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Len is such a bully.


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Old 13-10-2015, 23:37
Tall Paul
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It seems to me that each year since louise rainbow took over as boss that len has targeted certain professionals for SCD. He targeted Artem in S11, he targeted Trent last year and now giovanni. His behaviour is disgraceful and deemed as bullying, BBC should not approve or tolerate it at all. He showed his true colours this weekend, he is a nasty man and a grump as well. BBC should axe him from the live shows.
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Old 13-10-2015, 23:54
VicsMum
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Don't really think it's a coincidence that the pros he's picked up on most aren't British.

Here's our "lovely" Len, hating everything and everyone, especially, most especially, foreign food and everything else that's not English, even the metric system. The way he talks about it makes me want to be sick. At one point Frank Skinner interjects and jokes casually, "This has been a UKIP broadcast".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnCa7_vDEmg
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Old 14-10-2015, 00:12
Nina_Blake
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Don't really think it's a coincidence that the pros he's picked up on most aren't British.

Here's our "lovely" Len, hating everything and everyone, especially, most especially, foreign food and everything else that's not English, even the metric system. The way he talks about it makes me want to be sick. At one point Frank Skinner interjects and jokes casually, "This has been a UKIP broadcast".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnCa7_vDEmg
He's simply not a nice person
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Old 14-10-2015, 02:51
Jim Kowalski
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Don't really think it's a coincidence that the pros he's picked up on most aren't British.

Here's our "lovely" Len, hating everything and everyone, especially, most especially, foreign food and everything else that's not English, even the metric system. The way he talks about it makes me want to be sick. At one point Frank Skinner interjects and jokes casually, "This has been a UKIP broadcast".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnCa7_vDEmg
Given the nature of that show,hates are probably exaggerated and at his age,Len is likely becoming a caricature of himself (compare Donald Sinden's later performances with his young self in "The Cruel Sea").

As for picking on non-British pros,well is it his fault that the only two Britpros,Anton (mostly) and Kevin (from Grimsby),are such straight shooting jolly chaps who would do nothing to offend him.
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Old 14-10-2015, 02:57
SwanGirl
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It's funny because out of everyone last weekend if he was going to have a proper go at any of the pro's it should have been Anton who choreographed a naff routine which put them in an unsafe position. Katie has the potential but I'm afraid his choreography might let her down as he is used to making dances all about him because his partner isn't capable of doing much.

I think Len lost it because Giovanni was shaking his head as if he was dismissing the comments being made by the judges. Len should have pulled him to one side after the show to have a go at him about that, he was meant to judge Georgia on her routine and dance ability and instead he made the poor girl look like she wanted the ground to swallow her up.

From what I can remember, he never actually made any comment regarding her ability or possible things she could improve on, he just ripped into Giovanni and said it wasn't a well choreographed routine. I think the time is rapidly coming for retirement, same with Bruno who is now getting on my last nerve too. Darcy and Craig I don't mind but I'd love it if they brought in two old professionals from past shows, perhaps someone like Karen and Matthew Cutler.
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Old 14-10-2015, 03:14
tattieboy
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It's funny because out of everyone last weekend if he was going to have a proper go at any of the pro's it should have been Anton who choreographed a naff routine which put them in an unsafe position. Katie has the potential but I'm afraid his choreography might let her down as he is used to making dances all about him because his partner isn't capable of doing much.

I think Len lost it because Giovanni was shaking his head as if he was dismissing the comments being made by the judges. Len should have pulled him to one side after the show to have a go at him about that, he was meant to judge Georgia on her routine and dance ability and instead he made the poor girl look like she wanted the ground to swallow her up.

