… When will you learn? If you vilify and humiliate weaker dancers with cutting and disparaging comments, the GBP is going to vote for them in droves and good dancers, like Ola and Spoony, will suffer as a result.
Constructive criticism is necessary, cruel hurtful personal remarks serve no purpose at all.
All this ‘evil judge’ malarky started with that old Simon Cowell. Pretty soon, judges of anything, jumped on the band wagon so that they too were assured of their permanent place on the TV screens (controversy is good for viewing figures,) and a lucrative salary with other TV offers coming in.
You only have yourselves to blame when good dancers leave and poor dancers get through week after week.
When celebs sign up for the prog, they are asked, even before the all important fee is discussed, if they can handle criticism and if not then consider if it’s the right career move to go on the show. I don’t think they have realized yet how they will be used by the judges. Please remember you are there to give your opinion not demoralize. Criticize by all means, the show would be weaker and less interesting without it, but don’t try and score points for yourselves by making uncalled for personal comments.

hear hear Tasi

Never was a truer post posted.
I think we all know the same thing has happened in every series of Strictly.

The first with Chris from Eastenders, last year the Phillips debarcle and now Georgina.

It doesn't help that her fan base are sandwiched in the middle of the strictly programmes.

Any person put down continually by the judges will 9 times out of 10 be saved.

But this is Strictly Come Dancing not a "proper dance competition."

The whole thing is contrived to provoke the controversy and the participating judges are encouraged to be as they are.

The first priority of the BBC with this series is to "Stuff ITV on ratings on Saturday nights."

Everything else is secondary, surely everyone can see that?


Chill out, sit back and enjoy the nonsense, some are working very hard to provide what all this really is about. "Entertainment."

Yes it is only entertainment. And I was entertained by Spoony. He brought a sense of fun and cheekiness to to SCD AND he danced pretty well. And in the same way Darren Gough is said to have encouraged "real blokes" to take up ballroom. Who's to say that Spoony wouldn't have encouraged die-hard clubbers to take up fuddy duddy ballroom.

By the way I don't think it is the GBP as such keeping people like Georgina in, rather it is what I like to call the RFB's (Rabid Fan Bases). Who will phone in repeatedly for their favourite celebs even if they danced like your embarassing uncle at a wedding.

Unlike last year where there were only 2 really good dancers this year we are lucky enough to have at least 5, who had (and hopefully in the future) entertained us with some great routines and one of those capable dancers has been lost to the RFB's

Given the way that you are able to vote through the week, I would hazzard a guess that Jan and Anton were safe from the chop even before they danced and the judges scored.

It's a popularity contest before it is a dancing contest. How can you vote - say today - on a dance you have never even seen in training let alone performed?

Also judges would you stop blatantly overmarking couples and being obviously biased! It doesn't help your favoured dancers at all and infuriates a lot of us viewers!

I've been saying this for the past three series. Last year, as soon as they were reasonably nice to Fiona I said 'right, she'll be out tonight then' and lo and behold...

You'd think they'd have cottoned on by now.

I think Len and Bruno were trying to be kinder with her comments last night, maybe they`ve cottoned on to the fact the public loves an underdog.

Arlene and Craig wake up please !!


Craig isnt doing Emma any favours either

I agree Craig isn't doing Emma any favours! Although his marking is relatively fair. It is Bruno who really annoys me with his overmarking, and I think he is now not doing Louisa any favours either. If they think they are the most talented dancers (and they may well be right in that, certainly as far as the women celebs go) if they want them to go through to the final, they should try not to be overeffusive in their comments, as this will annoy the voting public, and is not fair on the celebs concerned, who are doing their best, as they all are.

Also, please stop expecting the same standards from all the celebrities.

OK, it is still a competition, but how much of one can it really be when there are very obviously much younger and fitter people such as Emma & Louisa ?

They are instantly at an advantage over the older, non-performers such as Peter & Carol who are proving themselves to be very capable all the same.

Instead of overmarking, you should be taking them to task for not being as good as they could be.

At least Arlene offered Emma some constructive criticism on how to improve her lines last night, which was a bonus. What I don't want is a scenario where the best dancers get voted out because the judges praise them too highly and the weak dancers get to stay in on a sympathy vote!

Exactly. It's very funny the way some viewers just don't get it. The judges know exactly what they're doing and the voters just make it happen.

I understand it's frustrating for those who would prefer the quality of dancing to take priority. I'm sure the judges - in an ideal world - would prefer it to be otherwise too.......but this is the reality of a Saturday evening (almost) prime time zelebreality show.

It's 'frocks and shocks' folks.....'frocks and shocks'.
Last edited by Endemoniada : 22-10-2006 at 14:24

No-one is expecting the same standard. I just want those that are not as good to be voted off in pretty short order. Also I think Emma must be around her 30's now. Peter and Carol look to be in the late 30's/early 40's age bracket. They are hardly geriatrics. As far as age and health goes only Jimmy Tarbuck seemed to be at a distinct disadvatage.

