Strictly 2023

Hamza and Jowita were down the judges "guidance" scores in last year's final but still won. The polls and more importantly the bookies think Ellie is a lock to win. I'd think most people have made up their mind which way to vote but lets say Ellie fell on her rear and was marked down on one dance would it sway many voters and which way would they switch if they did.

I'll throw in a slight curveball Layton and Nikita have the capacity to do a total scene stealing showdance which could push votes their way.

I've voted on here for Ellie and Vito to win because I think they will. I think Layton and Nikita are the best dancers but Ellie has progressed further from her starting base. I've always liked Layton and Dianne so if another couple wins I'd be okay with that. Nothing against Bobby or Nitika either. Ellie I watched for many years in Corrie really enjoyed when her character was in tandem with Emma and the chaos she caused her, Vito has been really entertaining this series too with his quick fire explanations and is a fine dancer.

I hear ‘The Birdie Song’ is being considered for next year…

They could go a bit leftfield and maybe introdunce something like "street/urban dance". But having a quick look at listed ballroom dances the only one not inclued or very similar to existing dances could be the Bolero. This is described as a Rumba but with rise and fall. It might be sdomething a rumba specialist like Shirley has danced but would many of the current pros have done it. Also the Rumba is often the "dance of death" as many go out the week they have that so I don't see much appetite for the Bolero personally and everyone thinks of Torville and Dean with that anyway.

But if there are dances which the pros can do or easily be guided on then I'd be up for freshening up one dance per series. Maybe keep the real crowd pleasers but have say 4 or 5 rotating so one gets a year off each year.

Layton is the best dancer on the show amongst the celebs but was already an elite dancer when he joined the show so was always a likely finalist but not going to win.

I've enjoyed his dances and I'm sure his showdance will be spectacular.

I'd always like to know who these other choreographers are, we hear a name but never see them. Jason Gilkison we know about but I think the first time I saw what he looked like was on the front of Hello when he and his husband got married and the pros were at the wedding.

The lovely Maria Tsiatsiani who is apparently the show's Argentine Tango choreographer I've only discovered as she's been doing a lot of the exercise routines on Morning Live.

I am rather tired of the idea that anyone who doesn't think that Layton would be the likely winner is a hater.

It is, as I have said from the point at which he was announced, a case of the public not warming to someone who has entered the show having spent a significant part of his life involved with dance at a professional level.

It is the Ashley Roberts situation all over again.

Nothing about hating Layton and everything about acknowledging that the Strictly audience responds best to journey contestants.

Layton started as a great dancer, there is no doubt about that. He ends as a great dancer with a broader range of techniques at his disposal.

Ellie and Bobby started with little to no dance experience and thus their journey has been significant.

I do think that those doing the choreography for Layton did rely too heavily on his ability to deliver tricks and the showy side of his dance. More focus on the basics for each dance would have actually helped his relation with the judges and the voting audience. This is not his fault but when so many of his routines have felt more like a CC or show dance, I can understand why he was pulled up on the lack of basic content on a number of occasions.

I don't hate Layton. I don't hate Nikita.

I do prefer contestants who start from a very basic level of dance and who progress in leaps and bounds. And it would seem that those who vote share that sort of view.

I appear to be the biggest Layton supporter on this board and I don't think he has a cat in Hell's chance of winning. Trust that Ringer fans like me know the score. I was a big Ashley fan too back in the day. Last year I was thrilled to see my fave Fleur dancing rings around the other finalists even knowing she had no chance of lifting the Glitterball. Honestly when you love the Ringers, you're just happy if they make it all the way. You just don't want to miss out on them being A-Ma-Zing.     

Layton has had a journey, it's just not the cookie cutter journey that people want to see replicated every year (why can there only be one type of journey?). This Radio Times article summed up really well how he's had higher highs and lower lows than any other finalist. His previous dance experience hasn't meant he can automatically master every B/L technique (#Laytoncan'twaltz). And even when he does nail a routine, Layton critics will insist he didn't do the technique, he just did another Showdance. Please do note I'm using the term 'Layton critics', not Layton haters. Both types of anti-Layton viewer do exist but I acknowledge there's a difference and I'm thankful I haven't seen any of the latter type around here. But I do think his critics can be unfair in this most common generalization. L&N bringing back their AT for the final - a dance with no tricks, danced mostly in hold, with a heavy emphasis on complex AT footwork. Why isn't this acknowledged as a prime example of Layton focusing on technique? Also, why do people complain about Layton being showy and doing tricks in routines like his Charleston when every contestant does tricks in their Charlestons? A lot of these dances are meant to be showy!    

I'm fine with Ellie winning, she's deserving, but I do call bullsh*t on her being hailed as a great journey contestant. Her nickname Miss Consistency is a fitting one. She was one of the best dancers from the start and (like Layton) has never scored lower than a 7 in the entire run. As the only contestant this season to never be in the DO she's also not had to up her game like Layton and Bobby have in recent weeks. If the stereotypical Strictly journey is what matters then Bobby should be the winner. He's the actual novice (hush hush about Ellie's ballet & tap training) and while I said midseason that he didn't seem to be improving, his QS in the Semis was a massive leap forward. Yet Bobby's third on most every poll I've seen.

If people want to pretend Ellie has had this huge 'leaps and bounds!' improvement over the course of the show (which her consistently high leader-board placements in no way back up), then ok, if that's what you're buying into. For me, Ellie has just been the best all-rounder. Which as a journey goes is frankly boring, but I'd say consistency and versatility are still deserving of merit.         

“Remember tonight’s judges scores are just a guide as it’s the final”.

When have they ever been anything but a guide? Every week is a pure public vote.

Wasn’t it gorgeous how Vito reassured Ellie after that lift went a bit wrong.

Someone’s just explained the voting to me which I literally had no idea

I really enjoyed tonight’s final and I’m very pleased that Ellie and Vito won. Their show dance was the most difficult and they performed it brilliantly. Who cares if there was a small slip at the end - they carried on and mistakes make us human. Things don’t have to be so called perfect to be enjoyed. Layton and Nikita also performed great throughout the whole series and they should be proud of how well they have done. Their dances were so entertaining. Bobby has shown great progression since the start of the series. Overall a strong final, nice to see the others back for the group dance 😊

I actually thought that Craig said some lovely things overall tonight, not only about the contestants, but about the show itself.

Oh, and isn't Kate Bush's 'This Woman's Work' one of the most beautiful songs?