SCD '24 #5: Where we lose our first couple (SPOILER FREE)

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

I've made this a bit early because my dinner is going to be ready just before the end of Strictly and I don't want us to run out of space! Please finish up the other thread first.

First dance off is looming...

Previous thread

Spoiler thread if you like to indulge.

Video thread. Please post videos here to avoid slowing the main thread down.

Hope that's the end of it now

I think its cos she's older and female. When the online comments and on DS forum lots of disappointment that Tom went first, yet there would be no discussion or barely anyone bothered if Toyah had gone.
Seems bit sad.*

Please stop making this about sexism and ageism.

Most people had predicted Toyah to be in the dance off and even leaving, which will be why there would not be any uproar online if she did go.

I voted for Tom, so yes, I'm sorry he ended up in the dance off amd left.

People are allowed to be disappointed with Tom going no matter how he performed, just as much you'd be disappointed if Toyah went.

I think there was no way they were ever going to completely clear Gio and make Amanda out as a liar. Because if the upheld complaints are allegedly about him swearing at her, then that isn't acceptable in a workplace and she was right to say it wasn't acceptable.

I have the same impression that I had from the very start.
She was a somewhat vulnerable person dealing with obscene trolling from the very start from people on social media. That was always going to make it much much harder to deal with someone who was critical and shouty. And he was overly competitive and didn't know how to tone it down, even when it was clear she was struggling.

i.e. six of one, half a dozen of the other.

I suspect some of the other pros have probably been in a similar mindset (e.g. Oti shouting at Kelvin, Katya giving Tony Adams a dressing down, Karen hissing....)

It's not double standards! It's personal preference for the dance performance/personality/partnership.

I agreed with your initial points that there should have been a balance in male/female contestants at the start, but your anti-men viewpoint is getting a bit wearing now.

Yep. And Tom was a lot higher up the scoreboard, so arguably shouldn't have been in the DO at all.
If there is a bias it was towards an older athlete and male, Paul M, who clearly received a truckload of votes.

At this stage, I vote for the weaker performances that I like or the people I would like to stay in. So this week was Chris, Toyah, and Nick. As time goes on (and they go 1 by 1), that will change to those I want to win. I mainly watch to see the initial duffers improve.
I care not a jot about their age or the distribution on sex or sexual orientation. I just want a bit of Saturday night light entertainment.

Interesting result regarding Amanda. I don't like Giovanni in this at all. Using a spokesperson.
I would like to read the list of the allegations that didn't have enough evidence?

tom was in the DO because he didn't get votes. its a popularity competition as much as its a dance one.

Maybe it's simply because she is one of the bottom dancers. an unexpected Duffer and potentially irritating with it.

Indeed and he can't exactly dance. A surprise 1st exit for me would have been Jamie or Shayne.

And Dr P got a bunch of votes despite being really low on the leader board and in the slot of doom (2nd place is even worse than show opener for votes and visibility). So that's nice.

Yep. And Tom was a lot higher up the scoreboard, so arguably shouldn't have been in the DO at all

Eh? He was in the DO because of the public vote. That's how Strictly works.

That's why Ashley Roberts was frequently in the DO despite topping the leader board.

People vote for the contestants they like. Or don't like, as the case may be.

Agreed (and also PM for the new thread!)

From the Mail :

After six months of investigating the Sherlock actress claims that he was 'abusive, cruel and mean' they have finally found he was not abusive, nor did he make threats.
They also said there was no aggressive or physical conduct, but the corporation has issued an apology to Ms Abbington after finding in her favour on 'a number of' allegations concerning verbal bullying and harassment.
Out of 17 allegations, they upheld six, some of which are for Giovanni using swear words. The report found that his language could be 'belittling.'
The BBC also agreed with Ms Abbington that at times he appeared to be giving her overly negative feedback.

S

Yes, I know how it works, thanks. My point was that people on this board were surprised and anti-Toyah/pro-Tom not because they were biased towards Tom for being a young male athlete, but because unlike Toyah he seemed to have scored high enough to keep him out of the DO.
And because unlike Toyah he did attempt a fair amount of recognisable content. It is interesting how the judges chose to make their decisions; Craig, Shirley and Motsi on timing and rhythm, and Anton on proper content or lack of. I wonder if they'll apply that thinking consistently for the whole series.

I'm quite liking her and Gorka so far. I enjoy her attitude and her joy in dancing. I didn't know who she was, but am hoping she's got good recognition among the voting public. I think she could get quite good if she stays in a while.

I always feel sorry for anyone booted first who wasn't in the bottom two on the judges scores. It must feel really personal but it's probably more a quirk of fate, voters will remember dances that were closer to the end, something that had a gimmicky element, etc so a not great Cha cha danced first will probably draw fewer votes than a not great samba with theming danced 3 from the end.
I would have liked to Tom have time to develop but it wasn't to be.
I feel him and Toyah were of a fairly similar standard but he had more content where as Toyah spent almost half of the time faffin' about.

Ultimately, Tom would have gone sooner rather than later ... Toyah will go soon. The best people will go through to the end. The only real travesty in all the Strictly years that I recall was the early booting of Aston Merrygold by Len. I see Nadiya is on SM saying she's too upset to talk about it

Aston is another one where the pro's choreography let the celeb down, IMO.

Does seem it was six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Sigh. They were ill paired.
Toyah will definitely go next week. I wish it were Paul.

So as predicted, a carefully-worded statement that allows both sides to "win."

6/17 allegations upheld - apology received - Amanda feels vindicated

✔ swear words used
✔ "belittling" language used
✔ overly negative feedback given
✔ sexual banter i
✔ sexual banter ii

11 allegations not upheld - only the weakest ones supported - Gio feels exonerated

✗ not abusive
✗ didn't make threats
✗ was not intimidating
✗ not aggressive
✗ no physical contact
✗ video not sexually inappropriate

I would also not be surprised if both parties/their representation have also been given some input into the wording and some compensation if they now agree to put an end to legal action, not disclose anything further and agree to disagree/move on.

Isn’t it convenient that there was a shock dance off result the day before releasing the results of the investigation. The results seem a bit of a cop out to me - like they were trying to keep both sides happy by upholding some of the complaints but not others.

Oh well, at least everyone can move on now.

Gio really needs to find a better audience for his sexual " bantz". I could have told him Amanda is not the sort who would find it funny.

So as predicted, a carefully-worded statement that allows both sides to "win.

I don't think either has won actually. Lose/Lose I think