It was a bit out of order Arlene making fun of Brendan's Love Island exploits by mentioning him running off in his white pants . It was funny though

Knowing Arlene she's probably got the video of it, plus numerous screen caps.
I'm waiting next week for her to mention someone being being punched in the ear or call him baba (like Sophie)
I will really laugh then

I agree with most of the sentiments in this thread. I was actually quite disgusted at Arlene and Len's outburst in the results show and have complained to the beeb directly.

A bit of controversy is, no doubt, good for the ratings, but this has got out of hand now and is spoiling an otherwise entertaining show. I, for one, watch the show primarily to be entertained by the dance, not by the blatantly poor judging.

If the judges were themselves judged for the quality of their "performance", they wouldn't be getting poorer marks than most of the contestants.

Nick
Last edited by nw2394 : 29-10-2006 at 01:57

Yes but unless you employ some anally retentive technique buff judges will always mark on the basis of what they like and what was right and what was tried. If you had technique experts marking this only the few people who could care less whether someone stood on their toe or heel would watch it. Professionals would be assumed to be able to do certain things and would be marked on how they performed - the standard and difficulty would be be fairly equal and the marking would be on detail. In this show you would mark someone up for trying something harder or , looking right/good as well as marking errors down simply because some contestants look oK but try nothing difficult and others look plainly wrong even if the mechanics are sometimes OK.

The result of that is that you will find the judges back some people more than others just because some always look good even when they are making mistakes, some never look right even when getting more right and some people always do harder routines.

I don't see the problem with the judges backing Zoe. it was a rather childish reaction of the public not to like it because it was pretty clearly a very defensible proposition that she was the best one there. Its as if people in the dull stream at school still resent those identified as being in the top stream - fact is there are people who are better and someone has to make the call and we call those people judges on SCD. . Its the same anti-judges logic that means Georgina moves 4 0r 5 places up and down the public voting order as the public vote against the judges - with Spoony one week's victim and Georgina's vote changing in the opposite direction to her dancing skill.

This year there is even less cause for complaint as the judges are split and backing at least three of the contestants. Thats probably exactly right as there are three who look better and look destined for the final and they are also probably the ones topping the public votes. The judges between them are doing what judges should do at this stage - identifying who looks good to them, defending them from the bizarre public voting and collectively deciding who the dancers are who might grace the later stages. They are being unpleasant to Brendan but thats partly because Brendan is trying to gatecrash the party without a strong partner by acting up. Between Emma, Louisa and mark though they are leaving their choice to nearer the end which is what one would expect.

Brendan wasn't 'acting up to gatecrash the final party' as you put it 'thenetworkbabe' but was reacting to Arlene's remarks that Claire was hanging on for dear life (which he clearly didn't feel that she was and he would know) and Len's remark that they should stick to the raunch and leave the elgance to others without passing judgement on their performance at all. Judging by the reaction when they went backstage, they clearly had the backing of all their co-competitors too.
The 4 judges have no right to try to manipulate the final by choosing three favourites and overmarking them if this is what they are doing. The show is for the 6 million people who watch it every week and vote for the couple they would like to see and not just for the four judges. Maybe Emma and Louisa are the best dancers but that isn't everything in what is, after all, a pure entertainment show. I think it would be a poorer show without the likes of Brendan and Claire.
As for Arlene's remarks about LI during the results show - it was uncalled for and unprofessional and showed that, for her, this show isn't really about the dancing alone. Brendan wasn't rude - he just said what everyone was thinking and they certainly seemed to appreciate it.
It isn't a professional dance competition where people have to put up with all that is thrown at them for the sake of their career - I am pleased that Brendan spoke his mind but sorry he had to put up with the humiliating remarks afterwards. That was uncalled for and Arlene didn't do herself any favours.
Last edited by Liz G-S : 29-10-2006 at 06:26

I do think Brendan was acting up but nevertheless his comments were not without merit. Altho I think he is wrong to expect all the judges to be of the same mind all the time, he is right to call for some consistency in the marking

I am currently quite shocked that Craig of all people is showing blatant bias towards Emma (even I could see she was clinging onto Darren for dear life at one point even before Arlene pointed it out and I'm not a professional ). It was left to "nice guy" Len to point out her shoddy footwork. I think last nite was the first time I've seen Craig give higher marks than Len for a dance


Bruno (for me) has shown himself to be a pretty bad judge from last year so I wasn't really surprised with his comments boosting Louisa.

