Lots of people have to fight nasty illnesses - including cancer - & the baby-blues, etc.,.... it's called 'life' and isn't something they feel the need to plaster across newspapers.

As for Gary Rhodes - not only does he have no talent for dancing (not everyone does), he didn't realise how difficult it is, and how much time he would need to commit to it, if he wanted to learn. Consequently he spent too little time, and looked appalling. So what? Others have done the same. Poor Fiona and Kate (who actually did spend the time) for example, were probably even worse, but their respective partners (Brendan and Anton) didn't talk about they "made them want to leave the show...." they accepted you have to take the rough with the smooth, and Anton particularly, was and still is, very supportive of Kate.

IF - as the article suggests - having a dud partner made Karen Hardy want to leave Strictly, then it just sounds like attention seeking.

I said the same thing that Karen could have danced with Brian, but people on here were pretty sure that this was the reason for Nicole going!

Have found a post about it

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...5&postcount=20

That would have appeared a bit odd though since it would have given the impression that Nicole and Matt had rowed. But I take your point that there were other permutations.

Thanks. I'll have a look at the thread.

And yet again someone has chosen not to read the item properly. Fair enough if you don't like someone, but you should at least have another shot at reading the piece again before jumping to conclusions. Karen did not say she wanted to quit because she had a dud partner.

What evidence do you have that "poor Fiona and Kate" did put in the time? Fiona, at least always gave the impression that she was just along for the ride

Karen is one of the best if not THE best professional dancer on SCD. She is such a good teacher as well as someone who is very articulate and good value in any interview. The professional Paso she choreographed in this series was the brilliant. All her partners with the exception of Gary Rhodes have not only got on well with her but are still very fond of her. For her to have spoken about Gary as she did makes me think that, in her eyes, he behaved very badly.

I really hope that she stays on SCD for as long as possible.

i completely disagree,
until you have full evidence thats whats happend, then your talking out your a***!!
they replaced nicole with kristina or hayley, not karen she was already in it. yes she didnt get on with brendan, dosnt nesercarily mean she got kicked off just so she can dance with matt. at the end of the day, karen and matt did that dance weight loss show together, so probs became great friends and got used to each others dancing skills, so thats why the producers put her with matt after probs making the descicon way after they decided to loose nicole!!

gary comes across in most things he does as an arrogant a***, typical chef IMO

i think matt and nicole are still friends + dancing partners

Whatever you think of Karen, she is a professional and Strictly has meant a lot to her. She was probably hoping for a half decent partner this year as she was first out last year.

It's quite rare (Anton aside!) that a professional gets a talentless partner the year after a very early exit. Sometimes they get a real contender (Flavia got Matt Di after Jimmy Tarbuck and Vincent has Rachel following his early exit with Stephanie Beacham). Other times they get someone who would be reasonably supposed to be a "middling" celeb. Brendan got Claire King following the Fiona Phillips disaster and Matthew got Carol Smillie (who turned out better than expected) after his first week exit with Siobhan Hayes.

I suspect that Gary was probably expected to be a "middling" celeb. He's not that old, seems to keep himself fairly fit and has a lot of personality. Signs were that he might be at least a passable dancer.
It's just unfortunate that Gary had neither the time nor the talent to fulfil these hopes and Karen found herself up against a brick wall. It's no wonder she got frustrated. She's there to do a job and the partner she's been given not only has two left feet but can't even put the hours in! I also think that getting two Latin dances straight away didn't help.

Hopefully, if any good comes from this it will mean that any celebs with serious outside commitments think very carefully before signing up to the show. Strictly is no walk in the park and to commit when you know or suspect that you won't be able to put the time in isn't fair to anyone.

I remember Gary Rhodes being absolutely scathing when one of the chefs didnt come up to his expectations. He bad mouthed them, ridiculed them and laughed on camera about them.

I never forgot this and have disliked him ever since. Yet when he showed such ineptitude at dancing, he wanted understanding and forgiveness for his lack of aptitude and applying himself to the tasks in hand.

Karen is right to say what she has, he wasted her time when she could have been helping someone who wanted to dance and not just get prime air time exposure on TV which has evaded him for some time.

Keep going Karen, you will have another Mark to give you the enjoyment of teaching someone who wants to be there for the right reasons.

We must remember that this is a tabloid newspaper article....

Karen has been through a lot, and like many people who overcome health issues or personal tragedy, life and opportunities are to be enjoyed and celebrated, for others as much as for themselves. It is a shame that not everyone has this view or considers it their mission to slap someone down on the basis of hearsay, conjecture and personal dislike.

This may have been Karen's 'tipping point', and we all have those, to err is to be human, and Gary may have grossly underestimated the level of commitment required... and there you have it. Karen has other projects and dancers to consider, and these will figure in any decision she takes about continuing. I wish her success in whatever she decides.

Gary slagging going on but no one has answered my point, why, if she dislikes him so much, is she giving him and his wife dancing lessons?

This has gone seriously off topic.

I don't like her but I did feel bad for her, didn't think she should have slated Gary though.

Total crap ~ how exactly are you privvy to this information?!



Ah well in that case its very definitely a fact!

I have never been a great fan of Karen's anyway, she always came over to me as very false. You could see that Gary and her were an accident waiting to happen. For the teacher to blame the student, IF she did and its not a spin, that shows more about her teaching ability than Gary.

I hate all this nonsense, I also hate if there is any truth to the fact Nicole went coz Karen needed a new partner. Thats terrible. I would be surprised tho coz Karen and the Cutlers get on well together.

It's Brendan that needs to go......he is such a waste of ego.

So I could tell from your unnecessary comments on the Karen Hardy thread

BMLisa

You have no idea what you are talking about .
Karen and Nicole get on well , you are repeating DS rumour and nonsense , in which there is NO truth .

With you all the way on this .

Did she really have cancer three times?

The article actually quotes Karen as saying she was ashamed she lost her cool .


It is the Mail writer who says this is what has made her consider her options .

Surely in an article such as this the most cogent point is that Karen , a professional dancer and world champion, has 70% hearing loss in one ear after 3 bouts of cancer which may return and be terminal .
How remarkable is her huge success in her chosen field in the light of this health problem ?
Whether one admires Karen or is annoyed by her SCD perceived persona , it is churlish to ignore this .
I think much about Karen which has put off some forum members can be explained by her hearing deficiency .

She wouldn't lie about something like that.

Also, I think it's outrageous to say that Nicole was not asked to return because of Karen! Especially as I think they are close friends!

I didn't mean to insinuate she was lying- was just concerned as I never heard anything about her being ill in the past.
I hope she doesn't quit- I like her.
Think they should bring back Nicole next year instead of Hayley and keep Karen!

I would love that scenario as well!!!