I disagree with Abbey being over marked in the above comments- her top line was better than anyone else's i have seen on strictly.

Anyway,

I think Jake is a little like Sophie EB. One wow dance- Charleston and for Jake the Salsa… and then some solid and really good dances but not quite the same wow level. Both a little reserved but with great fan bases, remember SEB was favourite with the bookies last year to win until all the tabloid articles about Susannah's votes.

Although I love Jake I want to know more about him.

I like Caroline and Steve!

I personally think Kara's and Alesha's was better - and just a good top line doesn't make a great ballroom dancer - there's stuff like footwork - which was rarely brought up by judges with Abbey and then there was problem of huge gapping in most of her ballrom which again was rarely bought up and she wasn't penalised in the marking for and imo she wasn't a very good latin dancer - I didn't care for her disco dance that supposed to be a 'salsa' - just my opinion

I personally liked SEB - I doubt she was favourite to win though, I remember thinking right up to the finals that it would be Susanna.



I'd have voted for Sophie in the final if I could but for some reason I couldn't get through on her line - I voted for Natalie even though I knew she wouldn't win because I wanted her to get to the final 3. I just think last series would have been improved if there was another ringer cast so that Natalie hadn't got all the flak.

I'd prefer it if Steve could get to the finals - I think he may have the same broad appeal that Jake seems to have but I just get the feeling the producers won't want it - he's with Ola and they don't like pros winning twice - I just get the feeling they'd prefer Mark there

I agree Topaz, I think they will try and push Mark. He's a decent dancer, but I just don't like him. Steve on the other hand, whilst not as good a dancer as Jake, Pixie, Frankie and Caroline, is very likeable and has done some great dances. I would rather him or Sunetra be the journey contestant

I wouldn't mind Jake winning at all, and I still think that is what will happen. Could be a shock outcome though, you never know! Last year's was an unpredictable year.

I don't believe Jake has finished surprising us -- he needs to work out ballroom for a start, and the other three at the top of the leaderboard are pretty darn good, particularly Caroline who has more presence and vim than the two singers, IMO, plus she has the all-important Pasha factor.

I see people mentioning Steve and Mark, which cheers me immensely. Would love the monkey guy to come through. Especially if he deserves it (I'm old-fashioned like that). But I can see he has the charm and the backing to get a longish way.

Mark... I don't think he has the support, sorry to say. The producers might like him but I don't feel many voters do. If we're seriously looking at outsiders at this stage I wouldn't rule out Sunetra. She has a lot of supporters and an indefinable 'thing'.

I would love a final four of Jake, Caroline, Sunetra and my favourite Steve. That would be all right

Interesting and surprising thread this

I feel that Steve (effusive) and Jake (laconic) are "genuine" whereas Mark is a bit fake and a "player". Simon, I just can't get a feel for and Scott feels too sulky.

BIB think his sorting out the ballroom may provee difficult with Janette - she seems a lovely person and is good at latin but her ballroom makes me wince a bit

Well we know all too well that it isn't dancing expertise that lands the glitterball.

But that said, from memory almost all of Jake's dances thus far have played to his strengths. The notable exception was his Waltz, which rather predictably lacked the fluidity and finesse of a good Waltz.

I wonder if his body is too old to master the skills which typify the performances of the top girls.

Jake struggles with ballroom imo .

I don't think Jake has it in the bag at all. Technically he's got a lot to sort out still (as have the other guys) and one bad week, maybe coupled with dodgy music and a bad theme, could see him out. The others are good enough to dance perceptively better for one week and he could easily lose a dance off to one of the girls.

It seems like it

I agree and if he was partnered up with another pro, I don't think that he would struggle as much in that area.

Nothing's inevitable on Strictly. Certainly not Jake winning (though I'd love it if he did!)

I think a Jake/Frankie/Pixie/Caroline final is getting fairly close to inevitable though.

I also want it on record that I said on the Launch Show that Steve was Hollins mk 2.0 and that he would win. I'm toying with declaring Sunetra a dead cert next week just for the laffs.

I picked Jake at 25/1 at the start, on the basis of some nifty dancing in the group dance and likely EE support. My heart says Frankie but it really could be anyone of four. Steve is surprising me, apart from being an incredibly nice guy his dancing is coming on as well. Pixie and Simon won't get the public support, and Mark probably won't either.
Sunetra won't go all the way. That leaves Caroline, popular with the public and a good dancer without major ringerdom issues. So my possibilities for winning in pretty much this order are Jake, Caroline, Frankie and Steve.

