Last year I started to feel quite critical of ITT because of its content. Full of the celebs whingeing about how hard it was, more about the personalities than the subject and watching it turned the show for the viewer more about the personalities and less about the actual dancing.

This year the balance is much improved and Claudia looks more comfortable presenting it. All around, much better.

Now if the judges can resist starting to behave in the stereotypical X-factor manner it would be pretty much perfect.

Last year: 7/10 ( this time last year )
This year: 9/10

Well done.

I think ITT could go one step further and do an after results show on Saturday night to get the immediate reaction from the dancefloor

Seriously ?!? I think the absolute opposite. ITT has gotten x100 worse since last year. It's now nothing more than a vehicle for celebs and singers to plug their wares under the guise of talking about Strictly, however pointless and clueless their comments are. Mostly it's obvious they haven't even watched it.

I simply don't remember that happening last year. A few random Westlife appearances, but that was it.

We had more training footage previously, more fun items, phone in's, competitions to win the outfits etc. All of that is gone. It's a shadow of it's former self.

Claudia is amazing. end of.

I agree 100%!

You mean like the sensational JLC did every week of Series 1 ???

Loving the bit where the profs pick their favourite dance.

Not loving the silly guests that are just there to promote something and don't have a clue about the dancing.

Cheesemaster - I think you're right about Claudia being more comfortable this year - probably helps not being heavily pregnant!

So with you there! BBC so should put that in as a Bonus material if they finally decided to release SCD DVDs series 1-4!!

By the way has everyone signed our petition (re DVD)?

Claudia's programme this year is a joke.

It is aimed more at fifteens to twenty fives than dance enthusiasts.
It seems to have been combined with TOTP2

There has been a succession of guests who know little or nothing about dance and either want to hog the camera making silly remarks or flog something.
David Cassidy who said he "saw" last Saturday's programme was actually in the USA at that time.
Why the BBC would think anyone would want to listen to these people disrupting the programme to the extent that the planned showing of training footage is not shown because of the lack of time, I don't know.
Actually I do, the BBC are more concerned with trying to attract a wider audience and boost the ratings.
I wouldn't be surprised if Claudia told them to "shove it" next year.

I'm 33. Last year it was whine-o-matic and irritating. This year the retrospectives that show how the dances have been done is combined with more input from the professionals and the typical sit down discussions between judges and couples.

There are also less zany "Come and play snooker and I'll show you how hard it is!" or "See my children dance" type things ( and when they are present, they are mercifully short ).


That has never been any different, if you are honest with yourself.


Yes of course, maybe it was on BBC America? Maybe he did see it but not last Satuday. DVD recorders, Sky+ and VCRs have been around a long time you know.


I'd be surprised, she actually looks happy, less stressed. The one who needs to be replaced is the one on the night who keeps forgetting dancers names. The old guy was an institution, now he needs to be in an institution.

Thanks for that, I'm glad you resisted the urge to add "I'm right and you're wrong."
But then it's just a matter of perception isn't it?

Why should I add that?