A DWTS pro (I won't say who - you can look it up ) has recently claimed that it is better to come fourth or first than second or third. Mainly because it's more frustrating to go to the wire only to miss out at the very last hurdle. (It should be said they also have four couples in the final over there with one couple eliminated on the Monday before the Tuesday finale).

I'm not sure I agree with that view, I think getting right to the last dance is a worthwhile bonus, and I rather think the relevant finalists over here might say the same.

But what do you guys think?

(plea not to judge based on who said it, enclosed!)

I'm not sure it makes much difference either way to be honest. Everybody seemed perfectly happy just to reach the final and finish where they did, or they were just very good at hiding their true feelings.

I agree.

I think it's better to be runner up than fourth. It's a bit embarrassing to get your outfit on and then be told to clear off. Also .. it speaks volumes about your popularity. If you're runner up .. you can tell yourself that there might not have been much in it. Anyway .. you get to experience it all which is more satisfying I would think.

I think you may have something there. When I won my Olympic silver medal my first thoughts were 'I wish I'd finished fourth instead of having to accept a runners-up medal'. Talk about disappointment.

Not even close v. Run the winner close <rubschin>

If you're happy to settle for fourth why bother entering the competition in the first place imo

Because it's not the winning that counts, it's the taking part. Or that's what all the losers say, anyway.

The 4th place couple don't get to perform their favourite dance. I'm guessing that Sophie Ellis-Bextor really wanted to dance that Charleston again last year.

FWIW, I always put my money on the Eskimo contestants. You've got to be Inuit to win it I say

At least if you get pipped at the post you can say you came second. Got to be better than fourth.

Different when there is a clear first second & third. Third at least can be pleased they got a medal. Where second is close but no cigar, so feels more of a fail.

I think it's different if that means you leave a day before, if that's what happens on DWTS. I've seen people suggest that leaving the night before is better than losing the final on I'm a Celeb because if you leave the day before you get all the press attention and interviews, etc, whereas if you lose in the final nobody's that interested in you, all the attention is on the winner. Coming fourth in Strictly wouldn't get you that advantage. I can't see any advantage in Strictly over the person coming second or third.

Suppose a better comparison would be leaving in the semi over here, I am sure Jake and Janette were disappointed, but they seemed fine at the weekend.

I think over here there's a definite desire to get to the final and probably also to get to do every possible dance, with winning of course being a bonus. It might just have been one pro's opinion on DWTS anyway.