that's right and I read somewhere he said he would never do SCD as it doesn't get 15 million viewers like DWTS does

You have just described the complete opposite of what he is like!

That is actually why a lot of people like him because he isn't too 'showbiz' like many of the Pros.

Sadly SCD is not the show it once was, its tabloid fodder now about who is dating or not dating who, and they try to court controversy.
I'm sort of glad Tristan and Aliona have quit, makes it much easier not to bother watching at all this year.

Absolutely. He has integrity, and comes across as a really lovely and 'real' person. He really made this last series worth watching, for me, and though I think he's very good looking, it was more his kindness, patience, and sense of humour despite the decisions being made for him that did it for me

Why do some people say they will no longer watch if their favourite pro's leave? You do realise it's not supposed to be about them, don't you? Loads of my favourites have left over the years, but I've not thrown a tantrum and refused to watch over it. In fact I'd say that Tristan is someone who won't have even registered with most of the casual viewers, and I can't imagine his absence will be much noticed byJoe Public in the way that Kevin, Anton, Brendan or even Gleb's would be if they suddenly disappeared from the next series.

Yes not like the good old days when Brendan cheated on Camilla with Natasha, or when the tabloids printed stories about Ian and Denise shagging, or when the producers told James and Camilla to fake a romance for the cameras or...

I was going to mention Flaiva and Matt Diangelo but you go even further back

Is he cute? Yes.
Is he charming? Yes.
Good dancer? Average
Good teacher? Not really.
Good choreographer? Absolutely not.
He's the kind of guy whom I'd love to have a laugh with in the pub over a pint. However, regarding SCD, he always looked very uncomfortable, as he was hating every minute of it. I wish him all the best in the future.

Funny that he seems to have announced his departure himself in a very low-profile way ... I think he's known he wouldn't be back (whether by choice or because the producers didn't want him back) for a long time.

Anyway, as most have said, a nice guy, but doesn't seem to be right for this kind of show, or indeed for show business. People bemoan the compromises the pros have to make on Strictly, but it's still a great job. Much better than being background hottie number 3 in a music video.

Nice summation . I agree .
His charm never floated my boat , but yes, I can see it working that Irish magic on people . Best he leaves before it all wears thin and people see past it to his general mediocrity .

Good post. Sums up Tristan for me nicely aside from not finding him cute.

Think Tristan is a good teacher and seems to be exceptionally patient - but he doesn't seem to be forceful. It's important for Strictly Pros to have pleasant characters - like Tristan - so that celebrities are happy to work with them.

Don't know about his choreography skills, but there's always help with choreography if any of the Pros want it.

Thought Tristan was very funny on It Takes Two - will miss him on that and hope they invite him back when he's in the country.

He seems to be doing very well in Australia working with Brendan O'Carroll's Mrs Brown Show - a very, very successful show. Am sure I've read somewhere Tristan's wife is Australian, so they perhaps want to bring their children up there?

Good....he won't be missed....he didn't even try with Jamelia

Or it could go the other way and you might warm to him, but I doubt it as you obviously know best.

Sad to hear of the departure of Tristan, my favourite pro of the recent bunch of recruits .
A great dancer and teacher as well as being a great communicator . We are left now with a lot of pros who can barely speak English and I'm sure the 4 new recruits won't improve this situation .

I blame too much interference from Production as the reason and this is hinted at by Tristan,Kristina,Ola and James . Get the wrong producer and they can make an unhappy camp .

He was rather evasive about why he left. What is it that made it no fun for him. Dancing? Teaching? Being on telly?

Eh? Gio maybe, but he was improving fast. Lots?!

I read somewhere he said he doesn't like choreographing routines

I thought he was clear. Too much interference. Having to stand up and be judged for things that were foisted on him.

That's exactly what I understood him to be saying. He also mentioned that he had prepared a Paso that he particularly wanted to do with Jamelia but the producers said no. (That's in one of the interviews on the MacManiacs site.)

This has happened to him before, as well - especially in America. He even said once that a song/routine that he had prepared and asked them to let him and his partner do was given to another couple in the same series.

He also said that both he and Rachel Stevens hated the Viennese Waltz they were forced to do on the Christmas special and wanted to do something else. (I think that's in one of those interviews, as well.)

And you know he wouldn't have chosen Jive to start with lanky 50+ Jenny Gibney with no dance experience as their first dance. Especially when she took the first week of rehearsal off, to take a holiday in Florida, without him going along He also hated their Abba song and concept and wanted to do "Jump in the Line"... oh well, they probably all have to "toe the line" but I think he was just sick of it.

From a recent interview:

"I think for me the biggest challenge each season and every episode is fitting into what the producers want to happen and trying to compromise your ideas and work. I understand it has to happen but it's hard when that becomes the priority. Sometimes you have to play 'the role' you don't want and it can be frustrating when everyone isn't privy to it. That's the nature of the show though and some work with it and some fight it, but I just think if you are going to be judged (more so by the audience) it should be your work and your work and ideas alone that are being judged."

I'll miss him but if he wasn't entirely comfortable on the show then obviously he is right to leave. I wish him well and hope he crops up on our screens again before too long, doing something that he really enjoys. He and Aliona were my favourite pros but their absence won't stop me watching Strictly. The only thing that could do that would be a proliferation of cheesy reality TV celebs.

At least in SYTYCD, for example, you can see the dancers being given their choreography etc. And they are judged on the basis that they are performing someone else's work to the best of their ability. Strictly have created this fake set-up where they are given music, routines, props etc. and have to pretend it's all their own idea, then get criticised for it by the judges and in turn the public who believe whatever they see on TV. I think it would get to me after a while and if your circumstances mean you just don't need it that badly then I can see why you would leave. It would be difficult to get much job satisfaction in that situation.

I liked Tristan too, he seemed to have a wicked sense of humour.

Not many of my favourite pros are left now, but I shall no doubt continue to watch - although I found myself nodding in agreement with your last point.

I believe that will be the case, but IMO they SHOULD care - all the departing pro dancers seem to be unhappy with how the show has changed to some extent. Whilst no one person is bigger than the show I do think to see so many going is a shame and they should be trying their best to ensure others don't quit as well.

My main gripe though is that the judges are treated like royalty yet the pro dancers are seen as a replaceable tool.

I think one of the worst things is the way the celebs - and pro's now to some extent - are given thumbnail sketches of their 'character' at the beginning of the series and that defines their time in the show with very little wiggle room for change as the series goes on.

Young, petite actresses who have been in soaps are treated like small children even if, like Tina O'Brien they are parents themselves. Sportsmen are well - sportsmen. Older ladies are either Cougars (pauses to roll eyes) or plucky triers doing it for the over 40/50/60's and so on. It's like they have a cast list of characters and the celebs are picked to fit into that and if they don't fit, then they'll just be hammered into it anyway