Arlene I thought was about the best judge overall last nite (personal attacks aside), even with Mark whom she quite clearly fancies but he ws deserving of his marks

i think that craig guy is pretty good, when they're really bad and boring he says so and when there amazing he really does notice! But arlene don't get me started on her... women if its a woman she is jealous of she hates them, if its a man who you wouldn't say is hot she hates them, if its a man whos really good looking she loves them.

why say craig was been biased when emma is clearly the BEST dancer!

...except she clearly didn't do the BEST foxtrot. The marks shouldn't be about who is the best dancer, but the best dance.

Haven't read every single reply - so apologies if my thoughts have been executed already. There is obviously SOMETHING wrong with the way the judges were last night for it to explode like it did. Brendan as it turns out (watch the results show) was only being the voice piece for everyone back stage. "Ballroom Bill" when interviewed picked up on the way the judges were marking as well. It was sooooo obvious there was some sort of "saving their favourites" going on. It is spoiling what is a very very very good show. Judges stop ruining it for everyone, give marks based on performance NOT whether or not you like them personally/feel sorry for them etc. Did anyone consider the fact they might have wanted Erin and Peter to stay in and the only way to secure that was give them ridiculous marks so the public would save them!!!!!!!!!!!

Because as Len pointed out her footwork was sloppy (something I couldn't see myself). And as Arlene pointed out she was clinging on for dear life to Darren. (something I did see). I expect Craig of all people to pick up things like that and mark accordingly. Don't get me wrong I usually have a lot of time for Craig as a judge as he is usually the fairest (if not the most complimentary) judge. But I really don't know what gets into him sometimes when he makes certain comments. Last year it was saying Ian and Zoe should have babies (a comment that must have sat well with Zoe's husband who was in the audience). This year he's extolling the virtues of Emma it seems.

If "nice guy" Len of all people can pick up on her footwork I expect Craig to have done so too. Instead he gushed about a hundred and one other things such as the "musicality". Who cares about musicality if you have shoddy footwork and you're being dragged around the floor by your patner???
Last edited by Diamondlife : 29-10-2006 at 07:43

She MAY be one of the better dancers, but I wouldnt say the best..not on last night's performance anyway!!

Must say I was seriously peeved last night with the voting, and it's been brewing for a couple of seasons now. Len and Bruno in particular annoy me.

Bruno's love in last year with Ian (Ian not Zoe) and this year his over exuberance for Vincent (Vincent not Louisa) is painful to watch.

As for Len, Georgina an 8?? Please He is totally inconsistant.

Craig, brutal but honest. We know he's looking for choreography and musicality and drama rather than technique, but the 2 for Peter and Erin was too harsh, way too harsh.

As for Arlene, she needs to get on the HRT patches and quicksmart. Thw woman is an embarrassment to herself, and anyone watching the show. We know Brendan shouldn't have made an outburst like that, before the scpres, but her downmarking was totally bitchy!

I agree...Arlene shouldnt have marked Brendan and Claire down, based on his comments, After all, are the judges not marking more on the celebrity??
Last edited by northern_ch1ck : 29-10-2006 at 08:13

They've gone too far now, the judges need to be changed. They are ruining the show with their bias. You can have entertaining, theatrical judges who aren't biased and I suggest that Strictly looks for more judges with proper technical knowledge of ballroom.

Note on Craig...I know he likes choreography, but that's down to the professional and he should be marking the celebrity. Even if he likes a routine he should take note when the celebrity can't actually do it properly and mark accordingly. To give Emma an 8 in a Foxtrot when she did the wrong footwork throughout, no matter how much he liked the routine, is just plain wrong!

I'm glad Brendan had his outburst, he said what everyone was thinking and something needed to be done. Perhaps it will make the judges realise that they need to stop being so biased.

I think Arlene is becoming an embarassment, she is starting to become more lecherous than Sharon Osbourne.

She doesn't like the female celebrities, she makes that quite clear and where has her professionalism gone .

Must say I totally agree with you vis-a-vis Bruno. If I was Louisa and Vincent I would be SERIOUSLY worried about his dubious backing. His marking is sooooo terrible that a ten from him means virtually nothing in my book.


