Some very good ideas there LadyL - I'm sure Neil would be only too pleased to help I think they have the songs/theming prepared well in advance so some extra assistance may well be needed if they do need to change anything.

Love that photo of the three amigos, Aljaz, Kevin and Gio

Just watching the results show. Bruno must have loved being measured up by Gio

I really think Janette suits short hair.

I really like the idea of Laura &Gio returning to dance their Jive later in the series jivingmissdaisy. Have a fantastic time in Sicily

Huph that is exactly the moment I originally typed out in my post to you then deleted as realised was a spoiler . . . so funny, love the little moments they put in between Gio and Bruno like in the Salsa as well.

Great minds Ochre

I want to know which is Athos, Porthos and Aramis. And where is D'Artagnan?

I miss The Musketeers on my TV.

Some great ideas there LL

In all seriousness though I have a feeling if Laura tries to make a return she and Gio will want to be competitive. And I know this sounds harsh but I don't think her having to pull out does cause too much of a problem with numbers and eliminations. They could have a 2 person final or maybe cancel one of the eliminations in the 2 weeks between Halloween and Blackpool.

I have a feeling of the two it's Daisy who will get the bounce back vote next week particularly if voters see Laura's still injured and wonder if she'll be able to continue much further.

I don't mean to sound negative. Just want Laura to number one protect her ankle and prefer the idea of them going out on a high with their Quickstep and perhaps returning with their Jive later on if possible.

Perhaps Gorka could be D'Artagnan

BIB, I couldn't agree more. I'll put money on TPTB wanting to film Laura being assessed by a real doctor and good on her for saying no. I so hope she will be okay for next week

Wonder if we will find anything about Laura today? If it was still heavily strapped yesterday it's not looking good but fingers crossed she can continue.

Morning Lou

I have a slightly different opinion on that, from the information we've heard (and obviously we can't know for sure if the information in the Mirror article is correct though it does have a ring of truth to it) I've wondered if it was obvious to those treating Laura much earlier that she shouldn't dance and that she was still so determined after seeing different doctors and physios as in the report she basically had to be told no at the last minute and was sent home. I would've thought the producers would have preferred an earlier decision for all concerned, primarily for Laura who could have had the extra day's rest.

It may be that they already know Laura can't resume training and with the late decision on Saturday it was thought best to delay a final announcement. Or possibly the sprain isn't quite as bad as has been assumed from the announcements made and she can train from tomorrow. If that's the case it might have been better to make absolutely clear it was the Jive she couldn't dance as even an altered routine would put too much pressure on her ankle but that after a day or two's rest she could resume light training for a different dance.

I think she may receive a (totally unfair) backlash now if she's back in training tomorrow with people assuming reports were exaggerated and she could have danced on Saturday.

None of that is meant as a criticism of Laura or anyone else involved. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I just don't want Laura to take any unnecessary risks now


I don't know whether Laura will post a blog entry today Huph, I would expect some sort of information in the next couple of days though.

Laura has tweeted this morning that she is off to physio 'to be told when she can put weight on the ankle'.

Very sensible of her to give a little update like that. And I am glad that she is taking sensible advice. No need for heroics.

Morning Ochre

BIB, that's my worry. She's doomed either way ... sorry, that sounds really pessimistic. The show was spoilt for me on Saturday (it's all about me ) when the announcement was made. Poor Laura and poor Giovanni, he did look quite the lost soul didn't he. He clearly cares for Laura very much.

I think that there was a bit of hoping against hope that a 24 hour rest would be enough for her to dance. I also suspect that, unexpectedly, there were a flurry of newspaper articles about 6 dancers being ill etc etc and THAT was the cause of the delay in the announcement. The BBC may also be quite strict about how their dancing Bye operates and it would be reasonable to say that they wanted a final decision on Saturday.

I think that Gio tried to say that next week ' is a different dance ' when Claudia interviewed him. I wonder if a native English speaker would have just added a tad more information about how much Jive relies on ankle strength etc. Who knows. I agree Ochre it would help if Gio/Laura discuss that a bit more this week.

