SCD 2016 #7 - They're! In! Blackpool! The spiritual home of ballroom dancing, donkey rides, rock and... huge amounts of theming apparently?

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

The last thread is almost full, so I thought we'd be prepared.

Despite the title I do love the Blackpool week really Fingers crossed for a nice ballroom dance from the pros.

Omg that video is pure filth

I want Ed to win purely for Gangnam Style. Pure genius! :o

None of the poorer dancers have ever been as entertaining as he is. I think it's mainly his size and lack of suppleness that are pulling him down. His timing is really really good and you can't fault his effort. I definitely love him far more than Louise, possibly more than Claudia, absolutely more than Slick Danny and he's above Ore for me too. ROb Rinder is the only other one I find as fun to watch.

Ive never rooted for one of the poorer dancer before and it's always been clear who I wanted to win. This time, I want him to win but I'm conflicted because he's not the best dancer.

I believe they scored 40 for that.

You and your DP? not Gleb?

I would love to do that with Gleb

I think in a Strictly competition between entertaining, middle-aged, fat men that Mark Benton wins hands down over Ed Balls. I might even prefer Russell Grant over Ed. Ed is probably joint third with John Sergeant. I have a soft spot for Don Warrington, although that probably doesn't count as it's his voice that I love and he didn't speak while he was dancing.

The only one I saw any of out of those is Russell Grant and he was utterly shit as far as I recall!

No idea really why I like Ed so much. I liked him on Bake off too.

Mark Benton was great, I remember being both sad and slightly relieved when he left. Sad because he was very entertaining but relieved because he totally fucked his knees doing Strictly and was clearly in lots of pain.

Ed does seem sweet natured (goodness knows why he went into politics) he certainly doesn't seem cutthroat enough! Katya annoys me though.

I think Ed is very good at acting sweet natured. I always feel his every comment is carefully chosen to promote his easygoing, nice-guy persona and underneath it he actually cares very little for anyone except himself. There's just something about him that makes me uneasy. He reminds me of a few people that I've met, they seem charming and interested in you but eventually you find that all their interest is really in how you can be useful to them.

I found Russell Grant the opposite of entertaining, it was all too conscious and arch.

Is Mark benton one of the hairy bikers? Because he was dreadful! Russell grant was also dreadful...the dreadful ones can be funny but they really shouldn't win.

I thought Ed Balls had a reputation for being a bully in the Gordon Brown government.

Still like him though.

(Loved it when he said that of course he got teased about his name at school "but not as much as my sister Ophelia.")

No, Mark Benton is a lovely (obese) actor from various dramas who had just been doing Hairspray in the West End so was very up for it, and Iveta gave him great fun choreography much like Katya has for Ed. But he had no knees at all and was in terrible pain.
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Their cha cha
m.youtube.com/watch?v=crv-0jHOcX4

Gleb you naughty boy

Both Mark Benton and Ed have musicality and timing. I think if they had been several stone lighter and 10 years younger they could have been pretty good. Still loving Ed though.

Thanks for the clip Evil.
What happened to Iveta?

TimTam - I agree re: Ed. I LOVE him on Strictly and want him to stay in as long as possible, but I do remind myself that he is a politician and will therefore be blessed with the surface oily charm of the professional liar er, self-promoter , er, make that persuader.

Wow, that Gleb video

That Gleb videos reminds me why Strictly is so much superior to DWTS. As nice at is to see him in a wet shirt, DWTS is far too gimmicky with props and extra dancers getting in the way etc. Len would absolutely hate that routine.

I do now remember Mark Benton. The knees sounded familiar and once I googled him I recognised him.

I think Gleb and DWTS were made for each other (do miss him though)

Thanks for the rumba video, CaveMum. My eyes were completely drawn to Joanna and her partner. It is weird trying to watch several couples at once, though.

That Gleb video was ... something.

Loved that Gleb video!
I was thinking about Ed (not in the same way as Gleb!) today and how people keep saying that he would do better in a series where the standard is not as a high as this year's- that it's hard to see how good he is because so many others are amazing - so decided to have a look at previous winners' last dances and found this... now I loved Darren Gough and voted for him to win at the time but I'm not blown away here...