Craig Revel Horwood has stated that its not the best dancer who wins Strictly but the one who "changes the lives of the people at home".

With that in mind, how did Jay "change your life"?

I only ask because NOT ONE Strictly champion from Natasha Kaplinsky to Jay MacGuinnes has changed my life.

Natasha sort of changed my life (well more Brendan). I started dance lessons because of that first series.

That is very interesting Ann.

It is early days but, since Jay appeared on the scene with his beautiful dancing and delightful personality, I have made some new friends on the forums. I hope it continues.

The same happened when Gethin danced on Strictly. I have kept in touch with several people on the forum and we occasionally meet up! We also went to the tour together.

Craig, like all the judges at some point or other, talks a load of cr@p.

I've got a few extra dances in my YouTube Strictly playlist, and a few more DS posters on my ignore list...that's as much as my life has changed.

He did not change my life at all, but he did add 90 seconds of pure pleasure to it, each time I watched him dance.

I disagree with Craig. I think it takes a lot more than the winner of an entertainment/dance show to change lives but it's lovely to know that the quiet man can win because of the backing of the public, and that the judges opinions are little more than words however much they try to push their personal favourites.

Power to the people!

Changed my life, not at all. But a welcome distraction from a difficult couple of months personally and amused me a lot (more this forum generally than Jay, but also kind of Jay as a lot of the funniest comments have been inspired by him.)

Changed my life? No, but it changed a few "habits" like watching and watching his dances on YouTube and posting in this forum much more than previous years.
But what Craig said about capturing the minds and imaginations of the people, that I think it's more accurate.

If by changed my life he means I had an epiphany and quit my job and left home to travel the world or something to achieve my goals then no. However he brightened my months up a wee bit and I joined this forum and I got a bit more invested in the series and I'd re-watch dances on Youtube and so on.

So I suppose I did make little changes but nothing dramatic.

Ditto.

Firstly I am not a Jay fan and didn't vote for him in the final.

However he was the first male dancer that has danced without the fear of not being 'a man'

His hands, lines and turns were just beautiful.

His legacy I hope is that you can still be a man and perform the way he did. and hopefully more males will let themselves go a bit more in the future.

I have a new outlook on toddler mutilation. Thanks, Jay!

These ^^^^

To be honest the premise of your question assumes that Craig is empirically correct with his assertions ...........which he isn't by any scale.

Maybe I am way off base but it's my perception that fans vote based on what they see and what they like. The remainder is entirely subjective, in the same way that "best dancer" is. However "changing a life" would not be the reason for the vast majority.

Changed my life. No, but I have enjoyed watching him grow in confidence over the months and seeing his growth as a dancer and how much he was enjoying it all put a nice smile on my face and made me feel all warm and fuzzy

It takes someone special to get me to pick up the phone and vote and post in forums and whatever 'it' is Jay had it in bucket loads. Think what Craig probably meant rather than actually change your life is that he has moved viewers, which he did, I on a number of occasions have been moved by his performances. Can't agree with his 'not always the best dancer wins' comment as the best dancer definitely won, Kellie to me is more performance.

I can't say that one ever changed mine either but there was something great about seeing Ramps win when I spent my cash to make it so, seeing Tom's showdance for the first time and been blown away and the pure enjoyment of the series five final. I have had genuine emotions to what happened in the competition at times - both positive and negative and perhaps more than was healthy and discovered a lot about how I perceive people and how others do - both positive and negative.

I also think that Darren Gough probably changed a few bloke's lives in showing them that dance could be for people like them.
Last edited by katmobile : 23-12-2015 at 10:23

Jay won because he was the best dancer of the series. he also happened to win the hearts of the nation, but he was the best dancer, despite what Craig 'I love Kellie' Revel Horwood keeps saying

It's just another Craig soundbite, totally meaningless and not to be taken seriously. The more he says on this subject, the more ridiculous he sounds.

Yes - I am now very familiar with a whole back catalogue of The Wanted YT videos - there are loads!

Didn't change my life but Jay and Aliona were just simply the couple I looked most forward to each week. Hence why I voted for them

Seriously though, was noone inspired to learn to dance as a result of watching any of the pros or celebs on Strictly? That really can be life changing in terms of general health and mental well being.

Jay and Aliona did not change my life - but they were the couple that I really looked forward to see performing even week and that I willed to do well. They had something special - be it chemistry, talent etc - whatever it was it came across on screen and made them the stars of SCD 2015 and the deserved winners.

I loved watching Jay dance every week - really enjoyed his routines and ensured that I never missed a show (sometimes I'm not that bothered). That's about the only way Jay changed things for me.

So glad he won.

CRH is a prize luvvie - he does rather over dramatise things dharling.

He showed me that there are people that are willing to stand up for other people no matter what it costs them. He showed me the kind of person I wanna be...

Oh no, sorry. That was Dirty Dancing.