Agreed, look at Ian and Zoe. Zoe is obviously suffering from increadible nerves, she makes a mistake at the beginning of the dance, but Ian has given her the confidence to recover and finish off brilliantly, Brendan seems to inspire no confidence in Fiona whatsoever, this week is the tango for the women (I think), seriously unless there is a major rethink from Brendan I can see it being the biggest disaster yet. I've no love for la Phillips, but I'd bet any money you like Ian or Darren would have got much better dances out of her.

Same here!

I agree he has to take a lot of the blame for not making the routines simpler for her. But equally, she doesn't really seem to put her heart into it in the way that both Bill and Dennis do.

ISTR Brendan was not very nice to Sarah Manners last year either. I think he expects everyone to have a natural talent like Natasha and if they don't he has no idea what to do with them.

This is exactly how I feel, Fiona looks like she's so embarrased. She seems to be acting as if she's standing on the dance floor and Brendan has gone up to her and is pulling her around. At one point I thought she had given up, when she seemed to look over to the judges and smile as if to say "Yeah, you're right, I've blown it". Then suddenly Brendan pulled her around and then a second or two later, her legs followed. Good job or she'd have been twisted in half.

I don't have a problem with those that can't dance or who obiously have been given routined that are too hard for them, but please, can she at least try!

I wish people would quit with shes not giving it her all. She is. The woman is balancing a job, two kids and a husband. I dnt know why the hell she signed up for it in the first place. Shes gonna run herself ragged. I think she should walk of. It would be a shame cos all who've slated her will be like oh yeah wouldnt expect any better from Phillips but I think she should stuff it and do it. Its not worth it. She wrote that her son said to her, "Mummy if you do all that hard work and they are so mean to you at the end of it, why do you bother?". Six year olds...so much insight.

[quote=Lutonarethebest][quote=Agent Krycek]Because Ballroom Bill, Gloria and Dennis Taylor are obviously putting their all into it and seem to be having a great time, plus they have the massive advantage of partners who are tailoring their dancing for the non-professional and are actually on their side.
Just about every non professional is doing exactly the same thing. Colin Jackson has a job, children etc, Bill Turnbull works the same hours as Fiona and has a family as well, Zoe has a young son as well as other projects on the go. Most of them are in the same position, they just choose not to ram the fact down our throats and use it as an excuse.

As I said, most of the blame for Fiona's performances lies squarely at the feet of Brendan Cole. Others, such as Lilia and Dennis's partner are getting great performances out of weak dancers because they encourage them, play to their strengths and make it enjoyable for the non professional, Brendan is fairly obviously not doing this with Fiona and he seems unable to change his style to bring up her confidence and get a good performance out of her.

lol, just me being lazy


The issue I have with Fiona is that she doesn't seem to be trying (as others have said). It may be because Brendan intimidates her, I dunno, but she just looks like a rabbit in the headlights, and she seems to put nothing into it.

Gloria was admittedly weak at the rhumba, but not bad at the waltz, and give the woman a break she's old enough to be Fiona's mum!

I think Bill is okay - not great, but very enjoyable to watch because he makes a huge effort and because Karen gives him really interesting routines.

It would be dull if all the celebs were good, I'm sure none of us expect that. I enjoyed Julian's performances last year because although he was not a good dancer, he was very entertaining. Fiona is just embarrassing, it just makes me want to gouge my own eyes out. I really think she should quit for her own sake (oh, and mine ).

Colin Jackson has children? I've never heard that before.

I take your point though, all of these celebrieties have other lives and commitments - family and work etc, but to hear Fiona Phillips go on you'd think it was mind-bogglingly difficult to have kids and a job. Boo hoo, Fiona. If it's too hard for you, then pack it in.

I think she is very rude and talks over people and the day she was on ITT with Bill Turnbull, she was terribly ignorant.

I saw this show for the first time last weekend and I have to say that Arlene Phillips is worse than Simon Cowell has ever been (of course we all know she is probably just trying to be him in her own female way), and that other judge (Carl?) he was horrible. Also, I used to like Bruce Forsyth as his 70's Generation Game reminds me of being a kid and watching it on a Saturday afternoon at my gran's. However I was really shocked at how doddery he has suddenly become (I know he is old but still) and he has completely lost his clever comic timing, struggling with autocue links etc. It made the whole show seem very amateurish somehow.

I can see more and more benefits of replacing Fiona with a dummy:

1) Brendan would find it easier to drag around the floor!
2) Brendan would have more time for himself!
3) She wouldn't talk back to the judges!
4) She wouldn't be able to talk over lovely Ballroom Bill!

I see that Fiona's old sidekick Eamonn Holmes is now on TV on Sky every morning on their newly revamped news channel starting today, in direct competition with her.

