I am so glad that I found this thread. I thought I was the only one who was fed up with all of this pointless 'flog it' stuff going on on ITT. I also miss all the quirky little items, film clips and stuff, with all of the dancers. On previous series of ITT, even when a couple were knocked out, you still got to see quite a bit of some of them, as they often popped up with info and competitions and the like. ITT was truly a fan based programme. Now, as everyone here has said. it's just another opportunity for people to flog something. It's bad enough that they are on the Saturday Night programme, (only made bearable by the professional dancers' routines) but for them to then come on the Monday ITT, well what's that all about??? Isn't a prime time Saturday night audience enough for them, that they then have to come on again on the Monday? Hasn't anyone realised that they ITT audience have almost certainly already seen them on the main show, so there's no need to subject us to further insult and ridicule by making us sit through another plug?
If they are going to plug stuff they could at least make it appropriate, like Ian and Camilla's new dvd or something like that...at least we'd be interested in that...
I still love the show, but it does seem to be getting bogged down by a lot of non SCD nonsense.....

just a quiet thought from a (usually quiet person.

Yes but having two celebrities on, not specifically becuase they're fans of the show like Pauline Quirke, but just becuase they're on a promotional tour two days running is not in the spirit of ITT, however much the person is liked.

Michael probably watches the show, and he just might be a great guest but he's still on there for an ulterior motive and that's what makes me cross. There are enough venues for promotion out there already, ITT is supposed to be about SCD and it's being hijacked.

Personally I'd be quite happy to watch Claudia interview anyone for half an hour straight. Her unique style and little interjections have me in stitches on a regular basis

However, that wouldn't be ITT, so in the interests of trying to be vaguely constructive, I'll just say I agree with everyone else's points above, and then shut up

Dear ITT,

Would you be kind enough to let us all know the reasoning behind your choice of guests? Pauline Quirk aside, the majority of your recent guests seem to have no interest dance, or indeed have even watched SCD.

I'm hoping that this does not spread to other shows on your schedule. I would hate to imagine for instance...

David Cassidey on Gardeners World, mentioning how pretty daffodils are and that he has a new CD out.

Michael Bolton on Top Gear, telling Clarkson that he owns a Chevvy and has a new CD out.

University Challenge, featuring the Kings College Oxford versus The Sugarbabes (who have a new CD out).

Please, instead of unconnected guests who freely admit to not even knowing why they are on the programme, could we have more training footage, more dances from previous series, more from the judges, more Phillip Jackson, more masterclasses, more about the professionals. Sorry, if that's not enough ideas.

Yours,

SCD Fans

Inspired. Can I persuade you to email that in ?

When people made complimentary replies to others, saying that their humour had caused them to spit tea all over the keyboard in laughter, I thought they were exaggerating. But your post made me do just that! So funny, and so so so so so so so true!

I absolutely agree with you and everyone else. ITT was so boring last night I just turned down the volume. I am utterly sick of seeing the same act from saturday night's SCD reappearing on ITT in the week. Also guests on Fridays ITT that have nothing to do with anything. There was a guy on last week, he was just so cringeworthy and kept shouting. A total cretin with no knowledge of dancing - everyone looked so embaarrased especially poor Georgina who had to sit next to him.
I love Claudia, but even she is starting to slightly get on my nerves.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes ~ everything you (and the majority of other posters here) are saying is exactly how I feel ~ now that SCD has got so popular the bbc have seen a way to exploit ITT to the max with "product placement" features that none of want to see. Is it my imagination or did the previous two series have much more in the way of return visits from the evicted celebs & professionals? Patsy & Anton were on loads last year, I think... This year we get one monday interview, then a female ex-contestnat popping up as "wardrobe expert" (???) a few fridays later!

It's getting very poor indeed. I'm still watching, but I don't look forward to it as much anymore. And as the remaining couple decrease there'll be more time to be filled by pointless nonentities who know nothing about the show.....
Last edited by dancingbearbear : 21-11-2006 at 13:29

Brilliant, inspired and so very true - go on, mail it to 'em

If it's your imagination, it's mine too. It's difficult to be certain as I never recorded ITT and it was on every day so not as memorable as the show's themselves but I am almost positive that Anton used to regularly do a VT of some sort full of "tres bon"'s. In fact he was used HELL of a lot more than this year full stop, we've hardly seem him. I remember Jill and Darren going to a premiere, Zoe and Ian dancing on Brighton pier - they were always doing little features with the couples.

