Strictly Speaking, is it Sport? Who Cares? Come Dancing Proves Great Competition

As this year’s Strictly Come Dancing (Dancing with the Stars for our American chums) season progressed, so it became quite a family ritual, a weekly treat that we let the kids stay up for. If nothing else I enjoyed watching my five-year-old daughter (and if truth be told my two-year-old son) create their own interpretation in front of the screen. You see I’m neither a huge dance fan nor a celebrity watcher, but the sport psychologist in me was drawn in by the skill, commitment, drama and the genuine excellence shown as the competition developed in the final rounds. I have to admit that on these criteria 'Strictly' matched just about any sporting event that I’d seen in some time.

Alesha Dixon, this year’s champion (who had been in a pop group that I’d just about heard of), wasn’t just a good dancer (and I’m not referring to her looks here either). She simply produced performance after performance. Every time she went out she was spot on. As the pressure increased, so she kept on producing. She clearly cared about winning the competition, but went out and danced in the moment, just like a true sporting champion. She also carried herself with humility, grace and a sense of humour.

Matt Di Angelo (from Eastenders), on the other hand, appeared to choke completely in the quarter finals, forgetting his steps and sitting down before the end of his routine. Most unsporting, I must say. That’s like walking off the pitch because the game is beyond you. Yes, his nerves got the better of him, but anyone in sport would tell you that you just don’t do that. You keep trying to the end.

The other thing that bothered me about Matt was that he didn’t seem to like taking negative feedback from the judges. While Alesha appeared to take the minimal criticism on board, it looked to me like he (or his ego) took umbrage each time the judges response was less than glowing.

Yet somehow, the Great British public saved him, and having been given a second chance he took it well. He was the equal of Blue Peter’s Gethin Jones, who had put in some consistently strong performances, and the judges put him through to the final. They seemed to like him, for in past weeks they had saved the person who had been the better performer overall, and not just on the night.

So there they were. Saturday’s final was a tad drawn out, but a ding-dong contest nonetheless. Each dance was incredibly close, but Dixon just had that edge – and had the benefit of being clearly the best performer over the entire series having broken the record for the number of tens scored – and was the deserved winner.

Alesha Dixon will now go on and earn a reputed ₤5 million after winning 'Strictly'. Unlike most reality show contestants, she deserves everything that comes to her.

The final word, however, goes to good old Brucey who was just brilliant as the host, and to the judges: Arlene Phillips and her Absurdly Awful Alliteration; and Bruno Tolioni, whom I suggest should never, ever take up poker!

Rob Robson