Strictly Judge Dis-Arse-ter

[ShouldersBackAndNoBiscuits]

BBC, are you insane?

Not Darcey Bussell. Please no. She was inane and pointless last time, so you give her a judge post? Arrgghh.

Poor Karen Hardy. It should have been you.

I quite agree. She was like a rabbit caught in the headlights. I just hope she relaxes if she's a permanent judge and is more comfortable viewing.

I don't understand it - she was just so bland! Do you think karen Hardy didn't want the job? It would be good to have this explained.

At least she will know a bit about dancing .... KH makes my teeth itch with her 'enthusiasm ' and aren't there enough characters on the panel.

I wanted Arlene back. Karen hardy would be fab too.

There is a world of difference though between being a classically trained ballerina and judging ballroom dancing. I agree that they need someone who knows what they are talking about, but I think KH fits the bill much better. Perhaps she's not popular with the other panelists!

I don't doubt that she knows about dancing, but she knows about ballet dancing, which it seems is completely different from the Latin and Ballroom disciplines. I wanted to see a judge from ballroom background to add a bit of credibility to their opinions.

Oh god.

Very disappointed - thought she was awful when she guest-judged........but not as bad as thingy from Dirty Dancing.....to look on the bright side!

I just don't get their decision making for this show. Have they announced which professionals are in this year?

Am also really disappointed! I was so sure they wouldn't cock this up after the Alesha furore, but come on, Darcey?!

I LOVE Darcey, she's a great ballerina. But she came across as bland when she was a guest judge. Very polite, lots of 'that was very nice' type comments as far as I remember, but NOT A GOOD STRICTLY JUDGE.

Karen Hardy is a bit annoying but she would have made a fabulous judge and she is clearly most fans' number one choice!

Darcey Bussell is like a robot. Arlene Phillips could be annoying but a) she knew what she was talking about b) she had a very forceful personality, so she added a bit of vim to the whole thing.

It's almost as if they've now created a special role on the judges' panel: "Token woman who knows nothing about ballroom dancing, and will make the male judges look good."

It does seem as if they are utterly flailing to know what to do with their 'token female' judge. I wonder if they have psyched themselves out on comparisons with X Factor or whatever it is Strictly goes up against. There I think by definition the judges are more famous than the contestants - in the case of Strictly it's the other way around, at least in theory. I'm sure that this year as with previous ones I'll be lucky if I've heard of more than about three contestants.

Darcey Bussell is obviously a better choice than Alesha was but really - is this as good as it gets? Three blokes and then every potential female judge in the country competes for a single spot?

I have to say, I don't think Darcey will enjoy the Strictly experience. Although I do have some hopes we might see Superfan Marian Keyes back on It Takes Two this year - fingers crossed. Completely impossible of course but she would make a brilliant judge despite knowing sod all about ballroom dancing :)

Gutted :( so many pro ballroom dancers to choose from and...

Why?!?!

Well I like her and I think she will be a fab judge. Just because she was bland when she guested doesn't mean that's how she'll continue. I think she will be quite tough. Ballet is a tough art.

I want Arlene back.....still miss the dynamic between the original panel but think Darcey could be good as will be strict about technique and training.

she has a v annoying voice

God, I completely missed this in the news!

I've nothing against DB personally, but as a judge she was pleasant but bland. And why a ballet dancer? I agree with tribpot, they are struggling to fill their token-female spot.

I'd imagine they were politically astute enough not to ask Karen H ? she was so unceremoniously dropped from the show before. She would probably have suggested in no uncertain terms where they could stick their job!

I read somewhere that Karen screen tested, along with Darcey and Karen Bruce I think, but obviously I'm not positive if that's true. I thought she'd get it, after the commentary and choreography corner all last series.

Darcey might be better starting at the beginning of the series, forming her own opinions etc. I do like her, but since Len seems to have forgotten he's the one who's meant to talk about technique rather than 'You came out and had a good try', I'd have liked another ballroom/Latin dancer.

You know who they should get? The Awesomeness that is

Dreadful choice IMO. She was hopeless last time she was on. I adore strictly and Karen hardy should have got it!

watched that clip tribpot and wish that I had a dancing bone in me. she is
a-maaaa-zing!

maggie - I thought initially of her banging the stick and saying "fame costs, and right here's where you start paying - in sweat!" but then found that clip on YouTube and thought DAMN she was an amazing dancer!

Agree, should have been Karen hardy, she is fab on ITT. I complained to the beeb a couple of years ago when they made all the changes and brought alesha in, and they just fobbed me off with a 'thanks for your comments, but we know best' response.

At least she's a dancer I suppose and not Rachel Stevens or somebody like that...

Do we know when the pro line-up will be announced? I think Erin might go, and she's my favourite