Hmmm... I wouldn't advertise your issues if I were you...

John is only doing exactly what he was employed to do - stay in the competition as long as possible. I can't blame him for that.

The judges and pros obviously have a vested interest in the best dancer winning and so I can't blame them for being frustrated by the fact that good dancers go out whilst someone with less talent stays in.

The public - well some vote for John because they find him the most entertaining and that's fair enough. It's not a view I agree with but that's their choice. The most blame should go to those who vote for John because of misplaced pity, to annoy the judges, 'fight the system' or as some sort of protest against being told who to vote for. Those mentalities I don't get - not entirely sure how someone sees that as more justifiable than voting for who you like or who you think deserves it on talent. They're both at the core of the show - those petty other reasons aren't.

I personally don't think he was the worst dancer in the whole competition; it's just that Blind Pew could detect that he is, now. So he gets the runner-up sticker he deserves, not several times removed so that better dancers who were enjoying their involvement unfairly get ousted early.

The fact that he's past middle-age in years and midriff spread is by the by. Some of us who match that description could still make a better fist (no jokes) of dancing.


Why "obviously"? As CRH said, they have a job to do -- judging to the best of their abililty (not to the worst of the celebs' )

He's getting flak because of his attitude not because of his dancing. I didn't feel irritated by Kate & Kenny last year as they didn't manipulate the public nor did they have his pomposity. It should be beneath his dignity but he's as desperate for attention as any Z list celeb on Get me out of here...

I reckon he has a bet on to see if he can get in the final by being a really crappy dancer - he's not daft, he knew he wouldn't cut it with younger/fitter contestants.

As long as John goes before the final what does it REALLY matter?

If the three best dancers get to the final isn't that ALL that matters?

Who cares if all the non-finalists go out a week (or so) earlier than they would like, they were leaving anyway.

How, exactly, is he the underdog? And what's unexpected - by now - about him staying?


Have you see S-Club dancing? It's hardly great preparation for SCD!

What ensures the best three will get to the final? For all we know, Cherie would have made the final, and seemed one of the three best, if she hadn't been taken out this week.

I don't think for one moment there would be a clause in his contract that would allow him to do this--- even if he wanted to. Which I doubt.
Sorry folks but rules are rules,and if it's true that the celebs are giving him aggro as well, he will get more votes from me.

Good on yer John and Kristina.

Quite. Everyone cheered Bruno. He was the underdog, but he could box.

Everyone cheered Henman at Wimbo. He was the underdogm but he could play.

John???

Because being from the dance world they'll want good dancing to win out.

I was hoping that's what you meant

Personally I have gone right off the man but I have to admit that the people supporting him are doing him no favours. They have taken a highly intelligent and diginified person and potentially turned him into a figure of fun or someone to despise depending which camp you are in. This will no doubt only get worse in the coming weeks when the dance choices he has left - inc. Rhumba, Jive - will only serve to make him look ridiculous. You've had your fun now let him go.

Why should he?

He's spent a considerable amount of time and effort learning the dances, and his partner has worked exceptionally hard to choreograph them.

They are in the show fair and square and they would be letting down everyone who has supported them thus far by throwing in the towel.

It's up to the other celebrities to outshine John. If they can't do so, that's their problem.

For all the flak he is getting, I reckon his attitute is remarkably fine.

All the poorer contestants who stay at the expense of better dancers have 'manipulated' the public to vote for them and Kenny and Ola as much as the rest (which James would do well to remember). It could well be argued that the vast majority of votes are due to 'manipulation' one way or the other, anyway.

What should be beneath his dignity? He was asked to take part and has taken his fee and is fullfilling his contract All, but all the celebs on the show are doing it for attention. Tom has left his long time part and will be wanting to promote himself, Austin has given up the rugby, Rachel has been in the pop wildernes for a wee while now, Lisa can only survive so long with the tag line George Cloony's ex ... and so on.

As they do every week, you mean?

I'm sorry but he really was the worst. Fair enough, everyone should vote for who they want and who entertains them dancewise but technically etc, John was the worst.

Unless my memory is failing I seemed to remember both Kate and Fiona used to really plead for support from GBP to save them every week. Therefore can,t see what makes you think John is arrogant. After all, the other celebs also ask for the public to vote for them each week. What's the difference.

On one of the scales that Strictly is balanced on only. On the other scale of public popularity John is outshining them.

The overall winner of Strictly will be the all rounder who equalises the scales between the dancing and public popularity, as it generally is.

Well I think his attitiude is remarkably irritating & I used to really like him.I don't think Kenny & Kate were even a millionth as manipulative as John - he's gone down in my estimation. He's intentionally playing those of the not-massively-bright voters.

Sheesh there's more to life than money & John has a proper job to go back to.

Having played the violin since I was 2, if I entered a competition & succeeded in it at the expense of far better violinists, simply because I was popular in my day job, I'd feel sick & dishonourable. I don't want an accolade I haven't earnt...

Evidently not, it would seem.

If the other couples were as enjoyable and inspirational as J & K, then they'd have motivated people to vote for them.

But they haven't, so there's clearly something lacking in their performances.

Not John's problem.

How can this be John's fault when it was the BBC that signed him up. If he was to pull out as some are saying surely he would be breaking his contract as they sign up for the whole series.


Rightly or wrongly John is still in and I am sure he and Kristina must be feeling the effects of all the negativity being brandied about.

I suppose that would depend totally on what sort of competititon is was. If it was a violin competition, against non violin players then you would have to take the flak of being a 'ringer' and having unfair advantage.

If a public vote was involved, then the fact you are popular in your day job would be a distinct advantage even though you were less able - but that's the rules of the game.

If it was a 'proper' competition then you would have cause to register a complaint against the biased judges.

The winner of SCD will have earnt the accolade because they will have drawn together public popularity and dancing and seen off 15 (is it 15 sometimes it seems like so many more) other contestants.

How can John be making the British public look like fools, when they're the ones voting? He's not forcing them to vote for him.


...and by doing that, turning his back on everyone who has voted for him so far? How would that be far to those people? Unless they don't count, because they didn't for for
a "good dancer"?

For all the people who wanted to see a "real" dancing competition, please go and watch something like "Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life", where you can see professional dancers , judged by profession judges. For everyone who wants to see some light entertainment on a Saturday night, keep watching Strictly.

Steve

Are you just saying this for the sake of it? This week and particularly last, in what way was JS enjoyable (at least you're on topic) and specifically inspirational?

Oh, no -- wait... he's inspirational because he's so poor that the whole TV audience KNOW they could do better...