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.

Sad that Tom went, he was not the worst and could have improved a good deal. Paul and Nick were dreadful, I'd have liked to have seen one of those two go. Toyah at least put in a performance.

Toyah danced loads better than last week and Tom was very wooden but Paul was AWFUL!

Just like Schmeichal did, he will probably stay in far longer then he should because of his fanbase 🙄

Voting wasn't open for an hour, it opened when the show finished which was 8.30, and closed at 9. We watched on a delay so I checked so I didn't miss it.

I was a bit behind, too, and voted before the end. I thought the voting used to be open for longer.

I think voting slot varies, I'm sure it is more than half an hour sometimes. It is such a long show at the moment they don't have much leeway, but when there are fewer contestants and a shorter show they can extend the voting period. OH tried to vote at 9.02 and missed the slot!

why should she be "grateful" ?
she obviously isn't getting the votes.

Place marking. Thank you for the new thread!

Sad to see Tom go, but he was quite wooden and had timing issues IMO. I was surprised not to see Paul Merson in the dance off as he was shocking. DH thinks he’s going to be the next Tony Adams and stay in for longer than he should.

I thought Wynne’s waltz to the Blue Danube was lovely, if only for the music, and Chris and Dianne are just great. She’s really doing well with him. No real standouts for me yet, but early days.

I can't work out why she's an "awful ungrateful woman" either.

Tom did have more potential than Toyah but the show isn't judged on potential, it's judged on performance. If he'd danced like he did on the main show I think he would have gone through.

I don't think Tom would ever have improved all that much, TBH. Partly, he was too tall for Nadiya, which would always make him look a little awkward and stooped.
Toyah will be out soon enough.

I enjoyed Gwynne (so sweet), Chris, Punam, Pete (he's already improved MASSIVELY) and Shayne. Nancy's dress was gorgeous. I also think she channelled her anger at the social-media hate crowd; she was savage.

The rest were all a bit meh for me. I love Aljaž but I'm annoyed by Tasha already. She's this year's Layton. I want Sam to get better because I like her attitude and I like Nikita. I love having Amy back but she and JB haven't grabbed me yet. Jamie was rubbish but I think they should leave the rumba til later on when they've got a hope in hell of getting the technique. I like Vito and I think he and Sarah are having fun, but I thought their paso was overmarked; she didn't have much shaping or artistry.

Last word to Gorka's PVC trousers. Hawt. And I don't even fancy him.

I'm not sure why Toyah is getting so much hate either. She's a bit mad, and not my favourite, but I genuinely don't see why people are so anti. I find the name-dropping quite endearing.

Yes but the performance wasn't a proper jive! At least you could tell Tom was doing a cha cha. She just pranced and raced around!

Glad Tom went. People shocked, yet wouldn't care if Toyah had been 1st out.
Both weren't any good and he was more awkward.
Double standards as Tom is young/ athlete and male.

Indeed not my favourite but she is at least famous and been around decades and has a bit of personality.
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.

The problem with saying the Rumba should be later in the series so that they can learn the technique, is that when you first learn Latin Rumba IS the first dance you learn. The slow bpm means you can take your time getting the footwork/figures right and it then builds up into Cha Cha Cha which has a lot of the same figures and similar timing.

Simply put, there is no real “easy” option to start with. You could probably argue that Salsa would be easiest of the options as it doesn’t have that much footwork to worry about, but the Latin rhythms are hard for a lot of people and we’d see an awful lot of wooden hips!

Toyah has always been unbearable even when she was a "punk" wasn't at all..

I thought Jamie did a pretty okay job with the rumba - really good for week 2.

Toyah not doing a proper jive was surely down to the boots and the choreography, neither of which were her choice. I expect her to be bottom two next week again and she’ll probably go then.

Chris is now the bookies' favourite to win.

I’m liking Toyah and didn’t want her to go out (though I thought she would). I love the energy, find it sweet rather than annoying.

I was sad tom went out first, I think he seemed very awkward and nervous(constantly pulling on his shirt collar)but perhaps could have improved once he got over some of that.
I also like nadyia and feel she doesn't have much luck with her partners(she really shone with dan walker)
I don't think toyah will be in it for much longer and then I think Neil will be retired back to the bench.

I like Chris. I think he has genuine skill. He seems assiduous.

Wynne has been a revelation too but I think that Saturday’s dance and music particularly suited him. I wonder about him in the faster dances and the AT. That said, he is musical, a born performer, with a strong pro - things which will see him right.

I was disappointed Tom went but I was also disappointed to see the disparaging, personal comments on TwitterX about Toyah.

Dan Walker criticised the DO decision but avoided decrying Toyah as an individual.

About the report into SCD... Amanda's claims are 'partly upheld'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce81p7w6xggo

That seems fair. Given the number of celebs who'd had a problem with him it was always unlikely that he was a maligned angel, but OTOH Amanda seemed unusually fragile and perhaps less than totally objective.

The "she was just a lazy snowflake who couldn't stand the heat" narrative was incompatible with that salsa, which was clearly the product of a woman slogging her guts out.

Interesting decision - she will now of course be able to state her case frankly instead of alluding to it. Curious to see how she responds.

Indeed. And is the legal case still proceeding?