Maybe it was based on understanding that some people are shy, and others have off moments, especially when they are in the middle of a gruelling schedule and with their father terminally ill on the other side of the world

Totally agree with that Katie. And different people find the celebs and pros completely different obviously. I, for instance, have met Natasha Kaplinsky twice, once on Strictly and once at the BBC, and on each occasion I found her extremely arrogant and rude. I also found Darren Gough to be arrogant and rude too, but obviously that is not everyone's experience so I accept that. Everyone has the right to support and like who they want, regardless. If others don't understand, that is unfortunate, but it is their right.

However, I have always found Lilia to be very approachable, so I haven't seen a negative side at all, so that's all I can go on really.

Met Killick 3 times....he is always very nice to me.
Hanna Karttunen twice, she's also lovely.
Ian and Camilla once...they were ok, I'm not a fan of them dance wise but they seemed nice enough.

You sat next to him at Blackpool, you bitch!

Haha

I did, but I missed him as Freddie so it all evens out :P

Definitely the key word in that sentence...

None of us knows what the professionals are really like from TV or meeting them just once or twice. Anton, for instance APPEARS charming but those of us who have seen him in the past in competition when he hasn't won have seen a completely different person!! Most of them can switch the smile on when they meet people most of the time, or for the TV cameras.

A small minority have had a disappointing experience of meeting Lilia out of the hundreds on here and the thousands who have met her. I am sure you could drag up the same number for all the pros if you wanted.

It would be fair to say, as I have on another thread, that some of the anti posters on here have a long history of being anti Darren and Lilia and it was predictable that they would appear on this thread with their comments. Another poster said she predicted two people would appear, and they did! If you are a Lilia fan I would not take much notice tbh.

Thanks for that dancingles...I feel better now hearing that

I didn't mean it in a rude way

People have a right to feel the way they feel, and obviously it is disappointing if you meet someone and don't get the reaction you'd hoped for. But hearing a few stories like that doesn't really change the fact that I like Lilia on Strictly... partly because I'd be too shy to want to meet any of the pros anyway!
I am a fan of hers because I think she is an amazing dancer, and because I think she is a lot of fun on the show, gets on well with her partners and gets a lot from them. Whether she would be bubbling over with friendliness if I saw her on the street when she could be tired, stressed etc. is neither here nor there!

Sorry Katie, didn't mean to imply that! Of course everyone has the right to their own view on everything, that's fine!

But if anyone is on here regularly you do get to know people likes and dislikes in terms of the pros and their view will consequently be fairly predictable, which is not a problem, just shouldn't be taken too seriously.

I love Anton, I met him earlier this year and fell in love and I never really considered it before now. I've heard he's not particuarly nice at times but hey! What I don't know can't hurt me
I have had a few experiences with Darren and Lilia, some very positive, some not so. But I don't really want to be involved in the debate, there will always be hardcore fans who will not stop being die hard Lilia fans and there will always be people who aren't going to like them based on their own experience.
In reality, no one listens to others' experiences

Also! Met:
Karen = very nice indeed!
Vincent = Charming and lovely
Flavia = Sweetie
Matt = Have to be honest, REALLY not a fan. I just think he potentially is a really bitchy guy! Sorry I don't mean to offend!
Nicole = Oh I love her a LOT. Wil really miss her!

Oh and Gaynor - the woman is a living legend!! Would love to meet Sergei and Melia as they are made of awesome!

Gilliam do you mean Matthew Cutler? that is a funny comment, I laughed. However, he is actually one of the only pro's I haven't heard a bad word about...myself included

Would love to meet Karen I think she seems very genuine

Katie I must add I am very much on your wavelength with most of your points...you always seem to say exactly what I'm thinkinh

I'm quite intrigued about Matt being bitchy!

Have met James who was really really lovely couldn't say enough nice things about him... and Ian who was also very nice. Celeb wise met Zoe who was very chatty and sweet and Goughie who was fine not very chatty but perfectly nice.

