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Proudly blogging about Strictly Come Dancing ALL YEAR ROUND since 2006. Always spoiler-free.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Please Stand By...
Thank you all for reading my thoughts so far this series, and making Strictly Come Blogging a continued success.
I'm taking a wee break as I head off on my long-belated honeymoon, so there will be no updates until around 10th November, but please, please come back. I'll be posting my thoughts on the two weeks I miss while I'm away (will Craig Kelly make it to Blackpool??). And then normal service will be resumed all the way to the final.
Ricky Whittle fears that the public isn't behind him, because they love an underdog.
Ricky told the Daily Express: "If someone does well they don't like them. If this was America or Australia they'd be cheering us on because we are doing well. If I'd come out the first week and tripped up, then carried on the routine, the whole nation would be going 'ah, bless him'. It's great that everyone is so sympathetic but I think they need to just appreciate that everyone is doing the same job and trying their hardest. And if we are doing well, embrace us, get behind us. I've not been trained in dancing, I'm not in my comfort zone."
If Ricky had been in a dance-off, I could understand his sentiments, but Ricky has escaped that, which implies people are voting for him. Why he feels this bitter, I'm not sure.
The Sun sent their paps over to Rome, and they caught Joe & Kristina getting pretty cozy in Italy.
One holidaymaker who saw them said: One onlooker said: "They are clearly completely in love - they're at that stage when they can't keep their hands off each other. Even in the Vatican, the Pope's home, they couldn't resist a fondle. Good luck to them."
Craig Revel Horwood is playing the Wicked Queen in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs at the Venue Cymru in Llandudno this Christmas.
He told the North Wales Weekly News what kind of character he'll be: "Simply a wicked queen, darling. A tall, dark, ravishing beauty! I did drag 15 years ago and since gave it up. Now I’ve decided to bring her back. The audience will get a chance to boo me. I think it’ll be great fun."
Booing Craig? That'll be a novelty for him, then...
"I’ve never done [a panto] but I don’t see it as a come down from television. It’s one of the things you should have on your ‘to do’ listbefore you die."
The Mirror has a nice feature with Strictly's new girls on the block, including some lovely Charlie's Angels-style pics.
The feature is really about the photos, but there are a few comments too.
Natalie on Ricky: “He’s driven and hard-working. He can see what he’s capable of and if he doesn’t achieve it, he gets frustrated. The harder I am on him, the better he is, which isn’t fun as I want to be nice. But Len said we could be the most formidable couple they’ve ever seen, so it’s obviously working.”
Aliona on eating: “I love all naughty foods, especially chocolate – I eat it all day every day!”
Don't you just hate hearing that? Obviously all the dancing keeps her trim.
Katya on Phil: “He doesn’t like all work, he likes to play. You must have a balance with him and keep him in check.”
If you live in a city where The Stylist is distributed free, make sure you pick up a copy. Claudia is the cover girl on this week's issue, and she looks fabulous!
Here are my thoughts on this week's Strictly Come Dancing, a little late after another busy weekend.
Jade is really hitting her stride now. I thought her samba performance was confident and sassy. The routine had great choreography from Ian. Jade had some pretty decent hip action. It was brilliant.
Chris finally showed the flair that he had shown all those weeks ago. He and Ola covered the floor well with their American smooth. The lifts were clean. It was really a nice job. I actually thought the judges were a little hard on Chris.
I really liked Katya's choreography, but the performance didn't have the classic Tuffers charm. It was competent and enjoyable, but not Phil's best. Phil leads Katya really well. But despite all Phil's hip gyrations, the voltres were completely devoid of hip action.
Zoe & James had Hollywood glamour. Their American smooth was as smooth as silk. It was a shame the second lift was late, because it let the routine down for me. Zoe glows on the floor and is a pleasure to watch.
I'm glad Craig looked like he was having fun, because I didn't enjoy his samba with Flavia at all. I thought it really lacked technique, and it was quite boring. I thought it was Craig's worst dance.
Ricky &Erin's Viennese waltz-based American smooth was fantastic. It had proper glamour and brilliant choreography which really complimented Ricky. He still needs to watch his shoulders (although we know from training footage that Erin has been nagging him about that). I thought the judges scores were a bit low for Ricky.
