Costumes were much better this week - proper tails for the men and dresses for the women

Surprised by how much I like Mark - my pre-conception of him was completely wrong and I'm happy to admit it

Somewhat erratic marking - no way was Scott's Charleston better than Judy's - he went wrong completely whereas at least she got through the whole dance. Judy is at least trying to improve - and good on her for allowing Anton to chuck her about again - Scott however is beyond words......

Sunetra and Steve are the ones who are improving most week by week and the ones I look forward to seeing most

Sad to see Thom go but Simon did dance better - he's not going to win though, that's twice in the dance off now from quite high positions so clearly the public aren't taking to him

Ditto, Alleycat.
I've never seen TOWIE but I have seen that imbicile Joey Essex on various panel shows.I thought Mark was probably like him. How wrong I was! What a lovely, well-mannered, articulate young man he is ( and a pretty decent dancer, too )

We'll agree to disagree.

Thirded. I avoid shows like TOWIE like the plague, but Mark has really surprised me. He and Karen are possibly my favourite partnership along with Jake and Janette.

Frankie herself said hasn't had any training.

Like you I had never seen Mark in TOWIE, and I really was expecting an Essex chav.
Instead I warmed to him straight away, His enthusiasm is so infectious, and it is great to see just how much he is loving the whole experience. I think that Mark could well be this years dark horse. He will certainly be getting all my votes every week.

Well that's OK then - but hang on - Frankie took dancing lessons before stage school. Doesn't that count as training?

She's a beautiful young woman and an exquisite dancer - but the latter does not happen within a few weeks. She might attract more support if she came clean.

What dancing lessons? And even if she did which she didn't its no more experience then a lot of the others have had so is unfair that you are singling out just Frankie.

I'm not singling out Frankie - the same applies to Pixie and Caroline.

btw are you her dad, brother, manager or just a besotted fan?

There are three or four this year at least who look like they've had previous training or experience, but none are as outright talented/professional-looking as Natalie Gumede was last year, so they're probably not going to get the same levels of Uh? You Kidding?!! from the forum.

I'm mostly interested to see the could-possibly-learn beginners begin … Steve and Sunetra are the two who are good to watch in those terms. Maybe, at another much lower level, Judy too.

1. Loving Caroline, Final place booked for her I hope
2. Mark cant stand him, such an emotional wreck (and ive not got a problem with men crying)
3. sad to see Thom go
4. Alison is great but her dresses never let us shee her moves
5. Scott is absolutely terrible, he can leave now

Frankie hasn't had any professional dance training. She danced a little when in S Club Juniors and then moved straight into school. After school she auditioned for The Saturdays, she's always loved dancing and has said its her favourite part of being a pop star.

She's never actually been trained, she's just talented and has a passion for dancing.

So Frankie does no dance training while with the Saturdays although the band have done alot of dance moves on stage. Also does anyone know which contestants mum is a ballroom dancing teacher?

i can not believe judy and Scott are still there and we are losing good dancers for them to stay!!!

1- Jake can win this. The Quick Step was brilliant, imagine Mark dancing it like that?
2- Caroline is an amazing dancer with beautiful legs and has a bubbly personality
3- Mark is not a natural mover, do not understand what the fuss was all about. Talk about manipulation of a pretty face.
4- Pixie can dance, but I find her robotic and dumb
5- I want to like Frankie more, she is lovely and can dance, but her feet are always pointing inward and I feel like she is going to stumble when she dances.

She has rehearsals which require to learn routines, yes.

Being able to learn Ballroom and Latin is a completely different thing altogether. Let's be honest, is The Saturdays choreography anywhere near as complicated or concentrated as the routines she's being taught to do on Strictly? No.

The advantage she possesses is her musicality - which anyone can have, so really she has no upper hand on everyone else.

I don't understand why you keep making this point. Sunetra's mum was an Indian dancer - is that giving her an unfair advantage?

5. (its only taken me 3 days) for some reason, i do not warm to steve, nor am i impressed by him scrubbing up in ballroom.

I am asking because I read an article somewhere that pointed out that a contestant's mum is a ballroom dancing teacher but I can't remember which one. It could be any of them. Maybe it was referring to Sunetra as you point out that she was a dancer.

I thought it was Frankie's mum.

This is so ridiculous. People shouldn't speculate and assume with out knowing any facts.

Ignazio, forgive me but it's you that has a bee in your bonnet about the girl's and their so called dance training ! You keep saying that people would support them more if they came clean about it, but who said that they're hiding it ? If the BBC invited them to take part then they must be happy that they haven't broken any of the rules governing contestant's experience, so please stop your moaning !! It must be a struggle for the BBC to sign up enough celebrities year on year, so let us all be thankful that they find girls like Pixie, Caroline and Frankie willing to take part, because who wants to see all duffers or over 50 - 60 yr old's taking part ? I don't, that would make Strictly so dull, and a bit of a switch off for many I would think.

No I said I would support them if they came clean.

Of course they haven't broken any rules - just as previously trained celebs didn't break the rules and I'm not moaning - just asking for honesty. Natalie Gumede's experience meant nothing to me last year. She acknowledged her training, didn't try to play it down and danced exquisitely: I voted for her every week and given the same honesty I would vote for Frankie.

Of course I forgive you and btw I don't wear a bonnet.

Having a mum who is a dance teacher is also an advantage, if it is true

Sorry for the confusion - Frankie's mum was a ballroom teacher. But what I was saying was that Sunetra's mum was also an Indian dancer, but that doesn't seem to give her an unfair advantage.