Exclusive Backstage Gallery - Week 9

Natalie's dress looks really lovely. Looking forward to seeing the dance.

I love Kara and I wqant her to win the show and her costume for tonight looks really good and I can't wait for her jive.



Charlotte :-)

Looks like at least one dance routine is going to have more mist than Act1, Scene 1, of the Scottish Play.



Either that or Ann has taken me at my word and called in a favour from Hereford after all.



Keeeep Dancing!!!

Will be interesting to see the running order. Wondering if Scott & Natalie or Gavin & Katya will be first on as they are both due a turn opening the show. Would be most shocked if AW was on before half way though.

MreArcanum @4



I have spent all this time being convinced by you that A2 is the Grand Finale and that is who the Proletariat are really waiting for.

I would be heartbroken to see them open the show.



Keeeep Dancing!!!

Good luck Matt and Aliona. Awesome track

Awwwww Chaswick, why would it be heartbreaking to see A&A open the show?



Would be wonderful for the rest of us though ;¬)

Excuse my miss spelling I pressed the wrong key. The word was want.







Charlotte :-)

MrsArcanum @7



I would be heartbroken because the Judges would not know whether to mark up, down or sideways and Len would have run out of anecdotes whilst Bruno and Brucie were tusseling, CRH would be lost for words daaahlink and Aleisha would start laughing.



It would be entertainment Jim, but not as we know it!



Keeeep Dancing!!!

Well, cut my afternoon party short just to be in time for to-nites Strictly. I'm so looking forward to seeing the remaining couples and do hope everyone will present us with - again - wonderfull and amazing dances. Wonder what Anton has prepared again to make us 'smile' - as we do know that Ann simply can't dance, but does her utmost to give us something 'comical' (good for you, Ann and Anton!!!). Wonder what the 4 judges will give us this time... as long as insults stay out of the building! Anyway, I'm sure I will have a nice evening again as - as usual for the Dutch TV - there's nothing much to watch over here ... so glad I'm able to watch foreign broadcasts.... Enjoy!!!

Hi all, I'm a newbie to the blog but not to the show, I've been watching it here in Turkey on line and really enjoy my Saturday nights in! I do have to say though, that I'm fed up with AW now, it seems unfair that really good dancers are getting voted off just because the great British public like a good laugh. After all, it is a dance competition, not a comedy show!!



So, good luck to all the couples, Kara's fantastic, so is Ssssscot but Patsy and Pamela are my favourites for their sheer determination and love of the dancing.



Not long to go now..... :0)

STOP PRESS



Released by the Press Association at 12.50 - Sat 27 Nov 2010.



Strictly Come Dancing's remaining stars have been horsing around with a Wild West theme as they prepare for tonight's show.

The group, who have earned their spurs over the past few weeks, swapped the ballroom for the bar-room to dress as cowboys and cowgirls.



The stars, in stetsons and bandanas, will be showing off the good, the bad and the ugly on the dancefloor on BBC1 at 6.30pm tonight Saturday).



Patsy Kensit, Pamela Stephenson and Kara Tointon dressed as sexy showgirls while Ann Widdecombe wore a more modest ankle-length mustard gown topped off with a tiger-print hat.



The group, which also includes Matt Baker, Scott Maslen and Gavin Henson in the final seven, posed in their gear for a special film to be screened tonight.



Online betting firm Betfair ranked Patsy as the even-money favourite to leave the show when the results of this weekend's competition are announced on Sunday.



Keeeep Dancing!!!

Well good luck to all the REAL dancers (and apologies to Anton, I know you're doing your best...)

I won't be watching tonight or ever again. The fiasco that this series has become has totally killed my love for Strictly. We'll be watching DVDs while we're eating dinner instead - at the moment it's a straight toss-up between Spaced and Oban Star Racers, neither of which will ruin my appetite. We'll switch back in time for Merlin...

