it really annoys me that the pros dont get enough credit.
for me they are what make the show so amazing, not the judges or the celebrities.

Without the judges - you could have a show.

Without the celebs - you could have a show.

Without the pros... hmmm, it wouldn't quite cut the mustard would it?

Hope the BBC tell the three wise (!) monkeys and the virgin (!) Mary to put up or shut up.

Agreed!

I don't really think the pro's should get more money...

...but I do think they should have their own show - even if it's a one-off special!

...oh, and a peerage.

...and a castle - each!

Totally agree with you. And to make it worse that the pros weren't listed in the end credits of Brucie's birthday, the judges were listed for their generation game making a cake slot. I seriously doubt that took as much time to organise as the two dances the pros did, and it certainly didn't involve the same amount of skill.

Also would really like to see the pros credited for choreographing the group dances on Strictly, if only so we can know for sure who did what! Some of the routines this year were absolutely stunning

I didn't realise the judges were listed for that! That's crrrrrrrazy.

And agree (again!) about seeing credits for the choreography in group dances etc.

Actually I'm still trying to find out who choreographed the VW this year if anyone knows

It's the BBC/show's producers that annoy me here. They're the ones that seem to be overvaluing the judges and undervaluing the pros.

After all if I were to walk into work and demand a largish pay rise, I'd expect my employer to make some assessment of their own as to whether it's worth paying more to keep me on. Not to just fold in and agree to my demands. (Well who knows, maybe the BBC will show some spine and refuse them)

Don't think you could have the show without the celebs (or at least it would be a completely different show).

But I agree the judges could be replaced and shouldn't be on more than the pros and celebs.

You couldn't have THIS dance show - but you could have a dance show. Whereas if it were just the celebs and the judges, well... it could get painful pretty quickly...

Sign here___________________________ you,ve got the job.

Agreed - though that is what they're doing for Sports Relief

But without the celebs I wonder if so many people would watch? Come Dancing (with just pro dancers) went off air because of lack of interest from the public.
Last edited by lucy81 : 10-03-2008 at 22:38

The judges initially signed a contract for 5 seasons which is now up. Two of them actively tried to get out of the contract before the last series but couldn't, so I don't think "sacking" would be a threat - more like a promise!!??

With a great deal of help from said pros... and with celebs who have spent months being intensively trained by said pros...


It would be a different show entirely, but the point is - you could lose the celebs or the judges and still have a show. If you lost the pros, (not any particular one, but the fact of having very good pro dancers and teachers involved in the show) it'd be awful.

Well I think we both agree that the judges are not so important that they can't be changed if they get too greedy

Oh fer sure (or even if they don't get too greedy - in a couple of cases, I'd replace them anyway *wry grin*)

The market might suggest the opposite. You need known judges and continuity because they are the basis of the format . There are not many people around with the right style and TV friendlyness who would fit together. You also need the right celebs who can do it and who are going to interest the audience. Ultimately the professional dancers just have to be that with some ability to teach - and there are probably other substitutes readily available.

sorry to sound like an old fart but SCD is loosing the magic which made it great- now it is simply a money making exercise - the judges, the tour, the spin-offs - ah well it was nice while it lasted

if the judges are not happy then go- this is licence fee money and given that the BBC are making cuts elsewhere ie other shows will suffer so that they get more dosh then get rid of these judges who now think they are bigger than show
Last edited by dancingfan : 11-03-2008 at 06:12

I think the Pros should get more money than they judges because they are the ones who do most of the hard work. All the judges do is give their remarks and score them anyone can do that.

I don't mean those specific pros - I mean you need someone who can dance, and teach others to dance. Or else the show would be about a bunch of celebs trying to dance by themselves and being told how crap they are by a panel of judges. And I don't know about you, but I wouldn't watch that.

If that's the point, then imo it's a very weak one.

Indeed, you accept yourself that there could be a show without the pros, but "it'd be awful".

