Oh no, I understand completely - the Clifton family run the show and will stop at nothing until Kevin is king of Strictly. There couldn't be any other reason at all why he has got 3 40+ women (those well known ringahs) and one pop star into the finals, because it's clearly impossible to accept that maybe he is just really good at his job and people who don't post on forums and social media actually like him.

I don't need you to get it. I have said what I think. Got it?

Oh, you've made it very clear.

Three words, darling: Dull, dull, dull

He's not been tested. He hasn't been given a Fiona Phillips or an Ann Widdecombe. He's had four pretty, fit women who have either had dance training or shown a good aptitude for it ... mostly the former. Look at his positioning on the leaderboard for all four of his week one dances ... 1st, 2nd and two 3rds. These women have all been good dancers to begin with. Let's see what he can do with a Judy Murray or a Deborah Meaden.
Next year they must give him a duffer and we'll see what he's made of.
I'm sure he's popular but then how popular? Is it his partners who are more popular? Last year he and Kellie visited the dance off a few times .. his own popularity didn't seem to be pulling them through then. But when you look at Frankie and Louise who seem to define the word 'nice' and even Suzanne who wasn't reviled back then well it's pretty clear to see ... he's been lucky.

Hear hear..be careful though, you'll be accused of over thinking and over analysing again oh don't you just love the DS forum

I didn't watch this, what was she like in it?

The show was called So you think you can dance and she was a judge along side Arlene Phillips and she did show a different side in it.

Judging a dance show? Somebody's taken a backwards step

Not true. Last week I was in the gym and as I sat in the hot tub two old women entered and started talking Strictly.
I didn't speak to them but listened as they talked and they were complaining about how he always gets good partners and is favoured by the judges.

Next year he needs to get a duffer to prove that he isn't given partners that are believed to be good.

"A love of dance" ?

See, that's just what I think is missing in Louise

There is no sense of joy from her on the dance floor ... just a cold, efficient performance, delivered without passion or feeling

These two "old" women you give as evidence of people who don't use social media or post on forums not liking him either...how old is old exactly? And were they wearing 'Down with social media and forums' slogans on their swimsuits?

I sometimes wonder if we under estimate the conventional media in drumming up support for a celeb. Newspapers seem to have more influence than their dwindling readership suggests. PR agents always seem to get their celebs into the news even if they've done nothing more than change their hair.

This is very true. I only noticed Louise on a front cover on Sunday morning.

People like who they like. That's it. Just because some internet forums have decided, that Louise s a worthless bore, a wet blanket, there are many of us, who love her dancing and personality. To suggest that her husband's fans are voting for her, that's the reason for her popularity, is just pretty insulting.
Tbh, the rudenss written about her here and elsewhere has made me root for her even more.

The wife likes her, I don't, think she is pretty boring in a way , too sweetness and fluffy sort of thing. Probably a lot of "Mumsy" types keep voting for her, personally want Danny and oti to win for me , really would have preferred Claudia to be in the final but hey ho can't have everything ...... shame.

You have saved me from having to write! The only word I would change is "wife" to "husband"!

Well whe this series started I'd never heard of Danny Mac, Melvin O'Doon (?), the woman from Eastenders and Daisy ???? .

But then I am not so arrogant and self centred to assume that just because I have not heard of someone it does not mean they don't deserve to be on Strictly or that no one should vote for them at all, ever.

Yes he has been lucky - and for his and the show's credibility he needs to be given a duffer next year. He is the only long-term male pro who hasn't. If not, he should be relegated to backing dancer.

Louise is a very nice girl, but doesn't wow with much personality. She is married to a popular ex-footballer and daughter-in-law of popular and respected manager. She is picking up votes from them.

I just hope we get rid of most if not all of the Clifton clan next year. Time for new blood!!!!

Here's something to stir the contents of the pot .
There have been many excellent dancers down the years that have not even made the final.
All of Kevin's partners have.
I detect only one definitive common demominator there I'm afraid. His track record is no fluke. He had to guide all his partners to the finals and has only encountered the dance off with one partner. That simply can't be fobbed off as good fortune and nothing else. So if Kevin gets another good un next year I will be not be unduly upset in all honesty. If he gets a duffer I will have no complaints either.
I want quality dancers in the final and for me Louise is one.

Having worked at the BBC - quite a while ago now - I would be very surprised if the Clifton family ran SCD. The BBC is full of heavyweights who would blow the Cliftons away as soon as look at them. Take it for me, they count for nowt !

Meg

The post you responded to was ironic . I totally get what you say about the BBC though

I personally found her dull and uninspiring. One of the fellow judges, Jason Gardiner, questioned her dancing background experience as he didn't feel she should be a judge. She then said I've done this and I've done that blah blah blah, very unconvincing.

Brilliant post - your rational, balanced view is a (digital) breath of fresh air!

The common denominator is that they've all been good from the start. They weren't Victoria Pendleton or Rachel Riley, this was known by TPTB by the time they got to pairing them up. However, if solely left to the public Kellie would probably have gone well before the final but because he has always been given competent partners ... he's always had that safety net that the judges will probably save if he finds himself in trouble.
I think Pasha is liked every bit as much as Kevin and he did have a good run of partners but then they gave him Rachel and they were only kept in for so long ... same with Carol .. same with Naga. People talk about Kevin as if he personally has made great dancers out of four mediocre women but no ... that's rubbish .. he's been given excellent material to work with (and he rarely improves upon it ... Louise is worse now I think than she was at the beginning .. that samba was a shocker.)
If he gets given someone like Esther Rantzen or Mica Paris and he gets them to the final THEN I will take my hat off to him.