I think that the press coverage has been all about Ed and that scary lift. Haven't seen any antipathy towards Laura - probably helped by the fact that Lesley really did not have a good dance on the night so it does not feel unjust that Anton and Lesley left.

As it is Halloween, if Laura is not really able to train or to dance much of a routine, I would rather they filled up the show with a relatively camp, fun 90 second dance for her. The producers have plenty of ways of signalling that she is ready to be in the Bottom 2. She will have a nice exit and be seen as a good sport. And it means that the show has more of a feel-good factor, without endless 'sad face' videos and 'get well soon' stuff. I really really don't think that the producers will want another set of 'Celebrity pulls out/Sickly Strictly' headlines after Will and Anastacia and Brendan.

I am sure that Michael Vaughan's jive wheelbarrow could be pressed into service

I hope it's good news for Laura for her personal recovery.

It doesn't sound possible that she could resume dance training though if it's a question of when she can put weight on the ankle again. The important thing is to get herself fully mobile.

I was thinking the same thing about there being a backlash against Laura.

Thought she was just starting to really enjoy her strictly experience after a horrible start so this injury was the last thing she needed.

Main thing is, hopefully she is on the mend.

Actually, this year the celebrities are so strong I would really like a 4 person final just to inject SOME element of tension. (Yes..its all about me )

If they were going to cancel eliminations to 'catch up', I would guess that Hallowe'en is the week to do so. I wish they would and just rejig the results show format for one week. Maybe carry the judges' scores forward to the next week as they do in the first programme so that it remains a competitive show. (Wishful thinking, I know)

Laura has just tweeted that she is dancing again! Or, more specifically:

'OK Whitmore, suck it up and do this! New week new start'



I think that she is in full feisty mode! Now over to Gio to keep the choreo and training sensible!

Brilliant news! Thanks LadyLavender

So pleased for Laura but I don't think that wording was advisable at all.

I've already read so many comments questioning how a severe sprain can clear up enough to dance within 48 hours and now that will probably be exacerbated with why couldn't she 'suck it up' on Saturday evening then. Unfair of course but I can see it coming.

The sprain can't be as severe as I thought they were indicating so I'm pleased about that but they really should have explained it was only the Jive she couldn't dance.

Oh undoubtedly but I think Laura will rise above it and ignore it Ochre She had all the other rubbish to deal with when she was partnered with Giovanni and she dealt with it with aplomb. I do agree about the wording though

Actually I do agree Ochre on this one.

Needs a short simple sentence to say that they are working around it (just as Anastacia did with her injuries) both in training and in the routine. Before the trolls get going

Edit: On Saturday night Tess clearly said that Laura should be fit to dance this week. So.... its in line with what they knew from the physio assessment on Saturday. That if she rested over the weekend - and, presumably, had a more appropriate dance and choreo, she could dance in a week's time.

But that is going to get lost in the noise, possibly.

Feeling a little confused by it all to be honest, was so worried for her health over the weekend.

Risk of permanent damage on Saturday evening to able to train Monday morning won't marry up in many people's minds unfortunately

I do wish she'd publically thanked Gio for all the support he gave her last week, it doesn't help people to see them as a team. His message to Laura on the show was so lovely

Ochre - I agree. It would be sensible to put something out there. I am slightly feeling a communications gap - but its easy to over think these things.

Also, there will shortly be some press coverage - 'Laura dances again' etc. So it would be smart to have something quotable for the tabloids to cut and paste into their stories

Gio is in the middle of pro rehearsals I would imagine at the moment so an exchange of tweets this afternoon maybe.

I wonder if they will be on ITT this evening? Might be a smart move.

I'm happy she can dance again! Though to be perfectly honest I think no matter how a statement is worded or if she pulled out it danced on Saturday or not people would still find something to complain about!

Yes Chachacio. Those armchair doctors etc. Sigh.

Laura has posted an Insta story showing her lower leg with new (and presumably improved ) strapping, up on a foam roller thing. So getting treatment.