December 11th 2024.
As the 20th anniversary season of Strictly Come Dancing draws to a close, the odds are heavily in favor of one particular star to take home the coveted Glitterball Trophy. However, with just a few days left until the final, everything seems to have been turned upside down.
This weekend, four well-known faces will take to the dancefloor for three performances each, hoping to impress the judges and the audience enough to be crowned the ultimate winner. Among the contestants are comedian Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell, former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, and JLS member JB Gill and Lauren Oakley.
Despite the close competition, Chris has emerged as the clear favorite to win, with odds of 1/20 and a staggering 95% chance of victory according to Betfred. This makes him the shortest priced frontrunner in the history of the show, a fact that has never been seen before. "The Glitterball trophy feels within reach for comedian Chris McCausland," said Betfred's Kayley Cornelius. "With odds of 1/20 to win this weekend, he stands as the bookmakers' strongest favorite in the competition's history, boasting a massive 95% chance of victory."
But while Chris seems to have the win in the bag, the battle for second place is far less clear. JB, who was once predicted to be eliminated in the semi-final, has made a remarkable comeback and is now the favorite for runner-up with odds of 1/16. On the other hand, Sarah's odds are now at 25/1 and Tasha, who was previously considered a top contender, has seen her odds drop to 33/1.
"For Tasha, it's been a significant setback," commented Kayley. "Previously the favorite to win, her chances of even finishing in the Top 3 now look slim." This is a far cry from the beginning of the competition when many had labeled Chris and Dianne as the "joke act." However, they have since proven everyone wrong and emerged as serious contenders for the title.
In fact, Chris admitted that he initially had doubts about his ability to compete on the show. "Can the blind guy dance? I didn't think I could," he said. "I didn't know what I was getting into." But as they continued to impress week after week, he began to feel like they had already won just by challenging preconceived notions and being consistent in their performances. "We had done what I wanted to do and everything else then became a bonus," he shared. "I didn't think we'd get to Blackpool and every week is an extra bonus."
Unfortunately, not all of the contestants have had the same success. Pete Wicks, Montell Douglas, Jamie Borthwick, Wynne Evans, Shayne Ward, Sam Quek, Dr Punam Krishan, Paul Merson, Nick Knowles, Toyah Willcox, and Tom Dean have all been sent home throughout the season. But for those still in the running, the finale is just around the corner and anything could happen.
So make sure to tune in to the 2024 Strictly Come Dancing finale on Saturday at 6pm on BBC One to find out who will be crowned the ultimate winner. And if you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures to share, don't hesitate to get in touch with the entertainment team at The Agency. We'd love to hear from you!
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