So after surviving for seven weeks, by his own admission six weeks more than he expected, Jeremy Vine, Jezza has left the show. This series has always had comedy acts, those who cannot dance but who everyone loves, but Jeremy seems to have been one of the most popular, if not the most liked. We have had some pretty naff ones over the lifetime of the series, Anne Widdicombe was just dire and so full of herself, John Sargent ditto and so sure he was going to win that he held a press conference, yes a press conference, to announce he was leaving. Unbelievable. Of course he had a book coming out so needed all the publicity he could get. Nancy Del Olioloiooo or whatever her name is was just bizarre and totally lacking in humour and the list goes on. I have to say though that most of the hopeless ones were a hoot and just knew how awful they were.
Well next week the caravanserai moves to Blackpool. This has been flagged up for weeks now and on Saturday night the number of times it was mentioned reached epidemic proportions but then those of us who watch Strictly while live blogging on the Guardian realised why. Heidi Stephens blogs it and underneath we comment and over the years this has turned into an on line party and is tremendous fun. Every week there is a Strictly Bingo and every time a certain phrase comes up we have to have a drink. So every time Tess shouts out They're on their Feet (Drink) How much does it mean to you to get to Blackpool (Drink) I am going to pickle my walnuts (Drink)..well you get the drift. It has become clear over the weeks that Claudia and now Tess read these comments as remarks they make on air show this to be true and, in good spirit, threw themselves into the party with mentioning Blackpool as often as they could, practically every sentence. If everyone on the Guardian had a drink when this happened most of us would have been on the floor. It is huge fun.
Right my thoughts on Saturday:
Anita and Gleb - love this partnership and think they will get to the final
Helen and Aliyash - simply cannot warm to her at all. She reminds me of that wind up doll in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and seems to have these dead eyes. Weird.
Georgie and Joe Varney - stunning Charleston and as Bruno said she is not only getting to be a better dance but a better performer. I love that music from Chicago and a sensational routine. Three tens and a nine and well deserved.
Tristan and Jamelia - she really is a shoe in for going out next week. No improvement and a really sloppy untidy dancer. Surprised she has lasted this long. She moans that the public don't like her. Oh No says Tess. Oh yes we cry. Go on TV and diss large ladies and say that they should not be able to buy clothes on the High Street is a sure fire way of alienating the female vote (and most of the voting on SCD is female) and making sure you constantly end up in the dance off.
Jay and Aliona - he seems to have got stuck. Great start but now is making no discernible improvement. He is an excellent dancer but just needs to loosen up a bit. Aliona is beginning to look a bit fed up.
Kellie and Kevin - thought their routine was technically good but looked awful and costumes dire. Kellie reads the blog as well and there were endless comments about her screaming at the results etc up in the Clauditorium and she is now much more muted, though still ear piercing.
Anton and Katie - good rumba and Anton clearly delighted to get through. Don't think he has made Blackpool for years. Producers must think she is in that dangerous middle ground though as they wheeled her husband out in training. Always a bad sign.
Peter Andre and Jeanette - do like him though I know a lot of people think his sincerity is fake. I disagree but he does come across as trying to hard. Claudia clearly dislikes him and I tweeted her and said might be better is she made the effort to hide it just a bit. Lovely Viennese waltz. After the judges were less than overwhelmed with him a week or so ago they wheeled out his children. Always works.
OK who is left? think I have covered everyone. As I said Jeremy has now departed and was lofted up in the air by all the dancers and Slebs at the end of the show. Everyone loves him. Same thing last year with Judy Murray. Lovely person and everyone enjoyed having her on the show.
Back to the comments on the live blog and Heidi was at the live show and told us that the producer of the series reads it too so I have added this comment on the list in the hope that she will read it and take note:
- Please stop the audience from their interminable clapping which is soooo irritating (Heidi says they are told to do so) and they are usually out of time
- Please can you sort out the camera work so that we get to see more of the feet of the dancers. Yes we appreciate their top line and their extensions but we would like to see the FEET. Quite often the judges comment on footwork which they can see and we cannot
- Please get rid of those awful cringe making VTs which are now beyond dire. You should know that when they come on the entire watching nation gets up to put the kettle on, have a pee, put the cat out, whatever... We HATE them
- Please have a word with Tess and ask her not to clutch the slebs all the time. She grabs their hands and hangs on for dear life. I noticed Anita freed herself pretty quickly on Saturday night. Not just me who has noticed this, somebody on Twitter says it was getting a bit creepy. I can only assume that she is hoping that some of their wit or style will rub off on her. Tess - it won't. Stop it.
- Please get rid of Len's Lens. It is not worth doing. The judges barely get a word in and it is a waste of time.
I will not be able to concentrate on the show next week as I am looking after grandchildren (not complaining) and they will watch a bit of it with me. Beatrice usually keels over pretty quick and her mother puts her to bed before she and husband go out for evening, Florence loves to stay up and watch with me (I believe in teaching her all about the finer things in life) but then half way through tells me she is tired and wants to go to bed. If Gleb or Aliyash is on I make her wait. If it is Katie Derham then off I go up the stairs.....
Quote of the night from Len who knows he is an Old Dodderer:
'I am a cup of tea in a world of skinny lattes'
Priceless.
