So what do we think?

I think one of your other threads will cover the answer...

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2178120

Yes I think he will be in the final but he won't win.
I actually think all 3 Cliftons will make the final but all lose out to Danny Mac and Oti

I don't think all 3 will make it, Claudia, Laura, Greg are all in with a shout.

We don't know if Louise will be in the final. It's too early to tell. I want my 4 faces to be there. Laura, Claudia, Greg and Will. Claudia is my early favourite to win

How - when to win you have to be the last couple standing?

There are FOUR places in the final. And, obviously, all celebrities will be trained to a certain standard by then, some better than others. All we have seen of Louise so far is a bit part performance in a group dance.

So hardly the same thing...

If I were basing it upon what I saw tonight, it's Ore for the win.

There are lots of celebs I liked, in fact all apart from Laura Whitmore. I'm intrigued by Robert 'Judge' Rinder and Oksana and Melvin and Janette. But Ore looks terrific.

Don't think so.

A lot of contenders this year but my bet is on one of Greg or Claudia if either can dance to a high enough standard.

Far too early to tell, but my gut feeling is no... I can see Louise being nice but quite forgettable in a year of big personalities, and I suspect she hasn't got as much fanbase support as say Will, Greg or a few of the others.

Hopefully not I agree with Tejas too many good dancer's this year she'll fade into the background.

From the brief bit I saw of her in the group dance...no, Louise doesn't seem to be a front runner. My guess is Will & Karen and Ore & Joanne are likely to make the final or at least the late stages of the competition. But a lot will depend on how much they train and cover the groundwork in the next three weeks.

She is certainly not a front rinner based on what we saw tonight. This seems to be a moaning about Kevin thread under the pretext claiming Louise is better than she is.

Tough call this year I reckon, the line up is so good.

A couple of obvious ones that won't last too long but so soon after the olympics I think the public will certainly back Greg & Claudia. I can see Lesley making it to at least Halloween (she'd look great dancing as a witch). Laura, Danny, Louise, Ore, and Will all among the contenders I reckon.

Bring on 23/24th.

Doubt it. Louise didn't leap out as a contender in a year when there look as though there are a lot of real ones.

Be interesting to see what Kevin does with her. I think he's a good teacher. Susannah Reid didn't look as though she'd be anything much at the start, but at the moment, I'm predicting Louise going out fairly early.

That's it as raw material she is down the ranks. Now if Kevin can teach her so that she progresses then fair enough. He's certainly not got a ringer.

There may be a bit of drama this year, sibling rivalry with a brother and sister in the final. Ore is definitely a contender and Kevin is a good teacher and may well bring Louise out of her first dance nerves.
I always felt Joanne needed a good partner to show the talented dancer she is - she may have that person this year.

Unfortunately I think Louise might be one of the first out. Ed & Lesley if they are bottom of the leader board will get the sympathy vote although I think Lesley might prove to be quite good. Greg & Claudia will get the Olympic vote and Tamika is on to a winner with the Eastenders and the personality vote, plus she can move. Naga and Ore both looking good. Danny and Will should be safe.

Having looked at the pop video someone's posted she can definitely definitely move and did some difficult (by pop star standards) choreo (granted it was years ago)

I think she was just stiff with nerves. I'm not writing her off after the snippet we saw, when Jay last year was petrified and stiff in his opening number too.

I'd say she's Alesha Dixon levels of experience and ability but reduced down from not using her skills. She should be able to pick it up quickly and grow in confidence.

James Jordan on twitter says the producers favour the Cliftons. He says its about time Kevin got a dud.

I do agree with him there. James had made a final, a semi final and another final and then got Vanessa Feltz the next series. Kevin should get the same treatment.

When I saw the spoiler pairings I had her down as a finalist, but now I'm not sure she'll do very well at all. She seems to lack fire at the moment. In a weaker field, I think she'd have enough time on the show to get her skills back, get fit and find her competitive streak, but I reckon she could easily get lost in the mix early on.

She might be a dud though, we haven't seen her dance properly yet, it's hard to make out anything in the messy group dance. I don't think the simple pop routines she did in her singing days will be much use, I think she might be a bit self conscious too, which wont help.

To be fair, there aren't actually that many duds this year anyway. I think Daisy/Laura/Louise are all pretty much of a muchness, will be around the same point on the leaderboard and going for more or less the same votes. Tied scores on the leaderboard could be the real decider for the first couple of eliminations.

Yes, I agree with the BIB. A few things about Louise last night - she looked very self-conscious to me and I don't think the dress helped either. It looked awful to dance in. She hasn't been a performer for a long time and you could tell. I do think once some of the rust has come off she'll be a lot better. She's probably also aware how much expectation there was on her, especially considering she's been a judge on a TV dance competition herself, aside from her experience as a dancer. I'm not Kevin's biggest fan but I do like Louise, so I hope she does well.