Strictly Come Dancing--am I on my own here?

Yeah, agree with Len on Kara's charleston. Technically really really good, but too slow and not showy enough.

Widdecombe annoys me about a billion times more than John Sargent ever did.

I am now in the really unfortunate position of actually feeling sorry for Anne Widdecombe. Audible laughter throughout, wall-to-wall gimmickry, but in there there were actually a couple of decent steps and maybe teaching her to dance rather than making up ways to twat everything up to the max might have possibly been a better idea? This kind of "hilarity" will keep her in, won't it?

oh fuck off judges. really. just fuck off.

How much of it is people wanting to see these 'hilarious' antics and how much of it is Anton's fanatical fans? I wonder who the genius was who decided to pair them.

I worry that Jimi Mistry might go tonight - totally undermarked and in that really dangerous part of the leaderboard. Though I reckon it's got to be Shilton or Widdecombe.

^ OK, I was a couple of weeks out, but :-(

That phase of feeling sorry for Anne Widdecombe has passed, btw. I hate them with a passion. I did hate that she was being criticised for her age and weight, but fuck it, it's a dance show. Do some fucking dancing.

never watched this show but i've seen shows using the same format in other countries and there's something fairly great about watching those. the celebrities are always such national celebrities, and even then sometimes somewhat niche or faded, that it just seems like it's just people dancing badly.

There are people dancing very well. Anne Widdecombe is not one of them.

Can I be the first one to make the Pamela/Brendan Bradford & Bingley joke?

If you mean Pamela/James, then yes (just watching now).

Stupid gimmicky dances annoy me. If you can't tell the story of the dance without gimmickly props, then tell a different story!

Brief revive to say the following:

• fuck whoever out there is voting for Widdecombe
• woah shit!!! at Matt Baker backflip

Yes and yes. Really liked Pamela and James's waltz too.

God yeah, voting for Ann is just so wrong. The whole thing is just so set for non-existent laughs - pairing her with a guy a good foot taller than her who is entirely made of cheese, ffs. The fact that people are buying it is completely bizarre to me, it's not even a comedy protest vote, is it?

Matt's gymnastics are great. Didn't people get really arsey about Gaby Logan being an ex-gymnast, but Matt seems to get a free pass with it.

Three nights of Strictly next week, and I'll be at ATP. Trishyb, we must find some way of iPlayering it and watching together!

oh, and I really really don't give a shit about the Kara and Artem love story. At all.

Trishyb, we must find some way of iPlayering it and watching together!

Does Butlins have free wifi yet? I will have my laptop with me.

Jolly good. I have my spies investigating the wifi situation right now (would it be sad if we were to take your laptop on a trip to find wifi and download it off the iplayer site?)

The singers are fucking atrocious tonight, btw. They've been not too bad this series, but that Abba medley was painful.

I loved Kara's dress from last night, btw. This Anton and Erin dance is rather nice.

oh, and Bruno, stfu. Scott in bottom two isn't *that* shocking when we're this far through, it's obvious Gavin and Ann have fans (they are the only two left who aren't potential finalists) and when it's down to the public, this is what happens.

NICKY WIRE IN A BANANA SUIT!!!

I was sort of hoping they'd break ranks and assault Ann Widdecombe halfway through.

Hooray, she's out!!

shaun ryder on im a celebrity, manics on strictly... looking forward to [fill in your own joke] on x-factor

Oasis?

would it be sad if we were to take your laptop on a trip to find wifi and download it off the iplayer site?

Ooh, good idea. Saturday and Sunday lunch somewhere? Nice.

I was amazed to see the Manics on Strictly, until I remembered that its a choice between Strictly and X Factor nowadays, so ultimately they made the right decision.

Also had a genuine moment of tension when I thought Scott might be out instead of Ann.

