Jake has been really interesting to follow this year.

We can use the Journey word as he started well - had a dip for two weeks (when people began (prematurely) to write him off and is now back with a bang.

He is working hard between SCD and EE but is not moaning about his schedule and is just getting on with it. Actually is is not using any of the usual attention grabbing tactics that is normal for celebs on these shows.

I find his performances gripping to watch - he may not be the best dancer (we all knew Pixie could dance well since day 1) but his dances are the ones I look forward to each week.

I hope Jake wins - if not I hope it is one of the other celebs who has been on a 'journey' and where we can see progress week on week.

EE have reduced his schedule so that he can focus on Strictly.

I don't find him at all gripping to watch - he hardly ever has a smile on his face which he should have in every dance apart from tango and paso. He doesn't have much of an engaging personality - and I'm not keen on bald headed ginger blokes either He should take a leaf out of Simon and Mark's book on how to interact with your dance partner - now they know how to look romantically / cheerfully involved even though they're not. He's probably a quiet bloke naturally, but he's an actor and should be able to portray feelings better. Not the most interesting dancer for me I'm afraid.

I would have thought that the main reason Soap Stars come on this show is so that the public learn their real name and real personality, rather than that of their screen character. Worked very well for Kara, who I knew as Dawn before Strictly.

And I thought that was the case with Jake, after that fantastic Salsa. But since then, althought he dancing has been good, it's always Max Branning dancing. Even the American Smooth last week, which could have been a lighthearted romantic dance, ended up being Max Branning fighting with 2 other blokes over a woman. Which is exactly what he does all the time on Eastenders. It's a shame.

Jake is probably my favourite, although I have a soft spot for Steve too. I normally vote twice for Jake each week and once for Steve/whoever else entertained me. However, I realised that the reason Jake was my favourite was purely because of his week one tango (it impressed me because I expected him to be a bit of a duffer!), his fabulous salsa and his jailhouse jive. He set the bar high early on and couldn't quite live up to it afterwards. I enjoyed his American Smooth, but this could have been because of clever choreography by Janette (yes, I did just say that!)

I know we have a few contestants with dance training under their belts, but if Jake has none, then I would like him to win, because that's seriously impressive dancing for a novice. I agree about him not showing much personality, either on or off the dance floor. I'm hoping that he nails his samba this Saturday and shows us that he's enjoying himself.

He's the most overrated dancer by a country mile.

No personality. Finds it hard to crack a smile and every dance is "attacked".
Don't think he dances well at all. It's more case of moves round the floor from one position to another.
There is nothing subtle and no light and shade.

I have the greatest expectancy about Jake and consequently the greatest sense of anti-climax when the routine isn't as successful as I hoped.

Agree with this. He is one-dimensional. He doesn't engage me like the remaining dancers do.

No; I actually think that he is one trick pony on the dancefloor : can only do mean, moody and serious......Dont even get me started on the fact that most of his Ballroom routines look like a tango.

Jake and Mark are my favourites and it annoys me that some people are saying Mark has had dance training when we really have no proof. He could only have attended the stage school on a part time basis and I believe that was to learn acting which is what he wants to do. He must be superman if he went to stage school, normal school and was a football junior all at the same time.

Jake is the most interesting one since his dances are the least predictable. The judges' attitude to each dance seem unpredictable to me too. I've really no idea what his samba is going to be like.

Him and Simon are my favourites of the blokes, leaning towards Simon after the last few weeks. But definitely not the most interesting.

To me Pix and Frankie are the best to watch because they are the best dancers. But considering your unwarranted and bizarre hatred for Pixie you will dispute that

Jake did an amazing Samba but some of his dances have actually been rather dull. It fascinates me how into Jake some people are, people complain every week he was undemarked when he wasn't. The cult of Jake

Im afraid he does nothing for me. I don't watch EE so didn't know him before Strictly. I agree with those who say he doesn't seem to have a personality.

After that Salsa I thought he'd be amazing but I've not been thrilled with anything since.

Yes Pixie is the best dancer and I do not hate her nor did I use such a harsh word to describe her. I find her attitude smug. It is a matter of taste - some viewers like watch celebs go on a journey and make progress week on week - others like to look at good dancers such as Pixie and Frankie - On that note, while Frankie was also previously trained, she comes across on screen as a more likable personality. Each to his/her own opinion - I am merely expressing mine!!

My journey with Jake:

wk 1 Tango: ooh he's interesting- lots of potential there.
wk 2 Salsa: Wow! He's cool and calm- I hope he wins because I love his rough & ready technique
wk 3 Waltz: Very clever use of his mean & moody acting. Shame about the lack of technique, but he'll improve. Still want him to win.
wk 4 Jive: Still loving his rough'n'ready technique. Could do without the gurning. Still want him to win, despite the slightly aloof persona.
wk 5 Quickstep: slightly lacklustre dance- technique still not great- still want him to win, but am bowled over by Pixie's samba and the increasing sense of other people's energy.
wk 6 Paso: dull, forgettable dance, technique still not great and none-the-wiser about Jake's personality. Beginning to want others to win but he's in my top 2.
wk 7 Rumba: an even duller dance and not danced well. Doesn't seem to be improving. Hope he'll bounce back. He's now in my top 3.
wk8 American Smooth: cross about Janette doing all the dancing and no longer think he's the best male celeb. Wouldn't be bothered if he didn't make the final.

This is quite simply incorrect.His salsa and Jive have already shown that he can perform whatever role in the dances theme he is given.

I think it's also wise to remember that Jake doesn't choreograph the dance,or chose the music.He plays A mean and moody character in EE,and the show's producers have obviously played on that by,for example,giving him The Godfather music for his waltz....very difficult for Jeanette to choreograph anything other than "mean and moody" in that scenario.

As for his personality off of the dance floor,I personally find it refreshing that he's understated and not full of himself.I think he's an intense person,who gives nothing less than 100% to everything he attempts.I also love the fact he's a proud family man,and find his "shout outs" to his children on the show and ITT very real.

His samba today looks like it will mirror the party theme of his salsa.....I'm looking forward to it

A lot is riding on his samba for me. If he pulls it off I'll be maxing on Jake love once again but if it's another of his stiff, jagged and jumpy numbers then he can eff off and die for the rest of the competition lol. Tough love

Right until he opens his mouth.
Mind you he does seem to have Janettes crotch in his face a lot. He might have trouble talking after.

I think that's it, fern3. He acts the dances, and that's what he's like as an actor. Some actors have quite a narrow range, and he seems to be one of them.

I like him on ITT and, like Bails HolyGrail, I "find it refreshing that he's understated and not full of himself." But his dances seem overacted to me, and underdanced.

What's interesting is how many people have failed to notice he barely danced at all last week and certainly not any recognisable AS. The salsa was enormous fun and brilliantly performed (although a fair amount of that was Janette and not Jake). Since then he has performed increasingly impoverished content. The rumba most cruelly exposed his lack of basic technique but the judges were mightily dishonest last week in praising a travesty of an AS (at best it was a show dance with precious little dancing by Jake) when a few years ago Artem was (rightly) castigated by Len for lack of AS content with Kara. This was 100% worse, relying almost wholly on Janette's gymnastics and the backing dancers efforts.