A couple of days ago in an interview for the Sun newspaper, Peter appeared to take a bit of a swipe at Jay by insinuating Jay has an unfair advantage over him and everyone should jolly well know about it .

Peter said: “I want to make this point clear, I’ve been on stage for years but what I did was purely self-taught by watching idols like Michael Jackson and Prince. I’ve never been to dance school, so technically I’ll never be brilliant. In regards to Jay, as long as everyone now knows he’s dance school trained then fair play to him.”

If you're a avid follower of Strictly, you'll know about Jay's education, if you're a casual, tabloid reading viewer, you might not. So has Peter bringing this to the attention of millions of Sun reader pulled an ace here and damaged Jay's chances with the casual watching crowd or has Peter damaged his own chances by attempting a rather unsportsman-like bitter swipe at a fellow competitor? Or will it make not a shred of difference?

(In the interest of fairness,Peter was not 'purely self taught' as he has worked with numerous personal chorographers over the years including Michael Jackson's choreographer).

All I can say is that I read it at the time and thought less of him. Infact my first reaction was too think how desperate he must be.

Was he being asked about Jay or did he bring it up out of nowhere?

I take everything from the likes of the Sun, Mail, Daily Star etc with a generous helping of salt.

I'm not a fan of Peter, but who knows how he might have been pushed for that answer, or whether he was misquoted.

As a side question, how did people feel during Series 10 when, at the end, Flavia said that she and Louis should win because he was the only remaining contestant who hadn't been to stage school? Was that also desperate, bitter and unsportsmanlike?

Think in long run this will hurt Peter more than Jay. There's sometimes an initial "that's unfair" but then people will sometimes turn on the tattler, especially if he keeps it up & uses Jay to get himself in the tabloids & trashy magazines.

Viewers then start to admire the person keeping quiet for staying classy, working hard and not trying to profit or gain sympathy at another's expense. I think a lot of people are already cynical of Peter & his need to see himself in papers & magazines and they will definitely not like him using Jay to do it (if that's what he's done). This is a different reality show format to the ones he is used to & he's walking a fine line.

Anthony made similar comments and it was generally accepted when he said he had been misquoted. Peter has also said his words were taken out of context, so in the interests of fairness, and given how most people say that this particular "journalist" never tells the truth anyway, then I don't see why anyone should be affected.

Considering the significant physical advantage his years of top level gymnastics had given him - limber, learning to hone a particular move to the optimum level, putting together a string of moves - I felt he was as much a ringer as the rest, if a slightly different type of ringer. I get that she was annoyed about the constant performance critiques, but I don't remember her having a problem with Matt di Angelo's* stage school experience.

I didn't mind it so much as it was coming from the pro, not the celeb. I felt it was unnecessary though. But then I usually like the ringers

*according to wiki: "and started studying acting, singing and dancing, at Boden Studios (Enfield/Barnet), and went on to Sylvia Young Theatre School. He started a BTEC in Performing Arts but did not finish it."

Mr Andre is getting very desperate quite early? Have never liked the bloke anyway.

I don't think it will make a huge difference. Peter and Jay both have their supporters and I don't think this will sway them. If it does harm anyone, I think it will be Peter. No-one likes a bad loser.

It's in The Sun. Why anyone would take anything they print seriously is beyond me

It is an absolute rag. I am astonished that people even pay to read it.

Given a High Court judge has found Peter Andre to be an 'unreliable witness' who is capable of lying over very serious matters, I think he's the one whose credibility is totally blown.

Is it now called Strictly Come Backstabbing? Andre isn't such a hot shit as he think he is. He may damage Jay's chances to win, but there are other better dancers than him there. Unless he 's going to try to character assassinate all of them. Not that people are that stupid to not see through him.

But there is The Sun's readers?

The Sun? I doubt he said it.

One on one interview, with pictures at Sun HQ, with CANs pet journalist, he said it. In a hastily taken down tweet he also admitted he said it, although it was 'taken out of context'

He forgot to remove it from his website though.

http://peterandre.com/petes-tweets-t...-for-saturday/

Why remove a tweet that says it was taken out of context?

Unless it wasn't actually taken out of context...

Are you saying he might have lied

I'd say he won't have damaged either Jay's or his own chances. But then again, I don't read the Sun (so had no idea what Peter said until this thread was started), nor do I dislike either Peter or Jay. Also, in the interests of fairness, I've seen quite a few comments about Jay's previous dance experience from other people, so I don't see any issue with Peter (or anyone) commenting, TBH. Let's face it, people have commented on other contestants' previous dance experience before, so it's hardly unusual.

Incidentally, I'm getting fed up with the nastiness being directed at Peter Andre. I'm not a fan, but I'm enjoying watching him on Strictly, and the same goes for Jay. In fact, this year, I like everyone - they seem like a nice bunch of contestants. It's just a shame that people can't just enjoy the series, and keep any bitchiness reasonably lighthearted and witty. I'm sure it's never been this nasty before (and I've been visiting the board and taking part in conversations for several years). There have always been forum favourites and forum villains, but this year, the dislike of the villain has been taken to ridiculous levels. The negative comments aren't even funny - just nasty.

I think most non-SCD obsessives with a passing interest in the show assume that EVERYONE went to stage school, or they wouldn't be a celebrity. Thus, the playing field is considered more or less level, with extra sympathy/excitement when people that are old/fat/murderous soap characters/can't speak the queens English/shy/young have a good dance.

He's clearly answering a question a reporter had asked about his own experience vs Jay's. He can't really turn around and say 'no comment' or lie and say Jay hasn't had any training. He's answered honestly and politely. I don't see the problem.


I don't mind that as she's just highlighting how impressive it is on how far he's come as he had to start from scratch. It'd be the same if Daniel and Kristina made it to the final and Kristina said he should win for being the only contestant left over 30.It's more impressive for an older person because he's had to work harder than someone younger to get to the end.

Having said that I do think Louis gymnastic abilities gave him an advantage anyway.

I agree with this. The thread in Showbiz is an exercise in viciousness that is truly vile..so I stay away. Now, that same viciousness is creeping into these threads. I don't want to have to give these up too, because I'm actually learning a lot.

Didn't the mods say that this crossing of threads should not happen?

He's entitled to his opinion. I presume Peter knew, or should have been informed beforhand, that all the celebs on Strictly are at a different level when they start and that to win this show you don't actually have to be the best dancer from the get-go (cough, Chris Hollins, Darren Gough, Mark Ramps) or evn by the end, and don't even have to improve greatly either (like John S).

Generally speaking, Peter prob still benifits more from having his level of dancing ability (and past opportunities to use it in his music work) than say the likes of lots of the others on the show (Carol, Jeremy, Ainsly). Peter's still in the top half grouping of good dancers in the show, so he should feel quite positive that he still has a good chance of getting far, at mimimum. I have no problem with him giving his opinion (it's good to hear the celebs opinions), but I hope Peter remembers that Jay is just one person that he has to think about as a close competitor, as there are others that should be considered too (like Anita, kellie and Georgia if she imroves). He should look around him as well as just up to Jay who seems out there on his own, as other coupldes can get slow support momentum which you shouldn't lose sight of.

And I agree with others, that this comment by him won't damage his or Jay's chances, as we all know over the years that viewers don't always go for the best, but the most liked, the most improved, best partnership, the most entertaining or a combination of things.

The mods asked that the Peter Andre thread discussed him on SCD. That's what is happening in this thread. Will what he has said damage his chances on SCD. It's on topic.

OK thanks. As I said, I'm still learning!