This my favourite from you tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2zd_DzJdCg as it has the trainingg vid and joodges comments. This has over 30k views and there are several other vids clocking up maybe another 10k views. So, indeed, this paring from heaven is going viral.

Go Ed and Katya

Where did robbleona get 261k views from? Post 297 over the page?

The official BBC vid? Which is now at 312,269 views

...and no. 5 on trending!!!!

Now on 401,025 views.......

so some stats

sleb votes Per-centage
ed 401,025 64.96
danny 77,690 12.59
Louise 33,724 5.46
daisy 26,118 4.23
greg 17,140 2.78
judge 18,806 3.05
ore 17,942 2.91
claudia 24,864 4.03
total 617,309

I'll admit I'm responsible for a few of those today. Re-watching it is ever so slightly addictive

a ma zing!
word of caution though...daisy is 4th highest on that list and she's gone!

I watched their cha cha cha again today as I still find that funny...

Then watched gangnam about 6 times...it still makes me laugh/cry, it just gets better and better.
Who would have thought they would do this well??

Anyone who watched them on ITT tonight can see there is a special bond there....liking Katya's outfit too....its on her twitter page btw!

Managed to watch ITT on YT as the beeb are uploading the episodes. Thank you BBC! I agree about the bond between Katya and Ed. At one point he was just staring at her in adoration. She's amazingly beautiful. Glowing skin, animated and with a lovely voice. Loved the colour of her top and her necklace - I love quirky jewellery.

I know I've posted this other link to their Salsa, but it is worth watching again. When they finish and the crowd erupts, listen for the feet stamping (if you've been to live gigs at a theatre, you will know what I mean). Who else has managed that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2zd_DzJdCg

I overheard you speaking about magnificent Katya and delightful Ed, and could not stay away.
Like many posters here I am addicted to watching Ed's routines on YouTube. It's pure joy to watch them dance (except THAT lift), and I always end up laughing aloud. Ed seems to be a genuinely kind and funny chap, and I am sure his children adore him (I would if he were my father). But I would have been bored soon had it not been for Katya's first class choreography and Ed's great sense of rhythm.
May they entertain us as long as possible!

Matt a Baker and Aliona Samba at Blackpool
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0BWthE4C2Vw 1.51 an amazing Samba
Len got all grumpy about the back flips, just listen to the noise at the end

The other dance is Jay and Aliona Jive last year
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MCWw6TaW4Q0 3.35

There maybe a few others but I don't remember

Welcome. I agree with your last sentence completely. Ed's waltz in week one was competent for a beginner but unremarkable. Then he did a tremendous charleston in week two that grabbed me. He gave it so much energy, more than I thought possible for him and Katya loved it. She said afterwards that she looked across and he was keeping up and in time with her. Since then they've been wonderful with Katya's deftness at synching steps with comedy one of their key strengths as a couple.

Just watching last night's ITT......Ed and Katya I believe will be firm friends for years.....they have such a wonderful and warm relationship, and Katya is soooo amazing and obviously very good fun.

I love them!

Hi All,

My first post on this thread and have to say I am loving watching Ed Balls and Katya Jones
When they were paired I was feeling sorry for Katya, being a new pro, and paired with a 'non-contender' ...how wrong was I and delighted I was
Ed & Katya, IMO, are one of the biggest reasons, that SCD is so successful this year. And Ed is improving every week as well. Katya has been a revelation in the cleverness of her choreography and how she combines all the necessary dance elements with pure entertainment. I am sure all of this has been said many times before.but worth repeating
I am not surprised that their Gangham Salsa is a YT hit - in fact I am surprised that more of their dances aren't also.

I am a little concerned, after watching ITT yesterday, that the discussion went from (last week) "Ed Balls HAS to go to Blackpool" to (this week) "If this is your last week Ed, then you have made Blackpool (your Wembley)"
Maybe I am reading too much into it but feel like the viewers are being manipulated into not voting for ED this week.
For me, after what was not the best week, Ed & Katya provided a lot of cheer and raised many a smile on Saturday night ...and long may that continue
KEEP BALLS IN

For me, the only dance that was appalling was the Paso where it looked as though he'd completely forgotten what he was supposed to be doing.

Otherwise, he is doing so well! Kudos to Katya..

I was also in love with her outfit on ITT. It really set off her exotic features. And I so want that necklace!

Nice to see more new arrivals in the thread btw. Welcome along

I think the same. I've described Katya as kooky and she is! My only concern for her is that any subsequent pairings, assuming she stays, are disappointing in comparison. Iveta was at her best with Mark but forgettable with Thom and bland in her bit roles with Johnny and Sid.


Hello Polly, thanks for your enthusiastic post. I'm sure the production team will be happy to keep Ed going a few more weeks, but not to transplant one of their chosen celebs in the final. If he is topping audience votes then they will want to discourage this.


Same here. It was funny though. Which of his party Latin dances do you like best thus far Peter? I think his cha cha cha was most accomplished, if I might use that word, in terms of technique. His salsa the most flamboyant. But his samba is my favourite because of how he played The Mask both during and after the dance. Also I loved that 'blender' move Katya included in the samba, which led Bruno to shout "you juiced her!". Such fond memories.

Katya has amazing fashion sense, she mainly designs the clothes that she wears.

Talk about multi-talented!

Like Iveta ... even more do Ed and Katya remind me of Mark and Iveta

And both pairs responsible for rather iconic salsas

And both pairs have iconic cha cha chas. I prefer Mark's cha cha cha to his salsa.

I dont think we have any need to worry, as Ed said he's lasted much longer in Strictly than he could have dreamt of.

I'd be surprised if he didnt get to the semi's, hoping he can get to the final, but that depends on his being 1st in the public vote, and I'm increasingly believing he might well be

We'll also be able to guage how popular he is with the public in how the audience reacts on Saturday, that'll give us a clue.

Thought the training tonight looked promising