STRICTLY Come Dancing is a great show enjoyed worldwide, and the production is first class with fabulous costumes, makeup, hairstyles, choreography and fantastic music/singing, so what do I find annoying?

Well, to start with, expecting couples to dance a great Paso Doble to a modern pop song does not do it for me. Recently we saw Stacey Dooley and partner dancing a slow foxtrot to "Hi Ho Silver Lining".

Now I know I am somewhat old fashioned and the show needs to constantly keep up with modern trends, but there are some things that can't be messed with.

As a dance teacher myself, I often struggle to identify the dance being shown as the music is usually the key and as the couples spend so little time "in hold" there are few basic steps to give me a clue.

Should I be watching the programme on catch-up, I tend to fast forward after each dance to avoid hearing the judges' remarks as most of the comments annoy me: "Oh my gosh, the attack, the top line, you came out and gave it 100%."

Of course they gave it 100%, that's what they are there for.

The thing that annoys me most is the long pause we have to endure to see who is going to be in the dance-off: "The first couple in the dance-off is..." the camera pans from one terrified couple to the next before the axe falls. This delay in announcing who is getting the chop is more stressful for the dancers than the routine itself and I'm sure that post-traumatic stress syndrome is only a matter of time for some celebs.

At least Anton doesn't have to suffer for long, as he and whomever he has been saddled with are relegated quite quickly.

With all its faults, Strictly is still very entertaining and is the subject of many debates after each show, so keeeeeeeeeeep moan- I mean dancing!

Brian Chambers

Woolston