Anyone watching Strictly?

I don't like him at all, there is flamboyant and there is a caricature. He takes it way too far.

I am on a Facebook Strictly group and over the weekend some snide comment was made about a current competitor making transphobic comments against Layton. Thankfully someone who knows a thing or two put people right. But as was said, that is the sort of lie that makes Amanda and her family unsafe. When asked to provide examples of course there were no transphobic comments just out of context snips of her asking for a dialogue. And of course lots of comments how Trans people are so vulnerable and oppressed. They were told to come back when three trans people a week are killed as is the case for women. Stupid stupid people.

Agree.

It was a good dance but he's probably the biggest ringer Strictly has had, and there's been a few over the years. He's being critiqued hard by the judges - and rightly so - and I suspect he won't be that popular with the home vote because he's a trained dancer up against people who only stepped onto a dance floor for the first time a few weeks ago.

I have no problem with single sex dance combinations, I used to dance a lot and it was quite normal to dance "switch", meaning that you danced both the lead and follow roles either for the whole dance or alternating roles within the dance itself. Lots of dances have a history of same sex couples. I don't have an issue with a man dressing as a woman or vice versa - it's just a dance costume. I still remember Johannes dancing in colossal heels in the Vogue pro-dance a few years ago and he was fabulous <fans self>

No, my only issue is that Leyton will have had such a head-start on the others in terms of technique, vocabulary, floorcraft and things like hold/connection that it makes it really quite unfair. Anyone who has danced professionally should really not be a contestant in an amateur competition.

I don't enjoy watching Layton because he's an experienced professional dancer and it shows in every move. The gulf between those who've been to stage school and those who are totally new to dancing is really starting to damage the format IMO. How can you compare an amputee who's never done anything like this before to someone who has performed at the highest level in the West End.

I also realise I don't like watching a same sex couple if one of them is exaggeratedly camp.

I loved John and Johannes last year because John was a complete novice, and they danced like two men. That added a challenge to choreography, but I think they made it work.

IIRC, the 'story' is that she expressed a very mild opinion that topless drag shows were maybe not suitable for children, and she has a fridge magnet.

I’m off to Google the Amanda story as I have no idea what you are all referring to… 😂

Bobby's biggest obstacle is Dianne.

I agree Instagram and Facebook likes are a good gauge of the general public feeling. A barn-stormer of a dance will get the most likes, but keeping an eye on the general trends will tell you who's popular.

I suspect Bobby will win, he's the right demographic (young, male, pretty, unexpectedly good), although any of the reasonably good ones stand a chance if they do an absolutely amazing dance (I would say Jay McGuinness and Hamza won mainly based on one absolutely fantastic dance, plus general competence and a good 'journey'). Possible romance/chemistry always helps too.

I really don't think the general public are aware of or care about the Amanda story. Gio seems very pleased with her and is extremely popular, so that will help her.

Layton is highly unlikely to win, the Strictly audience can't abide a ringer and love a journey.

I don't think your average strictly voter is aware of the transphobia accusations. I think Bobby is naturally likable and musical, so I do think he'll win. (I was right about the bottom two BTW!)

I fear Bobby will win the whole thing too, with some hideously twee and treacly choreo by Dianne.

Amanda should be the real winner, but she won't because she has already been branded transphobic.

Facebook likes as of right now.
Bobby 17k
Amanda 8.3k
Angela S 6.6k
Ellie 6.2k
Krishnan 5.9k
Annabel 4.8k
Eddie 4.2k
Nigel 3.9k
Layton 2.9k
Jody 2.8k
Angela R 2.6k
Adam 2.4k
Zara 1.7k
Nikita 1.1k

I think Zara and Nikita will be in the bottom two. I do think Bobby will win the whole thing.

Just as an aside, Nigel Harmon has also performed in a professional dance role in the West End. The pro thing does wind me up more!

His lipstick clashed horribly with his blouse and wasn't his colour at all. Usually the make up is amazing on Strictly but that was so unflattering.

I don't think it's fair to have a professional dancer as a celebrity. It's like having Gordon Ramsay or Tom Kitchen being a contestant on Masterchef.

I didn't like it because I don't think it was a convincing performance of the song. There Are Worst Things I Could Do is a song about a uniquely female experience - being slut shamed and being excluded by peers and objectified by men. I don't think I bought Layton in that role though his dancing was beautiful, he was too physically imposing and his swagger wasn't right. I think Craig pointed that out as well. It's supposed to be a story about vulnerability.

If I was doing a male-male Grease number I think Summer Nights would be best - the different perspectives on a summer romance - that could be interesting and witty.

I agree, it's totally inappropriate to portray the dilemma of a woman pregnant out of marriage (at a time where she would have been shamed for it) by two men. Men are just happy to take advantage though, aren't they, in every walk of life? So fed up of it.

And fully agree with those saying it's clothes not drag - was actually v nice to see.

The only thing that felt off for me in the performance (ignoring professional background etc) was the choice of song. This is one of the most intimate sections of the film where Rizzo opens her heart to the audience about being shamed for sleeping with a man and potentially being pregnant. It felt a bit wrong for me to have two men portray that. But admittedly it's "only strictly" and many viewers won't recognise the connection to the film or storyline. I would've preferred Hopelessly Devoted, a classic.

Who is looking to be firm favourite??

Re. Why do we need same sex couples - also not sure how I feel on this.

My original view was dancing is a sport so you should keep it mixed sex. You wouldn't change up the sexes in a game of mixed sex doubles just because one of the players is gay, for example.

However dancing is also, what's the phrase - a vertical expression of a horizontal intention. Throughout human history dancing is about sex. So on that basis I'm coming around to the point that there should be same sex partners.

Although the logical conclusion of that doesn't feel very BBC! Haha

The best indicator I've found to who's becoming a fan favourite, and who's likely to win, are the likes each video gets on Instagram and Facebook, I don't think he's in the running to win at all.

I thought the dance was awful. He absolutely cannot pull off dancing a female
role. I don’t like his attitude either…he seems to have so much ego and I imagine he doesn’t like playing second fiddle to Nikita.

I really don’t like the way Layton dances. It’s as if his body is too bendy and looks very odd when he’s dancing with a partner. Apart from that, he can wear what he likes.

He won’t win, not enough of a journey.

It’s not drag it’s acting imo.

although we did have a laugh about his claim to identify with Rizzo at that particular point in the film.

I don't mind it at all. My problems are with the wig which was awful, and that he's had dance training. It might not have been in ballroom, but Darcy Bussell was a trained-in-not-ballroom dancer and she was a judge!