Just watched this clip. See nothing wrong with it. WTF was everyone on about?!?

Some people are so used to seeing the smiley, carefully-planned, media-trained answers from celebs that when they get a hilariously timed comic interview, there's just no appreciating it.

We are obviously folk of impeccable taste here.

I noticed that when Robert and Oksana walked past Peter Kay on the way to Claudia, Peter reached out to kind of shake hands / high five him. He's obviously a man of impeccable taste too!

You're right about the night on the whole ... was definitely missing an impeccably staged routine with dramatic sweep (see Blackpool 2015).

I think my love for Robert Rinder is more in the realm of platonic affection. I've worked and been friends with gay men all my adult life and have an affinity for that mix of campy fabulousness and clever snark.


Absolutely. How dull would it all be without him this year? Ed is providing fun on the dance floor, but Robert is the highlight of the rest of it.

Thanks to Elsa and Maggie for replying my question re Oksanna's knees. Poor thing, I have a buggered knee and it's just awful when it starts hurting.


Thanks for clarifying that, Maggie. I don't read that thread so would never have guessed. Sorry about you not being able to access IPlayer atm.

I voted 12 times yesterday, 3 votes from my laptop, 3 from my husband's laptop, 3 from my mobile and 3 from hubby's mobile. It was a shame that the move in the beginning didn't work it out but boy, didn't he style it out well? Carried on like it never happened.

I would like to see them win.

Woop! Robert and Oksana in the final six! I am so pleased for them, especially after all the naysayers who predicted they would be going home this week.

VicsMum I completely agree with you about the beginning move and how well Robert styled it out - and he didn't let it put him off the rest of the routine.

I was sad to see Robert's comments at the end of the show. I know he is going to miss Greg enormously.

I never believed he was in danger this week as I think he's popular with the public. I wonder what they will be dancing next week.

If it's ballroom then I think AT. Their other dances left are a waltz and a tango but Louise has the waltz and Ed has tweeted he has the Tango. I think their AT could be really good considering how athletic Robert is and how good he is at lifts.

If it's Latin, then it will be the RinderRumba. (Which my iPad keeps trying to tell me is not a word. But it should be!)

Some kind of smouldering sensuality required for next week perhaps?

I hope he does samba at some point. I think rumba might be a good dance for him as would an AT and tango.

Definitely! For me, Robert is an all rounder who can dance elegant ballroom, fun Latin and intense dances like paso/tango. Oksana deserves a lot of praise for the versatility of her teaching and the way she brings out the best in Robert each week.

It's the cha-cha-challenge on Saturday isn't it? So I'm now thinking perhaps the AT would not be as good a choice this week as it usually requires extra rehearsal time for the choreography. But still, I'd like to see them have a go!

Great to see Robert & Oksana go thru to week 10. On the public vote too. He must be coming at least second or third in the vote which is good news. Hoping for a ballroom dance this week... but I think he'll do well with any of the dances he has left

Hi jean. Yes it is good to see his public popularity.

I think Robert will fare well with the cha cha challenge and his own partner dance because he is so fit.

According to the MF Robert announced on a radio show this morning that he and Oksana have the rumba.

I think this was quite sweet, and seems to show "the real Robert" that some have been wanting :

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNATbyFA...by=bbcstrictly


I was worried he might be given the rumba. I think he'll do fine (he proved he has the hips in his salsa), but the rumba is so unpopular he might be in danger this weekend.

It's time for the RinderRumba! Yes!

So the salsa was predicted to be a troublesome dance this year and Robert and Oksana took it in their stride.

I think they might surprise us again this week with how well they perform this dance.

Hi Maggie. Nice to see a familiar face over here

Hmm. Rumba. It's good to know Robert likes the music and the storyline. That should help enormously. And I imagine he'll do well on the challenge if the judges play fair... (I know that's quite a big IF). Overall I'm hoping his public vote will hold firm .

Yes, I think the judges will play a crucial role this weekend and be a lot stricter on the marking than in Blackpool. Going by Saturday's bonkers marks though, who knows??

Also, for those who want a listen, here's a link to Robert on the Scott Mills show this afternoon:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...&v=lYhyiO6Kk-8

He talks about the Rumba and describes Oksana as like his fierce little sister which is very sweet.

Thank you. That's a very nice interview. Made me smile that they train in a school. I can just imagine all the little kids... noses pressed to the window... watching them at playtime

Hello Jean and sunshine

I've listened to the Scott Mills chat (thanks for the link sunshine) and watched Rob and Oksana from last night's ITT. He comes across well and is very funny in a witty way. I understand his trepidations about the rumba but think he'll do better than he thinks. Also the cha cha chathon seems to me a place he could achieve extra points. Given who is left I think he'll need lots of viewer votes to stay.

Hi Maggie. Just read your analysis on the 'Balls Out' thread. I completely agree with you. We know that Ed / Robert are polling better than Claudia and probably Ore. I'm afraid the judges will move to protect Claudia / Ore via the CCC which would put Robert in danger. I guess we just need to vote vote vote

Yes, but that failed the year of the jive-a-thon when Kevin's feet didn't even touch the ground for him and Susanna

I forgot to remark on Saturday just how funny I found Rob's training VT where he remarks about the tenuous link between his training and the Blackpool ride! Frickin' hilarious that he's allowed to say what many of us think week-in-week-out.

Rob and Oksana will be rumbaing to Lean on Me by Bill Withers - would have preferred Ain't No Sunshine from Mr Withers, but hey

I like the song. I think it's sets the tone for the sort of rumba that will suit them... with a brother / sister feel rather than a romantic feel. It seems appropriate for their Strictly journey together (if that makes sense)

I agree with you both Jean and Maggie. It's a good song choice, although I'm not sure how the concept is going to fit to a romantic rumba, but I have faith in Oksana's choreography. I also think that because it's a slower, more controlled dance, it will give Rob time to concentrate and not get carried away as much - which will hopefully help them to eliminate some of the little errors which creep in and help to wow us!

I'm a bit peeved that Rob is still being called a "comedy contestant" in the MF and in articles when he's clearly a very good and massively improving dancer.