[Red Moon]

Gabby Logan blasts back

It's meant to be the classy grown-up weekend television alternative to Simon Cowell's brash X Factor.

But for drama, bitching and backstage controversy, BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing is proving more like murder on the dancefloor.

Last weekend, two of the initial favourites, Gabby Logan and Penny Lancaster, were left to slug it out in the dreaded dance-off after wowing judges but failing to win the viewers' hearts and votes.

Given her polished displays, many dance fans were incensed when Gabby was voted off. Even judges were fuming that the public vote had put her in line for the chop - while clumsy Kate Garraway lived to fight another week.

Now, despite her brave face as she was axed, it's clear Gabby is hopping mad.

The star, 34, fumed yesterday: "I am absolutely gutted to have gone out so early. I thought if you worked hard and were honest, you'd be OK. Maybe I was wrong.

"I was getting a real buzz from everything about the show. But apparently 'my journey' isn't interesting enough.

"Maybe I should have played the game a bit more. That might be what you have to do to stay in the show."

Her outburst gives an insight into the backbiting that has hit the BBC1 series.

Gmtv star Kate's dance flaws on the dance floor have left judges wincing in horror and her bruised dance partner Anton du Beke wincing in agony. Yet Gabby believes Kate, 39, has won public sympathy by laying bare her Strictly Come Dancing ordeal to her breakfast TV audience. Gabby, who hosts BBC's Inside Sport, blasted: "I don't have a PR machine, I don't have a publicist. A lot of the others do and maybe I should have considered that."

Hinting that Kate had got the public on her side through her GMTV role, Gabby said: " I don't have that outlet. My Inside Sport viewers won't vote on Strictly Come Dancing."

She went on: "People blame Kate, but it's not her fault the public keep voting for her. When she came over to say goodbye she had a slightly embarrassed look in her eye."

Last weekend judges voted Penny and partner Ian Waite an impressive fourth, while Gabby and her partner James Jordan were sixth.

But the women have failed to win over viewers amid claims they are too competitive. And the weight of public votes dumped them in the bottom two, leaving them to battle each other last Sunday to avoid the boot.

In a contest that had eight million viewers glued to their sets, the panel backed Penny three to one.

But chief judge Len fumed: "This was not my role. My role was to vote off one of the worst dancers, not one of the best."

And host Bruce Forsyth gently chided viewers as he told them: "Next week, remember this is a dance contest." Gabby's rugby star husband Kenny was so stunned he offered to give up his place to let her stay.

The mum of two revealed: "He's bewildered by the result.

"He phoned the BBC and asked if he could step down to allow me back in. That was really touching.

"But we've got to accept the decision."

Fans were just as staggered. One raged on an internet forum: "I'm disgusted about what happened. I still don't quite believe it."

Another criticised the new policy of keeping voting lines open all week.

They said: "Why are we surprised when the lines are NOW open to vote for next week's winner?

"The show makes a mockery of the celebs and pros who sweated buckets to do a great dance to try and get top votes."

Gabby is mystified as to why she was so unpopular with fans.

But she slammed claims her competitive streak put them off. The TV host said: "I was made out to be extremely competitive, but Alesha Dixon put in lots more hours than me. How come I'm more competitive than her or Kelly Brook?"

Despite her disappointment, Gabby is determined to stay upbeat and will cheer on Kenny this Saturday. She said: "He's entertaining and is trying his hardest. I'll help him if he needs to practise when he comes home.

"But I'll miss dancing with James. We went through a rocky patch but were getting on so well.

"I've no idea what will happen next week. The public have surprised me and I think everyone on the show has been given a shock.

"Anyone can end up in the bottom two. The contest is wide open."

'I don't have a PR machine and I've not got GMTV viewers voting for me. I thought if you worked hard and were honest, you'd be OK. Maybe I should have played the game a bit more'

How the voting works..

THE JUDGES

Judges mark the contestants out of 10. With four judges, this makes a maximum possible score of 40.

WHAT THIS MEANS

If there are 11 contestants left in the show, the couple who come top with the judges get 11 points.

The couple who take second place get 10 points and the bottom pair get one point.

Those ranking scores are reduced each week as couples leave the show.

So, if there are, say, eight contestants left, the couple who come top with the judges get eight points, second place gets seven points and so on. The judges' marks make up 50 per cent of the overall score.

PUBLIC VOTE

If there are 11 contestants in the show, the couple who come top in the public vote get 11 points to add to their leaderboard score. The bottom pair get one point.

So if a couple had come top with the judges but bottom of the public vote, they would have a total score of 12 (11 plus 1)

If a couple had come second with the judges and fifth in the public vote, they would have 17 points (10 plus 7). The two celebs with the lowest overall scores then have to dance again for the judges - and they vote for who stays.

PANEL'S SCORES

1 Matt & Flavia 36

2 Kelly & Brendan 34

3 Alesha & Matt 33

4 Penny & Ian 32

5 Letitia & Darren 31

6 Gabby & James 30

7 Gethin & Camilla 26

7 Dom & Lilia 26

9 John & Nicole 22

10 Kenny & Ola 18

11 Kate & Anton 16

Sue Carroll's verdict

They say success only comes to those with a competitive streak.

I'm not sure Gabby Logan would agree after her swift exit from Strictly Come Dancing.

The Inside Sport presenter denies she was "ultra-competitive" but viewers aren't daft.

Pouting Penny Lancaster and Leggy Logan ended in a dramatic dance-off because, this IS a personality contest. And unfortunately neither have persuaded us theirs are very appealing.

Penny, cursed admittedly by wealth, tells us how a gruelling Strictly week consists of a personal chef cooking her chops and mashed spuds.

Meanwhile gymnast Gabby took to the dance floor like Boadicea charging into battle and literally bent over backwards to show off her athletic prowess - almost guaranteed to win clodhopping Kate Garraway the sympathy vote.

The truth is that while we gaze in awe at the long and supple limbs of Gabby and Penny, your average female will always relate to the dancing disaster with two-left feet struggling to do the Cha-Cha-Cha.

It's certainly true Anton du Beke didn't so much waltz poor Kate around the floor as carry her like a limp rag doll. But, in our hearts, we know hers was the most gutsy performance of the night.

God loves a tryer. As do Strictly Come Dancing viewers.

Source:The Daily Mirror