Madam Mim and the dresses of doom

Just in case you haven't noticed, it's Blackpool next week. Blackpool, Blackpool, Blackpool. It needs to be mentioned at least every five minutes. By the way we're from Blackpool!

Ok, so I've just watched the walkdown and the costumes are awful this week, considering they've been pretty good so far this series this is a disaster in the scrap bin of the fabric department.

Pamela and James
Exhibit A, horrendous Bradford and Bingly ballroom. Seriously, Pamela is gorgeous and they've made her look twice the size she normally is! OK, I typed too soon, bit of the old Bucks Fizz magic and we're away! Once they got on with some proper dancing I saw this was a technically good cha cha, but thought it was a bit slow. Would have liked a full-on, camp-as-Christmas disco number myself.

Michelle and Brendan
Exhibit B, Brendan in the scratchy Ann Summers red lace I'd hoped they'd used up last year. Michelle looks like a loo roll cover, but I can forgive that for the rather impressive skirt work that Brendan did. I do love an experimental paso (with the stress on the mental!) I also quite liked the song choice for the it-shouldn't-work-but-it-does factor. Oh yeah, the dancing? Meh, she got round the floor. Love the word nodulistic, don't love the 4 Craig.

Patsy and Robin
I know it's wrong, but this was a real guilty pleasure of a routine, I loved it! So full of twiddly bits, but lovely storytellling and I was watching Patsy more than Robin for once! These two are totally scoring points in the teamwork and j-j-journey categories. If they get to Blackpool they will have literally been on a journey, so that's ok.

Gavin and Katya
Katya survives bad dress week relatively unscathed, considering the skirt appears to be made out of Muppet. I have no idea what the start was about, it took me a while to remember he was actually dancing. The bits when he was actually doing some proper quickstep were surprisingly good, but I just didn't like this routine. The stop-start aspect was just odd, really don't get what the judges were going on about? TWO NINES?!

Ann and Anton
I think Anton got bored and attempted some proper dancing this week. She didn't get a favourable reception for her assumption she's going to Blackpool on ITT this week and she's had a bad week in the press. It kind of would be a shame if she went out on a week when she had really tried. Amusingly enough, the dress made her look like Madam Mim from the Sword in the Stone.

Wow, an actual VT of Blackpool. I lived in Blackpool for more than 20 years and still call it home, but I have never actually heard anyone call it the Las Vegas of the North. At least they managed to get a bit of sun, or maybe they just added it on the special effects afterwards!

Kara and Artem
Exhibit C: If that hat stays on Kara's head for more than five seconds I will not be happy. Once the pole dancing interlude was over I think they really got into this. The choreography and footwork was really good, Artem has obviously been watching Vincent and Flav doing the old jigsaw-legs as I like to call them. But's the problem with those two magic munchkins, they're so good we hold everyone to a very high Argentine Tango standard!

Felicity and Vincent
They look like two little French Fancies! Not sure what they were trying to do with Vincent's shirt, but it looked three sizes too big. I certainly appreciated the armwork even if it wasn't the best, some people have just forgotten about it all together. I liked the slow opening but felt it went on a bit too long.

Matt and Aliona
I have been waiting for this one all week, my hopes are high Farmer Boy...And well, I was quite impressed! The song choice was perfect in my opinion, really helped build the atmosphere that is crucial. Feeel like it could have done with a tiny bit more hip action but his lines were as great as ever. Think he got the right balance of manly-ness and...erm...rumba-ness?

Scott and Natalie
God awful outfits, Natalie looks like Barbie. Not a special themed Barbie, just a Barbie. Crikey, this was an amazing routine though, it actually deserved its standing ovation! His timing and rhythm were all bang-on and he totally sold it too! Although these props are starting to look like waste of licence fee money, how much time and money must have it have taken to make that stupid door?! It would have worked perfectly well if she had just walked away from him a few times. But woah, the solos were worth it.

My pointless prediction: Bottom two, Felicity and Michelle. But maybe Pam as a shock, because people might forget about her.

UPDATE: Wow, the pointless prediction was right for once! There's not too much to say here really, it bascially was her time to go. Ah, but we have the delights of Blackpool to look forward to next week - yes Blackpool, in case you hadn't heard!