...amazing, a male skater who has grace and power and partners well. Could be the first man to score 30.0 in DOI, because he has that semi-feminine (not effeminate) grace.

But unfortunatley, his over-confidence makes him look smug and arrogant, which people obviously don't like seeing.

Kyran Bracken has already done it

But he was really good! I just hope he doesn't peak to soon, and progresses well throughout the series.

Kyran Bracken got 29.5 on the show, that was his highest. Suzanne is the only celeb to get 30 on the tv programme. I think ray will do it aswell, at this point hes way ahead of the other blokes. But I think i'll wait to see the girls, last year in the first week Suzanne got 19 and Chris got 20 so there was only a point between them so they were really close from the off. A girl will have to get some bit close to make a contest of it.

I thought he was really good. I never cared much for him singing on the X Factor but prefer him as a skater.

wasn't my fave going into tonight , but he is now - along with Ellery and Donal

bring on the girls

Ray was lovely to watch and a terrific dancer - more energy than the pro! We might see some wonderful exciting skating from him.

Youth and confidence and dance knowledge are huge advantages, but, so what, great skating. Unconventional looking boy, but he's got charisma on the ice.

That's his smugness radiating off the ice.

Like a previous posted said, BRING ON THE GIRLS!

I didn't think he was over confident, arrogant or smug. I thought he was a young talented guy having a ball.

Check out the poll - he's miles ahead already by the way, so there's nothing 'obvious' about it.

Agreed, I didn't think he came across as arrogant or smug, but you have to confident ice skating else you will fall, particuarly if you are a male and have to lift your partner.

I thought he was superb and he would be my fave to win now.

Hope the girls are equally as good.

The hate threads went up before the show started,people wont give him a chance however good he is,i dont get it.

Thought Ray was great... the comments he attracts are awful though - he's confident, and why shouldn't he be seeing as he is a really good skater

Like I have said before, He was in the X factor and I disliked him from that and when I saw him on tour, I really grew to dislike him strongly. It is nothing to do with anything else apart from what I saw in concert, He appeared to be cocky, arrogant and a little smug from what I saw.

Does he ever stop winking!!

I thought he was really good but have to agree hope he doesn't peak too soon

He was good - the best of the evening, but I hope his apparent over-confidence doesn't hinder him.

I noticed that too!

He's from Liverpool, he's not cocky, arrogant or smug, just a Liverpudlian with a good sense of humour and out to enjoy himself. I expect you all thought the Beatles were smug too and Cilla Black and many others I can't even be bothered to put on here.

And no I'm not a Liverpudlian, I'm actually a Mancunian so they should be my enemies, but they're not. Rather a Liverpudlian than lots of others I could name, but won't in case I get banned.

...and the breathing! Don't forget the breathing!

It's disgusting, disgusting, disgusting!

I never liked him and flatly refuse to ever changed my mind no matter how wrong I turn out to be.

That makes me wonderful.

That was his ballroom/Latin dance training shining through.....

I've never been a great fan of his - even as a dancer - but he was the best by a country mile tonight, and I enjoyed watching his performance.

I'm not sure about him being smug or arrogant, as some posters found him, to me he just looked young and enthusiastic.

Sense of deja vous here........................

Why do people confuse confidence with being smug????

I knew that the word 'smug' would work its way over here from SCD, but I thought it would be given to Jeremy Edwards!

I disliked him intensely on the X Factor and even now there's something about him, his personality, that grates. However I thought he was fantastic on the ice tonight and I'm really looking forward to seeing him skate again.

Another Mancunian who has no problem with Ray here. I never watch X-Factor, so have no luggage from that. However, since he is young, male and actually good at what he's doing, without having yet learned the need to grovel apologetically for these facts, he will inevitably be called smug, cocky and arrogant by a section of DS posters, just like Chris Fountain, Matt Di Angelo, Tom Chambers etc have been.

Why some people equate confidence with arrogance I'll never know.

Sure he's confident and fearless, but don't those characteristics go hand in hand with youth?

(and I have never watched X factor, nor did I watch Brookside).

I have to be honest I never really liked him on X Factor but I suppose that was because I really wanted Leona to win. I've changed my mind about him and I'm not ashamed to say so. He was fantastic out there on the ice; great enthusiasm, dance skills, skating skills and speed. And he came across really well to, just a young lad having a ball. I wish him the best and I hope he goes far. He was certainly the best of the night, followed by the lovely Ellery.