The usual '5 people on twitter are causing a stink' story.

There seems to be one of these all the time for so many different things, the possibilities are endless.

If Ed's popularity continues, we are in danger of something like that happening because there are less dancers.

Agree. Have people forgotten Ann Widdecombe made it to 6th place before being voted off? She was much worse!

I am just watching her doing a samba

Anton deserved a knighthood.

She makes Ed Balls look like Fred Astaire.

Why wouldn't it be fair if Claudia & Ore were in the dance off and Ed wasn't? He's doing what's asked of him & competing like everyone else. He's not just there to make up the numbers.

I am not saying for a moment the vote is fixed in any way. It isn't. But is the show manipulated? Yes. All reality TV is to an extent.

They want the public to vote in a certain way and will try and steer it accordingly - through hyping a performance up before it's done (see Gangnam Style and, to a lesser extent, Great Balls of Fire), by having lighting and camera work focused on the dancers for some and throwing it all over the place for others as a distraction, by the dance order that they're given and the subsequent music - it used to be pros choice but I don't think it is now; the running order being lined up in a certain way so dancers can be lost by performing before a strong couple or early on (Claudia had a run of late slots up to yesterday then suddenly switched to performed first) ; the leaderboard putting a certain couple in danger etc. They see the public vote, they know how the land lies heading into each show.

This isn't a criticism of the show; I love watching it. I accept this is the way of reality TV and it wouldn't be good without the hand on the tiller. But I'm not naive enough to think all is fair in Strictly land - it isn't.

To be fair it is only the snobby viewers who think they are a cut above those voting for Ed. They just cant believe they are not always right

If those 3 make it to the final I expect either Ore or Danny to get voted out first.

Sorry, I wasn't quite sure how to phrase it so put it in quote marks. I just mean, if one of the favourites goes, the public are more likely to go "But really we should save the better dancers" and stop voting for them. Remember Craig Kelly's Blackpool story, with Zoe and James leaving the week before? Kate Garraway leaving after the Gabby v Penny Dance Off? Ann Widdecombe and Gavin Henson departing ninth and tenth respectively, just before the semi finals? Admittedly it doesn't always work - see Chris Parker - but I think in recent years wanting to see the better dancers in the final may be stronger than previously with the public as a whole.

I see what you mean and you're right, that is what tends to happen and I'm pretty sure it'll happen again here. I think! It's just I didn't vote for Ed last night but I didn't switch my votes either because nobody else moved me enough to vote (Greg came closest). I suppose if enough other viewers feel the same this year - that the top ones aren't as engaging as usual (a bit like Series 7 with Ali and Ricky) - then Ed could advance even further. Or maybe it's just me (and the very few other I've talked to) who feel that way.

Does pee me off though when Len does his usual "X shouldn't be in the dance off" and "Brits are renowned for their sense of fair play" speech - essentially telling viewers off for not voting how the judges want us to vote or trying to influence how we vote later on. You've had your say, now it's our turn!

I have a feeling it might be different this year. It seems that on paper Louise, Danny and Ore are going to be in the final. However all three have things against them. Louise and Danny - ringers and Ore a bit marmite. Ed is a different character to the Ann Widdicombes of this world and I can see him getting to the final and possibly winning. Im wondering if people are getting fed up with the status quo and want a change.

I could be completely wide of the mark but time will tell. I personally would love to see Claudia and Judgey in the final but that aint going to happen as they wouldnt win a dance off against Louise, Danny or Ore. The next couple of weeks will be very interesting.

Considering that the world seems to have been going through some sort of hormonal hysteria during 2016, Ed Balls winning SCD would be one of the only redeeming features of the year for me. Any other year and I would be on the "best dancer should win" train, but what this year needs is a big dose of surreal silliness and Ed Balls (or Judge Rinder, at a push) holding the glitterball aloft is that for me.

Which False News site started this nonsense? Failbook? Daily Hale? ITV (XFactor)?

To have stayed in the competition, Ed Balls must have received more votes than any other dancer.

A few of the people who have gone home are arguably better than some people who've made the final in recent years and better than some older winners too.

Ed deserves his place as long as he keeps getting the public votes, however the judges will start sending out strong messages now that the fun and games are over. Either the cha-cha-athon will send him home or the two dances in the semi-finals, if he gets there.

Not really, according to the maths. The most leaderboard places Ed's ever made up on anybody is four, which isn't a huge amount. It's entirely possible that Danny or Louise or Rinder (or more than one of the above) are substantially outperforming him in the public vote.

Votes for the Comedy Contestants can evaporate quickly as well. Julian Clary went from topping the vote in the Series 2 semi to going out first in the final. Hairy Dave performed a huge leap from the bottom of the leaderboard halfway through Series 11 to dump Abbey Clancy in the dance-off then went home the next week. Ed could definitely win, but he really needs another four weeks in a row where the wind doesn't change. The frontrunners on the other hand can still coast a bit.

Not entirely true. He could have come through each week by being in the top 3 of the public vote, maybe top 4. Third or fourth isn't going to be good enough for Ed much longer.

What nonsense! Why should he quit when people are voting for him to stay in?


It was strongly rumoured at the time that John Sargent quit because he hadn't expected to be in very long and was booked to speak on a cruise. He certainly wasn't throwing himself into it like Ed is.


And this is why people are voting for him. Katya's choreography is quite brilliant in bringing out the comic side of the dances they're doing, while still making him learn how to do some the moves. I've enjoyed every one of their dances, and three of them - the Mask, Love Potion #9 and Gangnam Style - I've watched over and over because I find them hypnotically entertaining.

I remember voting like mad way back in Series 1 to prevent Chris Parker winning instead of Natasha Kaplinksi. I normally like the less able dancers to depart before the final but the devil in me would love to see an Ed and Katya showdance.

The Judges have been giving Ed low scores from Day 1, they have made critical comments about his dancing from Day 1. It hasn't stopped Ed from getting huge numbers of votes, because no one really cares about the Judges opinions. In fact, because interweb multiple voting is free, it's quite easy to keep on rubbing the Judges noses in it every week.

I'm convinced Craig's low marks are meant to provoke people into voting for Ed.

*Thinks*

Gosh, I'm easily manipulated, aren't I

Why? Why would you do that to yourself? Do you have something terrible you need to atone for?

Either Ed or Rinder holding the glitterball aloft would be hilarious!
And after the 'surprise' results we have seen this year, it wouldn't surprise me.

On the title of this thread and the article - it doesn't make sense.
If 'Strictly Fans' are calling for Ed to leave, why are they voting for him?
Or are 'Strictly Fans' specially chosen by the writer of the article?

And I will vote for him even more this weekend

It really doesn't need that.

No way should he quit, people are paying good money to vote for him.