Strictly Speaking

At least the right one went. Although I`ll miss Russell, it would have been a shame and a travesty if one of the others had gone before he did. Now the competition`s going to get serious.

Well, that was the right result from a dancing point of view, but I was worried about Holly and Artem - thought Anita should have been last two again.

Dear dear Russell I shall miss him he has been a joy and inspiration !!

It was sad when Jason missed a sequence when he had been going so well. It should have been a perfect jive - maybe not quite up to Jill Halfbenny's impeccable standard, but who is? It's interesting that there are so many dancers on pretty much the same level this year. At the moment there isn't a clear front runner and - apart from Russell - no-one who really should be evicted. We'll soon know who is going.

I am throughly enjoying the show as usual. Love Russell because of his enthusiasm and his so obvious delight in taking part. Robbie is our local boy so always gets my support. Wembly was very big it must have felt amazing to dance there I did miss Blackpool the old ballroom is so beautiful. who ever goes out now will be a loss because they are all so good this year.

Although the dancing has been better in past shows, I admit to sitting through the show with a smile on my face.
I do think Robin is being very kind to Anita and has adjusted the pace to suit her... what a gentleman!
Russell.... well Russell. I almost want him to win!!!

Oh no I didnt like the wembley show at all the sound was very echo-ey and the dancers to tiny for that arena. Robbie is a gross porn star like figure he should go but the public like him and Ola in a cta suit always gets votes. Russell is cute but no dancer - time to go? i'm not enjoying this series like I used to I do find the judges irritating esp Atishoo and her inane comments if she says 'I commend you' one more time I will scream!

I did quite enjoy tonight`s show, but apart from thinking that it`s time now for Russell to go, I can`t really say who I think was the best. Robbie Savage`s performance may have been very good, but there`s something about him I don`t like, just can`t put my finger on it.

Well,apart from Children in Need benefitting, I thought that tonight at Wembley was a mess.
It is far too big and I couldn't always see where the dancers were,and all those lights didn't help either.
I thought the dancing wasn't up to much either. Is it just me?

Grandmaagain..you are not being awkward....we can all have differing opinions. But I still think getting rid of Arlene was a huge mistake, the chemistry of the judges was so much more interesting then.

Conspiracy theory?

Here's a thought...
EVERYONE is so stunned that Anita was in the bottom two - could Len have something to do with that?
It was some sort of reaction to Harry's tango getting "slated" by Len (against the opinion of all the other judges) and yet he praised Anita's tango

Of course since the BBC won't release the actual numbers....
it COULD have been

Audley 15257 votes Anita 70,000 Alex 70,001 Robbie 70002 !

But I wonder how seriously the contestants take her judgements?

I'm going to be awkward again!! I really like Aleesha she has had the experience from the other side of the judges table (who could forget her beautiful dancing with the divine Matt) She is encouraging and I think that is what she is there for. The other 3 judges can score on the technical and artistic side.

Numberplease......I go a bit further....I pay no attention to her at all!

So agree ...praise from Craig is praise indeed.

And Robbie ...don't know why he keeps going on about Craig ...an analysis of all the scores given to the remaining 8 couples ...puts him in 7th place right across the board at the moment

Alesha has given Harry 4x 10 ...she's the only one who has him 1st over all of the last 8 couples...Len has him 5th behind Anita. Isn't that a surprise

In the same vein, I don`t set as much store by 10s when Alesha gives them, as she`s not really an expert.

Earlier down this thread we talked about Bruce Forsyth's value to SCD -compared to the judges
now I am thinking if I had to "lose" one of the judges I would sooner lose Len rather than Craig or Bruno
I think Craig and Bruno "get what SCD is about" more than Len and they aren't sentimental.

The dancers seem more genuinely pleased to get a good comment from Craig than any other.... sort of like the difference between a stranger saying "that was good" rather than your mum saying " that was brilliant darling"

Annobel, I was also taken aback by Len, he seemed to be in a foul mood. Harry had the Argentine tango mood to a tee. It was Anita who was not quite there. Dont get me wrong shes brilliant, but Len seemed to prefer her characterisation when it was, to me, much less mean and moody.

I loved the comment about Russell looking like giant Ferrero Rocher didn't you? I also liked Anita on WH this morning and hadn't realised Brain May is such an intellectual! She comes across as a nice down to earth person.
And as for Nancy's boasting of an "affair" (or not) with Tony Blair.....I do feel a prude when a women like her seems to be feted for little more then being what used to be called "une grande horizontale". How can she be so obsessed with her own putative sexuality and is it just sour grapes on my part? (not where Tony Blair is concerned I hasten to add )

Oooh Jacey - that's how rumours start. Whatever else it was, it certainly wasn't botox or any other facial 'improvement'!

numberplease

Actually ...I think ...and suspect there are others thinking the same ...but promise not to tell anyone ... that len wasn't away on holiday ...he get's paid too much per episode for that ... that yes, he was in another country for personal reasons ...[an op springs to mind] ...which is why he was grumpy ...but, let's respect his privacy!

We loved Kristina and Robin`s dance, it reminded me very much of the French Apache dancing that we haven`t seen on TV for years. I wonder if she misses her old dancing partner, Brian Fortuna, he of the lovely bum?

Len's critique of Harry's Argentine tango was a bit off beam. I thought it was supposed to be mean and moody which Harry's interpretation certainly was. Don't know what Len meant by saying it should be more passionate.

This where it starts to get a bit serious because everyone left in the competition now Audley has gone could be a winner on the strength of the dancing - everyone that is except Russell Grant... and when, if people start going out and he stays in ...
Audley showed true sportsmanship I loved the way you could hear him say to Anita " if it had been you I would have withdrawn"

There was nothing pornographic about Kristina's dance - really! It was great!
I think that in a world where girls and young women are bombarded with images and aspirations for " celebrity" eg many aspire only to be a WAG,
and are bombarded with ideal body images ie "skinny"
the SCD professional women are superb role models
- they achieve nothing without true talent ( they have nowhere to hide on the dancefloor unlike like many singers who rely on technology and the talent of others)
-and VERY hard work ( sucess is not handed them on a plate)
-and they have healthy athletic bodies while not being a "freak".
Would much rather a daughter wanted to be Kristina Rhianoff than to be Colleen Rooney.

Yes what was Len's problem? I mean - I can be a grumpy git I pride myself on that... But true grumpiness should be based on reason it's not an end in itself