Exactly. Besides, if I was going to vote just based on the dancing, I certainly wouldn't have been voting for Laura anyway, it would be Danny. As Laura was never the best dancer any vote for her was based partly on people finding her entertaining for other reasons, the same as Ed/Greg/Judge Rinder etc.

I thought she was relieved as well. She really had been the epitome of professionalism, she's tried really hard, she hasn't responded to the idiotic trolls and she and Giovanni have shared a genuinely warm partnership. I'm just sad for her that she had to put up so much rubbish from those who rather "over invested" in previous partnerships. Another Frozen moment I think

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MK7qz13bU

Well the people who gave her a hard time will be over the moon today

Between the injury and online abuse who can blame her for being relieved. Probably not the experience she hoped for.

I can't help wondering why those who just want to see the highest quality dancing from the beginning don't petition the BBC for the return of Come Dancing.

At least then from the start they would have a fairly level playing field of dancers the same age, experience and level of fitness with less leeway to improve (beginners need not apply),

Of course, as soon as Ed is in the Dance Off, the judges will eliminate him because their job is to look at the steps. The public decide whether they are entertaining,

BIB - jumping from the rooftops Huph!

Yes, it is really sad. She is a real Strictly Super Fan and was clearly so excited to be part of the show. I loved her on the launch show saying how she'd been texting her mum about it all. I think she knew when it came to the dance off that there was no way she could beat Ore.

^^^ Exactly!

Do you really not know how the voting works?

Well I think you might have a point that she's relieved it's over because in an interview she gave to the Daily Mail several weeks back she said that because "this whole thing about Giovanni blew up in my face [the split between him and Georgia] ... I felt things had been spoilt before I had a chance to start". If she feels like the wonderful opportunity which so few people get to be taught how to dance by professional dance champions then it's rather a shame, plus if she feels it's been spoilt so much that she can't enjoy the 50K she gets from the show perhaps she can give it to people who struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis.

Whilst the fact that Laura received some unpleasant tweets is incontrovertible, and naturally they were wholly unacceptable, as far as I could gauge the vast majority of the tweets sent to her were pleasant and supportive. Of course though it must be horrible to receive those sorts of tweets, as it will be for all public figures who are likely to receive them regularly - MPs are particularly badly treated in this regard.

Yes I think she was resigned. I thought she had no chance against Ore but after they both danced there wasn't much between them - surprised Bruno didn't vote for her

Bruno adored her didn't he! Yes, I wouldn't quite put her in the Naga camp of "thank the whatsit that's all over with" but I'd put money on her breathing a sigh of relief that she hasn't got to put up with all the rubbish anymore. At least that's assuming that she and Giovanni aren't going to "develop" their relationship away from the dance floor

Thought they were a bit cool towards each other after the judges vote. She thanked him almost as an afterthought.

it wasn't just tweets from slightly overinvested fans though, was it? It was articles in the tabloids and their nudge, nudge, wink, wink articles. Standing on the red carpet she was 'snuggling up to Giovanni' - even though she was doing no more or less than anyone else standing next to another person.

I felt sorry her. Giovanni posted a tweet obviously referrencing his new Strictly journey before the pairings were even known, and he got all sorts of flak about that for disrepecting Georgia and took the tweet down. They were on a hiding to nothing - appear to be 'too' friendly and get brickbats for that, try to appear professional and be called 'cold'. They must both be exhausted with trying to walk that particular tightrope.

Add to that her injury, the missed week and her once in a lifetime experience turned out to be a bit of a poisoned chalice, really.

I didn't know about any of that - apart from the injury.
I just thought she looked inhibited and slightly embarrassed when she danced.

Unfortunately those article whilst wholly unnecessary and unpleasant are increasingly part of the Strictly package for celebs, think of all the articles they were doing about Jay and Aliona last year, and Daisy and Aljaz have had endless articles written about them this year. It's typical tabloid journalism, and no it can't be nice at all to have to put up with it.