I don't think it is a dead cert he will win. When you are top or near the top of the leader board at this stage you can' t tell how popular he is. Having said that he is favourite with the bookmaker's at the moment. Personally I am not a fan of his dancing. I feel his movements look forced. I think he is trying too hard. I would like to see him relax into the dance a lot more. Also I don't feel any real connection between him and Janette when they are dancing and I don't feel he really connects with the music. That spoils it for me.

I personaly don't want Ola to win again especialy with another Chris Hollins, would rather Pasha got a first win the guy deserves it.

I don't think so at all.

I'd like him to, but he needs to improve and wow.

He's not top at the moment either, and he's not the most 'popularnicegorgeous' type by a long way.

Sexy though, as Max he has a vulnerable, bruised masculinity that is compelling. As Jake, he might just be too earnest and competent.

I'm hoping, but it's not certain AT ALL.

No, I don't think it's inevitable at all. I wouldn't rule him out, but at this stage I think he is one of several contestants who are in with a chance. Personally, I would like it to be Sunetra, but I can't see that happening. Pixie Lott is pretty good, from what I have seen.

Jake is going to win 100%

No, I don't think it is. I feel he has peaked too early and the other very good dancers, will catch up with him and give him a run for his money.
Slightly off topic

I'd never heard of him because I don't watch EE, so this is the first time I've seen him, What a lovely unassuming and modest family man he is.

Jake's biggest danger is exhaustion. If he'd had no day job, I'd be pretty confident about him winning. My perception is that his standing ovations, for his faster dances, are more intense that anyone else's and that the buzz from people who just watch the show, not ITT etc, is about Jake - my guess is that the men are dropping like flies this year because Jake is hoovering up so much of the male vote. And he's got a few dances that should really suit him ahead. So much of it is who gets which dance when. I think that thing of someone (particularly a man) who lights up when he dances, who becomes someone else, is very magical to people, and he's a sweet man in the interviews as well.

Looking at the polls, youtube, facebook, etc, I think Caroline particularly, and Frankie and Pixie are all more popular than people are giving them credit for being. I think there is a paranoia on here about the women - you'd swear a beautiful woman had never won. Plus Kevin and Pasha are very popular (esp Kevin) and Trent is I think growing on people. Caroline could definitely win, particularly if Jake fades, but any of them could - they just need one wow dance that feels like something they couldn't do when they arrived. They have got the potential to do that. I think 2 out of the 3 will get to the final, not all of them, but whichever ones do certainly can win.

I also think people are underestimating Mark. He could easily be this year's Abbey and the b2 place is misleading. Plus now Thom is gone, I don't think he'll get anymore Superman-paso-type stupid costumes foisted on him. He understands reality TV, that's his job, and he knows how to do the interviews and the press better than anyone. (That isn't a dig, that's just saying everyone has to work to their strengths.) His dancing is suddenly improved and he hasn't, interestingly, mentioned his upcoming wedding yet...

Steve and Sunetra are doing brilliantly and are my favourites, but I've been looking at all the polls, etc, for reassurance that Steve will stay in a bit longer and I don't see the level of support in most of them for either Steve and Sunetra that would get them to the final. Of course that can change. Personally, as a smitten fan, I'm just happy if Steve is coming across well to people and can stay in a bit longer, I don't know if I'd vote for him to win.

I also don't believe that TPTB will want James Jordan at the final. They don't mind a bit of controversy now but when they've had enough of that, they just have to give Steve a rumba in a silly costume and he'll be gone. Nobody can get to the final without the show's support and I think they'll be wanting a Jake/Mark/2 out of FPandC final not Jake/Steve.

And I may be being really stupid, but I wouldn't rule out Judy staying, not to the final, but long enough to create some surprises in the b2.

Sorry for the essay.

Always have to lol at how people damn with faint praise in order to promote their faves

No, I don't think it is inevitable that Jake will win. I find him the most magnetic dancer to watch with Caroline second but for him to win he will need to master his top line and be able to transcend the blokeish persona he is projecting and play the gentleman in ballroom dancers that require more studied elegance.

At the moment it's too close to call between Jake, Caroline, Pixie and Frankie.

Mark is the fastest improving and Sunetra is still in the running - just.

I can't see anyone else winning. I'm liking Steve most of the remaining celebs.

Jake is 7/4f to win. A 7/4 shot is no certainty.

That would be my dream final, and I wouldn't mind which of them won it. I can't remember a series where I liked so many of the contestants for such different reasons.

That's how I feel. Occasionally I forget some of them, but that's because there are still so many probably. There's no one to dislike, and hasn't been from the start either, IMO, as an easy to please kind of person. Particularly agree with your 'like so many... for such different reasons'. Even outside my dream final, I'm loving Judy and enjoying Alison with Aljaž for the fun they're having, and I like Simon very much, difficult presence though he is.