Strictly's Back

I thought it was a very good show last night mainly because it just cracked on with the contestants dancing and no faffing about with sometimes not very good 'star turn'. But please can we get rid of that monotonous hand clapping and just hear the very well played and sung music and watch the dancing? Love Alexnadra - Fab U Lus and she seems like a nice person too.

oops apologies - Alexandra!

I agree with Jane 10's post.

She epitomises what the show is about in a funny kind of way, she doesn't take herself seriously, enjoys simply taking part, gives it her all and doesn't care a hoot what she looks like.

A little Scottish ray of sunshine. Go Susan.

The snippets showing 'what contestants have done between rehearsals' are highly irritating. Brian Conley's visit to the Italian restaurant, Gemma's trip to Greenwich observatory, Kevin and Susan on the train!
Add in the clumsy punning segues and I find these sections just dreadful.
It's a show that needs streamlining not time fillers.
I enjoy the dances and judges' comments but not the extraneous nonsense.

Being Scottish what goes through my mind is who is paying for this trip or meal? Is it the licence payers-us?

also Scottish Charelygirl an that never crossed my mind.Keep perpetuating the mean Scottish myth why dont you....WE know its not true !

It's starting to get on my nerves. All that forced 'craziness' in the background.

I think this is a good series with lots of potential and some obvious duffers. I love Susan and enjoyed the One Show she was on. She comes across as a really genuine person.

I suppose the filmed 'fillers' are to allow the set up of props etc for the next dance.
What they could do is dispense with the 'live' aspect (and the Sunday show isn't live) and just film the dancing and scores. Would take about an hour. They could then throw open the phone lines for voting and have a genuine live show after an hour to give the results /dance off etc. Simples. Of course that wouldn't fill enough airtime.

I really enjoyed last nights programme and actually re- watched three of the dances - Ruth, Alexandra and Susan and had a tear in my eye when Alexandra was wishing her mum could have been there! I always record and then start to watch so I can fast forward through the boring 'what we did this week' sections which are so repetitive and boring. It's about time they stopped the charade of the Sunday night programme and either show it all on Saturday (maybe later on but imagine the complaints from the other halves?) or admit it's recorded. It drives me mad that they have to remember to say "last night etc". I hope Simon Rimmer goes, he's the weakest now but Shirley Ballas apparently has a soft spot for him.

How did Simon escape the Dance Off? Charlotte was the right person to go this time though

jane that did cross my mind but it is already so not live that I don't think it would make any difference.
Cut the rubbish, keep editing, stop pretending Sunday is live and present results later on Saturday.
Love Susan and Joe and like paddy disllike that 'Scottish' stereotyping.
Hang your head in shame charley!

Didn’t think much of Brendan’s choreography nor, come to that, his dancing.

The right person went from the dance off. Not so sure the right people were in it though. Loved Susan's dance, a sense of Strictly past.

mcem do you not understand humour and a joke?

How the HECK was Davood in the dance off? Out of the 2 of them, the right person went, but I was convinced it was going to be Simon.

Should have been Simon and Brian in the dance off. Of the two who were, the right one went.

I also loved Susan's dance last night.

I think Susan has a lot of popular support because she's one of the few who hasn't had dance training, but she's really giving it her best shot whilst patently enjoying every moment. I also have a soft spot for Kevin and agree with an earlier poster that he is very unselfish in his choreography, which is always very well tailored to bring out the strengths of his partner.
I had to smile at sparkle's comment about the teeth - I had noticed it, but I'm sure there isn't really anything they can do about an excess of pearly whites.

Boring stereotyping does not equal humour and joke.

Surely Charley is allowed to take the mickey out of herself?

kitty obviously not so I will bow out.

Right time for Charlotte to go very pretty girl but not a dancer (what does she do by the way to make her a celebrity?) How come its OK for Brendan to stick his bum out when dancing but not Johnny?

Overall I thought the judges comments didn't marry up with their marking.

I thought your post was funny, Charleygirl but then I'm not Scottish so I'll be next in line for the firing squad.

Maybe mcem and paddyann should watch Beechgrove Garden. Whenever the presenter, Jim McColl, demonstrates plant propagating he jokes about canny Scots knowing how to save the pennies.

He obviously feels a gentle sense of humour wins over accusations of Scottish stereotyping.

Hear hear merlotgran - and that's said in my Scottish accent!