Also yes, we saw a lot more of the evicted couples coming on to give their opinions on things.

The show is just a shadow of it's former self now.

Rarely is there a thread that I read all the way through and don't disagree with a single word.

Just in case anyone's listening. I support the need to recapture the essence of ITT as a fan-based magazine programme for SCD. If the programme was 80% just that, many fans would accept 20% promotional filler.

But no cheating - having David Cassidy on, showing him a few clips of the programme, Claudia feeding him his lines - is not, repeat NOT SCD related.

Totally agree with this thread. I HATE the pointless celebrities plugging products. Pauline Quirk on the other hate was a FAB guest - I re-watched her clip on YouTube as she was so funny and such an avid fan of the show. Nelly Furtado, David Cassidy etc. are a waste of space on this show - it should ONLY be about Strictly, the dances/ dancers and true fans of show e.g. Ms Quirk. LOVE training footage, Craig discussing performances, interviews with dancers, ex-dancers etc.

CLAUDIA - Please listen to the STOP HAVING GUESTS THERE TO PLUG STUFF message.

Louise, while I agree with you, I'm not sure if Claudia has any editorial control over the show's content... Does anyone else know this? (I have to confess I've never checked the credits...)

Problem is I suspect ITT is now quite popular and so the "celebrity" guests ask to appear

There hardly going to turn them down - much as I'd like them too!

Please no more celebrity friends, I do not need to see Avid or Eammon gushing about their mates turns me right off voting for them.

Indeed. SCD is such a hit that there will be no shortage of agents trying to push their clients onto the shows but ITT and SCD don't need them so why they can't say no or limit them is beyond me. (Unless it effects bookings onto other BBC shows )

Btw does anyone know what sort of ratings ITT averages??

They're probably starting to fall...With the range of banal guests they keep getting on the show.

Cludia will have no control over this programme and it shows. I like her but she's a lightweight presenter and will have no clout at all.
The programme is designed to capture as much of the audience as is available at that time of the evening. Hence the "pop" input. Dance related content is secondary to ratings chasing.

I know Michael Ball has been asked to appear on the show before so I'd be interested to hear what he has to say.

I believe ITT usually gets around 2 million viewers.

You know, I'd always assumed it was SCD/ITT booking the guests due to the almost universal apathy, boredom and cluelessness they display but perhaps it's the other way around and they don't feel like they can refuse a 'big name' to at least in theory, appear like they're fans.

If, for a pratical or business reason we're not aware of, the BBC *have* to have them on then I'd suggest using them in more effective way. Mention their plug if necessary but NO performances (signing on a show about dancing is just so ridiculous) and no more pointless interviews where they have to try and talk about "the atmosphere back stage" etc. Make them do a dance with a professional, sit them on a faux panel and make them hold up paddles based on performance in training footage mid week in a .lighthearted way. Anything. Make it fun, make it not matter that they don't know about the show.

ENTERTAIN US !

That sounds quite high - it will always get my vote over Hollyoaks!

See, him I don't mind, I get the feeling he'd be a fan of the show anyway, and I'm rather hoping he's a guest in the Pauline Quirke mode, rather than the Micheal Bolton mode (who I FF through most of).

I wonder if there is an American version where we could get our own back, and send some of our album pluggers over to appear on their sofa.
Amy Winehouse would be a good one to start with ...

You Filleted Fish through most of Michael Bolton?
..no, you Flip Flopped ....
nah, you Flashed your F ....

oh, never mind




EDIT

Does anyone else think that Amy Winehouse looks a lot like this well-known character?

Sorry, going seriously OT now...
Last edited by katrinap : 21-11-2006 at 14:39

I can understand the odd plug, maybe one or two per series but not one, two or three a week. I was it to be a fanzine show again...please BBC!

Last year i didn't miss it this year I hardly bother to watch it
Its boring sorry but it is.
no more celebs (except pauline quirk shes welcome anytime)
no singers (I turn off at this point)
more pro dancers still in or out
more fan based stuff

The show people should watch tapes from last year and change it back