This year, Tameka, Lesley and Melvin (if he had been with another pro - I like Janette but none of her celebs seem to improve much technically)

In past years the only one I can remember thinking it was a shame when they went out was Jimi Mistry.

I think it was a shame Melvin went out so early as well this year. It's a shame as he only got to do two routines and maybe would have got better if he had had time to find his feet. Not to be too harsh on Janette but I wonder how he would have done with a different pro. Her celebs never seem to improve. I suppose someone has to be the first out.

Definitely feel Laura had more to give. She did a beautiful waltz and tango but was unlucky to get injured and then get a samba (difficult to score highly on) and then be up against Ore (a finalist at the very least. Definitely feel she could have lasted a few more weeks.

Only been wathcing 2012, but the ones that spring to mind are:

Anastacia
Daisy Lowe
Greg Rutherford
Tameka Empson
Laura Whitmore
Lesley Joseph
Anita Rani
Anthony Ogogo
Daniel O'Donnell
Helen George
Kirsty Gallacher
Alison Hammond
Pixie Lott
Deborah Meaden
Fiona Fullerton
Rachel Riley
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Colin Salmon
Michael Vaughn
Nicky Byrne

This year: Tameka - I really wanted to see her Latin with Gorka
Laura - but without an injury - for her jive and elegant ballroom
Will Young - so that we would have had a 4 person final

2015: Helen George - so elegant

2014: Pixie Lott (although I wasn't at all a fan of Trent)

Earlier series.... has anyone mentioned Austin yet

Ed Balls - we were cheated of his rumba!
Helen George
Jamelia!
Jimi Mistry
John Barnes
John Sergeant
Mica Paris
Pixie Lott
Tameka Empson
Zoe Lucker

DJ Spoony who was partnered with an unknown pro (Ola's first year) and who was eliminated purely because of the public vote. His, unfair, early exit, was one of the main reasons why the dance off was introduced to the show in the following year. If he had stayed in, the format may not have been changed.

Helen and Pixie's American Smoothes that could have been still makes me sad.

Also, the unluckiest dancer in the pantheon - Tina O'Brian. Who could clearly dance very well, and got lumped with Jared and his horrific choreography.

Ah I didn't watch it then but have heard about Jared. What was wrong with him? Did he only last one season?

Simon deserved his final place but Mark Wright didn't IMO.

Agreed with the rest especially Helen since although I liked Anita generally her Cell Block Tango was bloody awful and she should have gone home instead of Helen.

Yep, only the one season. He choreographed everything as though it was for High School Musical. Truly horrific.

Basically take AJ and the theming that him and Claudia have been saddled with remove the good bits then you're left with Jared - horrid twee patronising theming and he wasn't much of a dancer himself.

Ouch. Poor Tina. Just goes to show how important the pro is to the partnership I guess. How long did they last?

5 weeks (though one week Tina had the chickenpox and had to sit out - and, get this - they'd have Rumba'd to 'Bleeding Love'!), and poor Tina got eliminated looking like a low rent version of Sandy from Grease.

I think the comparison is unfair. Tina was older than Claudia and more womanly and the twee routines that Jared gave her seemed to reflect his religious views. AJ seemed to be saddled with a lot of poor songs to choreograph routines to and had Claudia's parents sat in the audience every week it seemed. Tina and Claudia do not compare so we cannot comment on how AJ would fare with a Tina equivalent.

Also, for posterity;


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y42vPvVGxE

Blimey, somehow forgot Mark Wright got as far as he did Yes he 100% should've been out earlier.

I really didn't take to Mark and Karen at all. Would have preferred Jake and Janette to have made the final. I'm sure she's lovely but I sometimes find Karen a bit OTT but maybe it's a cultural thing being from New York.

Yeah I wonder how AJ would do with someone older than Claudia. They were lumped together as tweenie-boppers early on and given quite immature themes and music. Won't AJ be 23 next season or something? Think that was the age Alijaz was when he won with Abbey so it'll be interesting to see who they give him next year (assuming he's back of course!) I would like to see him with a partner his around his age.

Series 5
I can hardly remember it but I'll say Kelly Brook

Series 6
John Sergeant!

Series 7
Jade Johnson, sad she got injured

Series 8
Tina O'Brien, she was actually good, she just had a **** partner, I could come up with better routines!

Series 9
Nancy Dell'Ollio!

Series 10
maybe Johnny Ball? This series was more about people outstaying their welcome

Series 11
Mark Benton, all the good ones made it to the end

Series 12
Pixie Lott, probably should have won

Series 13
Helen George, should have been a runner up at least

Series 14
Laura Whitmore, gorgeous dancer

Laura
Daisy
on past years
Patsy Kensit
Fiona Fullerton
Ben Cohern
Goldie

Fiona should have gone weeks before she did IMO and Anthony went at exactly the right time and I'm not sure Rachel would have got much further and Nicky went about as far as he deserved IMO (except maybe one more week at Lisa poxy Riley's expense) and a lot of this year's you couldn't keep them all - someone had to go out at various stages none of them would have got much further IMO.