Why does Len roll his eyes when Craig gives Gavin a 3, 2 points more than he gave Ann Widdecombe, then he only marks him 1 better?

sorry but i think the judgers should look at the scores they are giving out, sorry but no way was Scott dance on the same level as Kara's

I think the judges are overmarking Pam Stephenson, to the point where it reeks of rigging.

I would like Claudia to get Aleshia on it Takes Two next week and explain how on earth she can give Scott a better mark than Matt. Scott went wrong and forgot this steps so many times, Matt did not! I think Kara had the same mark as Scott as well, get real Aleshia, the public dont like it when you manipulate the marks to keep dancers in! I know they are worried that a bad dance from a good dancer might mean they go out instead of Ann but come on Matt's was not that bad!

Aliona, Aliona............. Love you, BUT. You would have got four tens tonight IF........... you had put Matt in elegant tails and had done a traditional American smooth with traditional music in hold. He is without doubt the best dancer in the competion and if there is any fairness you should win. Natalie interprets what the judges want and choreoghraphs it accordingly. You could push Matt and still do traditional. He would have glided around that room with the most amazing WOW factor. I watched S.I.T.T. and started to get nervous then, the music was wrong and the routine. You are the professional, look at past footage please. Matt is relying on you.

How can Scott get a 9 when he forgot a good 50% of his dance and Matt gets an 8 for a beautifully executed (though not traditional) American Smooth. The poor bloke must be wondering what he's got to do. Scott, and to an extent Kara, are consistantly over-marked. Her jive tonight was a little lack lustre and she went wrong too!! I bet Matt's crying in his beer. The judges need to stop the bias marking, it's spoiling the show. and don't get me started on Anne...........

Charlestoncharlie,

I totally agree, I was thinking the same, scott went badly wrong and got 2 nines from Alisha (who overmarks anyway in my opinion) and Bruno, Matt, as you say, did a beautiful dance and was scored and 8 from alisha, it doesnt' make sense, are they marking the dance or who they want to win or see in the final

Disgusted by the markign for Matt and Aliona. How Alesha coudl give Scott a 9 beats me. Appalled.



Scott and kara are the BBCs teachers pets and I'm fed up watching this show.

it does appear that they want scott and kara in the final - what about Matt, he's fantastic and could match ssssssccott any day, come on judges. Lets start a campaign to get Alisha on It Takes 2.

Gavin is useless and even though Ann makes an effort she's still getting 1's from Craig, come on, even a 5 would ensure she's going to be bottom of the leader board.

Matt danced beautifully and with conviction, even though Aliona's choreography was not a bit too off beat I thought. And then he was marked down for caring too much! What has the poor man got to do to please the judges?

So agree with biba...an elegant american smooth in traditional tails, fred and ginger style would have got the tens!

Mike Post 22. If Craig had given Ann Widdecombe one point for every dance step she did she still wouldn't have earned a five. I was fully expecting him to refuse to give a mark on the grounds there was no dance to mark.

Natalie,

They are not marking per step - they only go up to 10!!!!

On a serious note, she still danced more correct steps than Scott, or even Gavin, and scott got 2 nines, I am just saying that Craig doesn't have to be so so mean with only a 1 -

We have always been great fans of Strictly and have watched it avidly since its conception, but after tonight we feel it is losing its charm. Anton is doing a brilliant job with Ann and it is great entertainment but we feel it might be time for her to go. More importantly the marks tonight were completely wrong in as much as ssscott messed up big time and yet both Alishia and Bruno marked him higher than Matt who seemed to make a much better job of the American smoothie. We love both dancers, but come on fair do's. Not sure we shall be taking such an interest in future.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

The marks tonight were a farce. Matt is the best male dancer (if not dancer)on the programme. I agree Alisha should explain why she marked Matt below Scott and Tara (who was good).Scott was awful and is tired but he is not the only one working during the day. It should be marked how the celeb performed that night. What does Matt have to do as he is consitenly undermarked. He is a crowd puller - the only standing ovation bar Ann

I am a huge fan of SCD - but I was terribly disappointed about last nights show. Please can Claudia get the judges to explain all the 8's they gave to Matt & Aliona compared to the rest, some of whom's performances were frankly quite 'clunky'.Only Craig noted the beauty of Matt and Aliona's lifts. Matt is a wonderful dancer,which all the other judges say but then penalise him in their scoring. How Bruno and Alisha can justify 10 for Pamela's charleston which was fun but not always sharp, and 9 to Scott,whom at one point was led my the neck, and Matt 8 , is very hard to understand. All my family were disappointed. Poor.

