To feel ever so slightly bereft now Nicola & Katya are out of Strictly?

[PoulePouletteEternellement]

Honestly, before this year I pretty much turned my nose up at the whole thing and couldn't have cared less. But an increasingly drab lockdown has turned me into a fan of huge grins and sequins and joy and cheese. And, actually, their freestyle dance was utterly life enhancing.

But Sky says Katya has tested positive, so they both have to withdraw. Cannot express how sad I am. (Guess they must be, too ...)

@Impatiens

I like Nicola a lot but she had a bad week and looked to be on her way out soon. The same-sex thing was a bit of a damp squid anyway, didn't add anything.

Hopefully the rest of the cast will be ok.

Surely the point was that there was nothing to get excited about. Nicola and Katya made a great dancing pair and the fact that they are both women really didn't seem worth any comment.

It's just been discussed on PM (Radio 4,) by the way!

@NancyPickford

I had high hopes of Nicola, thinking she'd be light on her feet, but she was very heavy footed I thought, and I did wonder how she would cope with her first ballroom this Saturday where any lack of elegance or technique would be exposed. Loving Bill Bailley and his commitment and skill, but there's something about Caroline Quentin that I can't quite put my finger on yet to fully describe. I think I might mean she's a bit inauthentic somehow, acting?

I agree re Carolin Quentin, I feel as though she thinks she's better then she is due to her previous dance experience and I thought she looked like she was trying to hide that she was annoyed by the judges comments and scores last week.

Bill definitely has rhythm, despite not being very flexible in upper body!
I'm rooting for him and Oti - their first dance was sooo funny!

Liked HRVY in the jive, not as much since - mainly because the last two costumes were ridiculous (even the suit/shirt was so not his style) - hope they give him smth beautiful to do at some point!

Nicola wouldn't have lasted long anyway - not with that competition!

With the ‘bubble’ stuff, they aren’t isolating completely. The professional dancer has joined the celebrity’s household bubble, to allow the close contact needed, but they will still be out and about, doing all the things people are able to do at present. If a household has children, those children will be at school, they will be going to the supermarket, obviously other partners going to work if that’s allowed in their jobs. Lots of places to potentially contract covid. Doesn’t mean anyone has behaved inappropriately at all.

That said, I’m not at all surprised they’ve gone. After all the cheering and fanfare over a same sex couple, they didn’t get much public support and the dancing wasn’t great anyway. Many comments online about how Nicola was only kept in by the judges because they couldn’t let her go yet, even though she should have gone (IMO). Also that she was quite demanding of the production team and had a lot of requirements... She didn’t strike me as someone who would just accept the negative comments.

@Clarich007

I love strictly, and wish them both well, but to be honest they got on my wick a bit with the boxing references

And shouting 'yeah baby' or 'I'm a dancer baby' all the time was extremely irritating.

Surely the point was that there was nothing to get excited about. Nicola and Katya made a great dancing pair and the fact that they are both women really didn't seem worth any comment.

Then really, what's the point at all? They made a big hoo-hah about it being a first but, as you rightly say, it didn't matter in the end. Also, why were they both dressed 'as men' when they're both women?

zoe would have been distancing during the programme
i like katya and nicola so i will miss them

Just have to say (because it's driving me mad!) that I can't stand Bill's horrible 'dancing'. I don't care what anyone else thinks!

@Impatiens

I like Nicola a lot but she had a bad week and looked to be on her way out soon. The same-sex thing was a bit of a damp squid anyway, didn't add anything.

Hopefully the rest of the cast will be ok.

And I thought DH was the only person that said damp squid

"Damp squid", tee hee!

i dont understand how they caught it if theyre meant to be bubbling as was mentioned twent million times

theyre clearly not being strict about it

Aw I loved Nicola and Katya that's a shame.
Bill Bailey is the nuts though! Love him!

@dappledsunshine and @NancyPickford - I agree re Caroline Quentin. I think she’s trying a bit too hard to be too perfect. She just needs to let go / let rip. I think she might be a bit of a control freak and can’t bear any criticism.

I’m really enjoying watching Bill - his dancing is great, and humorous, and I think him and Oti make a great couple.

I’m going to miss Nicola and Katya. I think they had potential. And Nicola has always come across in everything she’s done as so genuine and lovely, so it’s a shame her Strictly experience has ended like this.

And I thought DH was the only person that said damp squid

I love saying it, just to see if anyone will bite

It's a shame because so far they've been given all 'matey' side by side dances, nothing romantic or in hold. I think this week's dance was supposed to be more like that and I was looking forward to seeing how they managed it. Part of me is a bit suspicious about the timing!

i know what you mean @3ormorecharacters, an American Smooth wasnt it?

Also, why were they both dressed 'as men' when they're both women?
Nicola didn't want to wear dresses. Although Katya could have worn a dress/skirt. But I think they looked good in their matching outfits. And I guess it added to the interest of them both being able to either lead or follow.

Only just seen this announcement on my local news and am gutted for them.
As an aside I used to attend tap dancing classes and a local promoter enlisted his young male boxes to our classes to improve their footwork.
We used to run tap rings around them

Ahhhh I didn’t know this. Poor Katya. First snog-gate and now this.

Part of me is a bit suspicious about the timing!

Me too 🙂

I had to turn off the radio when Arlene Phillips started weeping into her gin about the 'devasting' effect on the nation's mental health of Katya Jones' Covid diagnosis and the disruption to the Strictly family. Hyperbolic nonsense. And isn't Strictly more famous for destroying families than crest

And isn't Strictly more famous for destroying families with random shagging amongst contestants than (ahem? ) upholding family values?😂

@purpleme12

Why can't they isolate and then come back after?

I assume because they'd have to stop the whole show for two weeks so that it remained fair. I can't imagine all these taking part and separated from their families would fancy having to be away an additional fortnight.

i dont understand how they caught it if theyre meant to be bubbling as was mentioned twent million times

Because they are in a bubble not in isolation.

As they are not in self isolation I would assume that they are still allowed outside such as to the supermarket, to see someone else from a 2m distance, go for a walk, etc. Although not bubbled with the rest of the competitors and crew they will be in the same building as them, sharing the same air, same space, same canteen area, etc.
You can catch Covid from a range of places unfortunately.

well then its not strict enough is it and plenty more will catch it

Really sad.... loved seeing them together though like many was surprised Nicola wasn't lighter on her feet... its very revealing how most athletes can't get the "dancing", whereas those who've been in showbiz in some way tend to

I'm a bit Oti fan so am loving seeing her partnership with Bill B