I didn't really like Ricky &Natalie's samba, although I can't quite put my finger on why. I thought he was completely over-marked by the judges. I thought Ricky's knees were too flexed throughout the routine. His timing seemed to be out here and there. Maybe it was the choreography I didn't like. I really don't know, but this dance just didn't do it for me.
Natalie looked like she was loving the American smooth, but there is something not quite right about her lines. She needs to relax her shoulders and pull up through the spine more. I thought the choreography was uncharacteristically uninteresting and not to Vincent's usual inspiring standard.
Jo &Brendan's American smooth was quite charming. In the beginning Jo was really performing to the audience, something I'd never seen from her in the past, although she lost the performance in the middle. There were so many things wrong. Brendan was dragging her around the floor, her knees were too flexed, her timing was dodgy. Her hip action was pretty nice though.
The American smooth was a return to form for Ali & Brian. Ali still looks slightly off balance at times, but that was all I could fault her on. She seems to be much more comfortable with the ballroom. For me it wasn't a ten, but it was excellent.
Laila & Anton were better than I expected. Laila seems to have broken her mental block with latin. The timing was slightly off in places, but it was a much improved performance. Unfortunately, most of the negativity was directed at the choreography. I thought Laila performed what she was given pretty well, and the judges shouldn't penalise her for that. I have to comment that I thought the lighting for their routine was brilliant and really set the disco mood.
I was shocked to see Jade & Ian in the bottom two. They really upped their game and turned in a fantastic performance. I think it was right for Jo & Brendan to finally depart, but I would have put Craig & Flavia in the bottom two with them.
Camilla Dallerup might have hung up her Strictly shoes, but Craig Revel Horwood has been trying to sign up a new one - the Duchess of Cornwall.
Camilla cha cha-ed with Craig while visiting St Clement Danes Primary School in London.
Craig told The Sun: "I'd give her ten. She kept rhythm, her timing was excellent, her footwork was excellent - she has the personality for it."
Craig doesn't like giving out 10s. Camilla should be very pleased. Or maybe he was being polite. After all, her husband will be handing out the MBEs one day...
Joe Calzaghe has admitted that he'll miss the make-up, spray tan and spangles now that he is out of Strictly Come Dancing.
He told the Daily Telegraph: ''I'm probably going to miss all the make up, spangles and spray tan. It was one of the most nervewracking things I've ever done and I'm a bit disappointed. I did my best dance so I was a bit surprised to go out.''
Joe was nice about Alesha, although he admits he has no benchmark: ''Alesha's cool, she was nice to me. I never watched the show before so I never saw how good Arlene was. I wish I had watched it now so I would have known what to expect.''
I wonder if he would have signed up if he had seen the show...
The 'other' Strictly Zoe - Zoe Ball - is expecting a little sister for son Woody.
Zoe's husband Norman let it slip that the ex-Strictly finalist will be having a daughter in January.
He told the Press Association: "My son is very excited but he's convinced that she's going to be a tomboy - we know it's a girl, yes, fingers crossed."
Ricky Groves has dropped two stone since he bagan Strictly training.
He told the Daily Mail: "Last night I was admiring my muscles in the mirror. I’m starting to see my waistline rather than a belly. Erin is called "Miss Whiplash" and she has certainly whipped me into shape. She’s a very hard taskmaster. I know who’s boss."
His wife Hannah Waterman has been in the press recently for having lost a lot of weight, and now Ricky it's Ricky's turn.
Tess Daly wrote in her Mirror column this week that love is blossoming backsatge, but failed to elaborate.
She wrote: "There's love in the air backstage with more than one romance in the making. Mum's the word, but keep tuned. Not surprising when you consider the physical proximity of dancing and the time spent locked in sweaty training rooms. It's great to see some of our Strictly relationships last. Actor Matt Di Angelo and Flavia are still going strong. And another Strictly relationship (they met at the show) singing star Katherine Jenkins and presenter Gethin Jones are very happy together. So I live in hope of Strictly wedding bells, after all the dancing and the dresses are bound to be fabulous."
Tess has always been one to stir the pot when it comes to on-floor romance, but it quite often leaves the couples looking uncomfortable. Matt & Flavia looked like they wanted to floor to swallow them up at some of Tess' comments during their series. Although it's Bruce, not Tess, who's making Ali pull the same expression this year.
A little later than usual this week, here are my thoughts on this week's programme.
