This ^


And this ^

I would actually say it's time to scrap the judges vote! (Or rather just have it as a guide for viewers as in the final stages).
I think it is unfair that the judges votes (where they have often overmarked their favourites) carry such weight, that the people that the 'viewers' want to see can get sent home due to the way the points system works.

Yes! and closely followed by Greg.

Thats the politician in him. He will never flinch at any criticism given. I would be mortified if I was given a 2. The Craig ribs him and he doesnt flinch at all. The man is made of steel.

Nope ed is improving weekly. Plenty of celebs have plateaued whilst Ed gets better and better.

He isn't my fave but I'm happy for him to stay.

Ed is progressing much more that Louise or Danny, they have not progressed much at all so I would prefer Danny & Louise to go out before Ed and make it a fairer competition with those who are not ringers.

Ann Widdecombe lasted 10 weeks, Russell Grant 8 weeks and Judy Murray made it to Blackpool, and Ed is better than them. This year's crop are of a higher level across the board admittedly but Ed is entertaining and after last night he is improving so I hope he gets to Blackpool and after that we can get down to the serious stuff.

I don't see why he should go as I think it has to be taken into account the place contestants start from and in his case that was rock bottom. Considering Katya is choreographing some very entertaining routines and Ed is showing improvement to the point you can recognise the dance and moves, unlike La Widdecombe who poor Anton had to push around the floor like a rusty old boiler in every dance, Ed is showing some grace and fluidity and is completely entering into the spirit of the show which is great to watch.

Why should someone who starts from zero but makes improvement and entertains but would struggle in the time to reach the starting point of others who either have a natural gift or who start from a much higher place because they have previous dance experience which even if not ballroom will still give them quite the head start can stay? I think there is something a little unfair in that

That's because they did all their learning and progressing in dance classes for years. Overweight, middleaged, dad dancing Ed's had a couple of months. He's more typical of the first few series where most were duffers who improved over time. Natasha Kaplinski's winning dances wouldn't have gotten her to round 3 with the plethora of stage school kids who take part now.

Both were better than Laura just saying.

The judges are helping but mostly the public are keeping him in at the moment. He just needs to be given a bad score to get him into the bottom two, then he'll have to go.
The judges will decide when that is.

It depends when the BBC think he's exhausted his "public appeal" and he's starting to damage the "integrity" of the show.

Dunno why I said that, as it never has had any, but you know what I mean.

I wonder whether part of the appeal of Ed is that the ordinary public can identify with his position when he joined the show. At the time he said his wife and kids were embarrassed and he admitted to being a dad dancer at best

I am roughly the same build and a bit older than him and had always been of the opinion that I had 2 left feet. Then I started a Ballroom dance class where I had a regular and sympathetic partner along with patient tutors and now I can do a passable waltz and cha cha. I am nothing like as good as Ed but having avoided invitations to dance in the past I am now the one dragging my partner on to the dance floor.

In short, I now enjoy it, even though I will never be able to do a backflip like Rinder or the splits like Danny Mac.

Ed is the only one I can identify with and his effort and improvement is inspiring,

yep, thats why I've wanted him to do well since week one. Last week's halloween chacha cha was a masterclass of exotic moves (katya) and dad dancing (ed) .
bloody wonderful stuff!!

I love this!

I totally agree. I can identify so much more with someone who struggled at first, but is now really starting to improve. I don't mind watching the good dancers, but I'm far less inspired or interested when they have been good from week 1 (may as well just watch the pros).

I would love to learn to dance, but I know I would be hopeless at trying to learn the steps/movements. I get baffled just watching the little demonstrations they give on Len's lens or ITT and know I could never string them together into a whole dance!

lovely post and well done you for persevering with dancing. I'm a woman in her 40's and identify with Ed, especially his early feelings and awkwardness. I want to see him grow more and I love watching his partnership with the beautiful and kooky Katya.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how engaging I have found Ed Balls to be.

Despite looking very awkward at the launch show and in week one, he has thrown himself wholeheartedly into this show and had truly entered into the spirit of the whole thing. He has revealed a very human and very joyous side to his personality and has made this series very memorable.

In terms of his standard of dancing, it has improved a huge amounoverall, despite one or two weeks when he lost a little ground. For a big man, he is remarkably light on his feet and his timing is excellent. He can also act a part and he brings something characterful to each dance.

I wondered if after last week's triumph, he would be a damp squib this week - but no - he wasn't. It's not yet his time to go.

I will only be upset if Ed stayed at the expense of my fav Danny

otherwise it'll be fun to see both of them in the final

Meh, stage school doesn't mean you can dance amazingly. You need to have some natural ability for it.

He is getting down to business and is far from a joke contestant. His quickstep this week was really quite good. Add to that the fact that he is far more entertaining than Greg or Daisy or Ore, and I hope he stays till the final.

Whilst Ed (and the Judge for that matter) looks as if he's trying and enjoying himself then I for one will continue to vote for him. Ed and the Judge (and Greg) are what SCD is all about. Starting from scratch and improving every week. It's been a long time since we've had a real non-dancer who the public could identify with.

Yes, I'm one of those who voted for Christopher, Julian and Jon and would do so again.

It was time for Ed to go about six weeks ago.

But suffice to say, it is time for Ed to go...

Looks like we're stuck with him until Blackpool though. Hopefully he'll get to do his routine at Blackpool and then we'll be rid of him.

If he survives Blackpool we might be stuck with him to the final.

Hmm, now there's a thought

I may be being unfair to Ed - his contract may say that his job Is to be the "comedy" act. Or maybe the producers are just giving him music and themes that mean he has no choice. But I never warm to the contestants who use comedy and slapstick to mask their lack of dancing ability. I feel much more sympathy for Greg, who isn't great but is trying to do it seriously, and for Rinder, who - after the first couple of weeks - is refusing to be pigeonholed as another comedy act.

A gagnam salsa is another that we will get to see. I forgot to add his jive to Great Balls of Fire, another we NEED to see

Sorry I don't get this. He has been bottom of the leader board every week except last week. If it was up to the judges he would have been long gone.