To me the celebs are what make the show worth watching; I wouldn't watch a pros-only dance show, and I doubt I'm alone there. I think a pros-only show would not get anywhere near the number of viewers SCD gets.

A celebs-only show wouldn't work either; but what are you trying to show?

I don't see how one element of the show -- the judges -- can be the basis of the format.

I wonder how much money they are asking for.

Why? The fact is, the judges clearly think they are irreplacable. Frankly, I think that is not the case. There are several dancers in the current pro selection who could do as good or better a job. If a couple of the judges are playing up (when they get paid very handsomely for what they do) then I don't see a huge problem with shaking up the panel and replacing a couple of them.


Um, yeah, are you disagreeing with this point? It is one of the things I've been saying all along... I'm not "accepting" this point, it's one of the points I've been trying to make!


Just pointing out that the judges are expendable, much as they don't seem to think they are. You may not watch a pro-only show - but they could put on a decent show. And I doubt it would get the number of viewers the current show does (I love the celebs-learning-to-dance format myself, I'm not asking for it to be changed - though would quite probably watch a show with just pro dancers in it) but that's more about the viewing public's taste in crapness than anything else.

(Sadly, it wouldn't surprise me if a bloody awful show with celebs dancing badly and judges telling them they were crap got viewers. In fact, I'm sure lots of people would watch it. Says more about people who watch TV than about the quality of the TV - heck, people watch celebs eating kangaroo anus in the jungle. Some people will watch anything. Still would be a rubbish show, and I certainly wouldn't bother with it.)

Have to say, the fact that the learners are celebs is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned - they could get Joe Bloggs off the street and teach him how to dance and I'd probably watch - I don't know half the celebs from Joe Bloggs at the start of each series anyway. It's the elements of people stepping out of their comfort zone to learn to dance, and them being taught by (and demos being done by) excellent pro dancers that makes me interested - not the fact that so-and-so was in a band or on a soap or played such-and-such a sport. Some of my all time favourite contestents are people whose names I'd never even heard of prior to them appearing on SCD.


Unfortunately that's not entirely true - you would need someone with a clue, and who wouldn't appear like a dead man walking on TV (Philip Jackson, anyone??!). Ideally you want someone with expertise who can judge fairly and without bias, though I'm not 100% sure we even have that already! But hey. But they're not going to let average John Doe off the street who can't tell a New Yorker from a Botafogo do it. However, I'm 100% sure that there are others out there who could do it as well as or better than some of the current set.
Last edited by sarah-flute : 11-03-2008 at 11:58

Just to add my two pennenth!!
The reason why Come Dancing went off the air was not because it was just pro dancers, in fact most of them were amatures. The main reasons were it did not update itsformat and became a little tired, and the new boss at the Beeb wanted it off air and so it died becuase of the terrible scheduling it got towards the end, you just did not know from one week to the next when it was going to be on.
I for one would watch a show which just featured dancers, that it what it is all about dancing, I would love to see the pros from SCD in a dance comp like come dancing now.
Most series I do not know who half the celebs are, I still do not know who Alesha is or was Why I watch is to see their journey!!! The highs and lows of training and then the wonderful routines they come up with on a Saturday. I would watch it just as much if it was Joe Bloggs off the street learning to dance, probably even more so as you could guarantee that they are beginners, no drama school dancing lessons for them. The highlight for me each week is the pros dance. I too would like to know who choreographed the routines. I wrote a letter to the BEEB at the end of the series and that was one of my suggestions. Got a nice letter back from them to see that any suggestions like that are put forward on a viewers panel to the producers.
I did hear that Ian put together the Chicago routine.
Give the pro's more money I say

The amount they get paid in comparison to others is irrelevant to this article.

The BBC have a successful show that makes a fortune for BBC Worldwide. Why wouldn't the judges want to go in and renegotiate their contracts? Anyone would. It's called business, for goodness sake. They are using their solidarity as leverage. Why not? It's a negotiation. That's what you pay your agent his 10% for!

They are well within their rights to ask for more, and they would be mugs not to.