Though admittedly I can't agree with it being a 'poisoned chalice' - if someone said they'd give me 50K (I'd take that on it's own!!) and on top of that the opportunity to learn to dance with a world renowned professional dancer, I would regard it as a huge privilege no matter how many unpleasant articles and tweets I had written about me.

I guess it's easy to say that when you're not on the receiving end of it though.

The difference with Jay/Aliona and Daisy/Aljaz is that Alona's hubby and Janette are part of the package and know the actual truth. Laura, and Giovanni to some extent, in this instance were fighting shadows.

I just felt sorry for her, and think that she was just ground down by the injury and the other stuff. Probably one on it's own was manageable but the 2 together was just too much.

Yes it's easy to say when you're not on the receiving end of it, and all I can do is empathise, as I said in my posts it can't be nice for anyone to have unpleasant tweets and articles written about them and, naturally, I feel sorry for anyone who has to put up with it. All I am saying for me, knowing that I was getting the chance to perform to dance with a world renowned dancer and on top of that get 50k for it - I would regard it as a the most wonderful privilege and opportunity for me, and some tweets and articles wouldn't "spoil" it for me.

Your leg dropping off might, though

I fear I'm missing the point here, but yes clearly having to go through something as utterly horrid as having your leg amputated and being permanently disabled could not be compensated for by money or learning to dance.

Aggs - I think you have hit the nail on the head. Laura came on Strictly to be known to a family audience. Instead, she was hit with a sustained onslaught of 'nudge, nudge, wink, wink' (brilliant way of summing it up). Add to that the fact that she might have hoped to go further in the competition but an injury put paid to that hope (and, to be realistic, this is a very, very strong year). I don't think that this was the glittery Strictly Fairytale that she might have envisaged. Naga, Tameka and Anastacia for different reasons are probably saying the same thing to themselves.

I don't think you can say that with certainty unless that's actually happened to you and even so some people's skin is thicker than others. It helps Ed and some other less good contestants that they experienced politics which is even more brutal so they can take this sort of thing in their stride but Laura probably never had to put up with it before and no of it is her fault and could have been avoided had she had a different pro. Happily married family man Brendan or Gorka the new guy whom hasn't been around long enough for anyone to be interested in his personal life from that POV would have been much better for her.

There were some really out of order tweets from a small group of people, but mainly at the outset and I think that had died down. I felt sorry for her at the outset but they soon put aside any awkwardness and bonded and had a good relationship and partnership. Yes, the papers are always stirring - but that's the same for many - Daisy gets loads of it too. I'm sure Laura is used to it in her line of work, sad as that is.

I really don't think it had any bearing on the result - most people wouldn't even have known that Gio and Georgia got together let alone that they'd split up.

I thought Laura was a decent enough dancer (but not great) and a nice enough personality but not strong enough in either respect to stand out. I think blaming other reasons is slightly in denial of that.

hello NDD, I agree with your post .... Strictly is not really a dance competition is it, more or an entertainment show, which is why Ed is still in it ..... and it helps if the celebrity is popular too

Well what I can say with certainty is that if I was offered 50K in exchange for having a few unpleasant tweets and articles written about me I would most definitely take it!! And I think I can probably say that those people who have so little money that that struggle to feed themselves and their family on a day to day basis that they would jump at the offer of 50K for learning to dance.
I appreciate though that Laura probably will have a fair bit of wealth behind her so perhaps it's not an offer she would choose to take.

I think Laura probably will have received unpleasant tweets prior to Strictly, unfortunately it comes with being a public figure - not that it makes it any easier to deal with.

Unfortunately saying that is a bit of a trolls' charter. I am all for completely stamping down on the people who hide behind the anonymity of the internet to send foul and abusive messages to people just because they can. Saying people can put up with it for the sake of money leaves an unpleasant taste in my mouth.

Two excellent posts that capture why Ed is loved by me. It isn't just about him, as the OP suggests. It is a combination of his determination to try, his ability to learn new things quickly - look at his characterisation in his samba, and most importantly his pro and his relationship with her. Ed and Katya together are dynamite. She will probably not get such a committed and willing celeb again who tests to the full her creative powers. I love her too and want to see more and more what she can concoct for Ed and her to deliver.