Ricky &Erin's jive was entertaining, but ugly. Ricky needs to point his toes. And he danced with the same arm as leg at one point, which is a massive personal pet peeve of mine. I thought the routine was a little boring, if I'm being brutally honest. But Ricky continues to be entertaining.
Jade &Ian's Viennese waltz was brilliant, and I think Jade's best dance of the competition so far. The Viennese waltz really suits the tall, and Jade made it look easy and natural. It flowed like water.
The nerves seem to be getting to Ali. There were lots of errors in the jive, and Ali still seems to be either holding back, or lacking in confidence. She should wow, and she doesn't. But I can't help but wonder if perhaps Ali is feeling a little self-conscious about the whole Brian thing...
The beginning of Jo &Brendan's Vienese waltz was ropey, but once they started moving around the floor, it was better. They attempted the fleckerl, which many couples have not attempted in the past, so she has to get credit for that. I agreed with Len and Alesha that it was Jo's best dance.
Choreographically, Zoe &James' jive didn't have enough bounce for me. The best jives of the past (Jill & Darren, Louisa & Vincent) have been very bouncy. Zoe did a solid job, but the whole thing was a bit 'ballroom' for the jive.
Ricky & Natalie were easy and effortless in their Viennese waltz. Like Jade & Ian, their height gives them beautiful lines. It was fantastic.
Craig finally showed some charm during the jive, but he still has major timing issues. Timing is such a difficult thing to teach. Flavia is going to have her work cut out.
Joe & Kristina had so many timing issues, and Joe still spends the whole dance staring at Kristina as if he'll completely loose it if he isn't looking to her. I agreed with Craig that he is starting to show some personality.
Natalie is still lacking in grace. Her naturals and reverses were a bit skippy, but her fleckerl was a bit walky. I'm still willing Natalie is be better than she is. She needs more control and needs to raise her presentation to match her enthusiasm. Vincent needs to address this.
Laila &Anton's jive was a complete mess. Anton dislikes latin, and jive especially, and unfortunately this is likely to be Laila's downfall. The choreography was awful, although I did like the song choice and outfits. I hate to say it, as I really love and respect Anton, but I can't help but wonder if Laila would have been better off with another partner. She has so much talent.
Phil & Katya did a nice job again. Phil needs to watch his shoulders, which seemed to be going up and down in Cockney knees-up fashion. Not a good look in Viennese waltz. Ever year everyone is looking for the dark horse. Could it be Phil?
Chris had lots of timing issues, which Ola needs to address. But his jive did have lots of personality. Chris seems to have lost his way a bit, and really needs to raise his game if he wants to stay in the race.
It was a complete shock to see Zoe & James in the bottom two. You could have put plenty of other couples in their places - Jo & Brendan, Craig & Flavia, even Laila & Anton. I think it was Joe & Kristina's time to go, and it was a no-brainer for the judges. Joe & Kristina were not progressing at the rate of some of the others in the competition.
Anton's former Strictly partner Jan Ravens says he'll be kicking himself for years over his recent comment to Laila.
Jan told the Liverpool Echo: “It’s one of those things he is going to be kicking himself for for a long time. We had a brilliant time and such a laugh at rehearsals, we were always laughing and joking. Anton said I was the funniest and rudest partner he had. We did have such an outrageous, giggly time. It was great, great fun.”
Jan, who is famed for lashing out at Craig over her exit, is glad she is not in the shoes of this year's participants: “I was doing something at TV Centre the other day and I saw all the women, Laila Rouass, Natalie Cassidy and co, and they were all so nervous and I thought ‘thank the Lord I’m over and done with it’.”
Craig Kelly has admitted that all the dancing is helping him in other aspects of his life, although as a newlywed, I doubt he needs any extra help.
Craig, who got married in the summer, told The Mirror: "She will kill me for saying that but [my wife] Camilla's very impressed with my improved hip movements. I am more tired than normal, so there are always a few early nights... Being on Strictly is very intense. But Camilla is probably the main reason that I am doing this.She gives me the courage."
Vincent has been charming journalists in his own special way once again, and discussing his partnership with Natalie Cassidy.
He told The Mirror: "Natalie is in love with me, of course she is, she's only human. Natalie and I have what I would call a brother-sister relationship. We're so similar in many respects, which is great for dancing. She was desperate to dance with me. When we met she paid me so many compliments I was embarrassed."
