And did the judges get it right.

For me, it was series 5 when Gabby and Penny were in the dance off, but I do think that Len saved the right person.

Abbey v Rachel last Halloween.

A mid-tabler that had improved greatly (Rachel) against a contender that was second on the leaderboard. I remember reading the spoiler and (despite being pleased Sophie avoided the DO), I was shocked

I thought that DO would be Fiona v Sophie or Mark.

2012 series 11(?)
Wk 6-Kimberley Walsh.

South Park Season 8 Episode 4 "It's On"

Oh, you mean .....

Even though Abbey was my favourite , Her DO with Rachel wasnt really THAT shocking to me.
I would say when Alesha was in the DO

Another good question would be which celebrities escaping the DO was shocking to you ? Now that would BE A LOT.

Lisa & Brendan vs. Cherie & James - Series Six, Wk 9
Ali & Brian vs. Zoe & James - Series Seven, Wk 7
Kimberley & Pasha vs. Fern & Artem - Series Ten, Wk 6
Abbey & Aljaz vs. Rachel & Pasha - Series Eleven, Wk 6

So yeah, the girls aren't very popular.

Lisa and Brendan vs Austin and Erin, 2008. When Len saved Lisa basically because she was his favourite, I believe. #Austinwasrobbed!

Totally agree. I've never thought much of Len's opinions since then.

They all saved chuffing Lisa...none of the four voted for Austin.

That kind of killed my previously affectionate and emotional attachment to the show really. I've never been as remotely invested since as I thought what was the point, if in the closing weeks somebody talented you really like can go out on the opinion of four people. I only loved Kara's series because there was no DO.

I wouldn't class it as shocking per se though because Austin was last on the board. Just massively massively bloody disheartening. The genuinely shocking one was the original...Gabby and Penny.

I think the most shocking to me overall in terms of not seeing it coming was Phil Tufnell. He seemed to be motoring along quite happily, getting a decent public vote, being saved by the public regularly and then suddenly he dropped into the Bottom 2 from a decent leaderboard slot and was summarily axed over Ricky Groves, who was running on fumes at that point. I was also mildly surprised by Thom, just because he seemed to be at the beginning of a growth arc, but there was something in the air after his cha cha that suggested things were about to go south.

I'm never surprised when a pretty young woman is in the dance-off "shockingly". There's too much precedent, you always have to kind of be expecting it. Everyone and his dog on here has been predicting either Pixie or Frankie to be in the dance-off at some point around now from Week 1.

(I was also kind of surprised in a happy way when the public summarily booted Widdy, but that wasn't a dance-off situation)

I agree. I don't know why people are surprised anymore. I know Pixie will be in the bottom 2 at some point. Gorgeous young woman who has also been dubbed the year's biggest ringah? It's inevitable.

It just highlights everything that's wrong with the dance off when you get down to so few couples and there are 2 dances involved.

Lisa's best dance had scored 39 and Austen's 36 - he was sunk basically. If it had been lowest scoring dance he might have had a chance because he was a point ahead there.

Still, Bacofoil.

I was pretty shocked this year with Thom .. I know he was in a vulnerable place on the leaderboard but I didn't see it coming at all. Am so sad that he went so NO the judges didn't make the right decision
Previous years .. was shocked to see Ali Bastian, Kimberley Walsh and Abbey Clancy in the d/o .. glad all three survived so YES I thought the right choice was made there.
I think Pixie, Caroline or Frankie could easily fall into the d/o .. hope they also can survive it.

The DO should definitely not be in play at the quarter final, if not before.

Kara's series did quite happily without it, I don't know why they had to bring it back.

Still, the judges did end the final with massive egg on face by way of Bacofoil and Tom's showdance so there was a bit of schadenfreude there at least.

Shocking.

Craig says they made a lot of mistakes in the dance-off, but he is going to save Brian and Karen based on believing they have potential and talent.

Arlene says she is going to save Kenny based on how Matt Dawson danced the previous year.

Bruno saves Kenny based on them bringing more romance, some sentiment and a smile.

Len saves Kenny based on how they danced in the dance-off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USK2-eIl6bo

I remember that very very well....the first DO.Which kind of suckered any credibility from it from the start.

Arlene's reason made me howl then and still makes me howl.

Gabby Logan v Penny Lancaster beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Personally, I agreed with Craig on this one

The other three went for Penny didn't they. I think Gabby would have been more versatile as Craig said but her face while getting good marks was a bit like Simon's this year and I think her face while in the old Tess pit on that very show while Kate Garraway was getting slated for her samba also probably didn't play well at home. Len was saying 'I can see an improvement' and Gabby was going 'uh what' on camera. Very unwise and wouldn't have gone down well with the voters.

She was in the death slot as well. But I think I would have picked her on that one.

Only one huge shocker DO

Scott Maslen and Ann Widicombe

Shocking that she lasted that bloody long

Yes, I'm afraid Len has his favourites and not-so-favourites. Mind you, Darcy is even worse, and Craig isn't blameless. Even Bruno has a small hint of non-impartiality (though it's pretty rare and of small significance).

Will never forget this dance off, was well and truly the most I've been shocked from it, and arguably I thought Gabby was the better dancer, just a little over competitive

This was my shocker as well, I was sure they only saved Penny because of who her husband was.

Also as others have said when Austin went out.

biggest shocker for me was Penny vs Gabby

was not shocked re Austin like many were and at the time agreed with the panel - Austin was not the problem but the latin routines from Erin imo

I had my magnifying glass on Lisa and never saw anything special in her latin.

When Rachel Stevens was in the dance off with Heather Small - that was just a crazy moment, and after she'd done a beautiful AS too. I hadn't voted before for her but I made sure I did after that.