I get the feeling Tom has the most public votes out of the lot of them, just based on how he hasn't been in the bottom two yet despite a few low placings? I get the feeling it will be a blokes' final - not that I mind (Austin to win though )

Though I feel bad for Rachel and Vincent. She is very good. And he is very sweet.

I doubt it- they know the fans weren't too pleased about their odd marking last night- and we saw the the result- and it is what the public want that usually dictates who goes

Tom or Lisa to go next don't mind who. A Rachel and Austin final.

Sounds good to me too. Although ideally, three-way final with Tom too. Oh, to be honest I'm not bothered about whether it's Tom or Rachel with Austin, as long as Austin's there

Now I'm down to last favourite Tom as long as Rachel does not make the final I will be happy. I'm sorry but do not like Rachel and Vincent as they grind me up the wrong way!!

It does look like both the men left have better public support than the girls left. Both Lisa & Rachael have been in the dance offs and neither man has. Mind you it depends on Christines supporters who they switch to and that may well be a girl probaly Lisa

Explain? Don't you like their dancing or is it Rachel you do not like?

This is, I suspect, the most likely outcome. Rachel will now be preserved at all costs (:yawn and Lisa, despite (IMHO) being superior to her, will be thrown to the dance-off.

This week, we will, of course be subjected to loads of Rachel and Lisa hype in a bid to bolster their support - but I cannot see the public going along with this. There was a chance that might happen, but then it got blown out of the water by Arlene and her vacuous and shallow bitching tonight. Is trashing Christine any way to get her fans to switch allegiance to Arlene's favourite, Rachel? Yet another ridiculous own goal ... Duh!

The only exciting final would be Tom versus Austin - and, much as I'd love that to happen, I can't quite see it ...

I have to agree with this thread.
Goodbye Thomas.
I'd have to say Rachel is out in front for me...in more than one way.
Every time I see Austin the phrase "strutting cock" comes into my head....don't know why?

Rachel I don't like she does grinds be up the wrong way. I now want Tom to win or Lisa.

Are you taking into account the public vote

It will be very very interesting on Saturday. I am not a Tom fan but I have to say that his vote was tested this week and was seen NOT to be wanting. He was second to bottom on the board and was saved. I think this means that Tom and Austin are getting the top vote but I dont know in which order. Christine was third (but it didnt save her) Lisa and Rachel are getting the bottom vote but again I cant tell in which order because Lisa would still have gone through with the bottom public vote this week. Tom has rumba on Saturday and Foxtrot, two controlled dances and the rumba traditionally lowish scoring for the men, he could be bottom of the board and then who knows. I am not convinced that if he was in a dance off with either Rachel or Lisa that he would go through so that they coul guarantee at least one girl in the final.

Rachel certainly wasn't preserved this week, whilst Lisa was given scores that placed her at the top of the table - if anyone was being protected/promoted, it could be argued it was Lisa!

I do think that because of the lack of girl power it may be an all boy final (that would be one crap final)

I don't think the judges would dare mess around with the table next week. They did some tactical marking I think- prime objective was to get rid of Christine.

Now I would like to see Claudia tackle their mad marking this weekend tomorrow on ITT

never gonna happen. She likes the work

I was very fond of Christine, but even I could see she was by far the weakest dancer and deserved to be bottom of the leaderboard!

A tactical move this week on the judges' part.

Lisa has had two weeks in the dance-off and so they wanted to promote her this week to create more (false) drama ("two weeks in the dance-off and now you're top of the leader board - WOW". Rachel will never be under threat in the dance-off unless it's against Austin - and that scenario seems pretty unlikely for the moment.

Now that Christine has been removed, the judges' priority will be to get Rachel to the final at all costs. And if it costs Lisa's and Tom's place in the competition, they won't care.

I totally agree.

My faves were/are Jodi, Christine & Tom so Tom better not go anywhere as I cannot warm to either lisa or Rachel & find Austin too arrogant

With only four left even top marks will not be enough. One of the girls will go next. I'd like Tom v Lisa for the final but it's going to be Tom v Austin.

But everyone seems to be forgetting the public vote- Even if Rachel is forced again on us next week she will not make the semis without the dance off. The judges don't get it- itis not about what they want that matters

To me it was exactly the answer I'd expect, we've heard it said before and it plays up to the 'we're such good friends' aspect that SCD is always pushing.

We've noticed that about Rache's dresses as well, you can't see her feet, why I wonder when the other girls dresses just come to the ankle.

How does the voting go from here on? I'm presuming that the judges will choose who stays and goes next week but what for the week after that when there are only 3 couples left

All this presupposes that the judges are united in what they want. I see no evidence of this. Craig favours Austin and Len favours Tom. What they want to do is to keep interest alive. Both Lisa and Rachel have been in the dance off twice so are most likely to be there again.