Yes and yes.

I agree to an extent I didn't think any of the showdances were stellar this year but at least none of them were the usual disco dancing with lifts tripe that we usually get.

Yes, Yes too.

Why can't they plan more for the post final interviews - instead of rushing round hunting for people.

The finalists' interviews were organised - though more microphones would be helpful so a few more could have joined in than Georgia.

Why couldn't all the judges to be interviewed - with a bit of warning so they could plan to be tactful instead of giving the tabloids the opportunity of stirring up 'fixgate'.

Then interview a few more of the contestants who'd gone out and a proper interview with Claudia and Tess. Maybe with any celebrity members of the audience too?

Know everyone was tired but as well as Zoe they could have used Jeremy more - perhaps checked his questions first - used Anita or even Carol who is used to live TV.

In the days before the Final they could sort some 'best' clips from ITT - with sound - and funny or unusual angle clips from any of the Saturday night and Results Shows.

Put it together with edited and sorted interviews from after the Final - would be comparatively cheap to produce.

Shown on the Sunday afternoon or teatime - on BBC2 if they're not confident of keeping their BBC1 audience.

Just needs some planning.

(Can't double quote so borrowing yours Noone.)

I agree completely - actually a fusion with the pro and possibly the celeb picking the merged dances would be great - the best showdances are kind of fusions with lifts anyway - possibly with rules the fusions have to contrast apart from poor Nicky who was stuffed by the ones he was given - the fusion week saw better dances than the showdances have been ok there were less of them but still the point holds.

Yes, I agree. Jay's an understated kind of chap and he was never going to be leaping around yelling with excitement, plus he was in shock (which I found lovely), so what he had to say on the Red Button needed a much wider audience. The abrupt end to the Strictly final has always been problematic and whilst the RB is better than nothing, it's pretty limited and unsatisfying.


Good idea. They could gather the footage after the final and edit it into something satisfying and balanced by Sunday night.


You should be in charge Fred

I think there is something to that - because his best dances were either ones which were naturally dramatic like the ones mentioned or ones were he had a 'theme' to latch onto like the jive - Pulp Fiction, AS - the big bad wolf or rhumba - the musician in Once. Also for the last performance she did bring in a musician who had learnt to act that part so sort of a drama coach.

I thought Ali and Abbey showdance was a real kitchen sinker too - throw everything at it and hope enough sticks. The best showdances have strong themes with a variety of dance styles - Tom Chamber's and Zoe Ball's stick in the mind as good ones and yes I too like Natalie Gumede's.

He went pretty wrong in his QS of course, but I agree with your BIB. I think there's an impression Jay made lots of mistakes partly because any he did make were more obvious because the rest was so good.

Aliona read Jay really well and I like that she didn't try to make him into someone else. I think an acting coach might have just added to the pressure being piled on by the judges for him to be something he isn't. Seems they decided to concentrate on their strengths and not worry too much about the other stuff. It wasn't what Craig was demanding, but it worked for Jay and Aliona and, as you say, for a significant part of the audience. It worked for me, anyway

You get my vote Fred.


I assume Aliona didn't bring in a acting coach because she thought Jay didn't need it. Watching his dances he does emote in each one, but probably not enough for Strictly's exaggerated ballroom-emotional level of 11. I think the criticism of Jay's 'dead' face just made it all worse for him. If he'd been left along to grow into performing he'd have got there sooner. I don't think Aliona was considering the fanbase at all, she was just wanting Jay to be comfortable and express himself naturally.

It was the subtlety of his emoting that made all the difference for me. The cheeky lascivious look on his face at the end of their Halloween AS was perfect.

It worked, and I agee that aliona 'read' jay well.
Just that the showdance was maybe bordering on 'too subtle' for some people, including the judges, who wanted more of a 'theme', or more 'fireworks'.

ps. the choice of music 'I CAN'T FEEL MY FACE'.....was that the track aliona just happened to choose (if so a bit left-field) or was it some subliminal reference to the fact that the judges (craig) had had a go at jay's face for showing 'no emotion'....??

I feel sure it was this ^^^. Well, maybe there was a bit of just liking a popular, modern song in there, too, but they seemed to acknowledge the irony of their choice, so I like to think it was intentional