Would love to meet Brendan obviously and Matt Cutler and Darren & Lilia

I don't know why I said bitchy, its probably completely the wrong word. I'd think ingenuine might be a better one. I have been to a couple of social events with Matt (probably sounds more exciting than it was!) and he seems rather cliquey and a couple of my friends who have had lessons with Nicole had negative experiences with him.
But he's probably absolutely LOVELY. I didn't really speak to him that much when I met him, so please don't take my word on it, I don't like being nasty about people I don't really know

Wow fun topic! Everyone seems to have such strong opinions though! None of us, in reality, can ever know how genuine/ingenuine or nice these people are! In reality, whats important is that they're not rude and are friendly!

I've met Darren and Lilia (had a couple of slightly sad experiences with them but majoritively I've supported them over the last 2 years and they're mostly nice ), Ian and Camilla - in all fairness I didn't really speak to them so can't have an opinion, Matt and Nicole - Nicole was exceptionally lovely, Matt didn't really speak, Karen - who seemed very friendly and warm, Erin, Anton, Flavia, Vincent - incredibly charming and lovely-hothothot hehe!

I met Darren and Lilia, i dont have a bad word to say about Darren He was looooovely!!!! I really liked him, he seems a genuinly nice guy and very friendly Wasn't too keen on Lilia though if i'm honest, found her quite rude as she never said anything at all in the meet and greet, not even hello. I know people who've had similar experiences meeting Lilia, dont know if its just her way but whatever it was it didnt give off a brilliant impression, but i really liked Darren

I met Anton and Erin a few months ago I loved them both!!!!!! They are genuinly lovely people Anton was very chatty and soooo funny at the meet and greet, he really made an effort with everybody and i left grinning from ear to ear at how lovely he was to me Erin was really really lovely too, she's been one of my favourites since the beginning of series 1 and she was soooooooo nice to everybody. I cant speak highly enough of them!!!!!

Hopefully i'll meet Camilla and Ian soon! Cam's my absoloute favourite!!!

Isn't it interesting how different people have different perceptions? I have only met Matthew and Nicole twice, following demonstrations, but on both occasions I found both of them absolutely lovely (even though the second time they had been dancing on the only truely hot night of the summer and both were, I suspect, exhausted.) My impression of Matthew is that he is quite a reserved person off the dance floor, and he has said that he finds talking to fans (specifically during Nicole's costume changes) quite difficult. I think it may only be recently that he has begun to come to terms with the amount of public attention that SCD has generated, which may be why came across as a bit cliquey? Just a guess, but I will say, that, always having been a huge admirer of both the Cutlers as performers, it was only after meeting them that I realised how much I like them as well. My own experience was of two charming people who are willing to make a huge effort on behalf of their fans. Oh, and with extremely good senses of humour.

To be fair she wasn't give alot of time to chat- the organisers were rushing everyone- basically telling us to get our picture taken and go.

I know she could have said hello and i honestly don't know why she didnt.

I'm sorry- I'm very defensive when it comes to Lilia or any of my favourite pro's.

Hehe! i know you are Suze...but even you have to admit it did come across quite badly at the time. And darren was in the same boat, and i thought he came across as a really nice guy! ....and in a meet and greet you expect even the word Hello... but i wont go into it! You were there after all

Yeahh I know..and yeah lets not go into it...you know what im like when I get going

THG, I agree about Matt, I remember emailing him way back in S3 and he said he wanted to practise infront of the cameras more etc for the next series so he didn't come across as shy/reserved etc!

Gaynor is totally fantastic! She is so sweet and has been so nice to me every time I've spoken to her!

Sergey and Melia are beyond the realms of amazing! I've had lessons with them both, they are so friendly and gorgeous, I can't even begin to put it into words! Melia is so lovely, she's always hugging me and stuff, I absolutely live for her!

I have met Ian, Camilla, Nicole and Matt who we're all really lovely and friendly - Got a picture and autographs from all 4 of them. Not massively interested in meeting any of the others apart from Anton and Erin because they seem quite sweet

Celeb wise I have met Louisa Lytton, Jessie Wallace [Jessie is absolutly lovely] and possibly someone else but Im having a mind blank. xx

Bumped into Brendan as he came out of St. Martins Lane theatre in London - then he was chased down the road by photograpers.

The Colonel.