Do you really think he's better than the others then? I understand about partiality etc and wanting to see someone stay longer than they really deserve because you like them etc but he is clearly the worst dancer of the five so I don't get why people are saying his dance choice or music choice is unfair (I think it's a great song anyway) and that he's being thrown under a bus as if he has a God given right to be in the semi's or something. Just like Ed last week, JR is the worst dancer left. Fifth is a very credible position. I'm sure he's very proud to have got this far.
His best dance was week one though, no question. He hasn't really improved on that.

A good example of partiality dazie

You don't think Rinder's jive, quickstep or foxtrot were any good? Or his wonder paso doble? His cha cha cha was his most exuberant but I think he has improved his body movement and is working hard on his facial expressions.

If a couple are given a dodgy dance/song choice, it's unfair, regardless of whether they're regulars at the top of the leader board, mid-tablers or bottom dwellers. They all should be given decent song choices that suit the dances they've been allotted, and no-one should given preferential treatment.

Incidentally, I don't think JR has a 'God-given right' to be in the semi-final, but neither do the others.

I agree with this not only is wrong that the couple's performance is dimished but it leads to a drop in quality of the show which helps no one surely helping everyone to be the best they can in their own way is something that can only help the show be more varied and interesting.

Hey! Jersey Boys is NOT a cheesy jukebox musical - Mama Mia does not have mobsters, marriage breakdowns and a tragic death in it.

I'm not saying he's not good, though I'm lukewarm about his foxtrot and some of his other dances, I just think that the remaining contestants have all had more stand out dances than he has and, on the whole, danced better.
I still think he moved better in the cha cha cha than he has since, possibly it was that extra week's training but he is good ... I'm not denying that, I just think he's not AS good as the rest.
I'd be surprised if it wasn't most people's general opinion that he's the worst dancer now. Who is it then if it's not him? I mean technically?

Hardly anyone has had decent songs throughout (which has been the case for years) but anyway, it's subjective, I absolutely love that song and it's got a bounce to it. We've heard far worse Samba songs. Samba is one of the dances he's got left to do so it's not really unfair to give it to him, if indeed it's even their choice. We've heard before that the pro has some say in this and on which dance is skipped etc. Might well be Oksana's decision as he seemed to love the Salsa at Blackpool.

I don't rate Claudia if I'm honest and think Ore is stiff in his torso for Latin dances. Louise does not deliver wow at the moment though I can see her technical standard. Only Danny seems to have a foot in technique and performance amongst the remaining contestants. I think the question is better framed as, who is improving the most? You can't compare Rob to those with dance or gymnastics training, his body at the age of 38 will not compete! I get he's not popular with everyone, including your good self whose opinions I enjoy even if I don't agree every time, but he's more than a one trick dancer and his first dance was so strong that it's working to his disadvantage now. In week one he was third out on the Friday show - if memory serves. I don't think anyone, including production, thought his dance would be so popular else he would have had more prominent billing. Such a first dance is a poisoned chalice. He was never meant to be a comedy contestant but this dance combined with his sardonic humour put him in that box, which he's been fighting to get out of ever since. His paso doble was fantastic but people can't see past the styling. If only he were dancing to more music with an emotional ambivalence but instead he has Spice Girls and Jersey Boys.

As you might be able to sense, I'm rather passionate about him!

I think he is clearly the worst left technically AND performance wise. Whilst Louise is a bit muted and hasn't got a good range (clearly displays of any strong emotions are asking too much from her), and Claudia a bit robotic when it comes to acting he overdoes the faces so much that it is distracting and at times weirdly inappropriate.

And I think others have improved more than him and he seems to be plateauing.

Nope, I just enjoy him the most. I drift off when Louise dances, I haven't enjoyed Claudia and AJ at all, Ore is hit and miss, and I only enjoy Danny for Oti's sake. As this is an entertainment show, I don't know how one would quantify "deserving" to stay. I want the ones that entertain me to stay.


I've never seen it, so what do I know? But "Oh what a night" is definitely a cheesy 70s hit and not the great, percussive, Brazliian samba song I'd have chosen for Rob and Oksana.

Are you me?

Fair enough but there have been worse music choices this year and Rindy's probably had as random selection as anyone else. Beside this the guy who managed to pull doing a paso to Lady Gaga whilst dressed as a butterfuly - this may not be beyond his ken.

Just caught up with ITT. Am gobsmacked that Oti and Danny are doing the tango to a disco song. Also training footage to the track looked crazy fast, not like a tango at all. Whatever is going on with this music!!

AJ twitted this...



‏@Aj11Ace
Training is going FANTASTIC 👈🏻... The lifts are INSANE 😳... Claudia & I can't wait to perform this SALSA . Thank you for all the Support.❤️

So I'm expecting a showstopper this weekend.

Another liftfest.
Will her feet ever touch the floor?

I hope there is plenty of dance content so she can be judged fairly. If she is mostly airborne it's a tough call for the judges.

I'm still annoyed that Strictly allows lifts in the Salsa, Salsa is a club dance, if you try to do a lift it would result in you getting chucked out of a proper Salsa club/class.

Having said that, for Strictly, I don't think its a bad idea, it keeps the wow factor for the voting public and also combats the awkward height difference between them so win win.

Interesting that even Oti commented that they were doing a Tango to a disco song

a bit of sabotage methinks

I predict comments of frantic comming from the judges and a lot lower marks than the Cliftons

When were her other lift fests? ??

Last week

Thank goodness for those lifts Claudia and AJ otherwise this show would be as flat as a pancake. It's just a shame the other couples don't seem to be able to manage any.

Oh, I don't know, Kevin manages one in their waltz last week.

In the history of strictly combined female celeb and pro... only Claudia can do those lifts and more....

And the fans of other celeb who do boring dances got a nerve to citiize such a wonderful once in a blue moon phenomena.

hahahahaha yes! Sure he'll slip a few into the quickstep this weekend too