'Strictly Come Dancing' fans reckon the show is "better" without Bruce Forsyth.
Tess Daly stepped in to take the show's main hosting duties, supported by veteran comic Ronnie Corbett.
Claudia Winkleman took over backstage after 81-year-old presenter Bruce came down with flu - and show devotees have called for the change to be made permanent.
One fan wrote on the show's website: "The show is obviously better without Brucie. Tess is much more natural and comfortable with the auto cued front-of-house job and Claudia was fantastic."
Another viewer added "Tess delivered many of Bruce's set lines, but from her they sounded genuine rather than scripted.
"Claudia was so at home with the dancers. They clearly adore her and it's mutual."
The show's ratings peaked at 10.9 million viewers this week - the highest of the series so far.
However, choreographer Arlene Phillips - a former judge on the programme - insists the programme would suffer if Bruce left for good.
She said: "I thought the show missed him. It's not until you haven't got him there that you realise how Bruce really is so woven into the programme. I think it proved he's pivotal to the series.
"I was very surprised to realise that, because you don't realise it when he's on."
16 November 2009, 12:00pm