There were a couple of great anti-Fiona Phillips threads on the Forums a few weeks ago, worth a look. The general concensus of opinion was that she was ignorant, rude, rubbed her hands a lot to camera (like Fagin) and talked over her interviewees. I think she was successful in the beginning because she took over from the irksome Anthea Turner whom Eamonn detested, but now she is just as bad although I still watch GMTV

There is something quite unexpectedly sexy about Bill which I hadn't realised when watching him on BBC News 24. Especially when he was a bit sweaty

I have never heard such a patronising post in all my life. So what if she is balancing a job, two kids and a husband? So am I, except I have three kids (one more than her) but of course I don't have a top job on TV where my husband is the boss and I can expect wifely perks, nor do I submit various weekly magazine articles and colomns to which I get paid vast sums and I haven't got the luxury of coming in for three days only whilst my fellow presenter and pregnant job sharer takes over the rest of the week. I bet that she has at least a regular cleaner and an au pair if not a full-time nanny. Please don't feel sorry for Fiona Phillips. At the other end of my argument of course is the fact that why shouldn't a woman who balances all of life's balls in the air have a go at something like ballroom dancing?

I'm in there, with my forks sharpened!

It's opened up a whole new Bill to me too!!!!! I am his superfan!!

Well I dnt think its possible to give someone encouragement and build their confidence when every week every little shred of it gets ripped to pieces. Brendon even says that she does it so much better in rehersal but she ges nervous on a Sat. Wouldnt u be nervous if you knew what was coming out of those judges mouths. They're being unnecessarily cruel. I mean Buno was on ITT today making snide comments about Fiona having a short term memory cos Brendon said that they put in the hours and learn the steps.

I cant blame Brendon completely nor can I blame Fiona. I think its a mixture of factures such as nerves, poor dance ability from Fiona and the the cruelty (cos there is no better word for it) from those judges. They know shes not particularly good but even to find sumthing good that she can take away from it. They refuse to do it. Its like watching a small child get bullied by camp, orange weirdos and by that I mean the Revel-Horward. He has just gone way dwn in my opinion scale and that is why so far SCD3 has been the least enjoyable. Not even poor Chris Parker had it that bad and he got a fair bit of stick. They tried with Julian Carey but he was made of even stronger stff.

Im not being sexist or anything here but I think it is considerably easier for the male celebs if they have children and a job. They can be the heros and come home late but believe it or not women have to go home and cook and clean the kids and tuck em in. Im not saying that a man couldnt do all that because he could but women tend to like to be home to tuck their children in. She should just give it up. It'll be better for all.

There are so many people for whom this "Brendan/Fiona staying in" thing has provoked a response. This is why they must stay.

Obviously unless they improve, they shouldn't go into the final four or five couples or whatever but having them floating around for a while (the next 3 or 4 weeks at least) makes everything hugely entertaining!

1) we can look forward to how bad their dance will be each week (I hope so much for a 'stunning' Pasa Doble in the vampire-themed vein of last year with Sarah Manners)
2) on the flip-side we could hope for a stunning turn around and a great performance
3) there will be more drama from the training sessions as brendan pushes her further and to see how fiona copes with the pressure
4) it frustrates the judges
5) it adds frisson backstage because the the other couples will be scared about their apparent "immunity"
6) brendan is hot (one for you there Nat/minihoy)

See - for entertainment it is fantastic!
What with the apparent romance between James and Camilla, the stauesque Ian & Zoe, Colin Jumpin' Jackson, Bill & Karen's crowd-pleasing choreography, a chance for Anton 'Wild Man' Du Beke to remain for a good few weeks and a bowler from Barnsley (I'm from South Yorks - and I'm so hoping that Darren incorporates his famous pysch out tounge-face bowling trick in a routine) - this could be an awesome year indeed.

I am sorry for Jaye going - I thought she was a bit unfairly criticised but like Bruno said on ITT today - floaters in the middle are in danger of being eliminated. I thought her egyptian style dress looked great on her and I'm well sad about losing Zorro because he was a very cute South African (with potentially quite an ego) who seemed to really want to challenge Brendan - oh well. I hope we see him on ITT at least.

Happyfeet xx
Last edited by happyfeet : 25-10-2005 at 00:57

Ok first of all eww. Sweaty Bill?....

Secondly patronising? And you saying oh well I have three kids and a job and I balance it isnt?

Leave the woman alone. I have made it my mission in life to defend Fiona Phillips. Dnt know why....Havent really watched GMTV for years but I hate to see when poeple get kicked when they're down. There is no need for anyone to say nasty stuff about her. If she had a nanny/au pair why would she keep saying that she has her children to raise? No one knows her. Just because she doesnt work at the laundrette doesnt make her job less demanding. She still gotta be up early in the mroning and she has an article to write. So what she makes more money. Prbably makes it all worth while donnit. I am saying the same thing. Heaven only knows why she agreed to do it. Maybe the money, maybe the need for fitness, maybe she saw it as a worthy challenge. But with all the stick she gets, she should turn around stick two fingers up and say a great big f**k off (Yorkshire stylee) to Arlene "You're my name sake but I hate your flipping guts" Phillips. OR she could carry on until she gets voted of and do a Carol Vorderman and say the f**k off in words rather than actions.

