Tess isn't good at the comedy but at least she keeps the show moving on time. The producers shouldn't try to make her a replacement Brucie. They should keep her as the old fashioned 'straight man' in any duo.

I still can't remember a single thing that Tess has done this year. I think that's an improvement.
The only thing I noticed was when a bit of popcorn went down her boobies. And all she did was stand there.

Yes she is hopeless and Claudia not a lot better

I quite like she just quietly removed it. It made the joke funnier.
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I'm actually liking them both in their roles

It seemed to me that Tess was interrupting the judges a bit more tonight. I am sure they will sort her out if it gets too much. She is doing the shouting OK as she is supposed to . Overall I reckon she will become proficient at the job. Let's face it , anything would be better than Bruce.

Shes not an entertainment host like Bruce is, she struggles to adlib . What is her background pre strictly?

Tess just isn't entertainment show lead presenter material. She doesn't have the intellect and wit to ad lib. The producers are giving her jokes on autocue now! Sadly she cant deliver them. She has to go I'm afraid
Claudia is better in the old Tess pit.

I don't understand the obsession with the show's host being a comedian or even the show's host being that important other than simply moving the show on and being there to keep things on time.

The show's focus are the dancers and their celebrities, not the presenter and it's not like Strictly is a virgin show that absolutely needs a comedy presenter to establish it. It's as popular as it's going to get.

The problem when Forsyth did it is that we all did notice the presenter because he'd ramble on and they'd have to cut more important things like the judges' comments while he blustered his way through some end-of-the-pier act that wouldn't have been funny in his heyday never mind now when he was so clearly deteriorating. Personally, I never thought he was talented at anything other than self-promoting but even those who did respect him must have seen how much he detracted from it.

CravenHaven commenting on not remembering anything Tess has done this year is a good thing. That's what a good host does.

I like both Tess and Claudia.

Claudia can't possibly run a live show. she is just too random and incomprehensible.They have given her a list of puns to make to stop her going anywhere more random. Tess is fine. The judging is often nonsensical - there's nothing wrong with her commenting on that. She does the job of navigating it from A to B , without running into Doctor Who well. If people want a comedian, they now have Claudia's bad jokes instead of Brucie's, and if they want a resident psychologist to mop the contestant's tears away. Claudia can do that too - in a suitably eccentric way.

I was not a fan of Tess when she was Bruce's sidekick, but I am gradually warming to her in this enhanced role. She is still settling into it, that's true, and the sooner she drops the attempts at humour the better, but she's great with the autocue, moves the show on nicely and has a great relationship with Claudia. Even her dress sense has improved this year...

Claudia is, as ever, an utter joy. Obviously she's not to everyone's taste, but I love her quick-witted repartee, her skewed view of the world and how much she clearly adores the show and everything to do with it. How could anyone not enjoy Iveta and her reading the voting terms and conditions last week? Or her Superman pants this week? She also has real empathy for the dancers, a skill that Tess never mastered.

So far, I'm enjoying this series move than I have the previous two series, and maybe that's as much to do with the quality of the presenting as anything else. No peevish complaints from me, anyway.

Tess and Claudia are dreadful. I think most would agree. Of course some will defend them. They've been part of the SCD furniture and out of loyality should be safe.

I think if this show was about to be launched, these two wouldn't stand a chance of landing such prime presenting roles. They're there by default.

They're safe though. I just bypass both their contributions as it's usually very cringe worthy and stilted stuff

Bless em.. they're trying their best. I guess we have to admire the producer's loyalty to the pair. Probably become good friends. Difficult to be objective. I guess they just hope they can justify their selection and people will endure instead of enjoying.

Loved the popcorn down the cleavage.

I stopped liking her when she refused to pronounce Ola's name correctly. Everyone else manages it.

It's so rude. I don't know how she manages to stand next to Ola each week and call her Ohla...

I think they are both doing a good job. Neither of them gets in the way of the show's continuity. Sure their lines can be naff but they have probably been written by someone else so it's unfair to blame Tess and Claud - it's not as though they have free range and can choose how to present their part of the show.

I think Tess is doing fine and a huge improvement on Bruce and I'm surprised by all the negative comments.

During the judges comments she keeps chipping in with her cringey offerings. She needs to stop. If it's not on the auto cue - don't say it.

It's wrong to say Tess can't ad-lib.

I'm sure on the autocue it says, 'Let's see what the judges think'

But she always turns it in to, 'Let's see what the jooges think'

Now, I don't mind northerners- but she must know it's 'judges' so it's a sort of stubborn refusal to pronounce the word properly.

Of course, the previous presenter never did that did he? HE DID IT ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm amazed at how many miss the point. Tess didn't say that to contradict the judges; she said it to help ease the criticism for the contestants. I did thoroughly enjoy Tim's performance (even if there wasn't a lot of Charleston in it) as a characterisation and performance. Totally different to the previous presenter giving his opinion, which he did because he thought they were wrong and he was right.

She handled the popcorn-down-the-dress but with humour - obviously too subtle for some.

She doesn't have to do anything but present - and that's what she does. That's what the host is for - not trying to make it all about her, which is what the previous presenter did about himself.

Claudia is a delight - the horse's head, the fish jokes and the underpants! Completely barmy and great.

I now enjoy the whole show - except for Donny Osmond, whose scores were inconsistent and a complete joke.

It's her accent - not a refusal to say things how you want. If you went to where she lives, I expect they'd criticise the way you say things - or maybe they'd be too polite.

I expect she says bath, where I say barth. But we're both right.

Well, there's an obvious inconsistency in that post.

You say Tess doesn't have to do anything but present- whilst going on to praise Claudia for the horse's head, fish jokes, and underpants.

Surely making it 'all about her'?

Where is the inconsistency?

I said Tess just has to present, which she does. I praised Claudia for the horse's head, fish jokes and underpants. What has that got to do with Tess presenting?

They each have a different job - Tess to present, which she's doing very well and Claudia to put the contestants at their ease while waiting for the judges scores, which she does brilliantly with her witticisms and jokes. She isn't making it all about her - she's helping the contestants relax after their effort.

Two different approaches because they have different roles.

The previous presenter hogged the show. Neither of these two do.

If Bruce had done the same gags as Claudia you would have been on his case.

In any event- this thread is nothing to do with Bruce. Tess was fine as his 'carer' but is lost out front on her own. She needed him to lean on.

Tess, sat by Denise Van Outen last night. Now, wouldn't Denise be perfect presenting the show.

Talented in so many ways. A far more natural performer than wooden Tess.

Naturally funny and a far more polished presenter.

Go Denise go

At least we've always got the sheer class and poise of Darcey to counter the dreadful twosome Tess & Fringe lady
Last edited by sportgal9 : 12-10-2014 at 09:01

I like them both and glad Bruce has gone.

The popcorn thing which was mentioned earlier shows she can handle the unexpected on live tv. She could have panicked or just ignored it, no she calming removed the popcorn which made it funny.