But that's what's been happening all along, with people like Gabby and Penny having to leave. Have Kate fans really only just realised that better dancers were being forced out so that she could stay?

yeah, but I'd say Gabby and Penny weren't that popular. Kate is very well known, and has her fans. Penny is a rock star wife (sorry Model and photographer), Gabby is a sports journo. As Gabby said, her journey wasn't interesting enough.

With Matt and Gethin they have personalities that are starting to come through, their journey is interesting. Penny was likable, but also a bit Stepford IMO.

It's not supposed to be about popularity of that kind, it's supposed to be about the dancing. Yeah, I know, that's a minor detail. Gabby is very well known to me for her Saturday show on FiveLive. She even knows something about cricket.

I think it's unfortunate that in the very early weeks when everyone is still learning, the more well-known celebrities attract more votes. Also the older ones tend to make very early exits. Gabby didn't endear herself to the public, I have to agree, by seeming to expect higher marks and being cross about it, but she was so clearly better than Penny in the dance-off that I can't imagine what the judges were thinking of. They are the ones who tell us to vote for the dancing but it seemed to me they were voting for Mrs Rod Stewart.

The point I am really making is that if Gabby had been allowed to stay she would have got better and may have become more popular as the show went on - the same with everyone who has been evicted because Kate was kept in.

Much like the viewers who suffer her on GMTV.

I think they thought she had suffered enough both physically (injuries) and mentally, Arlene and Craig. She even carried on when most pople would have said enough is enough. She took their vile insults with dignity and never answered back. How I will never know!!. Lovely touch at the end with Anton lifting her high. So protective. What a gent. Couldn't quite believe my eyes when I saw the judges standing at the end and applauding her. Bit like a smack in the teeth really and a bit too late for my liking. The treatment of Kate has left a bad taste in my mouth.
When she feels better I hope she invites some of the judges onto the sofa and gives them a hard and harsh interview.

Kate what a Lady, what a star.
Anton what a gent.

I think the question is: were the people voting for Kate really her 'fans' or were a good portion of them more like sadomasochistic trainwreck voyeurs?

She was at least 4th with the public in previous weeks - I suspect she ends up in the last two this week even if she gets to 6th. John falls below her, Kenny retains his vote and she would need to be fifth to beat Gethin (who is popular I suspect ) even if he came last with the public. She would have needed to retain her fourth place to challenge the two people who got 6 points from the judges and as John was doing poorly they were pretty safe.

Basically its going to be her and John. She's lost a few votes and Kenny hasn't. Gethin is in danger but he's popular. The judges have given the people on 6 a cushion of 2 votes. As she is injured again the sympathy vote may think again and it may only take a few votes to move her from 4th to 6th.

At the beginning of the series the votes from the public are spread thinly and as the weeks go on the people who used to vote for the ousted contestants throw their allegiance behind the better dancers. At least that's my theory.

There was a theory that by putting both Kenny and Kate bottom, one of them had to go (mathmatecially).

So, if the judges want to get rid of Kenny they have to put him bottom, score everyone else higher and whoever is in the dance-off with Kenny will be safe.

Nope, that was tried last year - there was a thread about it - and they refused (commercial confidentiality I believe).

This probably won't come out sounding like sense, but I believe the judges themselves had something to do with Kate staying in so long. For example, the first week of the competition, she had tendonitis, but still performed, albeit badly. Rather than say 'well done, Kate, you gave it a shot, and maybe next week you will do better'...or something along those lines, they slated her and hauled her over the coals, to the point where she went off for a little cry to herself. From then on, she was the prime target it seemed, given the British love of the underdog, I think many of her votes came from this. It was time for her to go, and I would think that she is quite possibly relieved. I never voted for her, but I can understand why people did, she tried very hard, put a decent amount of rehearsal time in, and for that much, I think she deserves a little kudos for that.

I think its funny that so many people that have never voted for Kate think that they know the answer to this question

I. too, hope that won't happen, either.

I agree with all of this post, incidentally!