He, of course, gave her the once over when they met: "I looked at Natalie when we met and I knew she'd be amazing at some things but there would be other moves she wouldn't be able to do. When we get paired up with a celebrity it's not about their size, it's about getting someone who loves the show."
Vincent is also very candid about his No. 1 fan: "Every week I record Strictly and watch myself back to see how I look. I often think TV was invented for Vincent Simone. And it's even better now I'm in high-definition. I've got quite a few mirrors at home. Table mirrors, big wall mirrors. Even the surfaces in my house are polished and shiny so I can see my own reflection. I don't want to miss a second of my life. There's an aura that comes off of me."
Arlene Phillips thinks part of the reason Joe & Kristina were voted off of Strictly is because of their reported off-floor romance.
Arlene told The Mirror: “The romances this year – Kristina and Joe, Ali and Brian – are out there for all to see so it becomes meaningless on the dance floor. There is no mystery, no haunting quality.”
Tess Daly thinks this year's comeptition is too close to call the at moment.
She told the Coventry Telegraph: "I think they're looking pretty hot - we've seen a lot of early dancing ability and it's only going to get better. I think it's very hard to call, at this stage, who could potentially go all the way. Ricky Whittle from Hollyoaks, the heart-throb, he's looking good from the off. He's got a lot of dancing ability."
It's going to be a while before the real front runners emerge...
It seems Chris Hollins is getting distracted by Ola's skimpy outfits.
A source told The Sun: "They're doing the jive this weekend and Ola will be wearing one of her most revealing costumes. Chris has trouble keeping his mind on dancing with Ola flashing so much flesh."
Craig Revel Horwood is the latest Strictly star to pass comment on the recent race row.
The Mirror quotes an interview Craig gave to New magazine, in which he stated: “I’ve known Anton for years and years and years and he’s not a racist. I’ve never heard him say anything like that before and it’s so unlike him. This is a case of something being taken out of context and snowballing into a massive thing. Anton has apologised and Laila accepted it, so I think we all just need to move on.”
Alesha Dixon has admitted that the backlash aginst her appointment as a Strictly judge did affect her once in a while.
The Metro quotes an interview with Heat magazine, in which she said: "I cried. It was the second weekend of Strictly, before I went into the BBC, and somebody write something nasty and it just set me off! Pathetic, I know, but I'd just had a week of 'can't take it no more' and then I read that and it just set me off!"
Here we go with a round-up of Strictly Come Dancing, Week 4.
There was little to fault with Zoe &James' foxtrot. It was very graceful. Zoe looks so at home with ballroom, and really captured the glamorous spirit of the dance.
Chris' salsa was very hit and miss. There were times he really threw himself into it, and other times he looked very tentative. His timing was much better than last week, even during the sections where Ola left him on his own. But I did agree with Craig and Alesha's comments. The dance lacked energy and spirit.
Lynda & Darren turned in a good effort. Sometimes doubt flickers across Lynda's eyes, and gives her away. The dance lacked sway, and I agreed with Craig that it was a bit 'walky'. But I thought it was an inspired song choice from Darren, and a fabulous dress.
Ali &Brian's salsa routine was certainly action packed, but it looked better in the training footage than it did on the floor. Ali does have excellent hip action. She looked a bit nervous though, and not 'hot' enough. It wasn't Latin enough, it was all a bit British. Ali seems to be suffering from whatever inhibition Rachel Stevens had last year. She needs to let go.
Jo does OK when she's in Brendan's hold, but is a total mess out of it. I respect her for all the effort she is putting in. She needs more conviction and performance, which might cover up some of her lack of ability. And she must point her feet if she's going to do high kicks. They were pretty ugly.
Natalie needs to finish moves before she moves on to the next (I'd like to point out that I had turned to hubby and said this before Alesha said the very same thing last night... I'm very proud when I pick up the same things as the judges, but then I have to write a blog, and I don't want anyone to think I'm just rehashing the judges comments). She was the first of the salsa dancers who really captured the spirit of the dance. She needs to hold herself better when her feet aren't moving. During one arm section, she was stood with feet apart like a bouncer. But I really like Natalie. I hope she and Vincent stay a while longer.
Joe still has issues with his timing, but perhaps there is improvement. Very cleaver choreography, with lots of walking from Joe while Kristina did all the work. I really do not enjoy watching Joe dance.
