Strictly-the week after Blackpool

[miasmum]

Think Mark has lost his sparkle. He knows he will be going and just wants it over with.

I thought Brendan and Sophie's rumba was cold. Beautiful shapes but no emotion let alone passion. Didn't help that I had watched Vincent and Rachel's earlier. What were your thoughts on Brendan's comments?

I thought Ashley's waltz was beautiful and deserved a 10

Liked Abby but agreed a bit of umph missing. Ben's charlston was heavy, Patricks Viennese waltz was just ok. I did quite like Susanna's cha cha.

oh and quit the tears Natalie

[Osc]

First of all, I actually thought that Bruce was having a stroke on live tv - more than wayyyyyy past his time to go, he was absolutely dreadful last night. Thankfully we had recorded it so were able to fast forward through most of his terrible carryon.

To the dancing - I rather liked Sophie and Brendan's rumba, I thought it was gentle and shy, yes she needs to show more of herself but I think Brendan's comments were very justified. Not all rumbas have to be raunchy, and Bruno was over the top with his remarks. The judges appeared to be watching a different show to the one on our television Total overmarking for a lot of couples, Natalie made mistakes and still got 10s Suzanne looked good from the waist up but her legs and feet were not doing what they should be doing in a cha cha. Mark was just about ok, time he went. Ben ditto. Yes, Ashley's waltz was very nice but not deserving of a 10. In fact I wish some of the judges could explain to me why they give 10s to so many couples who make mistakes. Craig said on ITT during the week that a 10 is for a dance that is technically perfect but the judges apart from Craig are so obviously playing favourites this season and trying to push people up the leader board. Does Natalie not realise that turning on the waterworks doesn't make her appear warm and cuddly, just manipulative and cold? I will be interested to see who goes out tonight, I reckon it should be between Ben and Mark, going on the way the judges are behaving, I suspect they would vote Ben out to keep Mark in, but who knows.

[Ally]

I've read and heard lots of people today saying they thought Bruce was going to keel over?!

Maybe he'll see sense and retire at the end of this series?

I'd be having a word with him if he was my hubby.

[Rodo]

The show producers ought to do something about it. Surely they can't be that stupid. I think they are afraid of saying anything to him about retirement, though goodness knows why. What a difference it was the week he was away. He must be such a vain man.

[Kaz]

Not sure he is particularly vain, no more so than most performers, I think he just lives to perform - he's done it since he was a very little boy. Somebody with his best interests at heart just needs to tell him, either his wife or one of his children. Or perhaps they think he will go downhill even faster once he does......

I like Bruce, I think he's a lovely man - he's well thought of in his locality (I used to live that not that far away) and he does dog charity work, but he needs to pack it in now really It's getting painful.....

[Diflower]

They must have tried, surely?!
I record and fast-forward but saw the beginning as I wasn't behind enough

I didn't understand the marking either. I rather like Sophie & Brendan's rumba too, and I do think maybe she'll have won over some viewers as she does appear much more human now.
Susannah has much more confidence which is good to see, although her dance wasn't brilliant it made it better to watch. I agree she's not a very warm person but then she's not a performer either.
Abby looked as if she was running to keep up at some points.
Bored with Mark now
Actually considering how promising some of them looked a few weeks ago, it hasn't really come alive properly for me - certainly nothing I'd have given a 10 for

[miasmum]

Not sure about the judges watching a different show, I sometimes think I do

I think Sophie appears more and more robotic each week, with the exception of her quickstep. This week was beautiful but no emotion whatsoever.

Susanna has MORE confidence???? Susanna has had more than enough confidence since week one.

I don't think Ben will be in the bottom two, too many women like him for the wrong reasons

I think the bottom two will be Sophie and Mark and Mark will go

[Kaz]

I really don't like Susannah, she's brittle and has an enormous ego - you only need to watch BBC Brekkie to clock that

[Diflower]

Oh I don't like her either - never have done
Breakfast's not been the same since Sian went

[TheOstrich]

We've always given Brucie the benefit of the doubt .... up to this week. He really did look as if he was struggling to cope with it all on Saturday night and I think he's got to "bite the bullet" now. Best to be remembered as a great institution and bow out gracefully.

Fully agree with all the comments regarding the judge's marking and the favouritism being shown. None of the dances was deserving of a 10, in our view! This week, Craig's marking often belied his comments - we tended to agree with his critical comments and simply couldn't understand why he was marking so high.

We liked Brendan and Sophie's rumba and didn't think it deserved the pasting it was given. Thought Brendan was spot on with his remarks, and that the choreography suited Sophie's "style" - we couldn't have disagreed with the judges more.

Again, we thought Ben's "weightlifter character" in the Charleston played to his strengths, given his bulk and lack of fleet-footedness, and was a perfect foil for Kristina's exuberance. He didn't deserve to finish last.