Improved opinion:
Jamelia - Expected to dislike her after Bear Grylls, but I think she has come over well on Strictly and seems to really appreciate Tristan.
Ainslie - After Ready Steady Cook I thought he would be OTT and annoying but he was a lot calmer than I expected and seemed to be trying hard.
Daniel - Thought he would be really dull but turned out to be quietly funny and entertaining in an odd way.
Jay - Only knew he was in the Wanted, now think he is a great dancer and seems to be a lovely guy.
Jeremy - Didn't really know anything about him but admire his effort and love how much he seems to be enjoying himself.

Worsened opinion:
Kelly - Only knew her from the Upper Hand and didn't expect her to be so screechy and 'stage school', but I think that's magnified by Kevin.
Anita - No real opinion of her before but now find her very 'head girl' and always seems to be in TV presenter mode.
Helen - No real opinion of her before but find her very awkward, both in her dancing and her interviews.
Iwan - Had seen him on The Wright Stuff and thought he was ok but he seemed humourless and unpleasant on Strictly (and a worse dancer than I expected).

No change:
Georgia - I thought she would be bland with nothing to say and that hasn't changed.
Peter - I thought he would act like the love-child of Mark Wright and Jason Donovan and he is.
Carol - I didn't really know her apart from that she's very smiley. I now know she's very smiley and loves Bryan Adams.
Katie - Always seemed nice and 'ladylike', didn't expect her to be great at latin and that hasn't changed.
Anthony - Seemed a nice guy on Splash and did on this, didn't really get to know much about him.
Kirsty - Thought her personality would not come over well on Strictly and it didn't, although I thought she would be a better dancer.

mostly i agree with you, but i don't find Georgia bland, she's really sweet, genuine and eager to learn

Like the previous post, I disagree about Georgia - I don't find her bland at all - I've gone back to look at most of her dances 2 or 3 times and I find her bubbly, enthusiastic and warm. Like Anita more than you do (and Jay less) but otherwise this pretty much reflects how I feel too.

Fair enough Its not really a bad thing - Rachel Stevens is my second favourite contestant ever and she never really said anything interesting in interviews either, I just loved her dancing and partnership with Vincent. Georgia seems like a nice girl and I guess if I enjoyed her dancing more I probably wouldn't find her bland either.

I'm appreciating Georgia and Jamelia a bit more this week. Jamelia's fortitude in light of her unpopularity with voters - She's getting on with it and improving, in spite of some nerve issues and Georgia has become less bland.

Katie and Anita were surprises. They have their ups and downs and that's what makes them interesting. I hope they stay.

Helen wasn't really a surprise. I expected she'd be good. I'm neither for nor against her and I don't believe the crap from the tabloids about her!

Kellie I had no opinion of either way, she has dance ability, but the screeching isn't helping.

Jay I had no opinion of either way either! His dancing is fantastic and he and Aliona are great together. I'm rooting a bit for him.

Jeremy is the dad dancer I expected, but I've been completely won over by his enthusiasm and love for what he's doing. I don't want him to win, but I'm glad he's still in because no good dancer has been dumped out yet.

Peter, I couldn't stand before hand and he's done and said nothing to change that. His tango was his best dance, but he's gone nowhere since week one.

thank you, and yes i know Rachel Stevens


most bland celeb to me is Rachel Riley ( i couldn't warm to her)