Laila & Anton were easily the best foxtrotters of the night. They totally captured the spirit of the foxtrot. I worry that Laila will struggle when she has to do the latin dances. So far she's only had to face the cha cha, probably the easiest latin dance, and wasn't that great.
I thought Ricky & Natalie were fantastic, although I really would have liked to see Ricky attempt some more complex choreography - something more like Ali & Brian's routine. But he certainly did a great job.
Craig &Flavia's foxtrot was a bit tentative. It lacked the required sway. Craig needs to sell it more. His performances lack personality.
Jade & Ian put in a good salsa performance. I don't want to mention the height thing, but salsa does favour the small. But Jade did well. She could have had more performance, and it could have been cleaner, but a solid performance.
Ricky & Erin looked classy. He does need to watch his shoulders, as the judges mentioned, and really relax. Even he lacked the real performance that we've seen in past weeks. But he did prove that he does have dance ability.
Phil & Katya's salsa was good, considering the circumstances. Phil didn't dance that much, which was to be expected, but he had good hip action and brought performance and fun to the routine. I can't wait to see Phil when he is further removed from his operation.
Again, I don't think the two worst dancers were in the bottom two. It should have been Jo and Joe. I can understand people's motivation to vote for Jo, as she is sweet and is really working hard. But I don't like Joe especially. If you're voting for him, please explain to me why...
Personally, I would have saved Lynda & Darren. I like Craig, but his performances are generally pretty tentative and lacking in confidence. It was close though. Craig is probably technically better but lacks performance and presentation. Lynda is technically weaker, but has performance in spades. A tough decision, and I don't judge Bruno and Len for going with Craig & Flavia.
Len Goodman is the latest person to comment on the Strictly race row.
He told the Sunday Mirror: "Anton says one word and people want to crucify him - I just don't understand that. You get to the point where you're paranoid about opening your mouth in case you're offending people. I've never felt offended when my mates are taking the mickey out of the length of my nose. Why should Anton go? Why? He's been fantastic in seven series of Strictly. An absolute star. The thing is, as far as I'm concerned, he's apologised, she's said you're forgiven. Let's draw the line under it."
He also comment on Bruce's attempt to defend Anton: "You try and come to someone's defence and you end up making the situation worse. The trouble is a certain age group. If you go back 40 or 50 years, as he is, there wasn't so much political correctness in the world. There wasn't. Things have become taboo, which I understand and I'm not trying to say what Anton did was correct - it wasn't. But I do understand things were different in those days. Bruce is 81, he comes from a generation."
Singing Corner pipsqueek Louis Walsh has decided that Strictly is "finished", following the recent race row.
He told The People: "The show has got worse and worse each year it has been going. It was bad even before the racism issue blew up. But, as far as I'm concerned, now that this has happened it's finished as a show. I honestly don't think anything like this would ever happen on X Factor."
He goes on (and on): "From what I know about the row, Anton Du Beke should be sacked but I don't even know who he is - that just shows how downhill it has gone. We don't know who anyone is in it anymore. When the supposed celebs were announced I had no idea who they were."
I think Louis is clearly commenting on something he knows nothing about. Anton is one of the dancers, and not the celebrities, so therefore it doesn't matter that Louis doesn't know who he is. He's not really supposed to. And Anton has been a part of Strictly since show one. So how does his inclusion mean the show has gone downhill?
And why, if Strictly is so unimportant, does Louis feel the need to comment on it? Because it gets him a bit more publicity, and he thinks it makes him look good. But denouncing someone you have supposedly never heard of just exposes you as a publicity junkie.
The Singing Corner gets more viewers than Strictly anyway. That's no secret. So why should Louis even care?
The first celebrities participating in the Strictly Come Dancing tour have been announced: Kelly Brook, Austin Healey and Mark Ramprakash.
It will be interesting to see who they are partnered with, as none of their original partners will be a part of the tour.
Arlene Phillips will miss Saturday performances because of So You Think You Can Dance?, and there is a looooong list of performances that Len will miss. On first glance, it looks like Len will only appear at the dates that Arlene is not doing.
I love Kelly, so I'm really pleased she's taking part, although I'm not sure I want to see her dance with someone other than Brendan. She might be well suited to James, but I guess it depends if Zoe does the tour.
