Strictly Come Dancing 2022 #15

[Espresso Martini]

My husband has just said "that bloody Neil is like the elf on the shelf, you never know where he's going to pop up next!!"
We now play whoever spots Neil first the other one has to get the drinks in!

 

[BDY_97]

I know people on this thread aren’t the biggest fans of Kym, but I actually had a lot of respect for her this week. She was also very unwell but we didn’t hear her bang on about it 24/7. She has a very unwell parent who unfortunately nothing can be done for, and it’s also been baby loss awareness week (something that has a huge impact on her). All of these things she could have mentioned to gain sympathy votes but she didn’t.

 

[kachoochoo]

just realised that shirley's wig reminds me of one of those girls who got arrested for drug smuggling in peru a few years ago

 

[Jelly Bean]

I think Gorkas speech tonight was a way of as some have said, mentioning the elephant in the room. It's all over the press and I imagine with various sob stories this week, illness, grief, kids, friends who saved lives etc etc he thought hang on, there's one person here who is having a shit time NOW and still turning up and not uttering a word. I don't think she was annoyed, I think she just a) didn't want to cry on TV and b) has the sense of mind to be very careful about what she says and didn't want to say anything off the cuff that sly exes could use against her.

That is what I thought tbh. Gorka probably has seen her in a right state this week and previous weeks. Or more likely trying to hide being in a right state. And I can imagine him being furious with her deadbeat husband still making her life a misery.
I actually can't warm to Helen (but that is neither here nor there), but by crikey I admire her for not being a victim. I think Gorka wanted people to appreciate that although she presents as perky and capable she is going through a terribly shitty time. Arguably not up to him to do that but I think it came from a place of deep kindness towards her and anger and frustration with her horrible ex.

 

[soccergirl]

Dave Arch currently looking at next week's set list and seeking refuge in the blissful arms of heroin

 

[KeriRhys]

I've gone off Gorka after bringing up Helen's personal life live on air- not his place.

I think he genuinely meant well by it...he seems very protective of her and very much in the way of building her up! Plus we know he's a family man himself...
he probably got a bit annoyed with others being all "I'm unwell/didn't get much rehearsal time" and others throwing things up from their past!

I know Helen isn't everyone's cup of tea...but her ex seems like a right bastard, and I daresay she's been a bit upset this week with him hitting the news...I'd probably be annoyed with people bringing up (in comparison some fairly frivolous things for "sympathy"...by that I mean Wills cold, not Jaydes sister)
So it maybe wasn't approached in the best way, but I do think he's just being supportive and caring!

 

[soccergirl]

Monkseal's comment on Will on DS made me laugh a lot:

• Amidst a set of fairly blandly likable frontrunners this year, have to respect Will's commitment to drama by turning up looking like crap and in an utterly foul mood, hacking and spluttering everywhere, and on the verge of offering Craig to go out behind the bins to have a respectful talk about his mental health. Can't help feel that the laudable message of his dance, about taking care of yourself and not being afraid to ask for help when you're suffering, was undermined slightly by him Typhoid Maurice'ing around the studio and almost setting off a new international pandemic all on his own. I don't think the dance was as bad as it got pegged, but male rumbas rarely are. Gotta keep that bad reputation up I guess, really scare guys off expressing themselves.
  
  

 

[jfletcher]

Please can we ban street dance from Strictly? The judges can't judge it properly and it doesn't fit at all.

 

[travelbug20]

I think Gorkas speech tonight was a way of as some have said, mentioning the elephant in the room. It's all over the press and I imagine with various sob stories this week, illness, grief, kids, friends who saved lives etc etc he thought hang on, there's one person here who is having a shit time NOW and still turning up and not uttering a word. I don't think she was annoyed, I think she just a) didn't want to cry on TV and b) has the sense of mind to be very careful about what she says and didn't want to say anything off the cuff that sly exes could use against her.

