I'd be sorry if AJ and Chloe aren't back next series, they've been fantastic together in the pro dances and I thought from the training footage I've seen AJ seems a good teacher. Thought they'd been signed so young with a view to keeping them on the pro roster for the long term.

The show's changed from the early days and all the pros have outside input with choreography for certain dances so I don't see why AJ needing help would be a problem if he's a good partner to Claudia.

Well no, you wouldn't have since he wasn't ever in the position to have done it. It was Tess's role in his day! It's got nowt to do with his talent.

As DWTS currently has 5'7" Sasha Farber dancing (quite successfully) with 4'2" Terra Jole I rather doubt that this was ever a consideration in the decision!

I agree too, she wouldn't dare to be "funny" to Brendan or any of the other older professionals so this bordered on bullying this young dancer. I think he is excellent.

Amazing the amount of fuss that two little gags by Claudia has started off from a few people.

I don't think Brendan is particularly sensitive about jokes and everyone seems to take the p### out of Anton.

"Dare"??

Why, what would Brendan do...throw his plastic hoops out of the pram perhaps??

Honestly, it was just a harmless joke. AJ didn't seem at all bothered!

Being young is generally perceived by society to be a good thing with lots of possibilities ahead. Being old is generally viewed negatively. .

Wouldn't dare !!!! Lol . Relax !!

Last year Claudia, Tess, and Zoe, too, were fawning over Gleb how irresistibly handsome he was. Now Gorka is the corker and AJ is eleven. They are doing it so you can remember them better, I think. It's not mean, it's not bullying. And as for Brendan, he probably wouldn't mind to be told he looks younger

I think there's a difference between going on about how sexy someone is, which is basically a compliment, and ribbing somebody about their age/how young they look, which is highly patronising.

Pretty patronising to assume a grown man couldn't stand up for himself, if he felt it necessary.

So why are you getting upset for him? Do you think he's too young to speak for himself?

!sn't that insulting to the viewers intelligence . We're not all thickos . I don't believe the 3 presenters are acting independently but will have had long discussions with the producers about the direction to take . I mean calling Robert Rinder, Judge is definitely a production policy used by all 3 .

Whatever you do, somebody will be insulted, it's the age we are living in.

Only if the person is not happy, if he has a problem then I am sure he could have a word with someone from the production team or get his agent to do so, or even get one of the older professionals to say something.

He is new, wants to make a name for himself so will probably welcome any attention. He is also English so used to the British sense of humour and Claudia.

I hope this isn't true, do you know for sure?

Would be a shame for AJ to have turned pro on the basis of the Strictly contract, only to be out after one year. Having said that, I think we will see more change and switching of pros in future.

So either he's mature enough to make his own decisions and fight his own battles or he's not and then Claudia is actually right. But you can't have it both ways.

Except that if a man said it of a woman on TV there'd be a Twitterstorm and Guardian articles about the objectification of women and the patriarchal society by the shedload!

As others have said, everyone is always being 'funny' with Anton and I'm pretty sure she has been with Brendan in the past too. Claudia and Tess both take the Mickey out of Craig as well and I doubt any of them feel they are being bullied. I don't think Claudia is so mean that she would make jokes that were upsetting someone and AJ looked fine with it, but if he was that over-sensitive he probably shouldn't be working in TV.

There's always one who has to try and bring it round to the exploitation of men. *snore

Exactly, and as ever on this page it all comes down to whether the posters like the person or not. Claudia seems to be marmite and if folk don'ty like her they pick on every little thing.