Look at this stage of the competition, we SHOULD (though I am not saying that is the case) be getting the dancers left that the members of the public cannot tell who is good or bad they should be of a similar standard and the best way to get through or even win is to appeal to the public and it worked very well for James this week he wasn't even in the bottom 2. So why shouldn't Zoe try to get a bit sympathy, she has been consistently in the top two and yes she had a bad week, but heck she was still in the top three performers this week IMHO.

If sympathy is her way of gaining support, then so be it. James and Camilla have the supposed romance, Darren has the butch Yorkshire lad learns dancing. If anything only Colin is not using 'tactics' and relying on the public to appreciate his dancing.

And at least she has a different excuse every week....

Me too, with bells on

I'm not Zoe-bashing honestly, I'm not - it's just that I have a few problems with the way she is being shown on the programme (and I know that some of that isn't her fault). I had the cold last week, felt shocking, still went to work, still had other stuff to do 'cos it's what has to happen when it's 4 weeks to Chrissy (and do have to admit to a wee bit of milking ) so for me the fact she did/didn't have a cold (not the 'flu - 'flu puts you to bed and you certainly couldn't dance) is irrelevant.
The marking from Bruno was just blatent - and to be fair to Zoe she looked embarassed with the high scores - I'm sure she thought she didn't deserved them.
I think one of the things is that Zoe is to some degree a BBC Golden Girl and they want to show her in as good a light as possible - but seeing as how they read these boards it should be twigging somewhere that the overkill is not helping her chances!
Yes, Zoe should be in the final but the way they are going they are making sure she will be out and it will be their fault. Showing the response to Erin's clip - with her understanable response - just had the effect of making her look spiteful.
When's all said and done, it is to some degree a popularity contest (phone lines being open through the week make sure of that) and the Beeb should realise that every shot of Jonny Ball crying over his daughter in kinda negated by shots of her clinging to Ian while snuffling into a hankie while they both get the hump 'cos there was a tiny bit of critisicm.

Also with Colin - as, I think it was Arlene. pointed out he is the only celeb that can be left on his own to dance with any confidence (and it is generally agreed that it is harder for the male celebs) and this seems to be overlooked on a regular basis!

(Sorry, seem to have gone on a bit there )

I actually felt sory for her this week, because bill got tonnes of sympathy for his foot, but as zoe is really good, they thought it shouldnt matter she has the flu!!

can i just say to craig!! when you have the flu!? what is the main thing that is affected!?? my recolection is BALANCE!!! so you picked on her for that!!!

Pathetic little man!!

Yeah but c'mon did you see Bill's foot? It looked like it was about to drop off! And actually he danced really well that week. Zoe has played the sympathy card once too often, that's the problem. Like many other posters, I quite liked her before SCD, but her constant moaning does grate. I noticed it from week one when she was going on about how awful she looks in a dress, how unfeminine she was, etc. This despite the fact that she was obviously the best looking female celeb in the comp. And I don't think it's insecurity.

i think it is actually she is known as a bit of a ladish girl!! always has been!!

when she was in training she just didnt have any balance, and even the energy to stand up!!

Putting the fact that she was ill aside!! she did fantastically well in both!! esp the american smooth!!! and so didnt deserver to be in the bottom two!!!

CAn you imagine if they hadnt got to the final!! omg!! i think i would have boycotted!!

btw they werent my favorites, but they are the best dancers!! zoe actually looks like a dancer!!

I totally agree with you that Zoe does look like a dancer, and she can dance, but she's obviously not popular with the public and I can understand why. That and her overscoring by the judges (not her fault but still irritating) might be her downfall. As some of the other posts point out, can you honestly say she danced anywhere near as well as Colin? I know who is getting my vote, and it aint Zoe!

I don't have anything against Zoe, although I did think she milked the flu thing. I think the reason the public went against her & Ian this week was because they were hideously overmarked by the judges. The ChaChaCha was sub-standard (compared to her usual/Colin & Darren) to say the least yet she still got high marks. She was marked higher than Darren despite forgetting steps.
Her American Smooth was great but couldn't touch Colin & Erin's. I think the judges are now putting Zoe at a disadvantage more than she is contributing to her own down fall.

On a slightly separate note, I had no particular favourite at the start of the series, and although I am loving Darren & Lilia, based on Saturday night's performances, Colin is looking like a winner. He was awesome. I just hope the judges can be a little more careful with their scores to ensure a fair contest in the next two weeks.

So can we all agree that the problem with Zoe can be put into two categories.

1) Her personality can be a bit irritating for a certain section of the population. But at heart she's a nice person and doesn't deserve hatred. Also she's 30 odd and the personaility aint going to change no matter what we say. I think her husband is big and ugly enough to say if he had a problem with her clingyness towards Ian.

2) She's overmarked. Which we should be turning towards the judges and demanding to know their reasons behind it so we have a fair competition not a love fest towards certain people.


Me personally I do find her annoying and the overmarking is putting me off her and Ian to the extent I wouldn't vote for them.

But at the end of the day people are over reacting to her and should calm down a bit and put it into perspective.

Well Zoe is certainly good at waving a tissue at the camera.


I'm not sure what incidental bit of trivia has had the most effect on the outcome of a situation;
The waving of Zoe's tissue?
The sight of Bill's foot?
The incident which started; "The War of Jenkin's Ear?"

If it is just on personality!! then why hasnt colin gone out for moaning about his tens!!!??

Colin stated his determination to get a 10. It was a goal he set himself. Strange definition of moaning.

I meant erin too!!

btw did anyone see zoe's gutted face when she watched that clip before she went on to dance!??? she looked heartbroken!

But you can't blame Erin for that .. it's up to the production staff of the show who show which clip when.
Yes, it wa harsh for Zoe but it was also harsh for Erin as it didn't show her in a good light - and I'd guess from the context of the clip it wasn't a swipe at Zoe and Ian per se but more a comment of the judging system.