I've come to expect high marks for bad/mediocre dances from Len. I think he does it to offset low marks from Craig and Arlene. It'll take up a whole different thread by itself if you think he SHOULD be doing that but I think that's why he's doing it.

As for Arlene she may be a lech, but I give her credit for being able to look past the chiselled chests and pert buns and look at what the dancers are actually doing. Last year she tore into Colin for his Jive even tho she loved his hips. And we all know what she thought of Darren's hands week after week.

Agree with this wholeheartly

Len is right in saying that it is good to have judges who are looking for slightly different things because then the scores should even themselves out between the technical and performance aspects.

The trouble is some of the judges last night were ignoring the technical side of it because of either who a contestant was, what they did last time or how much they enjoyed the routine. They need to be impartial as they should and vote on what is in front of them on the night, not what someone has done in previous weeks. To basically say 'well it's not your best but you're normally good so here's an 8' is ludicrous and utterly unfair on the couples who don't start out as the favourites but improve. They should be credited for what they do then and there.

You can't give an 8 for a routine that you enjoyed but was technically bad - there's got to be some balance.

That was really out of order seeing that when he did that he was really upset... I wish she'd do something like that get really upset and do something that comes close to embarresing... She wouldn't like it if Brendan then brought it up...

My guess is that they are all paid to do their job so maybe it is all in the respective contracts to behave the way they do. Like in Craig's it might say something like, 'I agree to boost Emma's dances to keep her in as it is good for the rating war against X-factor'...

And Arlene is supposed to represent the majority of the female population.

Len is supposed to be nice and kind and positive plus some technical opinions.

Bruno - think he is given a freehand and just 'act as you please to generate controversies'.

I agree with what they say 70% of the time but sometimes they do contradict themselves from one couple to another and from week to week.

I would not have complained if they are given proper job titles like 'Len - kind judge with technical comments' and Arlene - 'Mark's fan' and 'Bruno - OTT showman' and 'Craig - mean judge and Spice Girls' fan'. At least then we would understand where they are coming from.

Just a bit of a gentle dig I would not want other judges as they are part of what SCD is for me. I guess in a very twisted way they do represent the whole population- just have a look at whom people in this forum are supporting their opinions do somewhat reflect that.
Last edited by Frodora : 29-10-2006 at 15:50

I'm sick of them though - I used to big fan of Craig, but he seems to be a bit withdrawn/bored/whatever this year, and his comments have become more mean as a result.

I really don't give a crap re: what the judges think anymore (I just want to see the dancing); I would be much happier if they just gave their marks (and were more consistent) and did a question & answer type thing at the end (as in "Arlene, why did you give Brendan & Claire a 4?" etc.)

I have to disagree with you there... I know I'm late stating this but Liz G-S pointed out that most of you wouldn't have seen my post in the Brendan thread... I e-mailed him last night to give him my views because I was worried he was gonna be really angry still and got basically this as a reply


Before anyone starts on him being a good actor, TRUST ME HE AIN'T... I like to think I know him well enough (ok not amazingly close but well ENOUGH) to know he wouldn't just give me crap like that... God knows what he'll say about it on TV but that's what he's telling me...

From what I've seen, read and heard so far, Brendan appear to be the most consistent personality (other professional dancers too but some don't say what they think). I've full respect for them. Afterall, they are the people to do the extra hard work and add value to the show. What annoyed me is the judges who do nothing but to criticise others unfairly, I can't see how they can add value to the show. They are supposed to help the viewers to appreciate dancing, but I can't see how this can happen.

On paper it works but its not working in practice. I've tried a number of times to write a post on the judges but I just become overwhelmed with frustration.

So here is just one of many problems I have:
ballroom/latin dancing has rules - otherwise its something else. It seems that some of the judges have decided to ignore technique (when it suits them). I guess they justify it because Len is there to be the technique judge and scorer.

But when Len is only willing to use scores between 6-9, with two other judges willing to use the full range of marks it inevitabily becomes unbalanced in their favour. Bruno isn't willing to use the lower marks so ends up with ridiculously high scores for his favourite dance.

The only time I've seen Len give low marks is when a dancer makes a direct challenge to the judges.