I agree with most of the comments regarding Alesha. She has no idea how to vote at all and personally I think she is voting for who she wants to win, not for the best dancer. Please BBC do not have Alesha back next year. I think you should apprpach Karen Hardy as he is a professional and does know what she is talking about.

Matt is far better than any of the males, ie Scott and Gaving, infact Scott was a mess last nigh , he admitted that he was bad and made a lot of mistakes and he seemed to blame it because he was tired if he feels like that why doesn't he back out. Matt was definitely undermarked and Scott was overmarked. For his performance Matt should have had at least 3 10's. I think Gavin was abolsutely rubbish.

I love Matt and Aliona but I felt that tonight the dance was more about Aliona showcasing her own dancing rather than showing what Matt can do. I agree with what has been said about the judges showing their favouritism with the voting bias. Doesn't stop me watching the show though, still one of the best shows on TV :D

I think you might all be right about the marking situation. Alesha doesn't have a clue, and never has. Yes she was an excellent dancer but that doesn't make her capable of judging! Scotts dance was really dire, I think he's exhausted, he shouldn't have been marked so high. Matt was fab but I agree about the outfit, tails would have been a lot more smooth looking. And lastly AW...did anyone notice the look she gave Anton when he said vote for Matt?? It was a look to kill. As I said before taxi for Widders.

I love Strictly but last night felt like turning off for good. The judges marks need explaining. I have felt for weeks that Matt is undermarked but last night was embarrassing for the BBC. Scott is a great dancer but last night was really poor due to his tiredness, how on earth did he get scores higher than Matt and Aliona? Please, please explain as it is all starting to look a little fixed!!!

Have the judges gone mad? I didn't agree with anything they said! Matt Baker was absolutely fan bloody tastic! He's the most natural dancer of the lot and the face was to act the intensity, he wasn't meant to be happy, he was acting a story..the judges are always far too harsh on him and far too easy on Pam..Matt Baker is in a different league to Pam. I am not usually a fan of Patsy but I though she danced brilliantly and looked beautiful and the problem was with the crap song choice..it was a terrible tango song that lacked drama, so, no matter how brilliant she was, the song wasn't passionate or dramatic enough. Pam..she's always got her shoulders round her ears..it looked so messy and the costume department never get it right for her shape(I love James Jordan though)..Gavin has completely lost faith in himself..he just thinks he can't do it, I know he's not good but in almost anything in the world, it's more about confidence than talent and you can get good if you believe you are. I can't understand why Katya and he haven't got it on and dancing with Katya's bloke must have knocked him down even further in training this week(what was she thinking?!..yeah, he's a great dancer and Katya loves him :( ). This was Ann's best dance, I can't bear her, she's mardy, (Blackpool ballroom isn't any better than television studio according to her and she says of course a dance competition doesn't change you....she says "get a life" about the dance steps being inappropriate..people think Gavin's arrogant! However, I enjoyed the dance this week and she was better than Gavin! Kara wasn't good but I think that this week, the routine let her down..Artem isn't a jive dancer, he's too dramatic, it didn't feel like a jive and I don't think he danced it well, usually his choreography is brilliant, he's not a jiver! Scott is good, he'd probably be better off having time off just to sleep and then he can return to the dance floor refreshed but he seemed to give up this week, his arm placements and stuff, he looked like he couldn't be arsed, luckily Natalie admires him so and enjoys dancing with him. He is usually really good. I loooove strictly and this week...the girl's costumes (except Pam's) were out of this world..Gavin's was questionable though!!