May I join you? :)

Yay! I'll bring the gin and snacks! True spirit of indie festival japes, us lot.

it's obvious Gavin and Ann have fans

There are two in my house who have voted for Gav every week so far. I switched from Patsy to Kara, post-Patsy's (too early) demise. I think Matt will go before Scott actually, unless Scott forgets his steps again under the pressure of the semis.

Thank god the Widdecombe horrorshow is over. And how repulsive is Tony Beak Anton Du Fecking Beke?

Your womenfolk not OTM this year, Dr C. I honestly don't mind who wins out of the people that aren't Gavin.

I've missed Strictly for the past couple of weeks! Ann is gone then? Thank eff. Her continued presence was turning me into a right grumpy old sourpuss, banging on her climate change denial record and getting more and more grumpy as the whole stupid farce continues. It's Strictly for goodness sake! It isn't supposed to make me want to go and listen to the Levellers and fetch dogs on strings etc etc...

(I have watched 0 rub-factor but Strictly is GRATE)

It's his smile apparently, and the fact that he always appeared crushed by the judges comments. Hmmm.

I will always have a soft spot for him for the lomg-range penalty that sunk England in the 2008 6-nations, but it's painful watching him on Strictly. I think Kara will win. It might come down to what dances they perform in the final. Latin is not Pamela's strong suit. I think Kara will win.

Am I the only one missing the dance-offs this year?

He's a good lad, Gavin, but he by no means deserves to be in the final. He hasn't even shown the kind of magical breakthrough of previous sportspeople.

Ailsa, Madchen, we are GO! for Strictly in Minehead. Husband reckons that someone's iPhone data plan should allow us to download and watch, even if we have to kick in a couple of quid to help pay the bill.

huzzah! i have been informed by someone that there is wifi in the pavilion as well, someone who was posting to the internet while watching Mike Watt the other day.

Nice. Booze and ballroom all round.

Just set the Sky+ to record It Takes Two and I see that Zoe Ball is doing it. That's not good. Is it temporary, I wonder, or is Claude not coming back?

Claudia is not coming back. Sadface.

Oh. She mentioned on twitter something about her mat leave coming to an end and I assumed it was no coincidence.

That's rubbish! It was the one thing she was good at!

Perhaps I have this wrong! I hope so.

No, it looks like you're right. Oh well. At least I can still spend my time wishing she'd get her fringe cut, so that's something.

STRICTLY CONTESTANTS 2013

Abbey Clancy
Ashley Taylor Dawson
Ben Cohen
Dave Myers
Deborah Meaden
Fiona Fullerton
Julien Macdonald
Mark Benton
Natalie Gumede
Patrick Robinson
Rachel Riley
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Susanna Reid
Tony Jacklin
Vanessa Feltz

Ashley Taylor Dawson is the only name I don't recognise there. Heard somewhere that Natalie Lowe's injured this year so Aliona will be taking her place.

I've only heard of four of these people (Fullerton, Riley, Ellis-Bextor, Feltz).

Which is three more than ITV's rival celeb dance-em-up show.

Dave Myers is one of the "Hairy Bikers" cooking blokes.

Abbey Clancy - Peter Crouch's missus
Ashley Taylor Dawson ??
Ben Cohen - Englisn rugby player
Dave Myers - Hairy Biker
Deborah Meaden - Dragon (from Dragon's Den)
Fiona Fullerton - actress
Julien Macdonald - fashion designer
Mark Benton - bloke who's in everything on the telly
Natalie Gumede - husband-basher Kirsty from Coronation Street
Patrick Robinson - used to be in Casualty, probably still is
Rachel Riley - prettier nicer younger Vorderman
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - singer
Susanna Reid - BBC newsreader
Tony Jacklin - ex-golfer
Vanessa Feltz - TV bod and professional reality show contestant

Ashley Taylor Dawson

My Google-fu tells me that he's an actor in Hollyoaks. He also was/is in a shitty boyband who reformed in August oh guess there's no ulterior motive for him being on Strictly then.

reformed as in 'turned over a new leaf' ?

As in 'got back together to be as crap as before with even fewer people giving a toss'.