I'm not a massive fan of Dancing With The Stars. The 60 second short, flashy dance routines with very little content don't really float my boat.
However, I did end up watching it the other day, and I just loved Aaron & Karina's quickstep. And there was a surprising amount of dancing in it! Check it out.
Ricky Whittle has so far delined invitations to get a spray tan, but is now staring to worry that he might start loooking a bit pale next to his fellow participants.
He joked to the Liverpool Echo: "They asked me if I wanted some fake tan. The other contestants in Strictly wear it so now I'm the whitest in the show, even though I'm black. I'm thinking I may have to start wearing it!"
Ricky is obviously comfortable in his masculinity, as he's enjoying the costumes: "I'm loving the costumes, the more sparkles the better. It makes you feel the part, I wouldn't get into the routines as much if I was dancing in jeans and trainers. But I was glad I didn't have to wear pink last week, I'd worn it for two weeks running."
It's not just the dancing which keeps the Strictly female pros fit. They all enjoy other activities, The Mirror reports.
They have been speaking to Glamour magazine about what they do in their spare time.
Erin says: "I have a gym in my apartment block and I do a lot of boxing. I have to watch what I eat, but I'm not too faddy about my diet."
Flavia says: "I'm a very active person. Even if I've got a day off, I'll go for a walk or a jog."
But Lilia admits that dancing with a Strictly celebrity can be one of the best ways to stay fit: "Sometimes you have to virtually carry them round the floor!"
Bruce Forsyth has defended Anton's recent comment to Laila, claiming that the quick-witted slip up from time to time.
The Guardian report that Bruce said on TalkSport: "OK, [Anton] can be a bit mouthy and can say quick things off-the-cuff like I do. If someone says something to me then I'm straight back. Quick reflex of the tongue is what we've got. But when you're like that you can slip up every now and again. You can say something that you don't mean. But I'm sure there was nothing vindictive about what he said and [Anton's apology] should be accepted and the page should be closed on it. It's a damn shame and I feel for him and Laila, she's a lovely girl."
Unless you have been living in a bubble for the past week, you'll have probably seen the story about Anton having made a racist comment to Laila.
When asked about the incident at the Pride of Britain Awards last night, Laila told Wales Online: “Anton has apologised and I’ve accepted it. This happened a couple of weeks ago now and we are just having a really good time. We just want to move on from it.”
I'm not for one minute condoning what Anton said, but if Laila says she has moved on perhaps the 281 people who have complained should do the same.
Arlene Phillips is to return to Strictly Come Dancing, but only if you have tickets for next year's arena tour. Arlene will be sitting on the judging panel when the Strictly tour hits the road in January.
The Mirror reports that is is unclear at the moment if Alesha will have any involement with the tour in another capacity.
A source told the paper: "Arlene can't wait to get stuck in again. She is looking forward to picking up where she left off and providing her expert opinion on the roadshow. Despite all she's been through at the hands of the producers her love for the show is still strong and she jumped at the chance of being involved once again."
Once again, I have to praise Arlene's dignity through this whole thing. Despite the way she has been treated, she is still involved in the show and seems to have no bitterness about it. She's a bigger woman than I would be. I commmend her wholeheartledly.
Here are my thoughts on Week 3 of Strictly Come Dancing. Some unusual music choices this week, especially on the paso side...
Ali & Brian kicked the show off to a fantastic start. Their quickstep routine had great musicality. They made it all look effortless and easy. Brilliant. Ali should go far in the competition.
I thought that Lynda &Darren's paso was a bit tame. There was a lot of walking and posing, and not enough content. Lynda is capable of more in my opinion.
Chris needs to watch his timing, especially when he is left on his own. But he had bags of energy and fun, and I think he and Ola could still be ones to watch.
Zoe gave a great performance, but I thought James' choice of You Got The Love was bizarre for paso. It just didn't sit right we me at all. Zoe performed the choreography she was given very well, but like Lynda & Darren, I just thought it was a bit tame. James could have really gone to town with Zoe. I think her ability was a bit wasted.
I liked Aliona's choreography, but it wasn't right at all for Rav. The whole thing was all over the shop. It was chaotic, and Rav looked like he was playing catch-up all the way through. It was so messy. I'm sure Rav would have been better off with something simpler.