I would like to say that it's annoying when I want to see past dances from Strictky..al the videos don't include the training and votes which is half of it! We want to see how the couples got on..I've only just got in to strictly and I keep trying to catch up with past dances and series...can we have the training and votes included with dances saved on youtube please??!!

How anyone can say that Ann Widicombe is entertaining is beyond me in the past people were voted off because of the way they performed their dances people like poor fiona were slated but at least she tried the Widdy just stands there while poor Anton does all the dancing for her...Surely the other celebs that were a hundred times better than her are wondering why after all the effort they put in they were voted off.It is about time people woke up and decided that she should go because I for one am sick of seeing her...So come on everyone vote for people that can really dance and give poor Anton a break.After all who will want to join Strictly next year and work their butts off only to see someone with no talent for dancing push them to one side.The longer she is in the show the more people who like to see real dancing will boycott Strictly and that will be a shame.And can I just say Craig is right to say O M G I agree with him whole heartedly.Well done Craig.

If you want to avoid an aneurysm just take note of Craig's comments and scores. They are pretty much on the money and when he is allowed to speak he gives valid criticisms and fair praise.



See that Kara and Artem were show openers for the third time. Was most shocked over A&A being on second. Perfectly timed for making the dumplings for the stew though. :¬D

so so pleased matt through

Ann is making this show a farce... she should resign to give those that can dance a better chance.. and at the beginning of tonight's (Sunday) result show they showed a Rumba... more like a writhe, acrobatics and slinging in the air... Come dancing years ago was frilly dresses and DANCING where has all that gone..? now they don't dance more like wriggle around each other as if trying to seduce their partner.

Why oh why is AW still in this Dance Competition !!!!

Please BBC give the Judges the Final Say on who goes and who stays, because left to the public I fear AW will go all the way to the Final !!! and what a FARCE that would be !!!!!!!!!!!!

Ann Titanic .



In Her own words "High on promises, low on action. Long on spin, short on truth. Drunk on power, incapable of delivery"



Decide if the program is light entertainment or a celebrity dance competition , if the former fine get the chuckle brothers in and we can all have a laugh. we have got bored now and used the TV voting button and turned over .

....because of the change to this series voting rules there are now two rubbish (I'm being polite) dancers left in the last six. If this show was called 'Strictly come torso' then Gavin H would have a right to be still in the running. Equally, if the show was called 'Strictly come has-beens' Ms Widdecombe would have contending rights, but the clue about this show is in the tile 'Strictly come DANCING'. The interest is/used to be, seeing someone, we'd vaguely heard about, learn a skill - and that was enough. I would/will never watch a show called 'Strictly come celebrity'...get me out of here!

Watching tonights show was a farce. Craig is right in marking Anne Widdecombe as he does. She is a terrible dancer and is letting Anton down badly. He is Mr Ballroom and never gets a decent partner in all the years that strictly has been running. Come on BBC, do something about it, Anne has been at the bottom of the leaderboard in every programme. Do something about it. Or is it that she is a politician and nobody dare say anything. Come on Anne, do a John Sargeant and do the decent thing and resign from the programme. You know you cant dance. Do the right thing and leave the show. its not fair how you keep coming back every week.

I love watching strictly come dancing, but sorry to say, tonight was a farce, Anne must go she can not dance and has not improved at all, people that can dance are having to leave because she is still there.

How disgusting that Ann Widdicome is still in we lost a good dancer last night and this is what the show is about, DANCING not a comedy show, its time she went and we kept the proper dancer, this show has really gone to the dogs and its time for the B.B.C to get to grips , if this is the stat of what will happen next year then its time to switch off very poor show and the morons who ae voting for Ann the show is about DANCING!

I also agree that Scott was seriously overmarked and Matt perhaps slightly undermarked.



But what gets me is how they keep going on mentioning 'Well Scott's working two jobs', Matt's working three, Countryfile, One Show and Strictly, and he's still going fine.



They could mention it at the very least.

Can we have pictures from the HD cameras please.



