There is a lot of difference between the best dancer in the final and the one who does the best dances on the night. For one thing the judges choose 1 dance out of 3 and picking the lowest scoring dance means it is in the lap of the gods whether you get a crowd pleaser or a so-so choice.

After watching for about 12 weeks and finding 1 couple entertained me more than any other, I am not likely to suddenly change my vote to someone who happens to put on a good performance for 2-3 minutes from one who has been excellent and technically good week after week.

I suspect many others thought the same, hence Jay won.

Kellie's showdance was 'more exciting' because the speed & frenetic contortions of the Lindy Hop will always get the crowd up far more than Jay's regular dance theme, but that doesn't make Kellie a better dancer. It wasn't even a great showdance compared to previous years (think Natalie or Tom) but benefited from the low key performances of the previous 2, especially Jay's.

How can anyone compare the couple's choice and say that Kellie's Charleston v Jay's Paso made her a better dancer? One is a crazy jump aboutathon pulling funny faces while the other a strong powerful proper dance. Georgia's Charleston was better than Kellie's Charleston so does that make her a better dancer?

The first dance was the judges' choice and the idea was to see how they have improved since the first attempt and all 3 of them improved 3 totally different dances, QS, Tango and Rumba.

Jay won because of one dance though - the jive! He was odds on to win after that. Even Craig and Darcey acknowledged as much in the red button interview with Jeremy after the show.

Last night, overall, Georgia danced the best.

Over the series Jay was the best dancer so I'm ok with him winning.

Odd though there was such outrage (me included) when something similar happened in the DO between Jamelia and Peter.

Isn't that because the 'rules' state that the judges have to save the couple based only on the dance off?

The rules governing the dance off are nothing to do with the audience votes for the weekly shows or even the final.

For me Jay won two of the three rounds with the Quickstep and Paso. Georgia danced a stunning Charleston, though. I think Kellie nailed the feel of the Showdance.

Yes. I know why. But presumably some of the viewers who berated the judges for not choosing the person who danced the best in the DO voted for the person who didn't dance the best in the final.

I just find it amusing

It's down to taste as Jay said earlier. But to say he only had one great dance is nonsense. He was tied with Kellie as top scorer and let's face it ... whatever your opinion ... he was under scored for his jive so top scorer IMO.

In terms of performance, Kellie and Kevin owned the show from their Oom Pah Pah showstopper in the QF.

That might have pulled in some votes, though in the absence of any voting figures, I'd be surprised if Kellie was even pushing Georgia hard for second, let alone challenging Jay ftw. It's a fact of Strictly life that the bar for an actress the wrong side of 35 is just set so much higher than younger (particularly male) celebs. Kellie isn't the first and won't be the last not to connect with the voting public and I'm guessing she was under no illusions that anything she could have done would cause an upset.

My only surprise is that the leaderboard didn't emphasise her superiority even more; she was some way ahead of Georgia and out of sight of Jay with that crock of shite masquerading as his showdance. K&K's lindy hop did what it said on the tin - it stopped the show.

I vote for my favourite of the series if they get to the final.
I vote for the person who has made me want to watch the show and who's dances I have 1) really looked forward to and 2) made me want to watch them again.
I would prefer that they danced the best on the final night, but if we are told to vote only for the dances on the night, why bother having a series?
Make it a one off like the Christmas special?

Other people may have a different view and I know there are some who decide on Finals night. Their choice but not mine

Yes, underscored for the jive, very over marked for the rhumba though, so evens out.

Can't agree re the paso, thought Georgia blew the other two out of the water in that round.

And can't ignore the slip in the quickstep albeit Aliona's fault.

I didnt have a particular favourite going into the final but I'd preferred Georgia and Jay's dances more than Kellie's or Katie's so I did leave it to the night to decide who to vote for and thought Georgia was better so my votes went to her but no complaints about Jay winning.

Exactly the same with me.

Anita was my favourite so once she left I decided to watch the final and vote for whoever I liked the best on the night. That was Georgia.

Have to admit Georgia put in a stunning performance with the Charleston and it's very much six of one, half a dozen on another. The only thing which swung it is I saw improvement in the Paso and didn't with the Charleston (albeit because it was superb already).

Whilst there was a slip in the Quickstep I couldn't take to Georgia's Rumba as the hip movement was very on and off for me. The opening spoiled Kellie's Tango for me; I couldn't accept the hold (might be my issue rather than theirs) and thought it lacked a 'staccato' feel.

The first year in a long time where I never had a favourite. Admittedly I never really start establishing my favourite til a few weeks in but there wasn't really a clear favourite for me although I preferred some dancers to others.

A rousing jump on the table performance yes. But it had so little Viennese Waltz content you would be hard pushed to know which dance they were supposed to be doing if you weren't told beforehand. Kellie & Kevin got high marks for what they put into it but if Jay let his thumb move an inch out of line it was mentioned and marked down. I doubt if 1 viewer in a thousand knew that Jay's thumb was down in the QS before Craig mentioned it.

Not for me. I preferred his Paso, Tango and Rhumba. His Paso won it for me on the night.

yes loved Georgia she was amazing hope he does get a job on one of craigs west end shows..

It was that moment that I knew I would never vote for Kellie and Kevin. A Viennese Waltz is supposed to have grace, elegance and class - that performance had none of it. Craig even said it yet still marked them high. If either Giovanni or Gleb had had the audacity to dream up that kind of routine they would have been tied to a horse and dragged through the centre of London.

Not for everyone it didn't! I talked most of the way through it tbf, thought it was a good effort but as usual Kellie looked ungainly. Which she often did throughout the series, Kevin was smart using a number like that. I would watch Jay, Georgia, Anita, Helen,Jeremy over Kellie for a variety of reasons.

Err, it was Musical week, which Kevin chose to give the full welly and interpret in that brash, vulgar and exciting way that makes Musical Theatre such a glorious art form. Others chose to pluck out a random toon, stick on some bizarre togs and just do the usual wafting around the dance floor. I suppose it was in tribute to the word of the Series - Understatement.

I'm with Craig (and Len) on this one.

That was definitely a 'crowd pleaser' imo

But not the definition I think you mean

But it is the inconsistency that annoys people and creates the apparent bias in viewers' minds, whether there is any or not. The VW is all about twirling round one way or another and many non-pros have had difficulty with dizziness.

Gleb produced 'innovative' choregraphy and was slated for not including enough of the basic dance moves. Kevin does a VW with hardly any waltzing, either to the right or left, and they get praised for it and everyone thinks Kellie is a great dancer, whereas the choreography was covering up her dancing to favour her acting & outgoing personality.

jw, but the sync errors in GGs charleston are ignorable?

Paso was clear winner for me in part2, despite the (although Jay wasn't over the course of the night)

No point in having a show if it all comes down to one night.