I'm also wondering how important the impact of the "kiddie" vote might be.  Out on Friday evening heard people (assume various generations of families) talking about having Strictly parties, and I guess there are a lot of cases of Mums, Grans, etc., watching with younger kids who they might like to pander to and let them choose who to vote for.

I would imagine Abbey (looking young and like a fairytale princess in the waltz and a rag doll in the QS) was perhaps the only one the youngsters could really relate too.

Sophie - a bit goofy, pale and aloof.
Susanna - their music and routines a bit too old fashioned.
Natalie - a bit too grown up and occasionally fierce.

Just a thought.

One of them was me

I suspect much like DVO, Nat won a fair few round in the final too. She certainly won me round and would have got my 5 votes if they hadn't gone to Abbey already

Without aftertiming, I think it would be fair to say that, for most of the series,  Abbey was fairly clearly the second best dancer. With that first vt however, she seemed to have blown it already. After three months  of projecting a far more `innocent` relationship, the public had forgiven/forgotten such possible indiscretion. Once that negativity had been removed, we were left with a fairly likeable, very good dancer, who was clearly loving every bit of the experience. Not a bad combination. Without the leaks, I suspect she would have been fav for most of the series.

Abbey very nearly flip flopped at one point iirc until I guess the paso from Susannah.

odds at suspensions on scores thead, and some of shortest odds matched were during the final

their*

Yep. last matched @ 6+ The market spot on as always

Every poll I saw had Abbey winning it. Just figured it was DS maniacs

Abbey closed with something on 6 but she was last matched at 6.8

Jai went to 12s+ iirc