Strictly Come Dancing newcomers Julian Caillon and his dance partner Balvinder Sopal are once again facing the threat of early elimination, according to the latest betting odds. After narrowly escaping the dance-off last week, Betway now places them as strong contenders to leave the competition this Saturday, with odds at 100/1 to be sent home. This potential exit would deny them the chance to perform on the renowned Blackpool Tower stage, a coveted milestone in the Strictly journey.
Close behind them in the betting leaderboard is Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who faces odds of 50/1, followed by La Voix, holding odds of 40/1. Meanwhile, George Clarke remains the favourite to win, with Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope and Alex Kingston ranking second and third respectively.
Last weekend saw a surprise elimination when Ellie Goldstein and her partner Vito Coppola bowed out after a tense dance-off against Julian and Balvinder. Despite the judges saving Julian and Balvinder, the departure was emotional for both contestants. Ellie shared, “I’ve enjoyed it so much! He is a kind person and all I wanted from day one. You have been so heartwarming, thank you to you [Vito].”
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Vito expressed a touching sentiment in response: “Honestly, there are no words I can use to describe how proud I am of you. You really changed my life and made me a better person. At the start of the year, I wished for a beautiful angel in my life, and now I have you. I never had a little sister before, but now you’re my little sister forever, and your big brother is always by your side.”
Earlier in the week, Balvinder and Julian appeared on It Takes Two, opening up about their struggles and determination. Balvinder revealed the rumba as their toughest routine, admitting, “On Tuesday, I’d thrown in the towel and cried. Jules stood by me and said, ‘When you’re ready, bro… we’ve got to get this done.'”
Strictly Come Dancing continues to captivate audiences with its mix of fierce competition, emotional stories, and dazzling performances every Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC One.