but Take Care and enjoy Strictly

Anita - didn't know her before Strictly. Don't get the head girl vibes, and she really commits to every performance. Like her.
Carol - like her doing the weather, but her relentless smiley cheerfulness is starting to grate in larger doses.
Georgia - didn't know her. Not a bad dancer, but I forget she exists as soon as she leaves the dance floor.
Helen - didn't know her. Enjoy her dancing (and can see improvement). Looks like a china doll, but has a really dirty laugh. Like her.
Jamelia - thought she was getting a hard time on here even before the start, but assumed she'd irritate me. She doesn't; I really like her. Shame she isn't a better dancer, but I enjoyed her Charleston.
Jay - didn't know him but somebody directed me to his self deprecating tweets before the show started. Warmed to his ability to express himself coherently in 150 characters, with proper punctuation and spelling. Love his dancing.
Jeremy - didn't realise he'd prove to be so charming. Lovely guy.
Katie - liked her before Strictly and still like her.
Kellie - didn't know her and took against her at the launch show (too much squealing and stage school excitement). Most entertaining things about her are watching her elbow her way into shot in the Clauditorium and gallop across the dancefloor to fling herself onto the celeb who's leaving and hold on like the world's most determined limpet.
Peter - thought he was an ugly little cockwomble before Strictly. Now I think he's a stupid ugly little cockwomble.
Kirsty - only knew her vaguely from RI:SE years ago. Couldn't take to her and found her dancing very uncomfortable to watch. Relieved she's gone.
Ainsley - didn't find him as irritating as I expected to.
Daniel - much more self aware than I thought he would be. Seems like an amiable chap.
Anthony - watched the Olympics avidly but he passed me by. Seemed like a nice guy. Disappointed his shoulder impacted so much on his dancing.
Iwan - really liked him interviewing Paralympians for Channel 4, but as soon as he opened his mouth on the launch show I was thinking "Shut up! Shut up!"

That made me laugh 😂 very true - sorry ive quoted wrong message doh! Sausage fingers on my phone. Was trying (and failing miserably) to respond to the post that said Peter was expected to be like the love child of Mark Wright and Jason Donovan and has proved to be likethat! Sorry to be so inept.

I totally agree re Daniel. My preconception was that he would be oily and perhaps even a little bit sleazy (maybe I was imagining grannies throwing their knickers at him on stage!) BUT he won with over with his dry wit and overall laid back attitude despite being massively nervous before dancing. Verdict now? Lovely chap. Wish I had voted for him. I thought he was great with that quiff and wore it with great panache and irony ....
Last edited by Heebyjeeby : 03-11-2015 at 14:13

I liked Kellie on EE . Thought I would be rooting for her . But now instead of rooting I find myself muting her

Up- Daniel, Jeremy, Helen, Jay

Down- Katie, Peter

Up, down, up, down- Jamelia, Ainsley, Kellie

No change (for better or worse)- Anthony, Kirsty, Carol, Iwan, Georgia, Anita,

]Peter - expected not to like him, and he's lived down to my expectations...
Jay - never heard of him beforehand, but like him now
Jeremy - could take or leave him, but he's been a real surprise with how involved he's become
Katie - liked her, expected her to do well in Ballroom and not so well in Latin, and I was right
Kellie - never watched her in Eastenders, but find her a bit overwhelming
Helen - like her in CTM, she seems a bit distant and reserved on Strictly though
Georgia - never heard of her, find her a bit bland and forgettable to be honest
Anita - always liked her on Countryfile/One Show - and think she's doing well, but almost trying too hard
Jamelia - disappointed in her, I thought she might be another Alesha, but sadly not
Carol - I watch Breakfast and she's done exactly as I expected her to - rubbish dancer but good fanbase so still in

Improved -

Anita - I had no real opinion of her as a presenter, but her dances with Gleb have stunned me with how original and gorgeous they are.

Kellie - Don't like her in EastEnders and I felt the judges were kissing her bum in the early weeks but that Harry Potter dance was brilliant and deserved more praise!

Jeremy - He makes up for his lack of dance skills with enthusiasm and personality, I adore the bloke.



Stayed the same -

Georgia - What a sweetie she is, I love her partnership with Giovanni. I always knew she would top the leaderboard!

Peter - Didn't like him previously and have always felt he was slimy and desperate... hasn't changed.



Worsened -

Jay - Brilliant to start with, he had the makings of a brilliant performer. Shame as since the hair cut, he has been handed the sex symbol role and therefore he'll get votes and high praise even if the dancing is sub-par.

Jamelia - Didn't mind her before, but since she started on this I've found her really disingenuous and doesn't seem to care that much?

