We're all entitled to our opinion, and mine is that Tess is doing a far better job than the old codger and I can watch the whole programme without having to mute anyone.

You're entitled to disagree as you obviously do, I and others think it's time those who liked him suffered a bit as well - you've only had a few weeks; we had 11 series of muting or FFing.

I quite like the DWTS presenters - they just present and get on with it. Tess seems to be carrying on this 'ooh look, you have got a standing ovation' and after the judges have pretty much said someone was awful she says 'well we loved it didn't we', but I blame the producers for this.
And could they stop with the constant booing at Craig's remarks when another judge has said more or less the same thing and not got booed.

I prefer Tess. Claudia tries to hard to be funny when she's actually just irritating

Tess is fantastic, she holds the whole thing together. Brucie's jokes were bad, but so bad they were brilliant.

Claudia's jokes are just bad, and not funny in the slightest. When she's on a roll she doesn't shut up, and the couple who've just dance don't get a word in edgeways. Get rid!

the Tessicon lexicon:
"Ohla" - foreign bint, not as pretty as she thinks she is, eh viewers?
"Guhns" - wish he'd point his gun in my direction
"Solsa" - a sorry salsa
"Joodges" - Joodge not lest you be joodged

No talent, no class.
If she hadn't been there already would she have got the job?
Not a chance.
Lazy option for the producers.

You can't speak for 'most' of the audience. You can only speak for yourself. Claims such as 'most would agree' are fallacious unless you personally have spoken to the millions who watch this show.

Fine, your opinion is that they suck. You are entitled to hold that opinion just as others are entitled to hold the opposite view.

And don't mistake the microcosm of DS viewers with the millions who don't subscribe to the forums. There's a whole wide world out there who probably simply don't care about this topic but watch the show because they enjoy seeing celebs being taught to dance.

And for the record, I am loving Tess and Claud. But I am not going to qualify that statement by claiming everyone else agrees with me because I don't speak on behalf of the entire nation. No one does.

I think Denise would be excellent too.

Tess and Claud are improving each week. No one is ever perfect in a live show but at least it runs smoothly now and one doesn't have to wait for a lame joke to be completed or a catchphrase to be done to death. Personally I'm just grateful for small mercies

Totally agree, the booing of Craig is really tedious, notice how Len dosent appear to like any adverse reaction to his comments but is quick to jump on Craig if he dosent agree, i could never understand Bruce and now Tess telling the dancers look you have a standing ovation, surely they can see for themselves, the whole programme really is now too regimented.

I do agree about the booing of Craig. I enjoy hearing his views and he is my favourite judge.

As for the regimentation, well, that is the producers. They set the tone and expect their cast to follow it.

Fair critique Cally's Mum:

However, wouldn't this SUBJECT TITLE suggest many, if not most, consider Tess as being out of her depth.

Nothing personal against the lady. She seems like a nice lady. I think she was ok in a supporting role. As someone suggested in a previous post, she'd not be considered for this position had time not caught up with Bruce.

She's just not a charismatic lady. She's limited and i'm not sure what qualifies her for such a high profile presenting role.

You rate her, i don't. As you state, opinion and likes are very subjective.

As i touched on, i'm not the biggest fan of Denise Van Outen. However, when she sat down by her last night, my immediate thought was, please Denise, swap with Tess. lol

Denise, has the ability to think quickly on her feet. She's naturally a funny lady and a very talented all rounder. Plus a super dancer as she demonstrated a few years ago. I personally think she'd be Ideal for the job.

As many have stated. Tess is safe. The producers like her. I'll just skip her contributions and enjoy the dancing as much as i can.

He didn't do "gags" - he just rambled. He said the only time he and his wife rowed was when he had to explain a joke to her. If you have to explain a joke, it isn't a joke.

I repeat. As far as I'm concerned Tess is fine especially as she's no longer has to look after him, and is doing great for only having had a few weeks in the role. She's visibly relaxing and settling into holding the show together. I'm loving the current pairing.

No it suggests that the person who started the thread thinks Tess is out of her depth.

I was seated near to where Tess sits as she waits to make her next link on the first Saturday show this year. She reads through the script whilst she is waiting and I would say knows it pretty much word perfect, as although the autocue is running, she doesn't actually read from it but uses it as a fail safe in case she stumbles.

I would agree though that these sorts of shows are made more enjoyable by the unscripted asides rather than the scripted jokes (which in my opinion have not been that funny!) Definitely needs a more charismatic presenter, although Tess is a true professional, but I think she is trying too hard.

