I get why people would be upset if we had been repeatedly told he was an absolute beginner on the show and on ITT, and mentions of his training were left out on the bio. Or said he just got up of the stool on a key change or just stood on a chair. But that hasn't been the case.
He was upfront in his first interview, on the bio and he has bnever been implied that he was a beginner on the main show just that he was shaking and nervous, which can happen even if you are the most experience performer.
So while I get that won't support him because you don't like people with previous experience, because you don't like him or you don't like Aliona. But feeling let down by not knowing his previous experience, sorry that it's just an excuse to attack him.

Do you really believe what you read in the red tops?

I know you were just throwing ideas out there hun, but I actually think it works pretty well as it is. The celebs are not stupid, you know if you can dance or not. I can't dance, probably would never be brilliant but would take part knowing that and enjoy the experience for what it is.

You need the mix imo because everyone likes something different, I can get nearly as much joy from Jeremy not being good but given it a jolly good go as I can from Jay being blooming incredible. Some like the ringers, some like the duffers and some like watching the journey or it can be a mix of all.

In the end, Strictly will always come down to the winner being a mix of good/improved dancer and the public at home liking them. Denise was a ringer, I couldn't bear her. Natalie was a ringer, I loved her, it came down to who I liked as a person & the same will happen this year.

TBH I am the same as you, I pretty much like it as it is.

That is exactly how I feel - I like a mixture it makes the show more interesting. I have voted for some really good dancers and some who are not so good, but who I just enjoy watching or who give it a good go.

I don't think he knew he was going to be so good at this and his reaction to his comments and scores on Saturday said it all.

That post is far too logical for this thread 😂😂😂

Last year I said they should tell us on the show as well as online, about past experience, and they have. Some folk might not like it but they can hardly claim not to know.

I'm just hoping that he doesn't hold back to avoid blowback.

I want to see Jay and Aliona really going for it from now on.

I want to see that dancing boat pushed out and well and truly burnt!

Having not had the best time of it since she won in 2011 I think Aliona will have the bit between her teeth now, for sure.

I think there won't be any falsifying by Aliona and Jay. Aliona has said she is going to make him look as good as possible.

The PTB may have a different agenda, or they may be happy to try to give them music and themes that allow Aliona to use her talents fully.

I did wonder that yesterday too. It will be interesting now to see whether they get bad combos so they dont look favoured (and add some journey to Jay), or they give them good ones since they have brought so much publicity and attention to the program by doing a great dance where everything came together.

I really think the producers have a conundrum.

I enjoyed that dance so much on Saturday I really don't care. It's Saturday a night entertainment show and I was entertained.

It's pretty inevitable that the contestants from a 'show biz' background will have some sort of dance training (some more than others). At the end of the day the viewers will decide if they think it's fair or not.

I'd far rather have a show with a mix of talented dancers, some with no experience who will improve and one or two no hopers who entertain in their own way.

I know it's a competition but the ultimate winner of the show is secondary to an entertaining series IMO.

The viewers have the ultimate say.

I agree Penny. If people don't like the fact that Jay has had previous training, then they wont vote for him. However, it does appear that the majority of people on the forum love watching him dance and like him as a person - me included.

http://www.ok.co.uk/tv/strictly-come...ess-dance-past

I don't know whether this article has been out of contest

I will enjoy watching him dance, but he will never get my vote.

Jay is just another celeb who would not have been chosen to take part in the early series of Strictly. He's easily the most experienced male celeb we've seen on the show and will probably win because the voting public won't know or care about his past experience.

I realised a few years ago that if I want to continue watching the show, I have to accept the fact these days it is perfectly acceptable to have previous dance experience and the days of maybe one or two celebs with some experience are long gone. This doesn't mean I will vote for celebs I don't think should be taking part.

Will Helen,Kellie or Peter or Jamelia not get your vote too? They all have dance experience.

The problem if you dont you have celebs without dance experience there probably wont be a programme. It more more interesting to have some celebs with dance past and some celebs without.

Back to Jay he hasnt had ballroom dance training and also its not his fault the producers picked him to be on the show.

I hope Jay carries on with what he is doing because we are in for some brilliant performances.

Stop speaking sense you know it doesn't work


But you continued watching after Series One with Claire Sweeney? Not following the logic there. They've always had people with dance experience since the show began.

whether it has or it hasnt it seems like a bit of sour grapes to me - why is Anthony singling out Jay when Kellie, Georgia, Peter, Helen (esp with Helen and her ballet training) dont get a mention in his rant

I personally think Anthony shouldnt have taken part, he was definately hindered by his shoulder injury and he should have declined - if he had been fit and healthy I do believe it would have been a completely different story

anyway, Jay hasnt done ballroom or latin before, yes, he has done contemporary dance, he has never ever hidden that fact from anyone and has been completely open and honest about it from the start

if we had a room full of Anne Widdecombes or Joe Calzaghes it would be (IMO) a very boring, tedious show

“When you’re up against Jay McGuiness who’s done ballet, and Helen George, who’s done ballet, and Peter Andre, who’s been a pop star for as long as I’ve been alive, it’s very, very hard to beat all those guys.”

It's one of the first things in the article.

BiB:

If Anthony was fit and injured free, he wouldn't even considered Strictly.
He only accepted the invite because he was injured and wasn't able to box or train & knew he had a few months to kill before he was able to get back training again.

I enjoy watching him , I also think it's difficult to find celebs that have not been drama/dance trained,it's not only Jay that has been dance trained. We could also say actors have an advantage, you have to perform when you dance ...so do actors have an advantage over the others?

Please read my post again. I said

...and the days of maybe one or two celebs with some experience are long gone.


That would cover Claire, Jill, etc. Perfectly logical to me.

whoops, didnt see that bit - sorry!