If they must continue the BBC Music Awards they should do it on the cheap and have it on a Sunday afternoon like the Smash Hits shows used to be.

To elaborate on what I said on here last night the answer is yes and that is the problem.

Ballroom dancing is a male/female partnership thing and has nothing to do with sexual orientation. It is about form and motion and fluidity and this to a degree works via the costumes and shapes that these allow to be created.

The steps, lifts and moves all work around one man and one woman complementing each other.

Yes, you could adapt them to suit a gay relationship but the dance that results would be so different from all the others in the same category that it would likely be impossible to get the viewers to judge it fairly in comparison. So inevitably there would likely be underscoring that would then (in my view) not be primarily related to homophobia but to the fact that they are seeing dances that are just too unlike what is expected.

I very much doubt most gay contestants prefer to dance with a same sex partner if they actually want to win rather than just make a political point. To some extent I understand that desire, of course, given my circumstances. But it will likely just make things worse.

Strictly is clearly not remotely homophobic. There have been plenty of gay contestants and they have had trans contestants regardless of whether these were gay or straight trans people (as there are both, of course).

All of this suggests the reasons are to do with the dynamics of the male/female balance in this dance competition which the show seem to feel should be what it is about.

If anyone is pressing for gay couples to get a chance then they should be suggesting a strictly gay special where all the couples compete with the same advantages and disadvantages. Because then the underscoring of a one off gay couple which I suspect would happen because of the uniqueness within the show of the dances they do would not be construed as something that I suspect it would not actually be.

I'm b-b-back! Thanks to the mods for giving me another chance.

As for last night's ratings, poor for the BBC Music Awards, but solid for the Prince Philip doc on ITV.

Or maybe because it does actually pull something out of the bag on NYD even when the quality hasn't been great in the run-up.

The show was crap in the second half of 2015 yet that didn't stop the NYD 2016 episodes featuring a dramatic storyline and being good.

I don't remember you, but thank you for the ratings you have been providing and welcome back.

Welcome back!!

welcome back. what about a full all day rating round-up for yesterday to come back in style?

Hassaan I can't believe you're back!!!! This is fantastic!!!

That was quick! Great stuff, welcome back.

Thanks also for all the data you've - indirectly - been providing. We'd have sod all to talk about were it not for yourself and others who take the time to post them up.

I've been suggesting an all same-sex special, probably the Xmas one, and...

The contestants do not need to be gay. They can be former contestants like Flack, Clancy or the Wanted chap.

Or you just have one round/week where everyone dances same-sex; rather than destroying the BBC I suspect the ratings would increase for that particular week. Ed Balls dancing Joey Tribbinai style would have been gold.

Slight change of subject [phew!], Did they ever have any gay dates on Blind Date? Cilla would have been perfect for hosting that.

Welcome back Hassaan!

Royal Variety tonight, here's how previous shows have rated (overnights) since 2000:

2015 (ITV) - 5.31m/5.60m (24.3%/25.6%)
2014 (ITV) - 6.52m/6.87m (28.7%/30.2%)
2013 (ITV) - 7.31m/7.64m (31.9%/33.3%)
2012 (ITV 1) - 8.20m/8.58m (33.7%/35.3%)
2011 (ITV 1) - 6.76m/7.01m (29.2%/30.3%)
2010 (BBC 1) - 8.34m (33.0%)
2009 (ITV 1) - 8.81m (37.4%)
2008 (BBC 1) - 7.50m (31.7%)
2007 (ITV 1) - 7.40m (27.2%)
2006 (BBC 1) - 7.90m (33.7%)
2005 (ITV 1) - 9.50m (36.6%)
2004 (BBC 1) - 7.10m (31.0%)
2003 (ITV 1) - 8.20m (36.8%)
2002 (BBC 1) - 8.00m (30.9%)
2001 (ITV 1) - 11.10m (47.0%)
2000 (BBC 1) - 7.70m (30.0%)

I predicted 5.7m in the prediction thread, looking at last year's rating I've gone too high I think.

YESSSSSSS! Welcome back Hassaan!👏👏👏👏👏👏

We've never 'met' but thanks for the ratings and welcome back.
And if you have the age demos for Prince Philip and BBCMA from last night, I'll do one of those heart things with my hands.

Thanks! And thanks to everyone else as well. It's much appreciated.

As a host, I can see David Walliams going down better with the traditional Royal Variety audience than Jack Whitehall. It was one of the highest rated ones for a while when he last hosted it.

I think it'll be around the 5.5-6m mark.

Welcome Back. Would have loved your insight on #GBBOgate that was a fun time on the thread as it broke here first!

I have been a regular for a couple of years now and I want to say that I have been a massive fan of your "whole day" ratings. If you have them do you have Dr Blake Mysteries ratings?

Is there any reason why the 2001 rating was so high?

Thanks! I haven't got any strong opinions on GBBO-gate, other than Channel 4 really should have secured the talent first, and credit to Mel, Sue and Mary for sticking to their guns.

Glad you like the roundups. I normally do weekends but if I can do another weekday one at some point, I will do.

Precisely!

Besides, what message does it send out from the LGBT community if they're truly saying that they can only perform with a same sex partner? That they can't cope with non-sexual working relationships? That their sexual preference is essentially misogynistic/misandrist in nature? It makes no sense at all to complain about discrimination on the one hand and demand special treatment on the other. I assume that nobody would look favourably on a left handed contestant who demanded a left handed partner or less trivially on any of the many disabled contestants who have taken part in DWTS demanding a disabled partner. Nobody, least of all herself, demanded that Terra Jole be given a little partner in the recent DWTS series. So why is it OK for demands which would fundamentally alter the nature of the show to be made in the case of same sex partners?

Yes, BBC made a fundamentally dumb decision in its justification on the grounds of the family audience and they deserve every ounce of criticism for that. But it doesn't change the fact that there is no genuine justification for same sex partners in Strictly other than grandstanding which can only have a negative impact on the acceptance that the LGBT community has won so far.

More people watched it that year?

Agree with everybody else, the BBC Music Awards have been a failed experiment that really cannot be justified with a 2017 ceremony.

I've no idea. But look on YouTube for the Lily Savage, Cilla Black and Barbara Windsor Gypsy sketch from that show. Brought the house down.

Ratings don't always reflect quality. Eastenders is really good at the moment and no other soap will beat its 9.5m it had on NYD this year. I think it will have 8m + for NYD again.

Yes, I'm sure that leaks of the sketch would have had something to do with it. Cilla being so naughty!!!!

Yes, but why?

I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave some moments ago.

Donny Osmond was also on the bill in the days when he still set the lady's hearts a flutter.