As Arlene said a couple of weeks ago seeing a really good performance sends your senses reeling. As was proved in the very first week with Ray/Spoony/Mark.

I think the solution to RFB's may be (as some other posters have suggested on here) is too have a couple of weeks where no celebrities are voted off and one ballroom and one latin danced is performed without fear of elimination

Unfortunately the judges ARE expecting it which is my point exactly. Louisa is 17...... Carol, Claire & Jan are all in their 40's - it stands to reason that jive is a much more difficult proposition for them.

As I said, it is still a competition but often it is very unfair on some contestants. Whilst I think Louisa & Emma gave good performances, I still feel that they had a distinct advantage.

A lot of us agree with the first statement.

Of those still left in the competition in age order: Claire/Jan/Carole are the eldest.
Then comes all the men Peter/Ray/Mark/Matt
Finally we have Emma/Georgina/Louisa

There's is 22 years difference between Claire and Emma (35 yrs Louisa)
15 years difference in age between Carol and Emma (23 yrs Louisa)

In dance terms, I would think that's a significant age difference.
Last edited by gritty : 22-10-2006 at 23:51

Sorry to disagree with you Allyfree but in my opinion I haven't seen or heard anything to suggest that the judges are expecting all the contestants to be of the same standard. If anything it seems they are expecting MORE of the likes Emma and Louisa specifically because of their dance (even it isn't specifically Ballroom) dancing. What I hear from the judges and you can correct me if I'm wrong is that contestants should master at least the basics e.g in the Rumba; some hip action, and elegant arm movements, or the rise and fall in the Waltz...obviously as the competiton goes on and contestants receive even more training they will be expecting more.


As for the age thing again I disagree. If and I stress IF the older men and women in the competition have at least a reasonable level of fitness I see no reason why they can't turn in at least a competent performance in even a demanding dance like the Jive.

I hope no-one will shoot me down for saying that Karen Hardy is no spring chicken (I'm guessing she's between 35-40....and yes I know she probably been dancing all her life)...but did you see her tear up the dance floor when she her Jive during the professionals group dance I mean WOW!!!
Last edited by Diamondlife : 23-10-2006 at 00:58

HUH??? I don't know Emma's exact age but I'm sure she's in her early 30's. so that would make Claire at least 52 years old and I don't think she is yet out of her 40's

Claire King Born in 1954 <52 > OOOPPPSSS Don`t shoot me please !! She was born in 63

Emma born in 1976 <30>
Last edited by Tissy : 23-10-2006 at 01:43

Where did you get that info from Tissy? ...I've just googled her and apparently Claire King was born 10/1/63. making her 43. Only 13 years older than Emma and 26 years older than Louisa

Oh dear
Claire King (born Claire Seed on 1st April 1954) is a British actress, best known for her roles on television, usually cast as glamorous, determined, "ball-breaking" women.

That Wikidpedia place however they are known to be incorrect so I`ll go with your information

Sorry I went to Wikipedia for the info. But Carole is nearly 45 yrs (her birthday is in December) - a mother with three children. (I'm amazed she is older that Claire).

Still think 15 years difference is significant in dance terms, especially in the fast dances (jive) where I thought Carol/Emma danced on a par. (Good but lacking some energy and the necessary bounce).

Absolutely no luck finding out Karne's age but I would have put her about the same age as Emma.
Last edited by gritty : 23-10-2006 at 08:47

All I can say is she is the oldest looking 43 year old I have ever seen!! Especially when you see her on the daily SCD programme with Claudia in the rehearsal halls. Come on who is she trying to kid. I would say she is at least 50 but being a typical actress TRYING to make herself younger. Jan the comedy actress admits to being 48 and she looks younger than Claire!!

Very true post!!! It seems to be "fun" today to insult people on national television and the public seem to love it. Simon on the X Factor, Anne on her game show and now Craig on SCD. You cannot take it seriously and if you do, you are daft. The whole concept is a fake as they constantly use people with Stage School or Drama School experience and they have ALL had dance and movement classes. I know in Stage School dancing is a DAILY class and so Emma and Louisa have a very UNFAIR advantage. Apparently Louisa in Spotlight is listed as a professional dancer with experience in just about every dance form!! Even Jill Halfpenny last year's winner, had ballet lessons as a girl!!! There were pics of her ON POINTS in the newspapers!!.

According to the IMDb Claire King was born on Jan 10th 1963. To me, it looks as if she could have been born around 1953.
However, the IMDb has 'outed' a few celebs... Ed Harris had knocked 10 years off, until the IMDb checked his birth certificate. Maybe though, Claire King being a UK TV actress isn't that important, and they just entered what the agent told them?