Well, there's a long way to go, all these might change again. I think one of the joys of Strictly is seeing sides of people you didn't expect:

Jay - didn't know him at all and didn't have a particularly good impression of the Wanted; love him now. Heck, he can make me like Christopher Biggins and I didn't think anyone could do that.
Jeremy - I liked him (I'm a massive fan of his brother) but I thought he'd embarrass himself and be like Quentin the car expert; now I'm so impressed by him, his attitude and his understanding of the audience - I think his career will benefit from this series more than anyone.
Jamelia - loved her when she was a singer; didn't like her at all as a Loose Woman/Bear Grills contestant; now I like her more than I thought I would and feel for her.
Anita - I didn't know her much before - she never struck me much on Countryfile; now I like her and I think she's very impressive. Another one I think will do very well after this series.
Georgia - never heard of her before; like her.
Helen - I'm a massive CTM fan so very fond of her; still am.
Kellie - always thought she was a very good actress; I'd have never expected how 'showbiz' she is, so it has changed my view of her. Don't dislike her, I don't mean that, just not who I expected.
Peter - he's the one person where I can't get past my previous prejudices about him. I think it's always a problem for people who have done a lot of previous reality TV before Strictly - they can't show you another side of themselves and surprise you because they are too careful, too media-trained.
Everyone else: I think I liked them before and still do, but not wildly.
Iwan - I always admired him (Welsh sporting hero); I still like him but I'm going to do my best to forget he had anything to do with Strictly - I don't think he did himself justice, it was too far from what suits him.

All this except for Anita.

First dance I was irritated by her feet which seemed to flap too much. This has been ameliorated by clever choreography, so more of a favourite these days.

Ones I have changed my mind on:
Jay - Didnt really like the Wanted so didn't know what to expect but he has surprised me at how good he is. Not only that but he is down to earth and lovely and love him and Aliona as a partnership. Definitely want Jay to win this year

Anita - Another one who I didn't know so didn't know what to expect but really like her she has surprised me the most because I didn't realise how good she would be. Love her and Gleb and really hope they will be in the final and come 2nd.

Georgia - Liked her in Corrie, very good dancer, likeable, getting better every week and definitely deserves to be in the final and I hope she gets there

Jamelia - Didn't like her beginning but i'm beginning to like her now and I feel quite sorry for her because she didn't deserve to be in the bottom 2 three times but I hope she isn't in the bottom 2 this week because she isn't the worst left.



Ones I havent changed my mind on

Peter - I really like Peter and is one of my favourites but have been slightly disappointed by him and I thought he would better. But he is still in my final 4 but needs to give WOW dance or will lose my support

Kellie - Really like her, like her partnership with Kevin and she is a good dancer but waiting for a WOW dance.

Helen - thought I would like her as I watch CTM but there is just something I'm not getting with her. However she is a very good dancer and think she will be in the final.

Katie - Didnt really have an opinion she is a good ballroom dancer but not very good dancer in the Latin.

Jeremy - I haven't changed my opinion he is what Strictly is about someone having fun and improving every week.

Carol - I haven't changed my opinion about her

Improved
Jay - I had never heard of him but he's a sweetie, love his dances and always look forward to his turn. Don't like Aliona though, wish he had someone else.
Jeremy - thought he'd be the token older guy, but he takes it very seriously whilst having fun. You can really see how hard he has rehearsed each week and I love his partnership with Karen.
Kellie - I knew who she was but had no opinion on her. Yes she is a little screechy but I always look forward to their dance and she is so much better than I expected.
Katie - lovely lady. I'm really hoping her and Anton improve as I'd like to see them do well.
Jamelia - Not as annoying as I thought and an improving dancer. Didn't like her comment about no-one's voting though, some people are and I thought this comment was disrespectful to them.

Worsened
Peter - I didn't like him before, but I can hardly bear to look at him now. Uber annoying and fake.
Anita - I really liked her before Strictly but I can't warm to her at all. I can appreciate she's good and trying hard but I find her too try hard and I don't like Gleb either.

Same
Helen - didn't think I'd like her and I don't. The fake I'm such a sweet girl act is very irritating as is the oh I'm not very good really, I thought I'd be out in the first week routine. Yeah right.
Georgia - she is a nice girl but not much going on between the ears and I keep forgetting about her. Liked her tango though.
Carol - nice lady, didn't think she'd be very good.