The program needs shaking up a bit, it seemed a bit flat this year.

Let's keep the judges but just for their opinions, giving them no say who should stay or who should go and simply eliminate the couple who score the least public votes.

So we go back to how it was prior to the dance-off being introduced, with the risk that a more competent dancer or three will be voted off in favour of a comedy/joke/less-able dancer.

Yes, I can see that working well.

Mind you, it would probably give Anton a clear run into the Final ......

The 'leave it all to the public' idea seems great until the first time we lose a contender each series, in which case people will be back screaming for the dance-off to return because the GBP is stupid.

I think people who want change really mean they want change until the time they don't like the consequences of it.

We could have a final of Jay, Anita, Jeremy & Georgia right now if left to the public. I'd have loved to have seen that, right enough.

That would make it a popularity contest, this year Jeremy might've made it to the finale over more able dancers if it were only up to public vote.

That's not how it worked prior to the dance-off...

It wasn't? How did it work then (my memory must be fading)?

ETA - ah I see, maybe it's because I used the term "voted off" when in fact it was the dancer with the least combined voted that went.

Whichever, the end result was/would be the same - a contender (who scored well in the judges' voting) is booted by virtue of the public vote

There have been many times I don't agree with the judges but I like the concept of the dance off. I think it adds another level of jeopardy to the competition. The fact that you can be a brilliant dancer but mess up once in the dance off and be sent packing should be exciting. The reason is hasn't been working is that the judges have been inconsistent in how they choose who goes through. They need to make sure that they are only voting for the dance they have seen in the dance off, nothing that has come before and nothing that they think could happen in the future.

11 million love Strictly.

Look to X Factor where constant change killed the show.

Please NO CHANGES.

DITTO.

If it aint broke don't fix it - I don't think (other than the pretence of 'last night') there is too much wrong with the show. I think it's just about right to have a 'professional' judges score and for the public to have their say.

Nothing is ever perfect but IMO - the format works well. There will always be people upset by the outcome - we don't all see things the same way.

All this talk of fixing and judges favourites is a bit daft. If the judges do have favourites it just might be because they think they are good dancers. What a shocker

Contenders like Gabby Logan, Cherie Lunghi, Zoe Lucker, Pixie Lott and Helen George?

And?

I recall that, prior to the DO being introduced, at least one contender went whilst a duffer/comdey contestant remained. And I thought that the DO was introduced to try to negate that happening (i.e. give any bottom-placed contender a second bite). Agreed it has not always worked out, especially when TWO contenders are in the DO by way of the lack of public votes. But it catches the single contender scenario.

As for Pixie, well that will simply rumble on and on and on. As will Helen George. It's happened. Let's move on.

The best change would be to get rid of Tess and Claudia and get a more dynamic and humourous host. I think Anton could do it and I'd put him with Zoe. There is a lot of wit and savoie faire to Anton.

We'd have lost both Abbey Clancy and Caroline Flack if there hadn't been a dance off. Losing two eventual winners in the last two years isn't a good recommendation for a prospective change.

If the dance off is judged honestly - unlike what happened in Peter versus Jamelia but in accord with Katie versus Anita then it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

If next season the judges save someone who clearly danced less well in the dance off then I think it should be given to the studio audience to vote for who they want to send through to the next round.

The decision who to save should be based entirely on how a couple performs in the dance off otherwise there isn't any point in one if no matter how well someone dances on the night it doesn't make any difference.

Like introduce the Oppornockity Tunes 'Clap-o-meter'


Makes perfect sense to me

I can see that suggestion being absolutely HATED on here.

Personally I think it'd be a brilliant pairing.

I don't get the Winkleman love I'm afraid - I find her uncomfortable to watch. I don't mind Tess but do prefer Zoe.

The only thing I would change is to make the votes in the final combined with the public votes from previous weeks.

This means we would get a winner determined by the votes of people who had watched the whole series, not by tweenies watching the final for the first time as X-Factor is not on.

a Strictly winner for strictly voters

PLUS
Get rid of the backing dancers for Musicals week - spend the money on "guest singers" instead, like Elaine Paige, Maria Friedman, Michael Ball or Jodie Prenger etc etc

Disagree.

They do a great job, as anyone who has seen the show live knows.

Look at XF change of host, the show dies.

Which could unfortunately mean that the final is decided by week 10 and there's no point in anyone dancing or voting for the series finale.

It is judged honestly.

agree.

Yes, because changing things just for the sake of it has worked so well for The X Factor.



Anton was given a chance to present other programmes and proved he wasn't up to it -- and those were prerecorded, where they could edit and re-record any mistakes or other problems. Live television is much harder. Look how much Caroline Flack and Olly Murs have struggled on The X Factor and Caroline is a far more experienced presenter than Anton is.

Tweaking is not necessarily the answer either

As Mr D said to me. If a car timing is set relative to top dead centre it'll be at its most efficient. A wee tweak either way and it'll be less so. I think the Producers' constant fettling has boogered the timing

That said, it was more Ford Focus than Formula 1 to begin with even if the viewing figures beat ITV's offerings

I don't agree, it is fine for me at the moment. I fear that a shake up could damage the show.

Personally I like it the way it is but would prefer - (sorry to be a bore about this as I have mentioned it before) that instead of three judges saying who they want to keep in the dance off they should score the DO dance in the usual way (including Len). They could say why they have given more, less or the same as previously but the overall score - just on the DO - would be the deciding factor. It would then be more obvious it was just on the dance off and at least make it harder to disguise personal preferences.
I have no problem with the current judges - love them when they are nice to my favourites, loathe them when they arn't! I like Tess and Claudia - neither are always perfect but no one would be.
Nothing is ever going to suit everyone. With millions of viewers it would be impossible to cater for them all. I also don't really see how the 'fix' hysteria can totally be avoided - there will always be someone with a loud enough voice shouting it if their favourite is eliminated.