I think there may be a clue in the name...

I do sometimes think, imagine if we'd had Twitter when Colin and Erin did that dance, would have been a hashtag meltdown.

Freudian slip.

I haven't watched strictly since day one so I haven't seen some of the earlier contestants but I was very impressed with Frankie's ballroom! I think her quickstep at blackpool is a really underrated strictly dance. She stuck to kevin like glue during some fast and frantic bits of choreography!

Totally agree with you, her ballroom was pretty impeccable! She struggled with some Latin (namely salsa and cha cha), but did do the samba justice!

I'm so glad someone finally agrees with me about her samba! She had a couple of hesitant moment particularly when she was changing hands with kevin, but there was some nice samba action in there. I thought it was better than Pixie's but I don't think there's anyone on DS who agrees with me, there.

Considering she was pregnant at the time, I thought her later party Latins were pretty damn good. Explained the lack of core strength in her Salsa; I doubt anyone who knows they're pregnant is going to engage their core a lot...

Was just thinking, what does everyone think of Pamela Stephenson? I watched her Viennese waltz on YouTube earlier and it was stunning. She was brilliant throughout with James Jordan, only dodgy dance I recall was their jive.

I'd agree with you about hers being better than Pixie's. Pixie's isolations when they went past the judges table looked clumsy, and she was out of time with Trent when they did the hip thrusts near the end of the routine. Frankie only had that one mistake and the rest was really accomplished technically and captured the essence of the samba.

My illusions of all being fair in the glittery world of strictly have been shattered 😂😂😂its a shame it didn't come down to how they danced on the night, but I understand because at the time the votes cast raised money for Children in Need so it makes sense that phone lines were kept open.

I too long for that mythical level playing field!

Actually I think it did come down to how they danced on the night, although the phone lines were open all through the show. It's so long ago now that I can't be sure, but I think in those days the phone lines opened after the first dance. Somebody with a better memory will put me right!

The phone lines were open all week - they re-opened as soon as the leaving couple finished their last dance, as I remember.

For some reason, I have got it in my mind that didn't happen before the final. Just ignore me.

Never
I couldn't remember if I was misremembering - I definitely remember the numbers (in those days I think the couples kept the same number all the way through the series) being given out on their ITT interview - and I voted for midweek once because was going to be out and can't remember that being finals week?

Isn't it strange just how much has changed since the beginning? I was reading the Wikipedia page and thinking "I don't remember that, and I don't remember that either!" It's all a bit of a blur these days! Maybe I am getting old!

On the subject, is there anywhere that all of Jill and Darren's dances are available to view?

Based on technique over full length dances and for consistency over all the dances, I'd say Rachel Stevens.
I think Kara had better technique, but in fewer dances and her dances had less content.

Zoe Ball and Ian Waite aren't on the list to vote for

So, on that basis, I have voted for 'Other'

Sorry, there were lots of celebs who could have been on the list, but it would have been awfully crowded! I just went through all the ones who are commonly considered to be the best dancers. Although Zoe was brilliant (especially *that* tango), she wasn't one who immediately sprung to mind of being one of the best all round technical performers.