Does anyone think that Colin doesn't get mentioned as much because he doesnt seem to want to talk about about his personal life. Is it just me or do the contestants whose families want to apear get more airtime ? X

His parents have been featured, his sister could be called on. Dennis never, really spoke much about his private life, nor Patsy. Maybe because there is no conflict or romance between him and Erin, like they have/had with James, Patsy and Fiona.
But I can't explain why they've had Zoe as permanent fixture. Maybe she had it written into her contract. And boy does she love to talk. It would be nice to hear from Ian sometimes

its just the beeb pushing favourites

Perhaps they just haven't managed to find an angle for Colin's private life?

I know that they didn't really cover much with Darren Gough; apart from having one of his cricketing comrades come on, until his lads were shown in the audience.

With James there's the putative romance with Camilla; I still haven't seen a newspaper article where he's given a definite answer on this one way or the other.

Bill originally had the storyline of how he'd ask his wife's permission before getting too close to Karen, but then his ankle injury & talking back to the judges took over.

Patsy has the "My Fair Lady" & does she get on with Anton or not angles.

Finally, there's Zoe, who seems to have no storyline to follow, other than that the judges, & hence the Beeb, seem to think that her & Ian look wonderful dancing together & can, therefore do no wrong. Add to this the fact that she is used to working on camera & she suits ITT perfectly.

I think they've tried Colin having to miss training, through jury duty, & his foot injury, but they really do seem to be struggling to find a way to present him on the show.

It's a shame as, whilst he seems, from the little we've seen of him to be a nice guy, the very fact that he hasn't appeared all that often does make it more difficult to form an opinion than with some of the other celebs.

It wasn't like this last year. There was no need to have a reason for having the couples on the show.

i dunno, i think they are trying as hard as can be to make him seem interesting without touching on his sexual preferences ...

Maybe that was a condition of him doing the show, he is quite within his rights NOT to have a camera crew peering into his private life. OK if it affects his performance (injury and jury duty, taking away practise time) then fine but maybe he said 'I'll do it but no cameras peeping from my mum's rose bushes'.

heck if there was anything unpleasent or 'newsworthy' I bet the tabloids would love to get their soiled little mits on it, especially as he is on SCD at the moment.

Maybe Colin Jackson is a successful athlete now commentator and seemingly natural dancer, but actually boring as h**l in his private life....

I know what you mean, but they seem to have been relating the number of appearances on ITT to tie in with the stories that are appearing in the tabloids: remember how much coverage FP was getting & how the James & Camilla romance story was tied into their paso training?

Possibly, this is because SCD is in direct competition wth the X-Factor & I'm a Celebrity this time around & the Beeb is worried that people won't watch it without the gossip/scandal/uproar element being added. Bit daft, I know, as the show is trouncing X-Factor in the ratings each week &, as they obviously read this forum, they must realise just what a huge fan base SCD & ITT have generated simply on the basis of its own merits?

I honestly believe that they pair the celebs and the pros in each series with the view of getting as much off-floor mileage as possible. After the Natasha /Brendan affair I think they deliberately gave him the best looking woman to see what would happen............and they tried again this year with trying to pair Brendan and Zoe ( knowing about her little indiscretion) ... but she wasn't biting. Patsy's a handful and very outspoken so perfect for Anton who can't stop talking either, I bet they thought there would be more friction than there is. I wouldn't mind betting that they thought there might be mileage between Erin and Colin but no go there either..........................

Is Darren Gough divorced from his wife? I've not heard her mentioned

Oh, I don't think they'd do that. Maybe I'm being naive but there must be other factors, it might be completely random, apart from height or whether the professional was a previous winner. For all we know, the celebrities may be able to take their pick. I do wish we knew, so that we could sort this once and for all. And anyway, the rationale of matching people up for most friction does not seem to have been in evidence last series. I think that the media have just taken a keener interest this time and have (supposedly) struck lucky a few more times.

Yes. He said in a recent interview that he's still good friends with her and sees their two boys lots and hasn't ruled out some time getting back together with her. Darren said that the pressure of touring and professional cricket took it's toll.
(sorry if that's more info than you wanted )

Now that Darren's retired from cricket and since he's estranged wife is more than likely seeing a new, sexier side to him, hopefully they WILL get back together!!! That'd be nice, eh? Awwww

pity he's not retired....other that that a good heory though

He has retired from test cricket; though he still does the one day internationals, & says that it was being away for the tours that caused all the problems.

I did notice how he made it very clear in the Mirror interview that he & Lilia were just friends who danced together & how he'd hope that they remained friends for a long time after the series ends.

I do believe that Anton & Lesley/Esther & Erin & Julian have remained quite good friends, but they are the only ones from the last two series that any info of this sort has been given out about.

It'd be nice to know that, after spending all the time together training & performing, the friendships they must establish aren't just forgotten.

Glen

You know when I saw this thread title the first time, I thought Noel Coward had made it onto our thread - albeit from beyond the grave.
And ever since, I've wanted to post lines from the play.

Just thought I'd tell you guys that.

Hi GlenP! You may also like to know as you seem to like Darren B and Lilia as a professional couple, that Darren (and Lilia) have remained friends with Jill Halfpenny, they have seen her in Chicago and in other plays she has appeared in and have travelled up to Newcastle (I believe) to support her on an opening night! Nice to think that people remain friends!

And we know that Lesley and her husband regularly see Anton and use him as their dance teacher. Isn't it lovely that she's taken her love of dance on and is going for her medals?

I think llesley will have in proved a lot sceince series 1

Nice to hear that, as you would expect some real friendships to have been created during all the time they have to spend together training for the show & it does add a human angle, without any risk of gossip.

Someone did ask the question on Darren & Lilia's own website forum but they didn't get a reply; D & L do read & respond but I think they've just been too busy of late.

Sorry I missed this on the D and L website -- I tend not to post on there for some reason - mind you it takes me all my time to read your missives!!!

Zoe has something like an ugly duckling to swan story. Looking wonderful dancing is part of that story.

True, but I don't feel they've really followed that line too much. Perhaps it's just that the judges have only commented on how she looks, when dancing with Ian, & not what a surprise this is; knowing how she holds herself to be a disasterously clumsy tomboy.

I'm not knocking her with my view on the storyline they appear to be following & I do feel she's done marvellously well, but I do believe that they haven't really concentrated enough attention on the right angle of her story.

Glen

We saw a day in the life of Dennis and plenty of Zoe but never Patsy with her lovely children just Darrens boys

I think auntie beeb is quite sneaky and sure that they want to win the ratings war. They would have known that they would be up against X factor so................. It certainly worked as quite a few people I work with were watching when Fi and Brendan were in as they were enjoying the off-floor entertainment as much as the dancing.....some are still watching, but many have switched to X factor especially this week to see if Louis turns up ( now was that a scam or not ?)