I feel the same

Five front runners - whether through experience and/or natural talent, it's going to be exciting towards the end of the competition

I don't care if there are any ringers, it's lovely too watch and great entertainment

They may be frontrunners technically, but the public may have other ideas - SCD thrives on characters, and we have seen countless instances previously of contestants with brilliant technical ability fail to engage with the public.

The fact that both Scott Mills and Judy Murray both managed to escape the dance-off last Saturday is telling. Mills has all the makings of a male Fiona Phillips - and may be around longer than expected …

So I'd say it's way too soon to predict what will happen …

I know it would not be as thrilling a show if there were no excellent dancers, but some of the celebs come to the show to genuinely learn to dance and not to generate news about themselves. And they get no chance because they are either kicked out for the lack of support or turned into a joke act by Anton who then can't be arsed and then kicked out.

The OP's finger slipped- it was meant to be "Jake's a ginger". And so am I- more power to us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...Theatre_School

List of former Anna Scher alumni.

This means that the following should all have been classed as Ringers
Phil Daniels (first out)
Patsy Palmer (week 8)
Gillian Taylforth (week 2)
Natalie Cassidy (Week 11)
Sid Owen (week 3)

as would be Kathy Burke, Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Gary and Martin Kemp - if they ever did Strictly.

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story !!!

Excellent- I felt that even though I didn't have the hard facts to back it up. Now I do.

I like that we have Pixie, Frankie and Caroline as front runners and Simon and maybe Jake and Thom as those who might get close to them over the weeks ahead.

Of so why don't they go down to the nearest dance school or get private lessons?

Thom is essentially being pushed on the basis of his looks - I haven't seen much raw dancing talent yet …

Pixie and Frankie are the frontrunners are far as ringers go … But the public may have a very different perspective on them. It's too early to tell right now.

I don't consider Simon a ringer because he didn't go to fulltime dance/stage school like some of the other celebs

in fact his background is rather similar to Nicky Byrne's (RC secondary school + excellent amateur footballer)

and compared to Nicky Byrne I think Simon is dancing brilliantly

I pesonally don't think Jake has dance experience yes he went to stage school for drama - does not follow that he danced too, that school is noted for producing actors.. His dances so far have been good - Tango was def pulled along by his acting ability, and the Salsa was great and his moves natural - have found over the years most people who can drum have usually had good rythm.

Looking at training clips for this week Jake seems stiff around the shoulders, arm area - which you would expect a 'ringer' not to be. Personally think he just has an apitude for the dancing so think providing Janette up to it (am not convinced re her ballroom yet) will be there or thereabouts at the end

I'm guessing somewhere on this thread by now, someone has quoted this tweet from the man himself.

Just to clarify I have never had a dance lesson in my life. Ever. Fact #StrictlyComeDancing #HisNameIsJake 👍

https://twitter.com/mrjakedwood/stat...96294545776640

And to add to fatskia's post, Jake didn't go to stage school. He went to Anna Sher's theatre school which is more of an after school drama club where you can drop in, pay your £5 and take part.

And this contributes to the discussion how exactly?

I'm sure on ITT he said he'd never had a dance lesson in his life.

I like Simon, but have a feeling he will probably go as far as Patrick Robinson. Some people just don't seem to vote for people like Colin Jackson, Patrick Robinson and now Simon. I hope people do vote for him.

I quite agree.

Please someone define "ringer" - thank you

He hasn't. That was misinformation. He is a beginner.

Colin Jackson flew through series 3 without landing in the bottom two, beating Zoe Ball en route and was only de-railed for the win by an Ikea item with a slight sense of rhythm, a charismatic partner, a perception by the public of being a real bloke's bloke and a spurious "journey".

I think he did okay for votes.

He trained at Anna Scher's which is not a stage school but an after school theatre club specialising in improvisation. I knew the school well when Jake was there and there was no formal dance training.

I didn't know he'd had dance training. But I'm guessing Pixie and Frankie both have also - they seem like stage school girlies.

A lot of actors have done the same so we shouldn't be surprised. It's when they hide it and pretend they've never seen a pair of dance shoes before that I get annoyed. I wouldn't want to see every celebrity be rubbish dancers you have to have a mixture - but as long as they don't pretend they never went to stage school.

It's the lying I don't like not the fact that they did it.