I agree. I remember Kara, although obviously delighted to have won, saying how guilty she felt about Matt Baker and his punishing schedule.

Laura looks lovely

Good to hear . . . love how the DM is timing their training sessions

Laura looks radiant doesn't she Lou.

She absolutely does I can't wait for this Saturday.

8 hour days are going to help A lot. Gio looking very 'man at work' there in today's pics too.

It will be good to see whether Laura can stay with the beat in this Latin - she lost timing in the CCC. Think first performance nerves had a lot to do with that - she mentioned that looking a Craig RH mid-dance was very offputting.

Relieved to see a headline that was not running with some Strictly Curse variation - maybe the journalists realise that its a bit boring for their readers if they just regurgitate endless speculation that is fact-free. The seemingly obligatory 'relationship summary' bit was at least only a couple of sentences at the end of the article.

Prizes will be awarded for the first sighting of an article that doesn't mention any past romantic history from either Laura or Gio Or indeed Mick.

afternoon, I was a fan of James as a dancer and choreographer and think that he and Dense should have won anyway, I like this track and Giovanni should choreograph something which will stand out


I really don't know how those people who have a "proper" job manage to do filming and training for Strictly ..... and Giovanni looks good too

BIB He is, I'm really taken with how focused Gio is on his partnership with Laura, the progress she's made due to his teaching and how he's helped her with her confidence. Great pics of them both!

Although I was personally impressed with Laura's Cha Cha as a first dance I did get the sense she was a little disappointed, not with the scores but that she'd maybe danced it a little better in rehearsals. First night and first to dance nerves were bound to affect her but this week with the Salsa I think she'll be carrying lots of confidence through from her Waltz, she knows she can pull off a performance like that now. Laura also has wonderful musicality, seeming to really feel the music. Their partnership and the friendship and trust between them is clearly growing week by week too.

New pic of Mick on Laura's Instagram ... sorry I can't link but head over there quick. It's too cute!!

Awwww thanks for the heads up daziechain . . . Mick's back in the training room

They have 13 days to train in the first 3 weeks before hitting Elstree. Gio covered both the Waltz and the CCC in that time. Laura IIRC lost two days to her NY work trip.

The CCC was fun but I agree it was a bit messy towards the end and it felt to me as if a few more days training would have helped it - but actually 'first up' nerves might well have put her in the same place. I was really really surprised that they didn't give the opening the show spot to a trained actor or singer who would (should) have less performance anxiety.

Laura should be able to get a good groove on for this track with her music background - fingers crossed its a top 6 dance on the leaderboard for them

Thanks Ochre x

Looking as cute as ever.

Laura looking goood in short training clip on ITT, hips, legs strong action and lots of rhythm.

Ian likes it whoop

She was looking good. So pleased as I was thinking it might not be good after reading comments elsewhere.

Even more excited for their Salsa now.

L & G aren't on ITT tomorrow so must be Friday with the live audience again, good atmosphere. Can't wait!

Thanks, Ochre Mick is so cute.

I hope Laura and Gio smash it on Saturday and prove me wrong.

Looking good! Very promising ... she is definitely moving those hips!

Joining the chorus of appreciation for a salsa snippet with good hip action - yay! My anxiety over Bambi legs and tall girl totter has subsided

O/T Brendan has checked out again.. hasn't he. Body language in his interview with Anastasia suggested to me he was sitting next to Lulu 2. But he is going to deliver competent VW and just tick off the weeks.

Didn't Laura have that yellow Object dangling off her bag in an earlier pic from today? She's like a proper dog walker. Shit bags and dangly things and everything you need about you. But with added glitter.

Laura looked very good - shame it was such a short snippet!

According to the DM it is a Fendi Pom Pom Keychain. Expensive toy for Mick

But he's worth it! Only the best for Mick!

For all of you Mick fans, Laura tweets "so Mick isn't a hat person then...."

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CuCGnqNWEAE__DW.jpg

...and Giovanni catches up with his friend Aliona.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CuCM6i9XgAAzMgW.jpg

Good finds!

1. Mick, I beg to differ... (the ears!! Look at the way his ear flops!)

2. Good to see those friendships surviving even though Aliona is no longer on the show.

Hi all- just appreciating here for the first time

I have a feeling that Laura could become the biggest improver on the show amongst a lot of celebs who already have a certain amount of dance experience to begin with. And I think she'll improve more than the total novices. I'd suspected it in weeks 1 & 2, but training for wk 3 seems to be showing signs of someone who's really learning a lot.

Sorry to ask such an eye-roll question that I'm sure has been asked before, but how much -if any- dance background does Laura have? Not that I hold it against celebs if they have it- I'm just here to see interesting partnerships and nice dancing.

I'm being a bit of an Appreciation Tart btw -so many interesting and/or great dancers this year that I still haven't nailed my colours to any particular mast

I've been posting in several threads myself, too.

No real training as far as I know. Laura did a bit of Irish dancing as a child, but I don't know how much.

Edit: just looked at the bio on the BBC website, and she didn't go to dance school, and actually her training is in journalism, which she studied at University.