Will Zoe step in for Claudia as it's Halloween?

Claudia will probably want to keep an eye on Matilda. Otherwise she'll be worried sick all night.

I too wondered about this. If she is on the show I wonder if something will be mentioned.

Although people seem to enjoy the Hallowe'en business, I do wish they wouldn't sell the costumes for children in the shops and online. I don't like the whole idea of Hallowe'en but I do admit that some of the dances on Strictly can be inventive.

I doubt very much that Claudia won't be there.

Yes I know her daughter had a terrible accident last year, but its not a valid reason to ask for a night off.

Cummon guys.......... just think what you are saying here.

I can't see why not - the only reason she didn't last year was because of the terrible accident - which won't be repeated this year!

Dont want to sound harsh but parents all over the country will be doing their best to ensure their small kids have a safe Halloween and alongside things like not allowing them to knock on strangers doors, they will be ensuring they stay away from lit candles. It's just common sense.

But you are being harsh . Maybe adults should also be told not to put pumkins in their gardens with lighting candles in them . We are do our best to keep children safe , sometimes accidents happen . People having a dig then is not helpful

Agreed, the mistake that Claudia made was believing that children't party costumes sold in shops would be fire resistant. I am sure most other people probably believed the same but most will now be more aware of the dangers. Has the law been changed yet, I know there were promises to do so?

I don't think that Claudia will have the night off because of it what happened to her daughter last year and neither should she.
It could have happened to anyone and possibly has happened before. Although it was dreadful, happening to the daughter of a celebrity has highlighted the dangers and most people are now aware. Her daughter is probably going to be safer than anyone's.

Both presenting the show and giving interviews to women's magazines would keep her profile high.

I hope they dress any witches differently to how her daughter was dressed, don't sing songs about fire and lay off the fire effects or devils in fiery hell.

If they are planning any of these I can understand her wanting not to be there.

Are these a harder version of pumpkins?

Claudia is a professional. She will be on the show.

As far as she would might go is to not go trick and treating. Perhaps Matilda wouldn't want to go either.

Very likely to in actual fact 100 %.

I'm sure Matilda's Dad has it all in hand.

I doubt Claudia's that sensitive! As badly injured as Matilda was at the time she is now alive and well. I'm sure they've had to come into contact with fire at some point or another in the past year. There are 100's of people who work on the show can you imagine if they avoided everything that related to something that happened when one of their kids got injured or sick:
"Harry Potter Costumes?
Nah, Brendan's daughter was watching Harry Potter when she got sick last week".

I can completely understand if Claudia doesn't want to be there, but I'm sure she will be as she's a professional.

I hope she is, and I hope Matilda is in the front row with her dad safe and sound watching some dancing.

I must say I'd been wondering how Claudia would feel on Hallowe'en. I wouldn't be surprised if she or Matilda found it triggering. On the other hand, maybe presenting Strictly is the best thing to keep her mind off it as it's slightly different from actual trick-or-treating (ghastly American import - when I was young we just dressed up as ghosts, witches or black cats and did applebobbing, etc)

How unfortunate for Halloween to fall on the Saturday. I hope Claudia is ok doing the show, no doubt she will have some anxiety this first anniversary of the family tragedy. I don't know how Matilda is, I hope she is ok too, I don't think I would like her to watch the show life it might be too distressing for her. Hope everyone is ok.
My sympathy is with the whole family and the others who witnessed the accident

Presumably Matilda's friends will be out trick and treating, so perhaps she would want to go with them - children are more resilient than adults. IMO it would be better if the family acted as normal as possible, obviously being vigilant. That would probably be least stressful for them all - Matilda will see things around her and on TV.

Yes Matilda is alive, but I'm not sure that she completely well, as unless I am mistaken, it was said a little while ago that she will need to have further operations for quite some time to come. That degree of burns can take years to properly heal.

Awww.........poor kid.

Claudia has said herself the incident was "life changing but not life defining" she might need to go through more things to physically recover but I got the impression from the times Claudia has spoken about the issue that Matilda is back on track to be a happy, normal little girl.

Haha ! You're being controversial aren't you ? Ridiculous to think that Claudia wouldn't be working as usual, and that she wouldn't have her husband or her mum taking good care of Matilda. It happened a year ago, and it's not like she's forgotten about it obviously, but the family will have moved on and be trying not to let it be the main focus of their lives. Matilda will still be having treatment but as far as I've read, it's all going good.

Aaaw - bless her.

I think that she may let Matilda come to the show where she is safe and watch the dancing then she is well away from the harm of repeating what happened last year. Basically whoever posted something similar earlier i agree with you near enough