Ok, so we've always had joke contestants who never assumed they would get far. Ann Widdecombe, Russell Grant, etc, etc. They are kept in by the GBP for a good laugh at their expense, but they never hold hopes of getting to the final and indeed John Sergeant when realising that his constantly being voted through despite his terrible dances was making a travesty of the show did the honourable thing and withdrew.

However this series we have something slightly different. Currently we have two 'joke' acts, Ed Balls and Judge Rinder. Rinder seems to be aimlessly floating along on his own cloud of fun and frolics and although telling us he is trying hard to get better doesn't seem to have control of his facial expressions and although I will give him points for natural musicality and some dance technique he seems to have plateaued.

Then we have Ed. Ed started off pretty damn good in his first two dances IMO and I actually held out hope he would not fall into the joke category. He was earnest that he wanted to improve and learn new dances and do proper dance routines. He said that from day one. His continued comments to that effect, despite him now firmly pigeonholed into that joke bracket, seem to show he doesn't want to be laughed at, he wants to put on a good dance for us all. Sometimes when you look at him when the Judges comment and their scores come in, or after on ITT I feel he looks like his pride has been hurt, that he tries his hardest and yet the show producers have now nudged him aside as not a good dancer but people will watch the show to laugh at him. So the question becomes do people keep voting for him just so they can laugh at him, and if so what does that say about them, or are we doing him a favour by keeping him in so he can keep trying despite it being obvious his talent doesn't aspire to his dreams. Are we hurting the guys pride and sense of worth by keep laughing at his expense?

To be perfectly honest I blame his pro partner for the last two routines. The Paso was terrible and this last one was not as entertaining as an AS nearly always is for me. It was disjointed and frankly unrecognisable. She at least is not catering to the best Ed can do.

The secret is, to get nice comments from Craig after weeks of negativity. Then the support seems to dry up.

It's a popularity contest, that's why good dancers often go early and celebs like Chris Hollins win.

Judge Rinder is actually better than you think, I still think he's got more of a chance than Greg, who just can't seem to get started, I expect each week a vast improvement but it's not come yet and I now think it never will. I might actually think about rooting for him if he'd ONLY STOP GURNING LIKE A IDIOT whenever he dances.

Ed is a lot better than most 'joke' contestants of the past and considering his pro partner is new to dealing with celebs she is doing a cracking job.

I would certainly have kept both in ahead of any of the contestants that have all ready gone. And remember they got a weeks grace with Will being a quitter, yes that was being critical of Will.

I think the OP has hit the nail on the head.

Ed Balls is this years joke act, whether he likes it or not. In fact, the more Ed tries to do a genuine proper dance routine to rival the likes of Danny or Ore, Ed will lose all that public support because he won't be doing what the public want - i.e. being a joke act.

That's always an issue with these type of shows. You are guaranteed to be pigeonholed into being either a joke act, or a contender to win. If you're neither of these, you tend to fall foul of the public vote and go out early.

I think it would help if they stop making him look so stupid and giving him silly songs...I mean Amarillo is hardly a song for an American Smooth.

Those who do not dance well Strictly always turns them into a fun object...goodness knows what they are going to do with him next week on Halloween.

The one thing you cannot knock him for is his willing to learn and how he is loving it...though I cannot see him lasting much longer.

At least they are both interesting to watch. Danny, Ore and Louise last night were like watching paint dry.

I suffered Ann Widdecombe for what seemed like an eternity. I watched even though Chris Hollins won. After that I can stand anything.

I would put Rinder in the "can dance a bit - is never going to win so just having fun" category.
Lisa Riley, Mark Benton, possibly Jake Wood fell into this category too.

They are what makes the show and gets over 10 million viewers to watch.
They put bums on seats for the Tour.

The ones who cannot dance at all just get by on Public support and are still having fun.
They also put bums on seats for the Tour
At some point they get a Rumba, which is not entertaining in any way, so don't get enough votes, and are out.

It is the "no-hopers" that make Strictly what it is.

There are two main types of Thread on the Strictly forum.

So-and-so had dance training and is a ringer and they are TOO GOOD, this is unfair.
So-and-so has had NO dance training and is a NOVICE, yet is popular, this is unfair.

It's a fluffy dance show that makes us laugh and smile

Re Ed Balls - I blame his partner and whoever co- choreographs the dances and who is possibly also responsible for picking the music.

Look, Ed knows he's never going to be anywhere even better compared with the other "showbiz/trained" celebs but....what I like about him is that he tries so hard and sincerely wants to learn and takes it seriously. Her partner on the other hand only has one thing in mind....what/how to turn every steps into comedy and people pleaser.

