You just have to compare her attitude to Natalie's this series and it's easy to see why she is unpopular.

Aliona gives honest reactions, and people don't like it, say it's unprofessional?

It's a funny old world.

She's got this Strictly lark down to a fine art. Win once & then come second so then she gets her first duffer & an early boot. She can get paid for doing Strictly & the pro routines but not have to be bothered with those pesky celebs she's got it made. She may look unhappy to get the unpopular of ancient but inside she's laughing gleefully. Money for old rope.

As an Aliona fan I wouldn't quite put it like that Jan

But I kind of agree that coming back and getting an early boot each year, while being paid isn't a real hardship!

I've said before I think they must love her pro routines, which are the best to be fair!

I'm glad Gregg has left what sounds to have been an awful, stressful experience for him. It's a shame. He's rather good at making others lose their nerves (both on Masterchef and by many accounts behind the scenes on SCD) but he simply couldn't be helped with his own. Neither by a therapist nor by the kindness of others in the comp. The shocking thing is that he doesn't seem to have anticipated how incapacitating his fears would be. To have reached middle life and not know that potential is something he'll have to come to terms with now.

Kudos to him for going out live to dance three times, and to Aliona for coming through to support him in the experience.

Poor bugger
Last edited by Pet Monkey : 06-10-2014 at 11:24

I'll miss Aliona, one of my favourite female pros. Really hope she's back next year. If anyone should go next year it should be Anton (it really is time) and I suspect Ola may go after her tabloid outburst, that would be enough of a shake-up.

I noticed Ola and Aliona were in a long hug so I'm sure if Aliona is annoyed or upset, she has support.

After the revelations with how terrified Gregg was, it's probably a kindness that he is out. With he, Judy and Scott, it's not fun to see people so nervous and terrified about it.

I think I'd be looking away from him, since it became known that he split his trousers in practice and revealed more than the fact he wasn't wearing underpants !! How discourteous is that to a new female partner, or indeed to anyone? I think Aliona is to be commended for even agreeing to continue with him.

Oh gosh! Chest pains. That's bad. Freezing on the dance floor when performing or competing is quite common. I know someone who just stopped in the middle of the floor in a competiton because their mind had gone blank. Nevertheless it is likely he would have got better control of his nerves as the show went on and improved.

His article puts Simon in a better light with me though. Quite enlightening.

As for the lack of underpants, it seems quite a common thing amongst famous people and no one would have known if it hadn't been for the incident. Would be more concerned about the female stars (and there are quite a few) who profess not to wear knickers, but no one gets upset about them since they tend to be young and beautiful.

I feel bad for him too.

I know he is unpopular and has what many would call a marmite personality but panic attacks, chest pains and needing therapy to do it is obviously a serious problem that should not be played out in front of the nation. Well done to him for actually doing it, hopefully, he can come to terms with what happened to him and good on everyone who helped him. He stated that he enjoyed the rehearsals but not the performances so it seems like a performance issue in the sense that he is out of his comfort zone in front of millions.

I feel bad for Aliona too as I did for Brendan when he had Victoria's issues put upon him. It's one thing being a dance teacher, another to have to prop someone us psychologically. It's probable that Aliona really felt for Gregg and tried to help him but couldn't really get close to him because of it and didn't want it to spiral and get worse so she might be pleased to be out too.

I'm just sorry that she has had three partners (I would Johnny Ball would have gone first regardless) who went first. I hope they give her a contender if she's back next year. Would loved to have seen her with Jake or Mark this year.

Exactly. I'd thought his public persona a tad haughty but if he's kind in private he's all right by me.


Well said. Their relationship was a difficult one but there was more there than any of us could have guessed from the outside.

BIB - This is the clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLHQHlA5-ik
Apparently it was Alesha that said Aliona did not cater to Rav's strengths.
Aliona competed at 10 dance and worked at teaching people to dance for years - she knows what she is talking about.

Aliona tends to answer questions honestly.

My guess is that she was a bit out of her depth having to work with a man that had so many "problems" and that she really didn't like either.

[quote=fatskia;75086695]BIB - This is the clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLHQHlA5-ik
Apparently it was Alesha that said Aliona did not cater to Rav's strengths.
Aliona competed at 10 dance and worked at teaching people to dance for years - she knows what she is talking about.

Aliona tends to answer questions honestly.[/QUOTE


Aliona is an honest person who does not hide her true reactions. Look at her face when Raf is going on about the judges not liking her choreography!

I really like her and hope they give her another chance next year - with someone who has even half a chance of being a good dancer.

