I imagine Abbey wasn't the favourite with the bookies at this stage last year? (Anybody actually know?)

Sunetra looks worth a punt at 66/1 - I thought she did well last week, and might have a chance.

But as others have said, TPTB can load the dice by giving unfavoured contestants inappropriate songs and daft costumes etc., so it's never an easy call.

I agree, and after his jive tomorrow, I think that he will be recognised as a serious contender for the finals.

Pasha and Kimberley were robbed 2 years ago. I do like Caroline and i like Jake too. I don't mind who wins out of them. I would like them in the final with Sunetra and maybe Frankie.

Strictly is both a dance and popularity contest - I am not sure how big Jake's fan base is.

He is one of those dancers I really admire but he leaves me slightly cold for some reason - I would be surprised if won.

I think Steve is better than Chris and improving every week - people like to see a big guy and complete novice pull a performance out of nothing.

I am a fully paid up Pasha fan and I really hope that him & Caroline at least make it to the finals and it would be great if they won.

Personally I don't think Jake will win, as others have said he does appear a bit lacking in the personality department, accepted so did Louis but I think what helped Louis was how his personality emerged during the series (I'm loathe to use the J word ) So I think no, Jake won't win.

My husband said the very same last week. My initial reaction was no chance but now Ive thought about it, he could well be right.

The production team would rather have Mark to photograph at the end of the year than Jake, that's for sure.

Last year they manipulated the audience as much as they could for Abbey to be able to win. The interesting detail is that later on she only won once in the tour and that was in her hometown.

It would be a huge scandal if bookies knew the phone votes and it ever were discovered.

No, I don't believe it. Especially since bookies set the odds based on the bets they receive, so that they come out ahead no matter who wins.

Why would they do that?

Why would they want Abbey in particular to win?

That's not a particularly interesting detail. It's happened before.

Tom Chambers, Chris Hollins, Kara Tointon - all series winners.
Number of tour wins between them - 2.

Veri, I remember last year when people started to point out the fact that Abbey was all over Aljaz to put it mildly, The show quickly organized an OK Magazine reportage with Aljaz and Janette just to point out what a happy couple they were and how much Aljaz loved sports and specially his amazing relationship with Abby's pocket manager Peter Crouch.

And of course Perfect Goddess Of Dance Jill Halfpenny managed to scrape together the same number of tour wins as Julian Clary and fewer than Kenny Logan.

I don't think Jake is good enough to win, but who knows. As for Caroline's past dance experience - she was celeb partner on Dancing on Wheels a couple of years ago, where she learnt all (or at least most) of the 10 standard dances, and even entered a competition.

No question that Dancing on Wheels gave Caroline a head start against many of the celebs in the current competition, even though dancing with somebody in a wheelchair imposes substantial limitations as regards moves that match what the partner is doing.

However the BBC web site suggests she was only taught 6 of the 14 dances she could be asked to master in this competition.

Fwiw there is a youtube version of her "foxtrot". I'm hoping that doesn't prevent her from dancing the foxtrot now.

jake doesn't have too many places to go, and he's had a few of the dances that seems to suit him best. he could look like he's stalled, albeit at high altitude, which will allow for pixie and frankie to close the gap. sunetra, caroline and steve are all contenders to make the final too, so its not a done deal.

I don't have a fave currently. Scott is my least favourite dance wise, but he has no shot at winning. Mark is not a bad dancer but I have never liked the guy, and he is trying so hard to appear sensitive on the show. I hope people are wrong about him being the dark horse. Wouldn't surprise me if they took the journey route with him.

Any of the others I would be happy to see win

Sorry but Jake should not be in the final to cocky and not a great dancer

I guess that makes it believable to you, but since you are making my point, I rest my case.

Clearly, I am not on your wavelength. I have no idea what your point is or how I am making it.

If they try and manipulate the show in favour of Mark at the expense of Jake then I'll have to seriously consider whether I can watch Strictly anymore. The show hit an all time low last year for me with all the machinations that took place, imo it descended into a total farce.......some of the stuff that went on would make an X-factor producer blush!

Strictly should be about the contestants' performances and how well they're coming across as personalities on the show.........not who's the most 'beautiful' or who can atrract the most tabloid interest or who's got the most famous girlfriend or husband!

Have to lol @ the Abbey haters pushing their bile once again. She won. Get over it. It wasn't a fix lol. Some people really do need to get a life and/or grow up. At this stage Jake has as much chance of winning as any of the other main contenders. He hasn't peaked any more than anyone else and the longer he stays in the competition the stronger he will become because he is likely to be the only one in the top four who is really starting from scratch.

He isn't glamorous enough and doesn't play the "WOW, this is amazing" card.

I think some people around here need to learn some forum etiquette and grow up themselves. Not everyone has to love Abbey or think she had an amazing victory.

Where has anyone said otherwise? Please feel free to point it out to me. I just find it so very sad that some people are still dissing Abbey almost twelve months later and on a thread dedicated to another dancer in another series of Strictly. Talk about poor forum etiquette. If her detractors are so obsessed with her that they need to vent their spleen surely the thing to do would be to have a dedicated thread?