From what I can remember, he never actually made any comment regarding her ability or possible things she could improve on, he just ripped into Giovanni and said it wasn't a well choreographed routine. I think the time is rapidly coming for retirement, same with Bruno who is now getting on my last nerve too. Darcy and Craig I don't mind but I'd love it if they brought in two old professionals from past shows, perhaps someone like Karen and Matthew Cutler.
We can't have Karen, what does she know. She thinks Jay's jive was better than Jill Halfpenny's.
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Old 14-10-2015, 08:03
mrs goggins
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I agree that Len can be very mean and I'm puzzled as to why the BBC take every opportunity to use him in other slots too - eg standing in for Paul O'Grady on his Sunday Radio 2 show, and the occasional documentary. Presumably they see him as genial and I see him as someone who delivers scripted one-liners and often shows his true unpleasant nature.

It would be wonderful to see him booted off in favour of someone like Karen, Ian or Anton but alas I fear given his success with the show in the US also, his position is relatively safe. I can only hope.
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Old 14-10-2015, 08:29
sofakat
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Don't really think it's a coincidence that the pros he's picked up on most aren't British.

Here's our "lovely" Len, hating everything and everyone, especially, most especially, foreign food and everything else that's not English, even the metric system. The way he talks about it makes me want to be sick. At one point Frank Skinner interjects and jokes casually, "This has been a UKIP broadcast".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnCa7_vDEmg
Time to retire him. He really is the most ignorant and stupid old git.
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Old 14-10-2015, 08:30
sofakat
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We can't have Karen, what does she know. She thinks Jay's jive was better than Jill Halfpenny's.
I think Karen is an absolute pill, but she was right about that jive. Jays' was so much better
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Old 14-10-2015, 09:18
IvanIV
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Well British dancers know very well they should not push Len's buttons. The foreign ones don't know he can't stand "improved" dance routines where one can hardly recognise what dance is being improved, without basic steps. In Giovannigate what set him off was he understood Giovanni's head shaking at Bruno's critique as a disrespect "what does he know".
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Old 14-10-2015, 09:46
Tall Paul
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Well British dancers know very well they should not push Len's buttons. The foreign ones don't know he can't stand "improved" dance routines where one can hardly recognise what dance is being improved, without basic steps. In Giovannigate what set him off was he understood Giovanni's head shaking at Bruno's critique as a disrespect "what does he know".
I think len and his producer don't get on, this is the bottom line. SCD is all about money now rather than fairness. Their paying him basically to be a tosser and it's sadly working.
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Old 14-10-2015, 10:28
mossy2103
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As for picking on non-British pros,well is it his fault that the only two Britpros,Anton (mostly) and Kevin (from Grimsby),are such straight shooting jolly chaps who would do nothing to offend him.
Given that the current line-up does not contain that many "British" pros, then by the laws of probability he is more likely to be judged by some to be "picking on non-British" pros than British ones.

If people did the maths then they would see this to be the case. Or, given that some are so quick to judge, and others seem to suffer from confirmation bias, probably not.
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Old 14-10-2015, 10:58
kaycee
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So basically what is being said is that Giovanni was in the right to be totally disrespectful to Bruno, but not all right for Len to tell him so?

The judges had a 'go' at Anton for his ludicrous choreography, but Len shouldn't have a go at Giovanni's non-rumba rumba?
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Old 14-10-2015, 11:13
IvanIV
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So basically what is being said is that Giovanni was in the right to be totally disrespectful to Bruno, but not all right for Len to tell him so?

The judges had a 'go' at Anton for his ludicrous choreography, but Len shouldn't have a go at Giovanni's non-rumba rumba?
They could not not to have a go at Anton, apart from Anton's Ring Of Madness there was nothing else interesting in the choreography. Giovanni's choreography was at least challenging for his partner, but it was more of a showdance than a straight rumba. Maybe Giovanni watched the wrong show Len and Bruno have a nice dichotomy going. On DWTS almost every dance looks like a showdance and they are fine with it. I saw a Viennese Waltz danced almost completely out of hold and it was okay
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Old 14-10-2015, 12:11
kaycee
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They could not not to have a go at Anton, apart from Anton's Ring Of Madness there was nothing else interesting in the choreography. Giovanni's choreography was at least challenging for his partner, but it was more of a showdance than a straight rumba. Maybe Giovanni watched the wrong show Len and Bruno have a nice dichotomy going. On DWTS almost every dance looks like a showdance and they are fine with it. I saw a Viennese Waltz danced almost completely out of hold and it was okay
They did have a 'go' at Anton telling him his choreography was inadequate for his partner, etc. Giovanni's choreography was, as you say, challenging, though back drops and the like are really not difficult to learn - much easier, in fact, than authentic rumba steps, they just look harder!