Katya should calm it down and focus on Ed's strength and rehearsed on less but well danced steps.

Not helped at all by the terrible songs thrust upon them by the producers. "Is This The Way to Amarillo" for an AS? Really?

No one will ever be as bad as John Sergeant.

I'm not sure I'd put either Judge Rinder or Ed fully in the "joke contestant" category.

For someone to be a joke contestant, music, costume and choreography all have to be pretty much in that category and the quality of dancing static from week to week. I'm thinking Scott Mills as a crab, Mark Benton Moving Like Jagger, all of Ann Widdecome and someone or other whose name I don't want to remember being fired out of a cannon.

Judge Rinder's only dance that meets all those criteria was the Flintstones Charleston in week 3. Some of the other music he's had has pushed him towards comedy contestant (Bloody Lulu for a waltz?) but the costumes and choreography and dance ability have kept him away from that and moved him towards "entertaining for good reasons", as I think he was last night. So I think the producers might have wanted him for the comedy contestant pigeonhole with their choices of music but he and Oksana are moving away from it with their other choices.

Pretty much all of Ed's music after the first week has been firmly "comedy contestant". What is saving him is that he is actually improving as a dancer, which the real comedy contestants don't. He actually danced the Mask routine and unexpectedly managed a decent Jim Carrey characterisation. His Paso was a disaster, but I thought last night was again a serious attempt at dancing despite unsuitable music, and shows big improvement over his initial dad dancing persona despite the lift disaster.

I don't actually think Strictly needs a joke contestant. I hope the producers give Judge Rinder and Ed the opportunity to show that they are seriously learning to dance rather than burdening them with poor music and impossible theming and costumes.

So agree with this ... and lets face it the show is put on to entertain us

Well said

I agree with this. The problem IMO is that the producers and judges don't take them remotely seriously, they seem to want amazing dancers and joke acts and don't know what to do with Rinder. To lump him in with John Sargeant or Anne Widdicombe is very unfair!

Yes, this is where the show forces some into those brackets for 'joke' or 'contender'. I doubt Ed had much say over that terrible knights outfit for his Paso or the music for last nights AS which was a terrible choice. Does Katya see his lack of dance talent and try to steer him into the comedy routines? I am not sure that can be laid at her door. Last nights dance could have had more AS elements in it to be sure, but with that music it might have felt weird somehow. Last weeks Bonnie Tyler epic for the Paso wasn't exactly the best choice either. There were tons of better songs and music available but they gave him that. So yes, the producers seem to be sabotaging his attempts to do proper dances despite his wishing to try and learn them and perform for the audience.

Equally, as has been said, Judge Rinder seems to be sabotaged by the show and yet he can dance and I feel he should be given the opportunity to show he can do serious dances without the comedy. I mean last weeks VW to Lulu dressed in lederhosen? Really? The poor guy doesn't stand a chance.

But the question for me is how long do people vote for these guys when they obviously want to do serious, but the producers will not let them. It feels uncomfortable at times watching them and listening to them comment later about the dance. They want to perform properly but are restrained. So do we vote for them to laugh at their awkwardness or let them go with some dignity intact ... although by now not much is left probably.

..or as good as John Sergeant

I think this week will be the first where the joke act goes through at the expense of a better dancer.

It's more a pantomime than a dance competition, always has been.
So you have pantomine characters on the judging panel.
From left to right, Widow Twanky, Cinderella, Baron Hardup and Buttons.

Each year more pantomime characters are added to the celebrity line-up. It will never has and never will be any different.
This year, I think Ed Balls is supposed to be Shrek and Rinder, Donkey.


Don't knock it. I've seen young women come for a job interview almost dressed like that.

I don't see Ed or Judge as comedy contestants.
For some reason the producers are putting pefectly competent middle aged men into costumes- hitch hiker, GI, that are too young. I know we've moved on from the men in tail suits for every ballroom and stretch lycra for every latin but the look doesn't work.

And I think Ed nearly dropping Katya wasn't helped by her slippy culotte suit, again, another monstrosity. If she was hitch hiking to Amarillo where on earth had she been beforehand?

Balls gets on my nerves every week he says he was better in rehearsals but I doubt that very much he needs to go

Don't knock it. I've seen young women come for a job interview almost dressed like that.[/quote]

One year one of these comedy acts will win. I'm guessing that they can't be at the bottom of the leader board each week but if a couple of unfancied couples can get to the semis then one of them will go through and anything can happen in the final.