It is consistent and I think had Jade been out for one week she would have got a bye but she damaged herself too badly for it. It sucked and I really loved her but it's not racism - Laila Rouss got a bye the same year for injuring herself so it's not just because Laura's white it's because she's injured.

English? You do understand the rest of the UK watches the show too?

I feel the jive and Len's comments stirred a lot of unnecessary resentment for Ore.

That and his rather practised tv persona, which, now, to me, feels like nerves more than anything (go to what you know).

He also gets emotional. But then I'm like that, so I get it, I also come across as extrovert when I have a lot of self doubt.

I see Ore as oddly vulnerable, actually, and someone who always gave it welly on the club floor but has absolutely ADORED learning to dance ballroom and Latin.


I feel empathy for the chap. And I think he's genuine and I don't believe for a moment he's lied about having training although he probably gave it a bit on the club floor.

I think people don't want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Takes the heat off Danny and some others I suppose.

As for Danny, he's great, I don't care about his ringerdom, he just doesn't move me in the same way.

Well that was very unimpressive for the most part .
Lesley , Greg and Daisy looked very lacklustre .
Judge was slightly better .
Anastacia was actually rather good (I know ,I know , yes I did just type that) . OK she did too much sitting on the bench waving her legs around , but the dancing was quite nice and she looked great . If she would just shut up , it is not the Anastacia Learns To Dance show---just shut up Missus and smile and nod .
Claudia . That kid could rescue 23 kittens and 14 puppies from a burning building and those judges (especially Len) would still pee on her parade . Yes the dance was too fast but blame the music and AJ , for flip sake she can only work with what she's given . AJ is a very hard task master .
Ore ---fabulous, and Danny really good in the dance of death and that Oti ! she is stunning, a veritable amazonian Goddess of a lady .I spent most of their routine watching her .
. I missed Louise , which bothers me not a bit as I'm sure she was praised to high heaven and marked high as usual .
Ed Och what can I say . It was not good , but might have passed muster had the lift gone as planned . Nearly face-planting his partner put him right off stride understandably . But prior to that he was doing OK-ish .

Two words pen second one off.

I agree with you. I thought he looked very slightly tentative which spoiled the flow of the dance a little, and there's something about his feet which for some reason looked extremely large tonight - or maybe just a little flat footed?. I don't know - I'm not a dancer myself so can't work out what it is.

That notwithstanding he looks to be a real natural, and if there's one thing I love about Strictly it's watching a non dancer being pushed, pulled and shoved into shape by their pro.

I felt he was a touch 'deliberate' but his feet were very good although big

I would agree with Greg, but despite my dislike of her Anastacia put in an excellent dance tonight so I think she might be safe. I think people are forgetting/forgiving the Melvin debacle now and with that dance they can see she can actually dance, it might start turning for her.

Poor Greg though, oh god, the guy seems so nice, and yet he just cannot dance. I haven't been impressed with any of his dances to date and Nat seems to cover for his lack of footwork but throwing in as many lifts as she is allowed. I just can't understand those who love him so much, not for his performance on the show at any rate. He is a decent enough guy and an Olympic hero for Britain, but we're voting on his dance and entertainment value and for me at least he has neither.

I don't understand the problem with Ore crying either - is it because he's a man, or because he just cries? As an emotional person I have no issue with that, either I suppose people are rather suspicious of everything these days, everything seems to be 'fake'. I do not think it is right to dislike him because he is popular, either. I think they are both wonderful dancers, Danny is probably slightly technically better (in my opinion) but I think Ore is warmer. And sometimes it is about how a person moves you rather than technical ability. I do like them both, but for different reasons. And yes, I'll I find Ore rather attractive, also but that is irrelevant to the dancing There are a few I really like this year, including Claudia.

I thought he seemed terrified that he was going to mess it up. I thought his footwork was the best part of the dance however.

She probably is with someone better than she is. I'd prefer Ed went but sadly I don't think it's happening. It'll be sad to lose her but it probably either her or Greg or Anatasia which would be a shame as she was better tonight.

Just the size of them that I'm noticing, then? Well that's solved that little mystery.

WOW... have you been reading my mind? Beautifully put!

I thought that too. She looked very unhappy about the Judges remarks on the dance, but lets be honest it wasn't her best by a long shot. Anton was supporting her and dragging her around the floor tonight and that crawl over the table at the start ... uggggg!

Deleted post and please ignore.

Let me know if there is a way to totally delete. I can only find a way to edit a duplicated post. Sorry

Voted for Greg - sorry but I like the dude and I think it's a bit harsh that it's the one week he got a weak dance. Feel bad I'm probably condemning Lesley - and bum it's too late to vote for her too.

My daughter wanted to vote for Anatasia (who did deserve to be saved tonight), Ore and Daisy so I obliged. I don't think Danny needs the votes (although Ore doesn't really either) - will feel bad if Claudia goes but you can't vote for everyone.

It wasn't but she ought to be really proud of what she's achieved and I really really hope against hope that people don't vote for Ed but they probably will if nothing else some people love a car crash.

Well at least you and I watched the same show! I was beginning to think I had dreamt it as so many people on here seem to have seen something very different!

I think the show is suffering a bit from both pros and contestants getting ill/injured this year. Otherwise it is business as usual with over the top audience reactions, both under and over marking by the judges and mixed views on DS.

I really hope this week puts to bed all the "the best line up ever" comments. As in previous years there are a few good dancers, a couple of potentials and some cannon fodder plus of course Ed Balls who is a category all to himself.

He still critiques as well as he always has, lol, and he is my favourite judge to be honest. He is scoring a little more consistently this series it seems, I will agree with you there, but I have never considered him particularly mean, not compared to some of the things Bruno says to contestants. He tells it like it is, the bad and the good, and without the bad how can they improve? I just wish Tess would stop arguing with him, that's not her job as host and its just plain rude of her, she knows nothing about dance.

They do but the English probably outnumber everyone else - if any of Ore's critics are Scottish, Welsh or Irish or of another background please feel free to let me know and inform me why you don't like the bloke.

I absolutely agree with all of that. She is amazing, this just wasn't her best dance, but she is worlds apart from Ed in dance skill. People just like voting the poor man in so they can laugh at him, and that's never been something that entertains me. he wants to do well, dance properly and he knows he has become the joke act on the show and I think he hates that.

If Greg is in the bottom two, I will pickle my .........

Just watched on youtube - to be honest, only made it through two routines completely, shockingly Ore and Joanne and barely Danny and Oti.

Don't know why but the routines were either not capturing me or something was putting me off.

I think the change of pace in I will always love you kept me in the routine. Not sure it was really worthy of 4 9s though. I'd have to re-watch, but there was a moment in the routine where Ore might have missed a step or went wrong - not really a stop or a small stumble, but something hindered the flow. Can't really warm to Joanne's OTT way of dancing/smiling/gurning/acting.

I think a lot of this is true and I too am insecure and yet I think people think I'm arrogant because I talk a lot to cover it.

BIB . Couldn't agree more . Yes it was one of the best dances tonight but it started off incredibly meh, and only got fabulous in the latter stages when the song really kicked in . In retrospect I think that it looked great (despite a couple of dodgy steps) because everyone else was so dull .
A really odd show tonight .