Don't get me started on Claudia, though I actually loved her on 'It Takes Two.'

Denise is someone I actually like. But I can guarantee you that just as many DSers would complain just as vociferously about her if she had the job.

In fact it wouldn't matter who did the presenting. There would be just as many complaints, albeit from different posters, because it seems that we are incapable of being satisfied and have to find something negative to say irrespective of the fact that this is JUST an entertainment show and not the be all and end all of life.

And, again, DS is not necessarily indicative of the wider view of the MILLIONS who watch the show. We are a tiny section of the audience. Too tiny even to register on the scale of things.

What we think is unimportant.

great post Cally's mom.

I just have a gripe with the conspicuous dumbing down of all tv. Bring back Joan Bakewell, for a bit of gravitas. Great shows like Heart of the Matter are now conspicuous by their absence.

I think the BBC are now involved in a race to the bottom. Trying to compete with commercial tv. As a license fee payer i feel duty-bound to contest this. Why do the BBC need to obsess over viewing figures instead of quality content?

Now it's wall to wall cooking shows, panel shows; mock-the-week not funny shows trying to be funny shows lol

I'd have thought the BBC would be very protective about SCD. Thus, ensuring they get the best available talent to front the show. I don't think you, despite your loyalty to Tess, could claim she's Premier class. She's most definitely Conference. Excuse the pun lol

As with sporting punditry, there's a tsunami of vacuous people constantly pushed to the forefront of popular tv and radio. This just compromises the enjoyment of these shows.

Check out this funny skit of Robbie Savage, ranting about Man United. It kinda demonstrates my reasons for wanting more qualified folk fronting popular broadcasts.

http://youtu.be/L0_qo3kb7vU

Great post again Cally's mammy

I agree with the comments that Tess only got the job by default and I also believe she is struggling.
However, a stronger more talented Presenter might try to take over events , like Sir Bruce frequently did, thinking that the show was all about him.
Be careful what you wish for.

Am I the only one that has noticed the Judges seem to get a lot more talking time, now that Sir B is not hogging (or hamming) it ?

I think you have hit the nail on the head. Someone who can run with anything that is said by the judges or dancing mishaps and deal with it all with an ability for quick witticisms and unscripted asides could turn a good show into a great show. The entertainment needs to be more than just the dancing. Tess is competent at best and whilst having an over the top personality would not be right there must be someone out there who has the right mixture of ability to move the show along with a combination of charm and wit.

Unfortunately the 'dumbing down' of TV is something that we all have to get used to. But are we really seeing a 'dumbing down' or are we looking at TV through rose-tinted glasses? I recall when there used to be brilliant documentaries and excellent comedy programmes, but the shows at the London Palladium and other entertainment shows of that ilk on both BBC and ITV were not exactly highbrow. And for every good drama or comedy there was equal 'dross' that did not appeal to everyone.

There are still things on TV that are excellent (I happen to think SCD is one of these and, to be fair, it is a reality show - so setting our expectations massively high means we are always going to be disappointed), but they are divided between the BBC (1, 2, 3 and 4) and all the satellite channels.

And audience tastes change. What was excellent for people in the 50s, 60s, 70s etc would not appeal to everyone now. For instance, I loved Morecambe and Wise but I can appreciate that today's more cynical audiences might not get their brand of humour, just as I really don't understand nor like people like Frankie Boyle etc.

There is a bigger audience these days (because the population has grown) and more expectation of being entertained and maybe a little less money for the kind of programming that used to be made because everything has become more expensive. And the BBC has to compete in a bigger marketplace.

I think we are quite well served by the Beeb considering. Of course the rise in reality shows has dumbed down TV to an extent and perhaps forced channels to work with smaller budgets as a result.

And Claud is just different and kooky and I love her brand of humour. It is a bit slapstick - which actually harks back to the 'olden days'!

Can't we just have the dancing ? And cut all the tea party VT's and stuff ? I don't mind a presenter or two, if they can ad lib and know something about dance. If a presenter doesn't add something to the show, why are they there ? Holding it together doesn't seem enough to me. The show is smoother and has got better in terms of the bits in between the dancing but I think there is still along way to go and other formats that could be looked at to enhance the viewer's experience.

Get Frankie Boyle.

Now that would liven things up a bit.

My problem with Tess is her accent. She sounds like a chip shop owner. It's jarring. It really is.

Sorry, but people who can't get along with different accents
Its the one thing I actually like about the woman.

Denise has previous presenting experience, which makes her a filthy ringah who shouldn't be allowed on Strictly!!!