I see a comment from Gregg today that there was nothing warm about her - uncalled for remark. Maybe he did not bring out the warmth in her but others have so the fault does not lie totally with her. They were just a bad combination, unfortunately.

Yes, I feel bad for Gregg having his issues and although he did praise Aliona in the sense she got the dance out of him, I don't think making those remarks about her was necessary.

Aliona is a dance teacher, not a psychiatrist and although Gregg's issues aren't his fault, to have them pushed on you must be incredibly draining especially when they are as serious as that. We could see, a few seasons ago, Brendan struggle with Victoria's issues and her lack of self-confidence and although I think he liked her, it was clear to see that he was almost relieved to be gone because although having to build someone's confidence is natural, it must be really draining when you get a celebrity with as many issues as Gregg and Victoria have.

That and Aliona had only a week or two with him and he's not exactly been overly respectful of her either. At the start, I had the impression he wanted either Ola or Kristina and was disappointed not to get one of them. During the show, if anyone was cold, it was Gregg.

First he ran down the stairs without waiting for Aliona and coming down with her, he had to be pushed by Tess into acknowledging her and he was very disrespectful when Tess asked him if he had anything to say to his partner and he said "who, Aliona?" which was very, very rude. He then shook her hand extremely reluctantly. He also referred to her as "little lady", I believe, which may well have put her back up and would not have endeared her to him. He's also made very sexist remarks in the media recently.

Also, it's possible that in the first week, Aliona did not realise the extent of his problems and attempted tough love with him as Ola, Brendan, James and several other dancers have tried on occasion. When she realised the extent of his issues, she realised it wasn't going to work and resigned herself to them going out early.

If Aliona was as cold as suggested, I don't think we'd have seen the really nice friendship she has with Tony last year nor do I think she and Harry Judd would have won it.

I feel for Gregg in terms of his issues but not a classy move on his part.

The sense that I got was that after a very strict start with Gregg, he must have done most things right as Aliona became supportive of him and did sympathise with his problems.
Aliona was very strict at the start, but she teaches the way she thinks is necessary.

Like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B1JO7DDsAg

Aliona has tweeted a link to the telegraph article with the following words:

… 😰Please read and show support to @GreggAWallace xx

well they definitely didn't hit it off ! I think he didn't practice enough and turned to " comedy" in desperation .

I don't think he would have been classed by casting as a duffer : seemed in decent shape, very likeable on Masterchef , probably the highest profile celeb in the show ?

I like Aliona - I like her more because she appears to be less adept at disguising her feelings than some others, not less.
(Of course sometimes it's because she doesn't give a damn, and I like that too. When she said on ITT that she listens to the judges, but doesn't always choose to follow their advice, that was classic Aliona.)

I too hope she returns in 2015 and gets a contender.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. I suspect Aliona didn't like Gregg much after the weekend where they learn the group dance for the launch show and her negative perceptions of him coloured her approach to Gregg in the early days of training. Then after the first live show, their relationship changed and her approach was more gentle. I thought they looked miles more comfortable on ITT than they had before.


I don't think she would have done that if she thought badly of Gregg. It sounds like it was a difficult time for both of them. I also think Gregg made it quite clear he thought Aliona had been a fantastic partner.

Absolutely agree with you. He is old enough to know better. I am delighted he is out but do wish Aliona had a better partner this year.

Other celebrities have left Strictly because of medical problems (Jimmy Tarbuck, Jade Johnson) - I just wonder why Gregg continued if he had so many panic attacks. I think the public did him a huge favour voting him out.

I do hope that next year Aliona is back and that she is given a decent partner. I also hope that Anton goes and they get someone else in - perhaps Anton could do some presenting on Strictly - or even replace Bruno! Just a thought.

I like Aliona, so it is a shame (for me) we'll see less of her. I think we have to remember that there could be many factors why a pro has a string of bad years on the show (in the sense of exiting early). Sometimes it's just circumstances rather than just a Pros popularity that will swing things. Matthew Cutler ahs exited twice in the first week as well (hasn't he)? so any publicly favoured Pro can go out early, let alone any less favoured Pro also. Maybe Gregg and his own popularity played a part, on top of him just not being a good dancer. I had no interest in watching Gregg anymore, but I still like Aliona, so just because a Pro goes out, doesn't mean they are wholey unpopular. Sometimes their partner and any circumstances surround that particular partnership can play a part in the Pros fortunes.

Just watched Aliona and Gregg on ITT and I'm convinced they turned around a bad start to their partnership, probably when Aliona realised the level of anxiety Gregg experienced on the live shows.

There is a hell of a lot in Greg's woodshed. Aliona is lucky to have got rid so soon. Hope she is back again next year with someone half good.