Just saw this.

http://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/str...he-series.html

Personally I think that the show is all about the dancing. Despite all the interference from the producers I feel we could have a complete change of judges and it'll be fine.
I would hope that Craig and Bruno stay but I wont lose sleep if we get a completely new line up.

After all, the pros have come and gone. We only have 2 of the originals, the viewers have moaned and threatened but the show goes on.

As long as the pros are good, the celebs are keen (and some can dance) and the judges know what they are talking about, Strictly keeps dancing.

Besides it'll do Len and his lens (and his pickled walnuts) good to know he's not indispensable.

Definitely so. I think it would be preferable to not lose the whole judging panel in one go - I'd gladly lose Darcey and maybe Len, but Craig and Bruno are good at their job IMO - and that might damage the show to some extent. However, I would think that most people watch for the dancing and the celebs. Arguably the star of the show was Brucie and its doing just fine without him!

Now that I'm hooked, the judges are fine and whether they change or not matters little.

BUT

When SCD started the very thought of know-all Arlene Phillips coupled with Bruce Forsyth was just too much for me so maybe the judges do have some influence on viewing figures.

Pros have come and gone - in some cases the show is poorer as a result of them having gone, in some cases the show would be poorer without some of those who have come. The biggest loss, to my mind, was Ian Waite especially given how beautifully he danced with Natalie in the pro dances but then, also to my mind, Natalie is one of the newcomers that the show would be poorer without.

IMO the pros are far more important to the show than any of the judges so I don't think that it would be a problem to replace any or even all of the judges so long as their replacements are up to the task.

Switch Anton from professional to judge plus ask Ian Waite, Karen Hardy and Vincent Simone to join the panel and move on. If anything the show's become too over reliant on the judges and that's where The X Factor started to flounder.

Gradual changes and tweaks have worked for the show, but a panel revamp would probably make for a quite jarring transition. It would probably be workable with the right replacements, but finding a working panel is most likely harder than many people would think. The judges do more than give their opinion; they have their familiar role to play in the show's entertainment platter. And there's that balance between familiarity and the novel that would likely be disturbed.

Having said that, the article's title is a bit of an attention grab. As the body of the article suggests, whilst there are a couple of claimed predicate exits (from Darcey and Bruno) if Len goes, there's no indication at all that Len wants to go anytime soon.

It'll potentially be an issue sometime in the future, but most likely not in any immediate capacity.

Oh... and I don't know that the show's ever been all about just the dancing.

They're just perfect as they are imo.

Yes, it is bigger than any one component. The judges are part of the panto, which has gotten more and more pronounced in the last few years. New judges would mean new character roles -- but this could be easily adapted.

Yes, of course it is. Drop these judges the show would still go on. Drop the show, where would the judges be?

As if they'd leave en masse.

Think that articles a load of codswallop!

The judges get paid over £100k for an evenings work each week for 3 months f the year..... Money for nothing!!

That said, they are the most dispensable and easily replaced group on the show..... There are many choreographers and ballroom dancing judges who would be all too willing to step into their shoes at a moment's notice.

Just as long as the "head judge" remains a ballroom dancer, and not Craig, I don't care who does it!

I don't watch the show for the judges. In fact, I often find myself hitting the mute button when they start uttering their platitudeswhich we have heard ad nauseam. Even with Brucie gone, the poor mute button is still showing signs of being worn out. I hope it last the season as it's hard to sip wine with both index fingers in my ears (oh, hang on - a straw would do the trick).

Overall I think Strictly is bigger than the judges, but that doesn't mean that if they all left at the same time it wouldn't be a massive blow, and could well be the death knell. However, I think that article is a load of bilge made up purely for sensationalism.

I don't believe there is a generous supply of experienced dance judges who would also be entertaining, and remember this is an entertainment programme and most of the viewers don't want to listen to a detailed, technical critique of the dance that's just gone before. Dance afficianados might be delighted but casual viewers, who make up most of the audience, would be leaving in droves. Remember Phillip Jackson and his red button commentary anyone?

James Jordan to return as head judge afterall he is the Brad Pitt of the Dance World :-X

Of course SCD is bigger than the judges and we all have good reasons why they should get rid of our least favourites for next year (Bruno for me his slapstick routine when commenting on a routine is getting a little too much IMHO).

But I will wait and see what happens and I very much doubt any replacement would reduce my enjoyment too much, and I would probably get used to any changes ASAP. I mean we don't get many 'bring back Arlene/Aleisha' posts these days.
Last edited by Hamlet77 : 18-11-2014 at 14:54

Put him the same panel as Anton and see who has the bigger ego.

Firstly the quoted article is a load of rubbish as quoted Len said he will never retire, Darcy on ITT said she is loving it so much, Craig, runs the SCD live tour so it's unlikely he would quit.

It builds up their profile Len has got extra shows now so looks set to stay, Craig it helps his panto work.

If they did, then there are plenty of people to fill the shows, Karen Hardy, Ian Waite already mentioned, Anton,

When Arlene Phillips left it was no issue, Alesha Dixon was out of her depth,

To be honest it would refresh the panel but it's not going to happen.