Haven't watched the show yet as been out but voted as much as I could!! So nervous for them!!

I used to be Claudia and AJ's critic, as I did not like the pairing, but after tonight's stunning performances I believe that I was wrong, and I want them in the final instead of Ore.
Even Rumba was good; but QS was simply outstanding. What a talented couple!

I really can't understand why the judges are saying there is no emotional connection between them, I think there is loads. I don't know much about Claudia but I am guessing she hasn't really had time for boyfriend with her training schedules so dancing that rumba like she did and getting up close etc was excellent.

Totally agree! What "emotional connection" does Darcy see in Louise that she doesn't in Claudia? Louise is good at smiling during her performances and that's it. And I like Louise! I just find the whole thing seemingly very biased.

That's a great point about Louise. I don't see the emotional connection there at all. They were talking last night about how much she's grown in confidence (and I'd agree), but in last night's dances, especially the samba, I thought she regressed and seemed embarassed and awkward, but still they heap the praise. Some of the criticism of Claudia's rumba was fair enough (she didn't achieve the continuous motion and it was a little pose-y) and they reflected that with some harsh marks. Well, 8s aren't really harsh, but on a night when they're doling out tens for dances they've found fault with, they were a smack in the face .


Thought AJ looked smashing in his tails for the QS and Claudia's dress was fab. Wish they'd dressed her as a grown up more often. She's nineteen not sixteen and I think it fed into the whole notion of her being a child with no life experience who can't relate to the emotion of the dances.

Totally agree fridge soup,couldn't have put it any better.they just dont want them to win, as with J last year.

I'd echo all of the above. Louise did seem embarrassed in her samba (I don't think she was at all comfortable in the head wear) and her facial expressions come off as kind of goofy at times. Now, I actually quite like that! I'm not out to get Louise at all. The blatant double standards are what annoy me. I agree with you about the rumba as well. But THAT quickstep! Louise had two decent dances whereas Claudia had one decent dance and one standout performance - and yet they both end up with the same overall score

That QS will definitely go down as one of my favourite dances ever on Strictly. The music, styling, choreography (loved how it had hints of Lindy hop in the one kick section) and then the speed they went at towards the end. Just wow!

I applauded from my sofa . I'll definitely be watching it again when I need a quickstep fix. Truly wonderful.

Thank you, I wil do it later.

What I don't understand is why they would want to stymy Claudia. I can accept that she isn't as good a dancer as Danny, but she's better than Ore most of the time and as technically competent as Louise, if less consistent, so it isn't as though the "purity of dahnce" 😏 is at risk if she makes the final. She isn't obnoxious, she's forever positive, she's cute and funny and she's gone along with everything they've asked of her. I just don't get it . I know whose showdance would be guaranteed to light up the final, that's for sure!

I try not to go too conspiracy crazy but I wonder if (as a poster on the MF suggested) TPTB were really keen to keep Ore in the comp after the race rows earlier in the series and someone had to be shafted. Perhaps there's something to the theory that, because she isn't doing the tour (?), Claudia's the dispensable one? (Or is that just a James Jordan #FACT ? ). I'm not anti Ore at all, by the way (he was my pre-season fave), and if he gets through to the final and wins, then good on him, but I'm just trying to make sense of last night. He shouldn't have been top of the leaderboard and Claudia should have been above both Ore and Louise - possibly even Danny as I didn't think his salsa was great.

Of course they may just think the other three are the best three dancers over all, and whilst I don't necessarily agree, that's fair enough, but they weren't the best three dancers last night....

Harrumph.

In terms of the level of dancing I actually think Claudia's footwork trumps even Danny's at times. I'm glad the judges did at least mention her footwork last night. I was waiting for them to give her some credit for that because she really is one of the neatest celeb dancers I've seen. She has a couple of habits she can't get out of (like spotting), which are strongly related to her gymnastics background, but overall I would rank her right up there with the other three in certain respects like footwork and top line, and as an overall performer too with the exception of Danny who I will admit is definitely the best in that department.

I try to stay away from the conspiracy stuff too but Ore is of course a BBC employee and I can imagine TPTB are lining him up to take on some bigger presenting roles and therefore want to get him as much exposure as possible. Even Louise is an ex-BBC presenter so perhaps they have designs on reemploying her in that capacity. And Danny could well be in line for a Stint on Eastenders / Holby City etc Claudia's next significant BBC appearance after Strictly will probably be the Olympics in 4 years time.

I'm still pissed off with the judges, I just hate the favouritism and the bias. Sorry to any Ore fans, but tonight he was overmarked and I felt his scores was more about getting him to the final than his actual dancing.

Claudia's QS was amazing, it just sucks that whatever she did, the judges would always find fault.

Thought Claudia and AJ danced really well last night. Don't see why that QS didn't get a perfect score, don't know what else they could have done.

The rumba I think wasn't her best dance. I did agree that it looked a little stilted and posey in parts but it seems a really difficult dance and she was unlucky to get it in the semis. I thought there was as much connection as there was between Ore and Joanne, Danny and Oti and Kevin and Louise in their rumbas. Sort of snogging AJ on the dance floor, what did they expect her to do?!

Tbh, I think the judges just didn't warm to Claudia as much as say Ore and Louise. They are only human at the end of the day and will have their favourites. Darcey in particular always seemed to mark them harshly.

Just popping in to say that was a wonderful QS last night. One of the best I've seen on Strictly.

Glad you enjoyed it too Ann. It really was something special

Claudia will be at The European Championships, which will be televised next year.
But she can't do the Tour, or work for the BBC as she will be straight back into Training after this.

Yes, that was my point really - she isn't a presenter or actor and therefore will very much be leaving the showbiz world behind when she leaves Strictly. And whilst the European Champs will be televised it won't get the kind of viewer numbers the Olympic events get. I think that's why Strictly tends to sign up more athletes in Olympic years, as even people who don't particularly follow sport tend to tune in to watch the Olympians, so there interest in these athletes is temporarily heightened.

So sad with that result.
I thought their QS was fantastic.

I hope that Claudia goes on to more great achievements in her gymnastics career. She was fantastic in the last Commonwealth games. I hope that her new found confidence, grace and musicality take her far in gymnastics.

So emotional seeing them both crying at the end What a loss to the final.

I didn't watch, I knew the result. I am finished with SCD now, it's too manipulated and unfair.

Hi crazy, how are you? I agree with you, I thought their QS was outstanding. They would have been my pick.

Felt sad for Claudia and AJ tonight. I thought they were outstanding in the DO and in my opinion should have gone through, based on the dances in the DO. Dannys dance was not really an AS, it was a contemporary dance with some VW thrown in, whereas Claudia danced a full on QS , really very, very well and in hold 99% of the time. AJ pulled out all the stops and it was a routine that would not have looked out of place on a competition floor outside of Strictly.

They shouldn't have been in the dance-off at all, imo. So sad for them.

Total fix!! Claudia danced better than Danny tonight.

I saw that there is a petition about this, normally I wouldn't bother signing these but I feel that this one makes some great points.

https://www.change.org/p/bbc-reinsta...4-person-final

So, so sad to see Claudia and AJ go, they would have brought something different and special to the final. Claudia's strictly journey (sorry!) was the biggest for me, not only the improvement in her dancing, but in her trust and respect for AJ and the life experiences it has given her (can't believe she'd never taken a trading alone before!).

I hope they are proud of what they achieved together. The final will be a little duller without them 💕