I appreciate that it is unlikely due to the popularity of the brand but I wonder whether some, like me, will lose interest when Ed goes, due to the blandness of the rest.

Obviously, the officianados of hard core dance programmes that promote technical excellence like the old Come Dancing will stay with it.

It is pretty obvious that as soon as Ed is in the Dance Off the judges will not be able to eliminate him fast enough so he will either leave at Blackpool or, if Rinder and Greg are in the DO, the following week.

As Danny Mac was almost as good as the professionals in his first week I would assume he will win although the fact that Claudia is a gymnast will probably make her his closest rival. I think Louise may run out of steam but still make the final three.

All a bit on remote control for me but each to their own

I think most will stick with it.

Ed is good for the show to keep it as Saturday night variety as the comedy turn but I think there is a point in most people's minds when they know somebody has had their run and it gets a bit more technical. There again Ed could be the Donald Trump of Strictly If Ed goes before Rob then they might revert Rob to comedy.

The prospect of a Danny/Louise/Claudia final does sound a bit boring to be fair. "Nice" people but a combo of the ringer and two wholesome ones doesn't really float my boat.

Erm nope as 1 couple is not bigger than the whole show

Maybe they'll go up.

Short answer - no.

Longer answer - as we get to the pointy end of the competition the viewing figures tend to rise week on week. Particularly as the show gets a bit shorter and starts later in prime time. Comedy contestants leaving do not tend to affect the show figures at all

The way his support seems to be picking up week by week I'd certainly not rule out Ed Balls getting to the final - Maybe even winning...

People seem to have gone mad this year... Brexit, Trump, Ed Balls winning SCD...

Various posters have described Ed`s Blackpool jive to ` Great balls of fire `, as likely to be epic, and further enhance the prospect of him being one of this year`s finalists.

Don't forget Leicester City - who I blame for all of this "trend-bucking"!!!

No, they will immediately go up.

It's the phase of the moon. Lose all reasoning powers🤓

Agreed

I'll still watch but my delight will be much diminished.

What's so special about him?

He was selected for comic effect.
There's one every year.

He'll become as forgotten as all the others who went before him.

The same thing happens every year.

More people will start watching when competition intensifies.

By the time we get to the final, he'll be a distant memory.

No.

SCD ratings are very consistent whoever is in or out.

More than 10 million viewers tuned in to each of the three most popular programmes on Sunday evening, overnight figures have confirmed.
Strictly Come Dancing: The Results was watched by an average of 10.8 million viewers, the night's most watched show.
Planet Earth II, presented by David Attenborough and broadcast immediately after Strictly, attracted 10.6 million.
The launch of the new series of ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! was watched by 10.3 million.
A further 400,000 watched the Jungle-based reality show on catch-up services including ITV+1.
I'm A Celebrity peaked with 11.3 million viewers, which was more than Planet Earth II's 10.9 million peak.
But neither programme could compete with Strictly, which saw a peak of 11.7 million viewers tune in near the end to find out which celebrity had been voted out.

Planet Earth II's ratings improved by about 1.4 million on last week's opening episode - while Strictly Come Dancing: The Results increased by about 700,000 week-on-week.
The X Factor results show, broadcast on ITV just before I'm A Celebrity, attracted an average of 6.2 million viewers.
The first episode of BBC One drama My Mother and Other Strangers, which has taken over the 21:00 GMT slot vacated last week by Poldark, was watched by an average of 5.2 million.

No. It's the same every year, people expect viewing figures to drop off when the popular comedy character goes, but it never happens. Having said that, Ed has been a lot better than some of the past no-hopers and I'll be quite sorry to see him go.

Who said they will go before the final?

I thought there were several hints on Saturday night that Ed is topping the public vote
Hope I'm right

* Len saying there's always a sense of anticipation when he comes on* he's said it before about another winner of strictly, was it Jay?

He'll need all of our votes to get to the final

Just think of his showdance

John Sergeant was more popular in his pomp and the ratings didn't go down when he left (although he made sure his exit was suitably dramatic and milked it for all it was worth which might have helped).

Monkseal, you are the fount of all knowledge and wisdom, do you think Ed is topping the public vote?

I am ... thinking of it ... we NEED to see their show dance.

I would guess that he *has* topped the public vote rather than *is*. ie that he's done it periodically rather than consistantly. This week yes, something like his paso week or quickstep week maybe not. The test will come later - he's going to have to come absolute top in the public vote to get through the semis and probably the quarters as well, and after his jive the only flash dances he's got left are the tangos. Rumba, foxtrot and Viennese Waltz he's going to have to bring something else to the table. It depends how much his fanbase is willing to go to the wall for him rather than the people who just ring up on impulse because of the big production number of the week.

Probably not I do think he's been the star of the series and the person people will think of when this series is over. I don't think he will win or get to the final. But I do like watching him and I don't usually say that about the comedy act.
Before the series who thought he would outlast Will Young, Laura Whitmore and Daisy Lowe? Not me

You may lose casual viewers, or ones just for this series (if Ed is their particular draw), but the core fan numbers generally over the years of Strictly have always been healthy (even at lowest), and existed, and will still exit, regardless of Ed being on/off the show.

exactly id be thrilled when he goes and since the series is almost done anyway it wont make any difference

I hope I'm wrong but I expect Blackpool will probably be Ed and Katya's swan song (and, by the sound of it, they will be going out in a blaze of glory!)

I will continue to watch after they've gone but I will miss them and I certainly won't forget them!