These are very fuzzy.

WHAT IS GOING ON? I have watched every series of Strictly since it started and there have been some fabulous dancers entertaining us. However, Ann Widdecombe says she is 'in it to win it'. If she does, there must be something wrong with the public for voting her the best dancer of this series. It is extremly unfair to the rest of the competitors, who are better dancers, and are voted off in favour of 'amusing entertainment'. If I wanted a laugh I would rather watch a sketch from 'The Two Ronnies'!!. I'm afraid it is wearing a bit thin now, and I wont waste a phone call voting for anyone.

Please ask Bruno or someone in wardrope where i can find a jacket like the one he was wearing on Sturday night? it is a blue/purple dinner jacke, I cannot find one anywhere.



Thank you



Mark

I also am furious AW is still participating (can't say Dancing)! I also cannot understand why every one keeps commentating on how hard Scott is working tell him to stop wingeing and look at how well Matt is doing with all his work load

I'm really sick of watching Anne Widdecombe. Its gone beyond a joke now. I am thoroughly disappointed that viewers keep voting her in. I have actually come to the point where I think the whole thing is fixed. How on earth week after week she manages to save herself from elimination I shall never know. The scores given to her leave a large descrepancy from the next celebrity, but she still manages to beat the system. I do not think this is a fair competition with Ann still in it. She does not dance and its not entertaining anymore! Good dancers (celebrities that really practice hard) are being voted off and Anne, who I believe does not practise to the extent they do is still on our screen. Its not entertaining anymore and I think the show has lost its meaning.

Best, Mirjana, Leicester

Miss Widdecombe MUST go. The sheer arrogance with which she insists that she has the right to get to the final and the shameless sucking up to the British public are as irritating as her 'dancing' is inexistent. It is an insult to all the other celebs who week after week work really hard at learning new dances, while miss W merely puts on a clown suit and walks around the floor, all smug and bizarrily convinced that she is entertaining. She is not. And she is not fair either. Because of her selfishness a number of extremely good dancers (and much better dancers than her) will have to leave the competition. And the message that goes out to those of us who still watch the program is that it doesn't matter how hard you try, you will not be judged by your merits; only by how stupid you manage to look. How very sad.

I agree with the comment at 680. SCD is not the same show without Darren, Lilia, Ian and Matthew. The producers dismissed Darren and Lilia - winners of the Carl Alan Award described as "the oscars of the Dancing World" and British champions of Professional Latin. Ian and Matthew have also won many competitions - World Amateur Championship and the European Youth Latin American Championship to name a few. Replacements are former participants in "So You Think You Can Dance" and the principal dancer in High School Musical. One of the newer female dancers is descibed as an actress and all round dancer. I won't comment on these dancers other than to say no quite so professional and appealing as our favourite dancers now sidelined. I think this clearly tells us the way future shows will be produced. No real ballroom dancing any more. What a shame!

The producers continue to ruin a brilliant show by ridiculous antics and props. The Magnificant Seven was farcial and embarrassing to watch. It made me cringe.

Craig is now only judge worth listening to. The other three have lost the plot.

I won't comment on Anne other than to say she is not a dancer but I do think she will make the final no matter what. Anton knows exactly what he is doing so no more poor Anton. Would he still be part of the show if he did not partner the more comical celebrities?

I won't comment on Gavin other than to say he is not a dancer just an arrogant poser who will also stay in the competition.

It is obvious the public love both these enchanting dancers!

I also agree with the comment at 750. We want our brilliant Saturday evening entertainment back not a pathetic watered down american version. I will even put up with the comedy acts if we get our show back!

Just a question - would the new dancers actually be able to perform any ballroom dance asked of them to the excellent standard we were used to by "the discarded four"? I seriously doubt it.

Apologies for all the moaning. This is the first year I have ever used this blog but I am so angry at all the awful changes to the once brilliant show.

@ Strictly Andrew



WHY aren't the couples doing TWO dances for the quarter finals? Or at the very least a group dance?