 

[glasgow27]

Valiant effort by Matt this week, I'm glad he had one night where he felt at ease and really gave the performance his best. Leaving on a high.

Nadiya for the 2023 final!!

 

[lavendervase]

I think it was spur of the moment on Gorka’s part and probably came from frustration at the Judges comments and scores. There are couples who are fawned over and overmarked and couples who are picked up on technicalities and undermarked. It’s ‘his’ dance and I think he thought it would be Helen’s breakthrough.

I don’t think for a second it didn’t come from anywhere but a good place, he seemed really frustrated. I hope it doesn’t damage their professional or personal relationship though

Yes I agree he was clearly really proud of this dance and was buzzing about it all week if you watched stories and even Gemma was bigging it up all week. There was a lot of content in that dance and she did really well in a lot of it but it wasn’t really mentioned and the judges banged on about her confidence when I’m sure they know why it’s on the floor!
The woman’s husband left her when their baby was just born and this week when her baby isn’t even one yet and he’s having another baby and that was only announced during the week. God love her and I’m sure Gorka has been a huge support for her this week and hears people banging on about having the cold when her whole world has been flipped upside down this week!
There are people like Jayde who in my opinion don’t dance anywhere near as well as Helen who are getting extra marks for having confidence and being brave for going out and dancing and setting foot on the floor and Helen deserves just as much praise for what she’s been through this week alone never mind her dancing. No wonder Gorka was frustrated and stuck up for her when she did so well and just got comments about her confidence. He’s a nice guy and a family man and I think that’s clear to see and after growing so close to her is probably disgusted with the ex but also knows she needs a confidence boost not to be knocked by the judges and undermarked by the judges for not having confidence and wanted to boost her publicly and say his piece too! Sorry that’s so long

 

[diamondthunder]

Karen throwing some shade at Kai and Nadiya it seems...
Good for her.

 

[Brummiebird]

I want a spin off show with Johannes, Hamza and Matt just vibing in a camper van as they tour the Nation.

 

[ButtonDownTheHutches]

If we have to have centenary week, I really really really want to see the following:

A samba to the Grange Hill theme tune
A jive to the Blankety Blank theme tune
A couples choice to the BBC News theme tune (a la Bill Bailey’s rave version of it)
A rumba to the Bird of a Feather theme tune
A cha cha to the Homes under the Hammer theme tune
A Viennese Waltz to the Howard’s Way theme tune
A salsa to the Antiques Roadshow theme tune
A Paso Doble to the Mastermind theme tune

It’s going to be shit, so let’s make it gloriously shit.

 

[FatherJackHackett]

I dont care what kind of polished act she puts on, You just KNOW that if Kym was an ordinary Joe she'd be pulling some other girls hair in the local on a Friday night in an argument about some deadbeat fella... rough as toast lol

 

[calmyourritas]

I was hoping someone would do The One Show theme tune as I really like that

OOOOOOONEEEE ONEEEEE

 

[Vanelope]

Helen Skelton is a tough Cumbrian woman who is currently holding it together by being practical, a mum and not really thinking about herself so she doesn’t fall apart on television because above all she won’t give her ex the satisfaction. It’s holding her back from really getting into the dancing. I think it was lovely of Gorka to try and give her confidence a boost so publicly, and call him out, she just didn’t want to cry and didn’t know how to deal except brush it off. Really hope after that she got a wine and a group hug off camera.

 

[petitspois]

Kym has always come across as the ultimate mean girl to me.

 

[Fillyjonk]

Poor Matt - I think he really was starting to open up and enjoy himself.

 

[Lostcat]

Aw, Matt. God love him, he really tried, and that was a very, very sweet parting speech. Perhaps a bit of a blessing in disguise, he was clearly very uncomfortable at times, physically and mentally.

I hope that his next venture into the spotlight will be a happier and less visibly stressful one for him.

(And I'm so glad he got to do a wee disco shimmy in his parting dance, that was nice!)