Dear Patsy

Well done on getting this far. For someone who is neither a dancer nor an athlete to learn to co-ordinate themselves through 7 different dances in front of 10 million people is pretty fantastic.

I really want you to be in the final - not just because you're Anton's partner, but because I think you could do a good job of it.

The comments I'm going to make come with love (sometimes a bit of tough love) and respect and all have the aim of encouraging you to get to the end of this competition.

Now, you obviously can do it. My goodness, look at that Tango, that Argentinian Tango, that Salsa, that Foxtrot, that Quickstep. Wow. Ok, so you don't necessarily get every single step right 100% of the time - none of the other celebrities do either, but you and Anton still look good and are getting better. I really, really want to see you doing the Paso Doble - I think the drama of it will really suit you.

Your problem seems to be in believing you can do it - your nerves and self doubt do seem to overwhelm you at times. I think you would be even more sensational if you could only lock your demons in a cupboard, or throw them into th sea or something for the rest of the competition.

From the interviews I've read when you've been talking about your earlier experiences as an actress and when your oldest son was born, you obviously have great resources of inner strength and determination. You can make yourself more confident just by looking back at what you have achieved in your life. As a mother myself I know that if you can have 2 children within the space of not that much more than a year and stay sane, you can do almost anything

You seem to be very worried about the public vote - don't take it as a personal rejection. George W Bush winning 2 elections is proof enough that the people don't always make the right decision There are, however, a couple of things you could do to try and maximise your vote and to persuade those who voted for Bill and Karen to come over to you.

First, please stop crying. If you cry for 5 minutes and have great fun the rest of the time, you can bet your life that those rotters at the BBC will show the crying. The only way to avoid that is not to cry. At all. Let's see you and Anton having fab fun this week while you're training. Let's see you outside the studio. Everyone else has been somewhere, whether to a local tea dance or whatever. You just have a complete ball this week and let us share in your enthusiasm, which is clearly there.

If you feel the tears coming you can do one of two things - first remember that you have copped a feel of one of the sexiest backsides on the Planet at least 3 times (let alone what you might have done in training) in the last fortnight and that alone should keep you on Cloud 9 for the rest of your life.

Secondly, you could go and read the No-one Should Leave thread on here - try the last few pages from about page 16 to start with. I'm sure you will find something there which either induces a smile or more likely hysterical laughter.

So, I want to see you throw yourself into this week like it's one of the best things you've ever done. Forget about any other distractions than the dancing and come out and play a blinder next Saturday night.

I'm sure plenty of us will be drinking Tres Bon cocktails to your continued success.

Lots of love and pink sparkly hugs

Libby x

Fabulous post, I'd like to add...........

above all relax and enjoy and put your trust in the wonderful Anton. You've got the potential to be fantastic.

Fair point, Dome. I totally agree with that. Thanks.

Here, here...

Patsy, you look amazing every week. Just go for it, put it all out there this week (not in a dress falling off kind of way )
and enjoy yourself. Trust us and trust Anton, you will look brilliant.

As I have said on the Anton Lovers thread. I have a feeling that you will give the next dance all you've got, and it will be brill. I always said that if I were a celebrity I wouldn't go on the show unless I could have Anton. You really are the luckiest girl on the show. He can give you all the confidence you need, if you just let him. Listen to him and realise that you can do it.
We believe in you.

An addition:

Patsy, it doesn't matter if you mess up a few steps, because you have the best hair on the show, and I envy it enormously.

what a great thread...and patsy i do hope that you read all of these posts, or that someone reads them for you and let's you know just how much love and support there is for you out here in the big wide world. every week you come out and look amazing, every week you fight your demons and win. as others here have said, trust in yourself and in anton. he knows what he is doing and if he didn't think that you could do a dance then he wouldn't put you in a position to fail. as long as you realise this you can never lose. whatever happens from this week onwards, you ought to know that even though each day's training may make you tired and emotional, you may miss your family and feel that you can't go on....believe in yourself...because each week is proof that you are so much stronger than you realise. everything in this post has been written to you out of love and support. you are not alone in all of this. we are out there with you.

