Strictly Come Dancing 2023

It pains me that people of her calibre are considered good enough to be pros on Strictly nowadays. Karen too

This is what I've been saying about Layton all along - he can only dance one style, his showiness/staginess pervades every single dance he does no matter what actual dance or style it is - but he finally found a home for it last night on musicals week! I thought it was fantastic, very enjoyable to watch, worth the 4x10 score - but not so much a paso as a showdance, and not one I'll be going back to again and again.

Bobby and Diane's dance I thought was just all wrong - her older, him younger, her the pro, him the novice, plus he's just too tall and skinny (Patrick Swayze absolutely owns that role, even from the grave) - it just had the wrong vibe all over it. And the very wobbly lift definitely didn't help.

No mad standouts for me tonight (sorry last night, I'm only watching the show now).

Be interesting to see what Layton's next dance is, and if he can shoehorn himself into a strictly Latin/Ballroom routine (I'm guessing not!)

Well thank you Craig, for admitting that Layton didn't just dance a paso, he basically danced a showdance - but he still scored it a 10.

That's the dance competition element officially out the window.

On ITT during the week they said it was going to a number from A Chorus Line. The programme info also said it would be a Fosse inspired number. No idea why they changed it.

Oh was that last night? I missed last night's.

Gorka and Karen both do the Dancing with the Stars weekends that they do in hotels in england. a weekend of demonstrations and classes. A lot of the strictly pros do those weekends.

Well Karen is a former world champion so couldn't be the criteria that people are using.

Carlos is a world champion and I think he's an excellent dancer and teacher.

Karen has absolutely no Latin or Ballroom pedigree. She was a mambo dancer.

Dianne at least has proper Latin and Ballroom pedigree but I don't think she is a good teacher and it's all about her, rather than her partner.

Janette was very much a latecomer to ballroom and has never competed properly in Latin or Ballroom. Her main experience was from Burn the Floor.

My gripe with Strictly is they have ditched a load of proper Latin and Ballroom competitive dancers and replaced them with pro dancers who knows a bit of Latin and Ballroom.

Hmmmm, Layton didn't think he'd be good at the charleston? Really???

This is why I've had kind of enough of him, although that charleston was brilliant in fairness - not up with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for charisma for me, but well deserving of the 40.

But he completely lucked out getting that in the semi final, while poor Annabel got the salsa.

Hoping the VW will suit Annabel as well, and she gets a huge score. Although the music isn't exactly inspiring......

Ah, poor Bobby in ribbons after that!

In fairness, Annabel was the weakest dancer left so I won't argue with that for a decision. Hard to tell who was comforting whom in that last dance - Johannes is a bit OTT this series, slightly uncomfortable viewing sometimes. Better than being an emotionless robot, I suppose......

Layton was always at or near the top so he always safe from elimination EXCEPT for the week he was third from bottom and was in the dance off. I think ghe final is Ellies for the taking.

Oh I’d love to see Ellie win it, she’s been terrific throughout, thankfully it’s down to public vote for the final!

Ellie to win!!!

Brilliant result - well done Ellie

Absolutely delighted she won, well deserved. Been a joy to watch all her & Vito's performances each week!!!!

My mam was Team Bobby and is now sulking claiming it was all a fix, due to the hiccup earlier with Ellie's lift😄, but have to keep reminding her the public voted & that's what the public wanted.

Judging by how he was mauling her after her second dance, I hope so!!!