Looks like it.

No other explanation otherwise.

He was undeservedly at the top of the leader board last Saturday. Can't really see anyone challenging him for the win because everyone will buy into BBC bias and women, mystified by his biceps, will vote in droves.

Yay! Finally, we have a 'valid' reason to BASH Austin and Erin!!!

You guys are a funny bunch!

I'm an Austin supporter and I haven't seen the clip, so as per usual, I have no idea what I'm talking about but it probably wasn't the best idea in the world to just show Austin and Erin. It gives the haters ammunition to pelt them

I think the reason they didn't use Alesha and Matt is that if they're promoting this year's series it wouldn't do much good to show them as they're not on it and if people turn over on that basis, they're not going to stay once they realise Matt and Alesha aren't on.

I do think they should have used a montage of all the dancers though!

I liked the fact that strictly was so big last night good publicity on ITV.

Big deal it was Austin and Erin at least they can dance, and didnt embarass the programme.

Personally I think Austin and Erin were great but im supporting them but wouldnt have wanted a demo from Kristina and John no matter how cute they are!!!!

Why not promote this series? With dancers who can dance - it may get strictly more viewers - great

Boooooo for the Austin & Erin overdose on the show last night.
And Austin's ruddy "guns" too. I'm sick of hearing about them !

Alisha and Matt???

Last Years News!!

I say this as a major fan, BTW - but just putting my "NWT Awards Producers" hat on.

JJ

That's fine but why show the same dancers twice? They aren't the only ones who can dance.

I don't know , you'd have to ask the producers, but it's hardly Erin and Austin's fault.

I would rather they'd have done a showstopping pro dance from maybe Darren and Lilia as they've both gone out, then there could have been no claims of bias!

Yeah, I would have preferred the pros to do the dancing segment! Imagine Brian and Kristina doing the Mambo! You'll get a lot of people to switch from the Z-Factor to Strictly!

Maybe the producers (or their daughters - and - sons!) themselves are secret Austin lust-ers and so offered A&E almost the entire screen-time?

*waits for the BBC conspiracy cries to arrive*

Oh no, too late they're already here

Why in the name of all that's holy would the BBC want Austin to win so much that they would bother trying to manipulate their viewers? What possible advantage would that afford them?

He's certainly not the only one that can dance. He certainly hasn't had overwhelming and gushing praise from the judges. He isn't a big BBC employee from one of their major shows like Tom. He isn't the big star name like Rachel (most people went 'Who?' when his name was announced). It isn't even as if he gives them a new exciting angle - 'manly rugby player who can dance'? Matt Dawson anyone?

I really am intrigued by why some people suddenly think the BBC is so desperate for him to win!

Yep
But more likely their VW clip got shown as Erin forgot her petticoat

People love a good conspiracy theory but they? Like Alesha the beeb don't need the beeb to "fix it" for him. When they show the opening credits for SCD there's always a huge cheer when his name goes up. He's not always been top either - the judges weren't thrilled by his samba even though it got decent marks - as someone's pointed out no one's had a 36 score yet when by this stage last year the two eventual finalists had both acheived that.

I am a huge Matthew & Alesha fan, but had no problem with Austin & Erin dancing and presenting last night - it makes sense to use someone from this series to promote it. It must be quite flattering to be asked to do it and I would think takes a huge amount of nerve to actually do it in front of that sort of audience! I don't think Austin & Erin should get flak for doing it - they won't have made the decision to do it, without being askedin the first place and maybe they were chosen because they have a lot of public support - we have no idea how the public voting figures look on a Saturday.

I am disappointed that the VT montage wasn't of last year's show - and not just Matthew & Alesha, but everyone really, as it was last year's show that people were voting on. In terms of the jive VT, this doesn't affect how I think of Austin & Erin at all - not their decision, and my only thought of why it was chosen is because they were the SCD people who were featured in the awards show anyway, so it linked in nicely that way.

My main disappointment was Tess going on about Austin's ruddy guns again - imo she's just an embarrassment. Also, I admit, I was a little put out at her not even mentioning Alesha and Matthew being reigning champions after they had them go up on stage as part of the collection party. (Could be slightly biased there though )

You weren't half as embarassed as Austin was! Honestly, she is a massive pain in the a*se! I thought it was awful that she didn't mention Matt and Alesha as well, especially as they were stood there! And I wasn't even an Alesha fan!

Yeah, agreed on this! Tess should be culled, or at least be neutered. Why she kept doing that to embarrass Austin I have no idea. Like last year, she kept nudge-nudge-wink-wink about Matt and Flavia's blossoming relationship. That woman has the subtlety of a giant hippo.

And why no mention of Alesha and Matthew from her when she kept rambling on and on? No clue!

I could go with this answer - I normally don't have a problem with Tess but if she was nominated to accept the award she should have been better prepared - I guess they didn't think they stood a chance!

I'm so relieved. We were a whisper away from it when there was that story about him having taken six months' dance training but that didn't turn out to be true. Darn.

So now we can make a big deal out of this in the hope that it might discourage some people from voting for them. That way, [INSERT NAME OF FAVOURITE] might stand a better chance.

:yawn:

Er - the BBC doesn't make the National Television Awards, so it'll've been the NTA producers who came up with the idea of Austin and Erin dancing. And so what if they did? It was the show that won an award, not two dancers. If anything, it was great promotion for this year's series.

As for Tess, please can someone dose her with some anti-gushing medicine? She's worse than ever: if it's not Austin's biceps, it's Mark's torso, Cherie's figure ... does Vernon Kay leave her in a locked room all week or something?

It only took 6 1/2 weeks thats pretty good

I blame the chastity belt!

Maybe straws were drawn to see who should dance/present awards.

Definitely. Austin's quoted in a newspaper article somewhere that he doesn't want her going on about his muscles all the time. Would it be acceptable for a male presenter to go on and on about a female contestant's body in this way?
... you have read this forum haven't you? There's always a reason to complain!

I seem to recall that last year for the SDC section on Children in Need we were told that the soloists (it was James and Gabby) were volunteers. Given Austin is less plagued by performance nerves than most of the others this year, it surely made sense for he and Erin to perform whether they volunteered or were picked.

Tess isn't of course, the only one to have commented on Austin's physique: Craig has, too.

In a DARNCE way. Of course.