Historically winning has proven elusive for the over-40s celebs but atm I can see Anton making the final.

I think they will make the final barring unexpected circumstances.

I don't really 'think' they will actually win.

Will be a different & probably welcome take on a show dance if he does.

I can't help thinking that it will be fabulous, ballroomy and beautiful. I'd really LOVE to see a ballroom based show dance.

Didn't Frankie and Kevin do one? Gorgeous dress, she looked stunning, but marred by benches.

Both of Kevin's showdances have been ballroom based, although I believe technically the real base element for Susanna's was Edam.

Someone in DWTS won and they were 50 years and upwards, it can be done.

Perhaps there just haven't been that many very good over 40 celebrities?

At the moment the biggest obstacle to the chances of Katie winning (it should really be about her not Anton) appears to be the reaction to Jay. The judges appear to have bought into the vulnerable and shy act and haven't criticised him at all. Are they frightened of making him cry? Looking extremely awkward has somehow been disguised as some sort of attribute. If he were a 45 year-old newsreader and had produced the exact same dances would they have been received in such glowing terms? I very much doubt it but I suspect the judges have an agenda to sell the show to a younger audience. In terms of actual dance ability Peter and Katie have looked more than a notch above but that (so far) hasn't been reflected in the marks.

Sad to say at this early stage but Katie could continue to outshine Jay in the dance stakes but still fall short due to the popularity element of the contest.

I think the problem with Anton (plus Brendan & Ola) is that they are far more famous than most of the celebrities they dance with. I said in a previous post that I believe Anton often stays in as long as he does because people are voting for him and not the celebrity. Katie seems popular (and fun) so if her and Anton can string some good dances together they could stand a chance.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. I know there are some posters on here who don't like him but generally I think he is very popular with the Strictly viewers.

I am certainly interested as when I first saw the song title list,I derided this choice having seen only the Lady Gaga(?) version.
On the night I had forgotten what I originally had expected and just enjoyed the routine so it's a revelation to see how such unpromising material can be so successfully adapted.

I think Anton is going to let Katie down with the Latin. Even when he's had decent partners in the past, most noticeably Laila Rouass and Patsy Palmer, the Latin routines have been awful and he makes a joke of it. He also looked very awkward in his jive.

Katie is quite good, but I can't help thinking her level is being overinflated due to Anton having some awful partners in the past? If she was with anyone else shed be a mid-fielder and probably wouldn't be getting as much attention.

Why are some people still so negative. They are getting good reviews from the judges, so something is right. Why harp back to Laila and 'the issues'. Personally I feel that was over exaggerated by others who wanted to put Anton down. If she was that good I'm sure she would have made sure she stayed in. There are not many who would not be happy to have Anton ad a partner. Other people again stirring it up for them.
Go team Detbeke.

Of course the judges play a major part in who goes or stays in the dance off . So if in the latter stages of the competition they both should be in a dance off it's very difficult to say who they would vote off . I think the male judges especially like Anton .

I also believe Peter has a big following so i would include him in any popularity stakes .

Anton CAN do Latin

I personally know Anton can do and choregraph Latin, people forget it depends on which student they have

Katies odds are shortening across the board, so an even greater possibility that she could win:

http://www.oddschecker.com/tv/strict...dancing/winner

They were.

And thanks for making me laugh

On what we've seen so far, they could win. Anton is popular away from here and so is Katie this year. If she continues to dance as well as she has and they got to the final, it could be Anton's popularity that carries them over finish line to lift the glitter ball. I can see the final being about who likes traditional routines and who likes contemporary routines (like Aliona & Jay's style).

At the moment 63% of the votes on this week's favourites poll are for two couples and one of them is Anton & Katie and the other is Aliona & Jay. That's pretty remarkable.

I truly believe Katie could do it, they aren't there yet, but I believe in them as a couple. I suspect a Jay-Katie-Peter-(Georgia, Kellie or Helen) final four. And Katie moves very well for a woman in her late-forties, so she could do it...

I think the order of dances could be key, if [and I think it is a big if] Anton has any say in the order I feel he would be better doing cha cha/samba/salsa on theme nights [eg next week/Halloween] when the judges are more forgiving or relatively early when there are weaker dancers still around and keep Paso/ possibly Rumba/Charleston/Ballroom for ordinary weeks later in the competition.
Have loved their partnership so far and would hope they go a long way in the competition

I used to wonder whether Anton was paid extra because he always seemed to be lumbered with a no hoper. This year, however, Katie is a marked contrast. All things being equal, they should both go a long way. There again, Anton, himself, is a bit of an exception among the pros. Whereas you see the others training with leggings, sweatbands etc., and obviously working seriously on their partners' fitness as well as their dancing, his approach seems to be to take his suit jacket off. He will need more than that if he is to progress beyond Blackpool.

On albeit limited evidence I would be pretty disappointed if Katie is involved in a dance-off.

My comments were based on the hope that she would make the final when any progression will be down to the public vote. I think we all know that being the best dancer or near to it is no guarantee of winning anything.

I like to go with dancing ability because so much else is based on assumption. Others prefer the 'storyline' however fake in reality that might actually be.

Anton winning would be the ultimate Strictly story arc that would also enhance Strictly itself

Hope Katie is doing the tour next year even if Anton does his own tour because otherwise he has zero chance of lifting the glitter ball.

Indeed he is. I'm really not a fan, regard him as one of those people who think they are funny but they aren't However .. am very pleased to see him drop the comedy act and concentrate on progressing through the show with his lovely partner. And yes I do know he does get set up to carry on with the comedy act, thankfully not this year. Going back to the original question: Yes, I think he has every chance of winning this year, it very much depends on how Jay is promoted and presented.