If you put as much effort into a pro-Ed campaign as you did into anti-Anastasia posting, the Glitterball will be Ed's

Count me in - for all the above reasons

It would conform to the post-truth zeitgeist.

Perhaps in addition we could get them to rename the show Dancey McDanceface? 🙃

I'm firmly convinced it will be a hat-trick - Brexit, then Trump and finally Balls will be the SCD Champion 2016... the Great British Public is tired of being told what to do by a group of so-called experts...

Getting Ed to dance to Gangnam Style, coming down on a piano to Great 'Balls' of fire, it's all manipulation if you see it that way...they know what brings the viewers and votes in and they won't want to give up the trillions of votes Ed must be getting to not be in the dance off after always being bottom. So in that way you are playing into 'their' hands.

I don't think the great British public would be that shocked after this year anyway. The judges don't even act outraged like they did with John Sergeant (who I enjoyed too)

Ed is great but anyone can have the J word and it's unfair to dismiss people with talent from being allowed one. Besides all that doorstepping and vote chasing when he was in politics has probably been pretty good experience of a different kind for Ed.

It's not like every single contestant apart from Ed is a stageschool kid so why single him out for the subject of a campaign?
Every winner of the Strictly Glitterball so far has had a journey to some degree. None of the contestants who've been labelled a ringer has lifted the trophy so it's a bit of an empty protest.

Yes...people are very quick to see manipulation when it's happening to other people but tend to have a massive blind spot when it comes to recognising how they themselves are manipulated.

We're all manipulated all the time by politicians, the media, adverstisers, TV programme makers etc.. The idea that any individual can magically conjure their thoughts and beliefs and attitudes and choices free of outside interference is laughable.

I'm not sure that the producers are pushing for an Ed win, or even to get him into the final (they know that it would be at the expense of one or more of the talented/trained dancers and would be likely to be met with derision by many purists). They must also be aware that Ed progressing beyond the quarter-finals will most likely knowck out one of their "chosen" dancers.

So no, I don't buy into your idea. In fact, they probably wanted Ed to survive for long enough order to maintain viewer interest, and then be discarded once his work was accomplished (i.e. when only the best or favoured celebs remained).

Not discarding him would be the ultimate rebellion against "the establishment".

Mainly because they've finally sussed that its counter productive, I'd wager.

Why would the BBC be reluctant to 'give up' all the votes Ed is pulling in - they don't profit from them in any way.

The reason why Brexit and Trump surprised a lot of commentators is that most commentators are completely out of touch with public opinion.

If Ed and Katya collect the Glitterball, it won't be a surprise to me.

They are doing everything they can do to keep him in and I don't think would mind at all if he made it to the final or even won it. It's a tv show...a very successful one and they always have a mix of talents and as we and they know we all love an underdog.

Rage against the machine was against x factor winners dominating the Christmas chart wasn't it? Great campaign. But Ed Balls is very much a part of SCD and I bet the producers can't believe their luck he has turned out to be so entertaining.

So a campaign to get him to the end with loads of money spinning votes is playing right into 'the establishments' hand. As a fan of the show generally I have no beef with them though.

Also winning is not always the be all and end all, I'd say quite a few have upped their public profile in a very positive way whether they win or not.

The Beeb will only care that they have a great show, getting headlines, a good mix of dances so people don't get bored with ..too good...too average...too daft...too much.

You want Ed to win, fine..then vote, I've voted for him a few times too though not recently. But it really isn't some campaign against the establishment of SCD ! It's playing right into their hands.

Me and my hubby voted for Ed last night he really tried his best and he was dismissed by the judges . The Jive is fast and he is not a little fella I thought he was going to have a heart attack at the end . Ed for champion !!!

In a nutshell.

Not even the phone votes? Who does then I'm genuinely interested but about to go out so forgive me if I read the reply later. As a regular TalkSport listener where they sometimes deliberately wind people up to get people to ring in to help the coffers I assumed they'd get something from a phone vote? (I don't ring btw I switch over when they get too irritating)

The fact they don't profit may explain why it's such a short window? Plus the sunday show malarkey.

But even so voting equals public interest and I'm sure they don't mind that. I like Ed too, he's fun and been an amazing surprise but I don't believe the producers are not encouraging his stay every step of the way. It would be like eating the golden goose for Christmas!

OK, let's analyse this:

Long before we had the formal idea of a "comedy contestant", Chris Parker made the final in series 1 and Julian Clary likewise in series 2.
Series 6 Sergeant withdrew after week 9.
Series 8 Widdy left in week 10.
Series 9 Russel Grant left in week 8.
Series 11 Mark Benton left in week 10.
Series 12 Scott Mills left in week 6.
Last year Jeremy Vine left in week 8.

Comedy contestants nearly always go far but don't reach the final (not counting Chris and Julian because that was before the set idea of a CC) with two leaving in week 10 which is where we are heading to now (also, assuming he wasn't eliminated this week)

However, there hasn't been this level of interest in a comedy contestant probably since Sergeant and I think, and this is just a wild guess, that if he goes past week 10 he may win the whole thing, campaign or not.

From the FAQ's on the official site
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...mC/voting-info

I love the idea, I might be perverse but I find Ed and Katya far more entertaining than Danny and Ote.

Sod the revolution, I don't find him entertaining or likable.

I'm a big Ed fan but, assuming he stays in, I want to see the Ed and Katya of the previous two weeks and not last night's performance which had much of the fun sucked out of it as a result of the over-choreographed Blackpool routines.

Rider to effeminate in some dances, Claudia seems to lack any connection with AJ he is just the dance prop, at least there is some connection between Ed and his partner that puts a smile on my face wish Claudia did but something missing there

Surely the original aim of the show was for celebs to LEARN to dance. Now it is just full of already partially trained celeb dancers honing their skills & raising their profiles. Much prefer to see a celeb who is really learning & trying - that is why he gets through each week.

none have been trained in ballroom or Latin, he just makes up with the chemistry between him and his partner

What she said.^^

And yes, I'm sure the BBC are more than happy with the attention that Ed's been receiving. Whether they would want a 'comedy contestant' as winner is another matter - how might it alter the public's perception of the brand and could it even ultimately devalue the brand, and other such issues. I'd like to bet there have been some pretty intense discussions on the matter, particularly if Ed is receiving as many votes as has been rumoured. And I do believe that the judges (bar Craig) have gone easy on him for fear of being subsumed in an avalanche of revenge/ 'up yours' votes from the public.

ballroom and boring song choice next week whilst letting Rinder have the big wow performance and he'd be out! Easy Peasy.

What for? In answer to your question, no let's not start a campaign. The point of the Rage Against the Machine campaign was to dent the success of X Factor and the winner by stopping them from dominating the xmas no. 1 and was supported by many people that hated the whole show.
Fair enough vote for Ed if you like him but to start a campaign is ridiculous.
Personally I hope he's out as soon as, not because i think he's the worst dancer but because i think he's a big headed cretin.