Strictly '22 Thread 7 — <cut glass accent> A Centenary Celebration for Auntie

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

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As always, a reminder that this is a SPOILER-FREE THREAD, so please don't comment on the result before the result show.

I used to love Len Goodman!

Aliona and Flavia I miss. And Bruce💕

Bugger. Molly is dancing to the old version of Grange Hill. The later version is so much better to dance to imo

I miss, Brendon, James & Ola Jordan, Vincent Flavia, Erin and Karen
Maybe not in the same vintage but special mention is that guy Brian who danced with Ali Bastian he was gorgeous.

Yes, I agree with pretty much all of this!

Yes, agree with much of the above.
Craig has mellowed over the years and does always seem to give an encouraging comment at the end of his (honest tbf) "that was a bit shite dahling" stuff. Shirley knows her stuff but clearly has favourites. Anton is very kind and knowledgeable and if he'd just down ever so slightly the comedy element would be perfect. Motsi seems a bit better this year- she does at least give some constructive criticism whereas last year it was all just "you go girl" from start to finish.
Does anyone read the Ariadne Strictly blog? So funny, and spot on with the observations. Love it.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · Yesterday 12:10

Erin robbed Colin herself with The Puppets, whilst Lilia did a proper showdance!

I must be the only person who actually liked Colin and Erin’s show dance with the puppets 😏

... just rewatched puppet show dance on YouTube, first time since the final. I stand corrected, it was pretty awful. Such a shame, series 3 was my first ever Strictly - not counting series 2 Xmas special - it was a great series, that’s what got me hooked. I wanted Zoe Ball to win.

I remember the puppet dance but had completely forgotten (probably blocked it out) that it was Colin Jackson who did it. It was a huge error on Erin's part which probably cost Colin the title. He was one of my favourite ever contestants, so elegant and light on his feet and gorgeous to look at. His quickstep was sublime and one of my Strictly favourite dances ever.

I miss Ian Waite, Erin, Lillia, Karen, Pasha, Ola, Janette and Aljaz, but most of all I miss Flavia and Vincent, especially when dancing the Argentine Tango, they were 🌶.

@RobertsRadio

Colin’s another one who deserves a place in the best dancer who never won Strictly category. I was very torn between him and Zoe; at the time I thought Zoe improved more as the weeks went on - but I agree, it was the show dance that did for poor Colin.

When Darren Gough won it was back in the days of phone-voting, with the money going to charity, and you could phone all week, before the show had even aired. IIRC, Monkseal always used to say that the voting figures (I think there was some way of seeing them back then) showed that Darren was way in the lead, even before the puppet dance. The storyline that was pushed that series was 'Look! Dancing's not just for gays and women! Here's a big blokey bloke doing a foxtrot!' and that caught the public mood. Even though Colin (who was robbed!) was also a sportsman, I think assumptions about black people (can just dance!) and gay men*(naturally artistic and expressive!) made people think Darren was a plucky underdog.

*He wasn't out, but people kind of just knew. Len treated him like he was practically Mr Humphries.

He could sometimes have a bit of a creepy vibe with the younger female dancers.

As well as this IIRC Len hit Colin with a homophobic slur whilst praising Darren's macho man dancing, and it was quickly glossed over

Absolutely loved Pasha! He had a great run on Strictly didn't he - I remember amazing dances with Kimberley Walsh, Caroline Flack, Ashley Roberts. He had the most perfect arms <swoon for a man with strong forearms>

@EsmaCannonball

That’s right- in the clip I looked at this morning of the puppet dance, Bruce was saying something about 3 million votes already being cast, even though the show wasn’t over; I’d forgotten what the voting was like back then, a very different ball game.

I also remember now, Len bigging up Darren for being a man’s man 🙄

I wonder how many votes are cast each week now.

I may be misremembering but I've got some recollection of about 4 million votes being cast for Mark Ramprakash alone, and that was in the days when you had to phone up and were charged for voting. I wonder if three free online votes means more votes are cast now or, by some effect of reverse psychology, the ease of voting makes it seem less imperative to do so. I know quite a few people who watch the show religiously but who find it a bit odd that I actually bother to vote.

I haven't always voted. You might catch me voting in the semi or the final but not before. Did vote especially the year of Chris Hollins, to try and get votes to Ricky and Ali.

I have only voted weekly since the website, and I am among those who've watched since Natasha and Brendan were the originators of the Strictly Curse

I’ve always voted, but I know people who don’t despite being huge fans of the show. Fair enough I suppose, but I used to work with someone who was very invested in her favourite dancers and went on and on about the terrible British public’s bad decisions etc etc, without ever casting a vote. Tbh I found that pretty annoying.

I’d love to know if more people vote now than before...

I would never have phoned up to vote but I do vote online.

I watch (since series 3)but have never voted.(shame)
Wouldn't know how.
I also watch later once the kids are in bed so not sure if the votes are still open by then?

They've now made it easier to vote using your phone, and have introduced a QR code to scan to take you directly to the voting page.

Here.

We used to have one family vote by phone. Now we all vote separately on the website (of course since it started we've grown up and moved out!).

If I watch it live then I vote online but often watch it delayed, so I'm too late to vote (& it's always been that way!)

I also miss Brendan Cole and James Jordan.

They added a bit of character to the show!