8 performances, a lot of chances for the judges to speak, and she gets asked once at the very start. I think Karen only got asked twice as well.

It really is stupid. They need to allocate more time to the judges or they are just wasting their time.

If they cut out all the padding in the shows, like those training clips, they'd have more time for comments.

I really like Natalia - I remember her as an amazing skater! I do hope that she is back next year - and is asked for her comments more often!

I agree with Ethereal, unfortunately. It seems like they want her to speak as little as possible so that no one will miss her much next year.

I will though, i think she's sweet and i would have liked to hear more comments from her.

I can understand Karen not being asked very often because she's doing most of the training, but to not ask Natalia is plain rude.
As she demonstrated on DOI Exclusive recently her English is perfectly acceptable. I think there is a problem with the acoustics at the rink and that she doesn't perhaps hear what Holly says to her so easily. Holly is ignorant enough to interrupt after Natalia's said about half a sentence, though she's quite content to let Jason comment about everyone and everything.

I feel sorry for Natalia.

Random fact: Did you know that in Dancing on Ice Russia, Natalia has Holly's job ...

Nope! I knew her and her partner Andrei were the equivalent of Torvill and Dean but I didn't know she presented it too.

A woman of many talents it seems.

If they don't have Natalia next year, hows about Nicky Slaters mum? She's an ice dancer and a coach apparently.

Does she present too? I thought Natalia and her partner were the coaches. There was a clip on Youtube that i found and it seemed like there were two presenters, a dark haired young woman and an older grey haired man.

I thought Natalia and her partner had the Torvill and Dean job - on the clips shown on Exclusive it looked that way.

Natalaia and her partner Andrei Bukin did have the T and D job, the presenters of the Russian version were Anastassia Zavorotniuk and Yury Nikolaev, who the same as Holly and Phil had no link with skating previously

is her skating partner ANDREI LIPANOV or another andrei just wondered as it is a common name in russia

Nope, it's a different Andrei, not Clare's partner.

If only you'd typed a little bit slower you wouldn't have cross-posted with alij, who said Natalia's partner was Andrei Bukin.
Until T&D retired in 1984 Natalia and Andrei were second (apart from once in 1983 when T&D couldn't compete.) Then N&A were the gold medallists until and including 1988, and they were still winning competitions after that too.

I thought the presenter of the Russian show was the girl who partned Andi Peters last year, Tamara something

Natalia Bestiemanova's skating partner is Andrei Bukhin.

A thought, do you think Holly is TOLD who to ask

Ah I think you've hit the nail on the head with that.

Regardless of who's pullling the strings, there should be a fair division of questions between the judges. Which is not happening at the moment, and yes, producers/directors it has been noted, so get your act together for next year.

I really hope that Natalia comes back next year and that she's treated properly but if she doesn't who do you think should replace her?

On another thread people, were posting suggestions about contestants for next year and someone mentioned Anita Harris. Of course, it wouldn't be appropriate, as was pointed out, because she's already a very accomplished skater. But she might make an interesting judge. As a talented actress, dancer and skater she would probably make very interesting listening, don't you think?

Most definitely. That's why when she asks whoever, their mic is turned on and the cameras immediately switch to a shot of the right judge.

I remember a few weeks back, Holly asked Nicky but Natalia thought she was being asked so she began to speak. You couldn't hear her at first until her mic was quickly turned on and the camera took a while getting to her as well.

It's the producers and/or directors who decide and I think it's really unfair.

Yeah especially when that person has to scrabble around to find something to say

They've been really rude to her, all things considered. What's the point in having her on the show if you're going to behave as though she doesn't exist. These people need lessons in manners.

I hope she is, only judge I like.

I agree - I hope she does come back. But why should she put herself through that? She's been treated as unimportant and irrelevant by the programme makers. In her place I wouldn't agree to come back without a major apology, tho' she's not diva enough to insist on it.

Has anyone noticed that on the ITV DOI website, in the photo galleries, they've got "judge cam" where they follow one of the judges for a week. Nicky's there - they even went to Poland with him; Robin's there; Karen's there. Natalia and Jason aren't.