Just wondering what any other Strictly Come Dancing fans think of the alleged decision to replace Arlene Phillips with Aleesha Dixon? I think its incredibly ageist and also tacky. Arlene is a professional choreographer with years and years of experience, Aleesha is a pop singer with no professional credentials whatsoever. Apparently its to attract younger viewers. What about the existing huge fan base, many of whom are over 35, who like the show as it is? Also, I note its the female judge who's being replaced, not the elderly male judge.
Strictly Come Dancing
- Thread starter liaconn
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If it were Len being Goodman replaced by, say, Mark Ramprakash, would you be as exercised about the principle of an older judge being replaced by a younger one ?
Yes, I would. I got really annoyed last year when people started saying Bruce Forsythe was 'too old' to be presenting the show.
Television is for everyone, not just the young and beautiful.
I don't watch strictly come dancing but I think replacing Bruce Forsythe with anyone/anything could only be considered a brilliant idea!
Well, I see the BBC has confirmed the change and have stated that it has nothing to do with ageism. Do they think people are stupid? For what other reason would you replace a highly regarded expert with a huge amount of experience with a younger glamorous person with little or nothing in the way of relevant experience. Think I will be giving this programme a miss from now on.
Audience figures & demographics.
Exactly.They think a younger person will attract a younger audience. That's ageist. The BBC is a public service broadcasting service for which viewers pay a licence fee. There is nothing very public minded about basically saying we're only interested in viewing figures and to hell with older people and their fan base.
And they are right to think this.
Indeed but no doubt done for commercial reasons..higher viewing figures equals higher advertising revenues.
But there is no advertising on the BBC. This decision could be expected from a commercial station like ITV but is a poor one by BBC.
My point exactly. You would expect this kind of behaviour from ITV, Living etc because they have to look at demographics, spending power etc., but not from the BBC.
they are also in direct competition with X-Factor who had success last year replacing yer wan (cant remember her name the wife of yer man who's name I cant remember) with cole. She and the show did so well. SCD I believe are trying to emmulate that. Pity, part of the charm of SCD was the judges and how strict they were on choreography.
They have really brought it down a notch.
They have really brought it down a notch.
She also knew what she was talking about when it came to dancing. I really don't see how the contestants, the professional dancers or the other judges can be expected to take Alesha's comments seriously. And to be honest, I wonder does she realise she's only there as a pretty face to pull in a younger audience or does she seriously think she's there as an expert.
But its not my licence fee and I don't feel I should complain.
Gimme the BBCs and National Geo and I'm a happy (sofa) camper. I don't watch Strictly as I reckon its for the birds...The RTEs still have lots to learn from Auntie
I have to say I really love "Strictly" myself and both my daughters aged 23 and 30 watch it on a regularly basis, we have even got my hubby and son to throw an eye on it every now and again. We all loved Arlene and can not understand why she has been replaced . The other judges (3 men) are professionals and I can not understand whey they have changed the only female judge. We will just have to wait and see how it goes. Maybe Arleen wanted to leave?
No, apparently she was 'very disappointed'. To be honest, I don't think I'll be bothering to watch it anymore. They've obviously decided to dumb the whole thing down. I wonder will they also drop any contestants over the age of 30? They were sometimes the most entertaining.
Anyone still watching this? I tuned in a couple of times to see if Alesha was as bad as people were saying and, to be honest, couldn't watch it for very long. It had just got so boring. The absence of Arlene and the presence of such a poor list of 'celebrities' has really dragged the whole thing down, in my view. Shame, I used to love curling up on the couch with a glass of wine on the dark cold Saturday nights to watch SCD.