If she is so over worked, why did she do it? If she can't give the time to it, why bother? I don't see Patsy or Zoe complaining - I see them tired, but i don't see them whinging on about doing the family shop or their kids not knowing who they are!

you cannot tell me she doesn't have help! Her and her husband both work at GMTV, so who looks after them then? Or are they home alone? She must have some help!

She did this for exposure, not because of anything else, and if she deides to do it, she should get on with it - and stop coming up with excuses - face it she isn't very good, she has an arrogant partner who isn't helping and she is not enjoying it! Maybe she'll learn for the future!

Hold on LATB! If Fiona doesn't have a nanny, who looks after the kids while she is on gmtv and doing those endless rehearsals with Brendan? Of course she does, unless she leaves them on their own in the house So I don't feel she is particularly hard-done-by. Bet she has a cleaner too, I don't picture her cleaning the toilets at midnight

Brendan on ITT last night said she has "a short attention span" because she is always very tired so he never gets much out of her. I know she gets up at 4am for gmtv but not every day (and anyway, so does Bill for Breakfast tv). As you say, why is she doing this to herself? At least Gloria has said she is really enjoying the process, whereas Fiona seems demoralised and terrified.

I disagree with the poster who said she must stay in because she is so bad it's entertaining. That was certainly the case with Julian but much as I dislike Fiona, I don't find watching her humiliation every Saturday entertaining (and I'm surprised to hear myself say that!)

btw, re cruelty of the judges. I don't think it was possible to be TOO cruel to Chris Parker, he was utterly cr*p, and the only reason he stayed in was that he had a lot of young fans who didn't care that he murdered every dance. I fear Brendan has similar fans who want to see him stay in the competition no matter how bad Fiona is.

I have to admit, Brendan's dance routines for Fiona are a bit too complex for her, but I feel that Fiona isn't really helping eaither.
It annoys me when the judges go on about how rubbish the dance was, and Brendan tries to stick up for Fiona (and himself) by thinking of some good points in their dance routine, and then Fiona just butts in and says "Yeah, I'm really bad at dancing!". She doesn't even say about ways she could improve!
I think its just stupid saying "I'm really bad at dancing" all the time and completely agree with the judges like she is doing. No one can be that negative about themselves can they?
She could be saying that for the sympathy vote though

All valid points. But everyone is saying the kids have a nanny and they have a cleaner but heres a novel idea. The kids go to school. Thats where they stay for maybe six hours of the day. I mean they are old enough. Maybe shes one of those celebs who dnt need 50 million poeple in her household so she does have to pick em up, make their tea, clean the house and be a good wife. No one really knows for sure. The point does it matter about the nannies? Maybe she should get one now to take the load of.

I remember Brendon saying she had a short attention span after Bruno said she had a short term memeory and then Brendon was like the term you are looking for "smack" is blah blah. *sigh* Oh Poor Fiona. Woe is u.

I completely agree with u. She does come across demoralised and terrified. I hope that the Jive would be a chance for her to come out of that stigma. Maybe the Waltz and the Rumba werent her dances. *shessayspraying*

My hope is that either she shows a very marked improvement this week, or she goes.

She is playing the martyr/victim role too much for my liking - the way she nodded vigorously and grinned when the judges said the rumba was a disaster was just annoying. She just seems to accept she is rubbish and leave it at that - no desire or commitment to improve. I hope she shows that this isn't true this week.

Agreed. It annoys me that she just stands there with a simpering look on her face, almost announcing she's rubbish before the judges have said anything, at least Julian had a bit of fire in his belly, but Fiona just seems content to get through playing the sympathy card - oh but I've got two children etc etc, as if no one else in that programme has outside commitments or family. I swear, she mentions her 'orphaned' children again this week and I'll be shelling out for a new tv as my present one will have my boot through it!

I think that's it entirely - some have talent, some have to work at it - and she isn't in either camp!

She isn't a natural dancer, but she thinks that absolves her from trying as well - it's really infuriating when there are others out there who aren't naturally talened, dancing their backsides off! Will and Dennis are dancing to stay - she is being dragged around and asking for others to vote to keep her without reward! She is just as incapable of trying the following week!

I think it is definitely a man's competition this year! Colin looks excellent, James and Darren look good, Bill is fantastic ( ), Will and Dennis are really having a go! I think the men are winning on effort so far!