I think that Jay has probably won most of the audience votes over the series and the judges were aware of this.
The lower scoring and comments from the Judges for Jay and Aliona actually gave the final an edge.

Spectacularly backfired. Thankfully.

Yes have now realised this and completely agree

I'm so pleased that the judges were shown who's boss in the end. (They say they know it but this is definitive.)

I agree too - glad jay won - I just got a strong feeling that he was so far ahead that making the judges commentary more pro Georgia and Kellie seemed to be the only thing to create some suspense.

The ladies split the vote imo as I've said in another thread

Really? Really?! I despair of this forum sometimes, I really do. It's like people genuinely feel good about themselves for 'outsmarting the mean old manipulative judges!'

'Shown who's boss...' what nonsense! They voted on what they thought was best. If any of them were truly that precious about whether the audience agreed with them, they wouldn't have stayed for so long (13 series in 3 cases!).

You don't know that. With Craig and Len in particular it has really helped their careers over here (maybe Bruno as well but I'm not so aware of him) so maybe that is more important to them.

This is an opinion forum, so please don't dismiss anyone's opinion as nonsense, because we've all got them and come here to express them.

By the way, I actually voted for Georgia more, but I felt Len's comments about the show dances were completely unnecessary and a lot of Bruno's comments were very leading.

I heard the judges comment a few times tonight about performance and how Kellie performed (even Craig on the red button was still pushing about her performing)

I thought it was about dancing, if it was about the best performance and entertainment Jeremy should have been in the final

they have saved Kellie twice in the dance off and by placing her top of the leader board

did they not get it that not everyone at home agreed with them

did they hope by giving them 40s, and praising them to high heaven that the viewers would do as they were told and only vote for Kellie

not everyone likes the in your face dances that K&K have performed, not everything has to be OTT and gurning faces

even with all the (IMO) advantages K&K had they were not the winners and producers and judges alike should take notice that the viewers dont like to be told or in their words guided to a winner

I agree that in retrospect they were doing their best to make a foregone conclusion look like a contest. They even had me going for a little bit that it was close, and I've been 100% unwaverable that Jay would win since at least week 5 or so. In retrospect, I'm not sure giving that tango a perfect score was the best way of going about it in terms of the show not looking silly.

Giving that Tango a perfect score made me vote for Jay and I have never voted on SCD before

I just got pissed off with the K&K love in

But you seem to be genuinely suggesting that the judges think that they can manipulate the public. Do you not think that after 13 series they know they actually can't? I mean, if we know it I'm pretty sure they can figure it out by now!

And why is it manipulating and not giving their honest opinion? They thought Kellie was best, marked her that way and said it. Why shouldn't they? That's what they're there for. The public are not and have never been under the obligation to agree with them.

Trust me, they learned that in series one!

Dancing without any emotional content could be done by robots. Its not going to sell any tickets anywhere, because ultimately people can watch bodybuilders, or models, or go to the beach instead.

Kellie and Georgia are both useable professionally. There's roles that require high energy, overstated, acting, and roles that require an ability to convey more complex or stronger emotions. Some need grace, some need energy, some need presence, Some need a character that emerges from nowhere.Some need character actors, others need people who just fit that simple role. Craig tends to do more OTT shows, so will like those people. Len isn't that subtle either. Craig recognises though that Georgia is the complete package,and Len, rightly, sees Georgia as the best at ballroom.

The comparison is with Jay - who was pretty, learnt his dancing positions years ago, and was fit , in both senses - but showed no ability to act any role.

The show tried to make the point that Jay ws a feasible winner - because they knew the fan votes were piing in - and had previous experience with Harry (whose competition fell away or didn't make the last vote) and Louis who won for doing his day job mid dance against two better females . . Winners need some justification . However, Len pointed out the obvious - in who should win on merit , and Craig pointed out who he would most like to employ. It would be unfair not to - as, otherwise, history would record that Jay was much better than he was, and neglect the people who were better.

Nobody likes teachers pet and Kevin has been that in all of his series so far. Personally I just don't get him at all and find his manic overdancing too much to bear. THis year it has been particularly bad because Kellie herself is pretty similar....so double the cringe for me.

As I remarked elsewhere. Kevin is New Look loud fast fashion vs the understated Jager style of Aliona, Giovanni or Pasha.

Anton is too much Men's Outfitters.

Aww bless, I have a soft spot for Anton but never took to Katie at all.

So SCD is just being judged on usability ???

I dont care if a person can act or not when they are dancing in SCD

I do like to see a graceful talented dancer

Im not fussed if they have danced at stage school

I dont like rules for one and not for another, I dont like hammy acting (its a lot worse than no acting at all)

but I do like to see a person grow in confidence and ability

I don't think the judges comments were tactical. Jay has had some great dances but in the final he was outshone in my opinion by Georgia & kellie

I;ve always been fond of tactical nukes. But not necessarily for bad showdances.

It wasn't necessarily the marks I disagree with (although I really don't like that Tango), but the extra comments that they unsubtly slipped in.

The judges do manipulate the public but not necessarily in the way most think.

These shows rely on viewers voting, that's the bottom line. Jay's jive chucked a spanner in the works. Even though it was week 3 that was a 40 dance. But there's no surprise in that and until the final there has to be contenders who could win instead. Jay's subsequent dances for the rest of the time were OK but looked like he was being stifled. If he'd done the jive tonight there would have been no competition and the voting would suffer.

The judges made sure the public were doubting a Jay win even though he was the only one not to be in a dance off. Unfortunately they sacrificed their credibility and the shows effect to make it seem close. This is the part I hate as it leaves you feeling thoroughly underwhelmed and doubting the judges in general (which is devastating as they're all amazing pros).

I abhor this type of manipulation as it leaves a bad taste but there's not one show out there with a vote that doesn't do it.

Poor Jay now doubts his win but it was thoroughly deserved in my opinion and if he'd been allowed to shine he'd know that for sure. His confidence was growing but I have no doubt his self-doubt will be torturing him. But I hope I'm completely wrong.

We were told several times that the judges scores were "just for guidance" so the viewers were quite clearly being guided in the direction they wanted us to vote.... And if we didn't get the rest get idea with the scores - the comments were pushing us that way again......

Sorry judges/ producers - but I'm quite capable of deciding who my favourites are all by myself. I don't particularly care if you want Kevin and Kellie to win - but shoving that opinion down my throat is the way to get me voting for anyone but the one being shoved in our faces.

I for one am glad that the shy and reticent Jay won over the hyper screaming banshee, and I hope that the equally reserved Georgia came second.

And just for the record - isn't it time that Kevin got a duffer? He's due a Carol next year!

I thought the same

I think you're right.

Jay didn't grow - he entered knowing the moves and positions , and being able to follow the music - and he acted as badly at the end as he did at the beginning. He even avoided acting in his show dance so people might not notice. He was a bit surprised initially at getting high marks , but then got used to it. And as there was nothing he could do about it , he only had to wait till the judges started ignoring his acting more- as his vote piled up.

The people who grew in confidence and ability were Georgia, Kellie, Katie, and Anita. Jay's best performance was in week 3.