I know this is a totally random question, I'm just curious

I understand that the guest singer plus dancers is filmed prior to the live show on Saturday night?

How about the rest of the bits and pieces? ie the pro routines, the eliminations, etc? And the group dances when they happen (which obviously isn't every week)

Is anyone who's been able to enlighten me?

Ok, the first show happens, then there's a break, then you go back and if I remember correctly, there's like mock evictions, run throughs of stuff, I can't remember whether the singer sang first or the pro dance happened when I went, but there's usually a few rehearsals of both, then the singer is filmed.

So in the live show, it's all the intro stuff again about who's in top/bottom/behind the scenes stuff, then the pro danceI think we had the VT of the singer whilst the pros were getting dressed again, then it goes straight to the eliminations, and if there's anything else happening, it gets slotted in somewhere else.

Sorry, if anyone can give a better report, go ahead!

Thanks, Laura

when i went the guest singer was filmed just before Strictly came on air, then the main show happened, there was a break when the first bit of the live show finished where everyone was taken out of the studio and goodness knows what happened, we all trooped back in about an hour later and there was a run through of the elimination with 2 random couples being picked, the run thro of the pro dance and what ever else was happening and then the show came back on air - i went when the two shows were shown on the sat night

I think it depends how many performers they have and what exactly it is that they are doing. I was there at the semi final, and they began by filming the juveniles' Jive with Matthew and Nicole and James and Ola. They had to retake that one because Nicole's earring flew out halfway through.

Then they did the live show as usual.

Afterwards they recorded James Blunt's performance with James and Ola and Darren and Lilia, and had to retake this one also as there was a technical fault halfway through.

They then filmed the rest of the results show with no breaks, including Victor and Hanna's performance, which they did in one take. Even though there was a major mistake in it they disguised it well and just carried on.

But as I said, I think they vary things depending on exactly what the act is - obviously for musical numbers because of the amount of equipment that needs to be transported on and off the floor, they must find it easier to get that all out of the way first.

becca, what was your opinion on Gethin and Camilla's performances versus Matt , and the decision to boot them out

In general, everyone I spoke to there thought that Gethin should have made it through rather than Matt. Me - I honestly couldn't say who was better than who. I think all three semi finalists were excellent and all deserved to go through. I really didn't mind too much who it was. Matt obviously impressed 3/4 judges more simply because he pulled out such a surprise performance in comparison to what he had done the week before, whereas Gethin was just expected to be excellent. That was certainly the deciding factor. I'm so glad I wasn't involved in making the decision as I couldn't have done it.

The sign of true professionalism. I didn't notice a mistake, must watch more closely. Can you briefly explain what it was/whereabouts in the performance? Thanks.

I only noticed it because I've seen them dance so much that I know their numbers like the back of my hand! Especially the number that they performed on the show, as it was similar to the number called 'Dream' that they won the world championship with this year.

Instead of performing the choreography in its usual order, they had rearranged it to fit with the music that the BBC had selected for them. Obviously, when you've been performing a routine in one way for the past nine months and then suddenly it changes slightly, that's going to be a little confusing.

One of them (I'm not sure who) went to go into a different figure to the other, and they got stuck for just a moment before Victor brought them back into the track again.

It's just after the track changes over into the disco version, and just as he brings her up from the floor into a sitting position on his shoulders. To me, it's a very obvious mistake but only because I know their dancing so well. To anyone else, I think they worked to disguise it very quickly and very well, especially considering how dangerous it can be when they lose the timing between their bodies.

In competitions have lifts ever gone wrong and the woman goes flying? To fall from shoulder height is no joke even for dancers with marvellously toned muscles. They ought to get Danger Money, especially the woman.

I had my heart in my mouth when Camilla (5 foot 5) was lifted onto Gethin's (5 foot 11) shoulder, with Camilla balancing precariously in an aeroplane posture. It is when these hair-raising tricks do not go wrong that the audience erupt into an almighty cheer from relief as much as exhilaration. But do dancers carry insurance against injury?

Alesha's waltz beat Alesha's paso 39-36.
Gethin's waltz beat Gethin's paso 39-35.
Matt A's waltz beat Matt A's paso 40-31.

In SCD the waltz is simply the doomsday weapon. Camilla possibly overlooked this, but she knows now, only wish I had emailed her before the event. Gethin's exit when his assigned dance was outgunned was one of three SCD5 sadnesses for me. The other two were Kelly's departure and the free pass after Meltdown.

I've never seen anybody get dropped myself, but have seen lifts not go off quite as well as they should have done, with stumbles, being out of balance, etc. It can ruin a whole routine if one major lift is not perfect.