Absolutely - you can't make a silk purse, etc. It's quite clear that Jay, regardless of training, has a perfectly natural sense of timing and that is something that NO amount of training will give you - you either got it or you ain't!

And this is Strictly Come Dancing, not Strictly have no talent and hoof it around.

I should point out that Russell had theatrical training - he was originally a cabaret artiste and auditioned for Jack The Ripper, the Musical in 1972. That's not a rumour - I was the Stage Manager at the Auditions. He didn't get the part.

Good post

IN

Series 3, Colin Jackson was a better dancer than the winner,

Series 6 Rachel Stevens didn't win.

Series 7 Ricky Whittle didn't win.

Series 10 Denise Van Outen didn't win.

Series 11 Natalie Gumede didn't win.

Series 12 Pixie Lott didn't win.

So out of 12 Series arguably in 6 the best dancer didn't win.

I don't think the BBC will be too bothered about Jay being a good dancer. Its an entertainment show and if the viewing figures are good, its a good entertainment show.

i don't think winning really matters in this show, as evidenced by the piost above. i do hope and expect he'll be in the final though and that he will have been able to improve along the way, especially on the presentation / showmanship front.

Tap, wasn't it? Wasn't he under 8s tap champ or summat?

Series 3, the bloody glitterball was a better dancer than the winner.

Nevahforgettingnevahmovingonevah...

Jay has made no secret of his previous training - unlike other trained dancers in this series - each of whom has tried to play down their previous experience.

The ratings were good last night and Jay's video clip has already had nearly 2.5 million hits on facebook alone so I don't think interest will suddenly collapse

Absolutely - which is why Jay needs to work on is his personality now.

Of the male 'ringahs' fatskia mentions, Colin very obviously lost because of the show dance. But Ricky's fate was compounded by his Hollyoaks schedule meaning that there was very little sense as who he was as a person … meaning that Chris Hollins, stronger on character than technique, made more of an impact with the audience.

Jay has an advantage in that he's a bloke - women contestants are traditionally judged more harshly. But he'll still need more of an identity than he currently has - looking like a rabbit in the headlights from now until December is going to start wearing thin quite quickly …

I never said there would be a sudden collapse. It's more likely there'd be a decline in interest in him from the public, and a rift between the judges and the audience (see: Lisa Snowdon, Rachel Stevens), with the judges telling the public how they should be voting (see: Ricky Whittle).

But we will have to wait and see. Just keep your fingers crossed the Daily Heil don't try and put the boot into SCD. After this week, I wouldn't put anything past them …

It's fairly well established that Darren was so far ahead in the voting (he had to have topped the public vote to knock Zoe out) that he could have kermaht and done the dummy dance and still won.

Ricky also had the whole hit and run incident to contend with at finals time.

And she sure does prove it. Brilliant dancer. Dont see the problem, in fact it enhances the show. Wouldnt be happy if they were all like Jeremy and Carol.

I love watching Jay dance and I don't care at all if he had some training when he was younger. He is just great!

Colin also wasn't a ringer.

Very well said, As I was watching the show last night I thought to myself, this is not good for the show in the long run, You do not learn to dance like this overnight, it is not humanly possible.

I agree , it doesn't bode well for the show's future .
When I queried on here why the producers signed up a boxer with a very disabling injury I was told that the producers apparently had difficulty finding male celebs . Well they'll have even more difficulty next series . No male celeb with any ambition to win or any gumption or self pride will want to take a chance of being shot down in flames from the get go by another ringer with 6 years of intense dance training and years of appearing on stage with a boy band .
Stage school is one thing , but dance school where ballroom is part of the course is just a ridiculous background . I think the producers have shot themselves in the foot here and are handing Sico the ratings on a plate next time round .

Yes it is...My friend has never had any form of dance training and yet she is a great dancer.

But they've already had Jay's female equivalent on in Natalie Gumede - she had years of intense dance training at a dance school with the specific intention of becoming a professional dancer. Yes, that wasn't a great series, but it hasn't killed the show or ruined the ratings.

Natalie was female and females tend to get more flack , and more importantly she didn't use puppy dog eyes and shocked "WHO ME ? " expressions to lure in the more naive voters .

I strongly suspect if they sent an invitation to apply to be an SCD contestant to a bunch of theatrical/sports/entertainment agents they'd have plenty to choose from.

Some would baulk at it on the basis they knew they had two left feet and couldn't fact public rejection but the chance of some serious dance training, the camaraderie, the profile of a Sat tea time slot would have them queuing out the door like an X-Factor audition ..... imo

You'd think so May, I agree, but yet where are they all this year .We've ended up with an injured boxer few of us had ever heard of and a crooner from Ireland whose participation was snorted at as laughable .Up against what amounts to the ringiest of ringers . Antony seems not a happy chappy with his early exit if links to stories are anything to go by .
I don't know , it's all just getting too weird and complicated .

PS, I love Daniel now .

I think you are so right,,,there are celebrities queuing up to get on the show.

IMO, the evidence strongly points to the producers deliberately picking token contestants. The obligatory Eastender, BBC news prog presenters (incl weather, politics), the duffer, sports(wo)man, the eye candy, the opposition broadcaster rep (ITV & Sky) etc

I just can't believe that we'd end up with some the c**p we've had any other way

I think I'm getting a bit confused by this argument now The difference between them is their personality not training. If Jay had her personality he may not be as popular either. As someone said earlier, around half the series have been won by the best dancer and the other half by a decent dancer with a good personality, so I don't really see why anyone in future would be put off signing up as it still all comes down to whether you are likeable to enough people. Their chances are hindered more by the presence of the dance off than they are by the presence of a ringer.