In fact, although I hadn't been voting for anyone, I have admired Kate for putting up with the vicious comments from some of the judges, the antipathy from some of those interviewed on the 'Sunday' show and the injuries! She always showed a great deal of humour and class and never whined, just more or less got on with things.

But I wanted her to go this week, primarily because I could see (and almost feel!) the pain she was in. I want her to rest now and recover.

Classy lady with a gracious exit speech.

I'm glad shes finally gone - yes it would have been nice for the judges to say that she was great to perform in pain but with Kate its the same every week there is always "something" with her and it was becoming farcical. Time she went and no more symapthy vote!

Now just the Scottish and Welsh vote to consider

oh and the teenage girl vote

Then pray enlighten us! The silence from Kate fans is strangely deafening so far......but then i suppose defending the indefensible gets boring after a while.

I would think it was because the National Kareoke Championships over on ITV distracted them

Actually, constantly having to respond to the same boorish vindictiveness is what I find boring. I've constantly been waiting for some more inventive that "It's a dance show" but alas....

And there have been plenty of Kate fans commenting on this thread, reading through it.

Just to make it clear, I am not and never was a Kate fan. Gabby was my initial favourite, and Alesha is probably my fave of the contestants left in. However the truth is I dont vote for anyone.

I have on many occassions defended the right of people to vote for whoever they wanted to, and Kate's right to be in the show whenever she got more votes than anyone else. I have said it before and I will say it again... this show is about rasing money for charity. If CIN wasnt involved then I doubt that many of the celebs would agree to compete.

Incidentally, I don't think that Kate's vote did desert her.... I suspect the vote for the others just increased as so many people on here were deperate to get Kate off!

So once again... Kate is a winner for Children in Need.

I think its just that the final is approaching, and in spite of the GBP's love of the underdog, people who watch the show would prefer to see quality dancing in the final. People become aware that in order to keep Kate in, they are effectively stopping those like Letitia and Gethin, who have improved a great deal, from a chance to stay. It is a dance competition as well as a charity fundraiser, and I'm sure people who vote recognise that or they would just donate lots of money on CIN day.

Surely the question is "Why did Anton fans desert him". He was the one getting the votes!

I also think as likeable as he is, John des not have many voters which explains why, when hes lower then 3rd, hes in the bottom 2.

Maybe her fans didnt desert her - Just more people decided to vote for the others as they realised someone like Gethin could be in the bottom two. I know I have not voted before this series (only usually vote in the final weeks) and was fed up with Kate going through each week so decided to vote for a better dancer and perhaps others did this too.

Like the medication theory best......

Seriously as someone far too sensible for this forum (well most of the time) says it is the fact those who enjoyed the car crash on SCD that was Kate have got a bit bored or hopefully embarrassed at just how bad she remained throughout.

There is also the idea that as the number in competition for 'anti Kate' votes shrank so the numbers for the likes of Kenny and by the looks of it John Barnes has had a greater effect.

We get this every year, fortunately the only year it got too serious was in season 1 when the final has Chris Parker in it, who let's be honest made Kate look like Erin/Camilla/Karen/insert your own favourite female pro dancer and yes we have had scares like Spoony and Ray Fearon and let's not forget Ramps in the bottom 2 once last year.

And when it comes down to it, IF the judges didn't have the final say we could still have been saddled with Kate and John Barnes may well have gone on Saturday. We still have a good few half decent prospects for the final stages left. and finally we will end up with the final WE DESERVE.

Will the haggis crunchers desert kenny next Sat????
No chance.
If they did the bottom two would be John and Kenny with Kenny going out but with the Scots vote the last 2 will be John and Letitia.
Where's the Stone of Scones????

I'm sorry but this is funny.

I love the thought that everyone in Scotland calls ten times compared to everyone elses one to keep someone in.
I think we are too mean to do that

Kenny is entertaining but I havent voted for him not even once