to hope they replace Brucie with Claudia once he finally retires? Or if not, at least with another woman.

[MardyBra]

I'm still catching up on catch up, but I'm really enjoying having two women presenters and Claudia is really sweet and funny.

Anyway, I'm fed up with the main male and sidekick female format of so many programmes - whether as presenters or in drama.

[bearleftmonkeyright]

@ ghirly

[ShadeofViolet]

As long as they dont try and get big headed knobber James Jordan to do it.

He makes me stabby and i wouldn't be able to watch if he was everywhere with his flaring nostrils.

[FruityPops]

I think the young woman / older man format is overused and encourages society to sideline older women. I definitely don't think men age better than women most of the time (an excuse often used). Many of the men on telly have never been 'lookers'.

[bearleftmonkeyright]

Going off subject a bit I do think they could shake the format a bit. Same sex couples should be included. The program where they choose which boy is having which girl is tiresome.

[Onesleeptillwembley]

Stringy Tess is really false. Bruce is just embarrassing. The whole show should get an overhaul and new presenters. Not dancers from the show though.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

They should leave the bloody format alone, it's been changed lots since the show started. However, I would happily see Tess and Bruce go; they are without doubt the worst thing about the show. Claudia is fab and would be a superb lead presenter.

[bakingaddict]

I thought Tess was awful on Saturday night as main host just too bland and generic and she just isn't main presenter material regardless of her gender. I believe you can have 2 female presenters together look at how well Mel and Sue do BBBO. I don't mind Claudia she has a bit more personality but you need a presenter who can deliver a bit of banter with the judges and contestants and Tess is incapable of this IMO .

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Don't like Tess at all as she's so wooden and Bruce just blabbers on over people all the time. Very irritating.

[Onesleeptillwembley]

Ethelred I worded it badly - I meant presenter/presenting wise, I realise I did say the whole show. I agree, the format works, just the presenters don't.
I don't care what the sexes are, I'm certainly not silly enough to want another woman for the sake of it. Just two people that are warm, sincere, and don't make each other and us cringe.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Don't worry onesleep. I'm in a bad mood and also very over-protective of strictly (apart from the god-awful presenters!)

[Onesleeptillwembley]

Oh you didn't come across as grumpy at all. Just talking sense.

[Echocave]

I'm beginning to think its not a particularly easy job to present live telly (!). I think Tess was wooden at the weekend because she was watching the clock and trying to get through the show. Claudia's sections were a bit easier to handle from a timing/running order point of view.
Tess was just as guilty as Bruce of wittering while the judges talked over her or applause broke out.
Maybe after this year they should ask Susanna Reid to do it?!

[FrankelInFoal]

As I've said on the SCD thread, they should go back to the old format of everyone doing a Waltz and a Cha Cha Cha in the first two weeks. They're the 2 "easiest" dances and it means people get a chance to compare like for like.

It was blatantly unfair to have some couples doing tricky dances this week when others had "easier" ones. They keep the Argentine Tango until towards the end and should do the same with the Charleston and the American Smooth - those lifts are hard and the dancers benefit from a few more weeks training under their belts.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Totally agree Frankel, it's very hard to judge loads of different dances and it was nice when they kept certain dances for the later weeks. I wrote to the BBC a few years ago about the changes and short shrift from them. I think they shouldn't have set or props in the early weeks either. I am a professional misery guts where strictly is concerned!

[MadMumToThree]

I'd just like Bruce to change his script occasionally!

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

*got short shrift....

[FrankelInFoal]

Ethelred, my dance teacher said if she had her way (and she's a very senior teacher/examiner in this country) she'd ban them from dancing "off syllabus" for the first 4 weeks - that would stop all the faffing about/props etc

Apparently Lorna Lee screen tested for Len's role as head judge but they didn't like the idea of an older woman

[Bowlersarm]

No, I don't want Claudia to replace Bruce. I can't bear her.

[mignonette]

I know Strictly is a great show, great family entertainment and all that but why do I have the nagging feeling that the day I sit down and watch this show is the day that I am officially middle aged?

It just makes me feel old.

[VonHerrBurton]

Well I can't stand Claudia. I find her unfunny and a bit cringey in the same way I feel about Miranda.

So don't really care who does what as long as she's not involved. She seems to be love her or hate her. Meh about Tess and Bruce, although his presenting shelf life has clearly expired. A good clearout and start again needed.

Just watch next time claudias got a dress on, she pulls it up and spreads her legs open to within an inch of goods on show, when they're up doing Lens Lens or whatever. And she needs her fucking fringe cutting....

No, i don't like her :)

[mrsjay]

I dont like her that much she is ok but she comes fromt he davina Mcoll school of telly presenting all very quick and a bit breathless shouting ,I like tess though, and anton is for the elderly lady I love him,

[mrsjay]

och never feel old watching strictly whats not to like celebs dancing sparkles everywhere and Artems pecs and a bit of a shimmy it is much better than xfactor imo

[ziggiestardust]

Bruce is just awful, he is the reason I stopped watching the show. He's just so dull and boring, he's an utter has been. In fact, I'm not really sure he ever was. Just another ten a penny bore who was in the right place, at the right time.

Unbearable. And relentless.

[mrsjay]

I am so glad Sky plus was invented i know skip through all the drivel and bruce

[sashh]

It's time Brucie retired, I might start watching if he did.