Are legit people now really complaining about ringers on Strictly as if it's a new thing? 😬 I had kinda hoped that it was just a social media thing.

And mine too. Seems like sour grapes and biased opinions. Totally unprofessional.

I loved Anita too but Katie came out top in the dance off. That's the point, the decision is supposed to go on the dance off performance or what's the point of making them dance again? Seriously, the way some people sulk when they don't get their way. And to put it in an article. So unprofessional

And the way they speak about Kellie. Words fail me on that one too. Disgusting.

OK I'm jumping on the fix, conspiracy band wagon - it really is beginning to look true ---- that some of the media are out to scupper Strictly!
I don't know about the Telegraph but I am sure (I don't have a sarcastic smiley unfortunately) its a coincidence that others such as the DM and The Sun are affiliated to the ITN, can't be anything to do with that surely!!! They must see it as a real threat. I'm sure It's no coincidence either that this has been Strictlys best year for good celebs and viewing figures and worse year for rumour mongering and straightforward nastiness in the media!
What worries me is all this media nastiness could put future celebrities off from taking part. They are already struggling to get males on board apparently but think they may struggle with the females too after this year.
I've not been keen on Kellie, find her a bit OTT - but that is the strongest comment I have made about her and it dosn't stop me appreciating a damn good dance when I see it. She's a grafter too which I always appreciate. Those comments about her in the telegraph are not 'news', not informative, just bitchy rhetoric to entertain the writer - like someone who likes the sound of their own voice.

BIB - no the writer of the article isn't a judge but she was still graceless and rude for calling Kellie unpopular and slightly irritating. Len was judging the dancing (if you believe that or not), she's judging the person. And I am no fan of Len - he's shown himself to be a bully over this series with the way he behaved towards Giovanni, Aljaz and Gleb for dance content but even I can see his comments were about the dancing and not about them personally whereas the writer of the article is making a personal comment about Kellie - which is uncalled for.

I don't agree with much of that - but particularly the bit where she applauds Craig for his integrity in his intention to get rid of Katie. I think all the judges, including Craig, have been on the show long enough to know that giving someone a 4 and laying into them the way they did with Katie is not the way to get rid of them (as demonstrated with Anita and her 6 the week before) so I doubt that was their intention.

The writer was right in BiB: well kinda, slightly irritating ? Mmmm I would say Kellie is extremely irritating

You do. DS is one

Peoople think it is restricted to the banality of Twitter and Facebook but internet forums, LinkedIn etc etc are all forms of social media

I may not agree with everything that was in the article but I do agree with the general premise that Strictly has lost its way & needs in my opinion to press reset. It's TRUE that the show now has more & more 'ringers'. Len is grumpy & disrespectful, no couple in a dance off in the semi final whoever they are deserves 'not even close'. The judges scores can be ridiculous & they do overlook things when it suits them.

I have been a huge Strictly fan but this series has finally broken me. I think it's time for a reset or even a break for a year. However that's not going to happen because the ratings are everything. However I hope the BBC has been a bit rattled about the fix stories in the papers even if they aren't true.

People are cross because an online poll on an online newspaper suddenly shows a drop in support for Jay & an increase for Katy so it must be a fix REALLY. I rest my case re this series.

Written by a DS forum member I bet you.

Some biased, irrational freelance HACK, who READS the forum, in my opinion.

Both articles depressed me with their stupidity.

Does Alison Pearson know what "mean, not to mention graceless and rude" means? Clearly not because that's what her article is.

She's clearly an Anita fan and is throwing her toys out of the pram because Anita was eliminated. She should be writing for one of the tabloids, not a paper that used to be respected for honest reporting. The semi final result is what the semi final result is - live with it.

I'd go with freelance and bought in, passed by a harrassed sub charged with getting some showbiz clickbait.

However, I don't have complete faith in that these days. I followed the Pistorius trial very closely and the standard of a lot of the journalism was piss poor, even in the broadsheets.

sigh.

I think Len could have phrased it better, but I think he felt forced to make that sort of comment because of all the 'fix' fuss over the DOs lately. I'm not too bothered about ringers, partly because I don't think they can afford to be too picky about contestants these days. I think the show could make it more balanced though, and counter the fix stuff, by getting rid of the DO next year and going back to letting the pros choose their music and not forcing themes and props on them.

I agree with this and so do a lot of people who I have discussed it with. They were all particularly annoyed at the 'not even close' remark from Len. I might add they were not all Anita fans.

I now believe it is fixed, for Katie and Anton to get to the final is ludicrous, Katie can only do ballroom. Anita has been better all the way through the programme and to judge on one dance is ludicrous especially when they didn't apply this rule to Peter.

I think they need to scrap the dance-off and leave it to the GBP to vote for who they want to stay, it's not as if the dance-off is live on Sunday.

Regardless, just the mention of a fix in an online forum should be sufficient for the remark to be picked up by other media outlets (this is how the Mirror compiles its Strictly stories it would appear)

Rubbish article

That's a well written article.

There were yells of FIX when they got rid of Jamelia over Peter when it was obvious that Peter's dance was TERRIBLE.

They then said that they should and WOULD only judge on the dance in front of them and they would do this in the future and give reasons.

They then APPLIED this to the last DO and made a perfectly understandable and obvious decision.

Craig went against it, but HE broke the 'rule', not the other judges.

Insisting it was then a 'fix' is ludicrous.


I'm finding it increasingly odd that people seem to have lost any critical thinking skills, or that they think if enough people shout the same thing loudly, that it becomes the truth.

Depressing.

It's only saying what most of the general public believe.

Well you can be depressed but that is how I feel. The show has been 'dodgy' for years, it is just getting more obvious to the gbp now as well.

They need to make the rules and stick by them instead of using them when they feel like it.

I agree and those against it are those who are worried in case the show scrapped.

You presume that Anita has been polling higher with the public than Katie. Had it been down to public vote Anita may have gone anyway.

As he often does and yet he's polling as the favourite judge. People think that because he does b****y tone and face his insight is better and his comments more accurate.

They do, and they made a start by making the dance off rule clear, and then they stuck to it.

And THAT is now a reason to think it's all fixed? It doesn't make sense yellowlabbie.

If Anita had gone through after Jameliagate THEN it would have deserved cries of 'fix'. Not the other way around.

Irrational.

I think the judges should be there only to give their opinions on the dances and the entire leaderboard should be based on viewers votes alone. It has been said for many years that the judges are under/over marking to suit their own agenda.

Personally I had never bought into the conspiracy theories that have always been part of DS & social media and never liked to believe that the show I loved was manipulated. This year though there have been one or two instances that have made me think that maybe this really is happening and I was just naive for thinking otherwise.

Anyway, another article along the same lines as The Telegraph questioning the decision to save Katie over Anita.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lifes...cott-1-7626144

I totally agree it was contrived to get Anton to the final,it's completely ruins it for me this year only Craig could see the real finalist and it wasn't Katie who is the worse dancer to get through.katie is now quoted as saying it was all above board after all it's the BBC who is above reproach?have you watched their news programmes absolutely shocking bias for who they support(Tories) so don't expect me to believe they don't manipulate the outcome to what they want.