I agree that every dance on DWTS looks like a showdance - mainly because they always dance American Smooth, which allows a lot of out of hold movement, and Rhythm, instead of International, and, of course, it comes from Hollywood!
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Old 14-10-2015, 12:32
mossy2103
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Len and Bruno have a nice dichotomy going. On DWTS almost every dance looks like a showdance and they are fine with it. I saw a Viennese Waltz danced almost completely out of hold and it was okay
This is not DWTS though. Different standards & rules apply
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Old 14-10-2015, 12:38
millysshaw
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Not sticking up for Len here, but he did bring Anton up on lack of content. Anton agreed with him and took the blame. Maybe Katie found the Cha Cha difficult and he just did a basic one? He did not try to deflect form it being him and not Katie. I think with Giovanni he took his disagreement about what Bruno had said and that is why Len said something. The professionals might not agree with what they say about the dance, but generally they do no not answer back. Brendan use to but he has calmed down alot, I think he does still stick up for his partner but not as much as being rude to them. Not for a while anyway. James was another one and English but could be quite rude to the judges not like Anton or Kevin.

I do prefer it to be about the dancers and not the judges, otherwise we are getting like the x faxtor.
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Old 14-10-2015, 12:44
IvanIV
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This is not DWTS though. Different standards & rules apply
I haven't said anything else, have I.
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Old 14-10-2015, 12:47
IvanIV
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Not sticking up for Len here, but he did bring Anton up on lack of content. Anton agreed with him and took the blame. Maybe Katie found the Cha Cha difficult and he just did a basic one?
If "I thought she was so awful that she would not manage anything more difficult" means taking the blame then yes, he took the blame.
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Old 14-10-2015, 13:01
Bonnie Scotland
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how do you know some of this isn't pre-planned i.e. the 'arguements' whether it be between judges and/or the pro dancers. anyways, it's good to see some heated exchanges. was there not a series a few years back when brendan was especially vocal if he didn't agree with the judges comments?

i take everything that happens (supposedly unplanned) on these sorts of shows with a relatively large pinch of salt
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Old 14-10-2015, 14:13
Michelle_OHara
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I don't think that giving Giovanni a telling off because he was shaking his head at Bruno's comments entirely constitutes a targeted bullying campaign.
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Old 14-10-2015, 14:40
Doghouse Riley
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We've done this so many times before.
The judges are selected to have diverse personalities, sort of "Village People," tactic.

They are encouraged to be a bit controversial. But then there's the rivalry between the three men. Len as "head judge" doesn't think he always gets the respect and attention he deserves, so he goes off on one occasionally, to get noticed.

I think all three are a bit of joke.
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Old 14-10-2015, 14:43
wazzyboy
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On DwTS he is ribbed by Tom for being "cranky". All part of the panto. But it is annoying since on both shows he is the only one with any ballroom and Latin knowledge to speak of, I would rather he focus on the point at hand, but that would not be what some see as "good TV" .
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Old 14-10-2015, 14:46
Liliaprincess
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Len certainly has his faults but he was quite right to put Giovanni in his place. It was very disrespectful of him to shake his head at Bruno and I'm glad Len picked up on it immediately. I hope Giovanni was embarrassed, hopefully it will make him think twice about his behaviour.
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Old 14-10-2015, 14:55
JamieHT
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The thing is. We don't know why Giovanni was shaking his head. He might have been shaking it to chastise himself. We'll never know. Len picked up on it and went too far.
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