I had to agree with Bruno about Natalie &Vincent's paso - Natalie had ups and downs throughout the dance. When Natalie is on it, she is brilliant. When she's not, she looks awkward. But she has so much potential. I don't think Natalie has found her stride yet, but I hope she does.
Craig has lots of timing issues that he needs to watch. There was also lots of gapping between him and Flavia, especially noticeable when they were in promenade position. I thought the judges were a little harsh. Craig looked a lot more relaxed than last week, and it was a competent performance.
There's a lot to be said for use of traditional music for paso dobles. España Cañi is a classic, and works every time. Ricky & Natalie looked brilliant on the floor. They work together well. They pitched the whole thing perfectly. Was it the best paso ever, as Alesha excitedly proclaimed? I think Austin & Erin might disagree. I would too.
Jade &Ian's quickstep was pretty good. I think Jade was a fraction off time in places and needs to watch her frame still. But they covered the floor well, and as always Ian's choreography had great musicality. Look out for it on Choreography Corner this week.
Joe didn't dance enough during the paso. And he was grinning at one point, which just looked odd. Kristina did all the work in the routine. I agreed with Bruno that Joe just didn't have the style of the paso correct, he didn't capture the essence of the dance.
Laila &Anton's quickstep was hit and miss. It showed on her face (and also on Anton's!) when she's gone wrong. It looked as if sections were a being improvised, but only they can know how much was the correct choreography. But when it was correct, it was good. Laila could go far because she does look good on the floor, but must avoid those kind of slip-ups.
Jo must avoid looking at her feet. I can't decide if Jo & Brendan were better this week than last. To give Jo her dues though, she really does try hard. She is performing as best she can.
Phil had a couple of tiny timing issues, but otherwise his quickstep with Katya was marvelous. He has great posture. Phil has fantastic character and presence on the floor. He's a joy to watch, and could go a long way. I think the public will enjoy watching his progression.
Ricky had fantastic character in the paso. It was very strong, very believable and very entertaining. Erin, as she always does, has done a great job of choreographing to his strengths. I think it was unfair to describe it as a 'comedy paso'. There were humourous elements, but it wasn't a comedy piece.
For me, Joe Calzaghe should have been in the bottom two with either Rav or Jo. Certainly not Lynda. Of the bottom two, I agreed with the judges' decision to let Rav go. Rav's performance in the dance-off was even worse than his first performance.
It seems the public have not learned anything from last year and Sergeantgate. Why are people saving Joe? I'm sure it's all very amusing at the moment, but when talented participants start to leave the competition, it will just turn into a joke. I picked up my phone last night and voted for several people in the middle of the table who deserve to stay, because I want those who can dance left in the competition.
Jade Johnson thinks Strictly is so hot, it should have a post-watershed time slot.
She told The Sun: "Strictly is so hot it should have a late night version. You can't help get close whether it's in a sexual way or in a 'relying on you' way. I have had family members in the audience next to the partners. Every time they see a hand run up a thigh they jump in their seat."
From time-to-time you do see great chemistry on Strictly, but it's all over in 90 seconds [insert your own joke here].
Brian Fortuna has been asking partner Ali Bastian out on dates, but while she admits she likes him, she wants to keep their relationship Strictly professional.
Brian told The Sun earlier this week: "The truth is I've been asking Ali out for two or three weeks. She turns me down every time but maybe one day she'll accept it. Who knows?"
Ali told The Sun: "I think he is lovely. I think because we are working so closely together, you do get interested. You spend so much time together and I really am enjoying the moment. I feel great. I am completely inspired by him. He is an incredible dancer. I do have a big weakness for men who can dance and I have never met anyone who can dance quite so well as Brian. I am feeling really happy right now and I am so glad to have him as my partner."
Brain spends a lot of time working with Kristina. Maybe he's seen the publicity she's got with Joe and fancies a bit of the same. Or maybe he really does like Ali. Not sure why you'd tell The Sun that though... I'm so cynical... They would make a very lovely couple, though.
Former Strictly participant Mark Foster has given his backing to new judge Alesha Dixon.
He told The Mirror: "Alesha struggled to find her feet - and she got a slating. But just like the contestants, she is getting better and better. Last week she was saying a lot more. She brings a freshness and charisma to the judging panel. It has nothing to do with ageism, but I think the show needed a shake-up. She'll be great."
Mark got quite a hard time from the judges. Maybe things would have been a little easier if he'd had Alesha judging him...
