We're a slowly but surely multiplying.

You do understand there is a difference between being a troll and having an opinion on a public forum? You're getting reported for that comment.

I'm with you guys - Karen cracks me up, she seems like she'd be great fun on a night out. Agree on Kevin too.

This is a totally personal sidenote, but, as someone who has struggled with an eating disorder for much of my life, I REALLY appreciate Karen's public attitude towards food and fitness, and Jo's actually. I love the fact that Karen is always eating when Gethin goes backstage on ITT.

Sorry to hear that, Mrs Checks. I like the way she scoffs at every opportunity too. And the abs on her!

Her little exercise videos are really great. I built up a little daily routine for myself from them. I liked the mini dance tutorials her and Kevin used to post on yutube, too

Thank you

Agreed! Kevin is a lucky man really, and not just because he is totally, obviously, completely favoured by the BBC and they always conspire to get him in the final even though all of the general public detest him and think he can't dance

I'm just sick of being called a troll because I don't like the Cliftons. Like I said, every other year there has been subtle bias but this year it's been very obvious. They get a pass on things that other couples wouldn't. If you want to disagree, that's fine, but everybody saw Ore's mistake yesterday except the judges. You don't think that biased?

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Post of the month .
Totally agree.
The more Clifton bashing I see the more I vote for them.

Yes, I agree!

I am not in any hate or dislike camp so don't shoot me ! But I find no reason at all why Karen has to have her mouth full of food while being interviewed . I would consider it really rude to speak with a mouth full of banana and see nothing at all endearing about it

I like Joannes dancing and humour , Kevin is easier to watch this year , last year his dancing was frantic and OTT . M

No I don't think it's biased.

The judges miss mistakes quite often, Craig has even admitted when he has gone back to watch a dance after the show and spotted a mistake he previously missed.

As I've written before on this forum, the judges are not infallible. They will overmark sometimes and miss mistakes or even spot mistakes but run out of time to point them out. It happens to pretty much every contestant and pro.

When it comes to the idea of Clifton bias, ultimately, you have to ask - what's in it for the BBC? This is where all arguments of favouritism fall down in my opinion. I can't see any reason why the Cliftons would be favoured; none of the theories put forward on this forum make any sense to me.

Well, as someone who works in media, here's what makes it for the BBC:

Constant stories about how this will be Kevin's fourth year in a row going for the final, will he actually win this time? If both Cliftons get through, you'll have loads of stories on "Clifton: Civil War", if Danny/Claudia manages to beat them both, you'll get loads of stories about Danny being the underdog but managing to beat the Cliftons etc. Plus, the Cliftons and Danny are on the tour so there'll be lots of stories about how many times each of them won etc.

Trust me, the BBC have plenty of reasons to have a Clifton bias.

What do you do in the media, please? I'm a former journalist who now works in marketing, if we really feel that job titles are relevant. Which I don't think they are.

Constant stories? No. Strictly is on for 3 months or so, the final is just one night. With the exception of the 'Strictly curse' romance stories, the general public has very little interest in what goes on behind the scenes. You'll get a handful of stories at most, which will mostly appeal to people who already watch Strictly, because most people will only bother to read the article if they know who it's about.

I have never seen a story about who has won the tour via a proper news outlet. In fact, I've only ever seen it discussed on here or on Twitter. There's also very little to say about Kevin potentially being in a fourth final from a journalistic point of view - I could see it being brought up in interviews, but it doesn't warrant it's own article, let alone constant articles.

I have seen one story on the Daily Mail re: The Cliftons, which supposedly had quotes from their parents (I didn't read it). That might get recycled about, but even then, not nearly enough to make any bias or favouritism worth it for the BBC.

You clearly don't see the inherent irony in your own ANTI-Clifton bias then.

I'm not denying they're pushing the Clifton rivalry a little now that they've got one but if they thought it was that gosh-darned exciting and ratings grabbing they wouldn't have waited until their fourth series on the show together until they gave two of them a good one at the same time.

Yes, how quickly people seem to forget that Jo was celeb-less last year.

I'm sure it will make a fun PR angle for a handful of fluff pieces in the tabloids, but to believe that they've built up to this moment throughout the entire series is a real stretch.

Exactly, seems certain people don't like it if you have a different opinion to them.

Very strange for them people to be on a public forum...

Well, they tried to push it when Joanne first joined - I distinctly recall the line "Get ready for some sibling rivalry!" somewhere in the press release - but it had to be abandoned when they gave her one of the worst dancers ever to take part in the show.

Last night we were all watching this at my parents' house - me, my girlfriend, my sister and brother in law and my nan. My sister and BIL don't watch it so they know nothing about it, the Cliftons or anything.

My BIL:-

Who's that irritating Sherzinger lookalike showing off with the fake saxophone - she loves herself (Karen)

No, I find it very strange to dislike someone you have never met in person unless they have broken the law or done something terrible. I think they do play up to the cameras a bit but I think they are just having fun too. Sadly there are many people who do not like seeing other people have fun.

And yet you don't seem to like it much when a goodly number of people seem to disagree with the pair of you.

It wouldn't be so bad if either of you had actually come up with something new and creative to say... but no, it's just the same old tired nonsense - recycled ad nauseam.

Yes I'm sure everyone gets it that it's your opinion - but do remember that that's ALL it is - just your opinion and that doesn't mean it has more validity and more substance than that of anyone else.

By all means, offer your opinion but don't cry when you discover that it isn't universally shared.

For all you Clifton haters I happen to like Kevin and Co. I think they add to the show, rather than pseudo bad boys desperate to be the next Brendan or sundry euro trash poseurs who can barely speak English.

And why oh bloody why do we need an another anti Clifton thread, you know I might suspect it was from supporters of....... Sorry not going to blab......

I am not going to apologise for the fact that I really like all 3 Cliftons. Actually I dislike referring to them in this way as it is disrespectful as they are individuals who just happen to be related in some way.
They are genuine people, passionate about what they do and are fantastic coaches and dancers in their own right. A credit to their Profession.

I know many, many competitive dancers that dance with either brothers or sisters or are engaged or married to their partners. It is quite common, not surprising since dancers spend so long with each other. It is normal in the dance world, so I don't know why there is so much outrage on here. My opinion of course, but certainly Kev and Jo are two of the best Pro's in the show.

I think I may love you a little bit for that.

Not awkward at all

To be fair to Kevin he performed the minor miracle of getting Susanna Reid to the final.