I do hope that someone says these sorts of things to her. I'm sure Anton does - it's his job - but perhaps she needs to hear it from someone else. The challenge of learning two dances this week may either help her to focus, or lose faith completely. I hope it's the former

Sorry, Patsy, the relevant pages of the Nobody Should Leave thread are 10-13 - and any help you could give us in coming up with a plan for next week would be greatly appreciated.

Libby, I think that's a really nice letter. It'd be lovely if she could get to read it. Shame she doesn't have her own website that it could be forwarded on to. I've been googling but can't find one.

You should e mail it to the BBC or to ITT and ask them to pass it on.

I suppose I could try sending it via Anton's own website.

Great post Libby and I heartily agree with everything thats been said. Can I also add, if you do nothing else Patsy get a copy of the video of the results show and watxh Anton and Erin doing the new American Dance, watch it and remember this is a master in action and you are getting to dance with the master, trust him, let him guide you, and start having more of that fun you keep saying you are having yet we keep seeing you crying.

I think its amazing that you with three (or is it four) kids are doing this and have come so far cos it must be hard to be apart from them, but I bet they are incredibly proud of you.

So Patsy go out and get em, but hey less of the grabbing, remember there are others that want their fair share

Here's to hoping that Claudia can read this letter out to Patsy on ITT

Patsy needs some boost in self-confidence. Something that is lacking in most of the female professionals, especially in this series, is self-confidence. I dunno, but we women do indeed tend to be more self-concious and tend to hold ourselves back a bit.

Come on Patsy we know you can do it.

You and Anton light up the screen with your natural smiles and that's something that cannot be taught or bought.

On a serious note Patsy - Don't give up the day job!

This is all very serious - and I get a bit fed up when I hear about how difficult it is for the male celebs because they have to lead their professional. Some people make it sound as if the female celebs just have to stand there and think of England while they get positioned on the floor by their partner, which is highly insulting to the amount of effort they ahve to put in. They all have to work incredibly hard and it is a very difficult thing they are learning to do in a very short space of time.

There's not one of them who at this stage could be a professional dancer, even Jill Halfpenny - it takes years of dedication and hard work.

If you don't like her or her dancing, fair enough that's your prerogative but I don't really think this is the place to express it...This was clearly a place for messages of support. You may have intended it as a light hearted jibe but I think it was uncalled for in this particular thread. I wouldn't go on a support thread for James/Colin/Zoe/Darren and go 'you sux!' I think we would appreciate it if you could extend us the same courtesy. Cheers.

You forgot to say in your opinion! I dare say the Mods will remove my post if they think its not appropriate, but thanks for your concern.

To be honest, I think you were being a bit childish to write that here. No one could think it was an appropriate or kind thing to do. Hey, maybe you're just like that. But I really don't understand why you feel to need to stir, be rude or try to cause an argument. Whatever floats your boat I suppose...

*waits for 'i can post where I want!' rant/allegedly pithy reply*

I think this is a lovely thread and I hope this letter and positive comments are passed on to Patsy.

I think she and Anton deserve to be in the top 5, when you look at everyone's performances as a whole over the series James and Camilla have danced equally as well and have also had a bad couple of weeks too.

thank you for this thread it has really made me smile

I'm glad you like it. Part of the reason behind it is that, to put it mildly, there's a fair amount of positive comment round about Anton:0) I just wanted Patsy to be aware that people are rooting for her too and admire what she has achieved.

Exactly right libby, I just posted on the Anton thread and was thinking that I can't remember Claudia ever telling Zoe or Patsy about what the forums are saying. And the slightly embarrassing thing is that's because we're ever so more biased towards the males somehow. Patsy and Zoe get a lot of flak, and not much praise. So many women left early and I don't think any of them got our attention either. It makes me want to come over all 'feminist' about it! Well I suppose you can't go to a girls college at university and not have a little bit of the Germaine Gree going on

I hope someone shows you the first post on this thread Patsy, and please know that I think you com across as a strong woman, dancer, mother and person. You make me laugh, probably left Anton speechless on more than one occasion (which I imagine is a rarity for him ) and (not that it;s important) but of all the people on the show, I love your sense of style and individuality the most. I know your fragile as most people who are seemingly 'loud' on the outside are, but stick with it

double post - apologies