They appear HERE on the official site the day after

By last year's news I meant the constant allegations that they had previous experience and an unfair advantage.

Of course they will be remembered as some will still participate in the tour - that makes for a good exchange. What I have difficulty with is the way going back as far as the first series, certain celebs are still assumed to have had an advantage. Bonnie, Claire, Suzanne and Chris, and this year Ray and Jess: even Michael's previous training is considered 'unfair.'

I won't deny that last year I did think Chris had an advantage, but eventually I saw sense. No point in complaining about a fait accompli - and it was hardly the fault of Chris himself. Just wish that Ray's detractors could see it in the same light.

I watched Ray on the X factor and now on Ice Dancing.

Personally I dont see a trace of arrogance about him. He comes across as a talented young man who is loving everything that he does. And is doing everything to the very best of his abilities.

He is fantastic on the ice - a joy to watch - good for him!

I hope some of the other skaters improve because it's far more entertaining for an audience to have people who can do some good skating routines.

Ray is by far the best skater (IMHO) that Dancing on Ice has ever had on the shows - and if his life experience so far has given him skills that help - then that's great for him - there have been others on the shows also who have had experience that has helped.

He's getting my votes - he's brilliant. I cant wait to see his next routine!

I agree. If anyone has a problem with Ray being in the competition, they shouldn't be blaming him, they should be blaming the people who selected him to be a contestant.

I've said this several times: barring something totally unexpected happening, it's highly probable Ray will make the final - although that doesn't necessarily mean he'll win, btw, given that the final is public vote only. I don't like knowing this early in the competition who one of the finalists will most likely be but that's not Ray's fault and I certainly don't blame him for it.

I completely agree re the defence of Ray and Chris.

Thing is, I simply cannot warm to Ray. Never have and probably never will.

I don't know what it is, just one of my stupid feelings that I get about people from time to time. Yes, I don't know him, for all I know he could be a super, super lad and if he is I would be the first to apologise to him - alas, he sets my teeth on edge, sorry.

Damn good skater, though.

Personally, at this stage of the competition, I prefer watching the skaters of middling ability to those at the extreme ends of the scale. The middling ones aren't dreadful but they have room for improvement and I enjoy watching that improvement take place.

Me too. Melinda went from being in the skate off to having great potential last night, imo.

All I can say is...

...I hope Ray wins!

I wonder how many of the people who are dissing Ray wouldn't mind him if he didn't come from Liverpool.
There's nothing wrong with his attitude, it's an in-born Scouse attitude of self-confidence but it doesn't mean any harm about it. A lot of real east-end cockneys have the same cheery self-confidence and no-one seems to mind.

I was having a conversation with a customer at work today, while we were waiting for a phone queue to go down, and they mentioned DoI and started slagging Ray off like mad. I asked why they didn't like him, and they said 'cause he's an arrogant Scouser!' and started imitating his accent. I don't have much of an accent anymore but I lived the first 14 years of my life in Liverpool and was so tempted to say something, but you have to bite your lip sometimes...

Music, football, art, writing, now ice dancing... it's not our fault that those of us born in Liverpool are just so talented!

Come on Ray la'!

I agree. I said when he was on X Factor that people didn't like him because he was a Liverpudlian and, therefore, a Northerner, whereas if he'd been from the East End of London, everyone would have thought he was wonderful.

That's certainly who I'd blame. Is anyone blaming Ray?

Just look at Ray dance! Apart from his confidence on the ice, technical ability and acting skills the best thing about this weeks performance was his musicality. At the end of the routine when the music had virtually stopped Ray was still moving to its rythmn. Fantastic.

I lost my accent ages ago (unless very drunk and in my cousins company) but it is funny how scousers get a slating for stuff- even worse that I still hear calm down etc when I say oi!

Ray is a likeable kid, with a bag load of talent in a few areas-good on him I say!

The whole rollerblading thing is rubbish anyway, I am sure they don't vet the celebs hobbies and why should they?

Peace.

I like Ray's character, he seems a very nice young man who is constantly trying to get better which is what I like to see from all of them. I just hope in this series, he tries to push himself from the skating point of view rather then allowing the dancing to take presidense and perhaps attempt some of the more complex skating moves like Chris and Kyran did. He certainly has the potential to do it.

What if their hobby was ice dancing? Or figure skating?

If they wanted the competition to be absolutely fair they would have to use people who have no sense of rythmn, no prior dance experience, no rollerblading or rollerskating or ice skating no matter how minimal.

I think we'd all turn off in our droves.

Ray is an absolute joy to watch and the only reason I tune in.

Note that my post didn't say anything about fairness and certainly didn't advocate some kind of absolute equality as the only way to be fair.


I don't especially like his skating; I just think he's a lot better than the rest and that his pre-DOI experience is a big part of why.

Veri - although I'm not in agreement with you, I understand the point you are trying to make.

Fact is we cannot change the status quo - so why not live it?

btw do you have a problem with Jessica?

What's unfair about the best contestant winning?

Only Jessica comes close. The others are also-rans.


So why isn't Michael the best one there? He trained two years ago as a reserve contestant, he trained last year when he was injured and he has trained this year yet he is not even among the best.

You've either got it or you haven't.


Roller-blading will have given him balance but not as much as ice hockey will have helped Chris Fountain, David Seaman and ................. yes .............. even Greg Rusedski.

Ray is a junior dance champion but there is a huge difference between performing dance moves on a firm floor with or without shoes and performing them on ice in skates.

Same here! I think Ray should forget about the singing (which I don't like) and musicals... he should definitely go for ice skating as a long term career. He's great to watch!

I liked Ray on Brookside.

I liked him on X-factor, even though he got past my favourites.

I like him on Dancing on Ice and have voted for him.

He is a very talented boy and a very good entertainer.

The only reason I am watching DOI is because of him.

so there

I have replayed his week 2 performance so many times, I have lost count....love it.

How many people do you know that have ice dancing or figure skating as a hobby (I didn't even know ice dancing could be a hobby)?

I understand the point you are making but you are really reaching now!

Can't you just accept each celeb is different?

I don't know whether "hobby" is the best word -- in Ray's case or in others -- but a good number of people have figure skating as something they enjoy doing without being professionals or high level amateur competitors. It's not so common in Britain, of course.


Where did that come from? Have I ever suggested that all the celebs are the same? Indeed, my point about Ray is that he's different (in certain ways).

Ray never had time for anything else than to do rollerblading as a hobby his spare time was taken up with dancing and competing all over UK