anything for in return.

I think you were supposed to see all the photos of men and assume she'd had her wicked way with all of them. Slaaaaaaaag.

It's impressive, isn't it? I'm not sure if I'm supposed to dislike her because she's a heartless bitch who won't date men who are interested in her, or because she's a slut who dates All The Men.

Evening all, are you all excited (dreading the next couple of hours)?

*mwahs all round*

Looks like Anya's been roped in for Ola tonight.