Half-baked Strictly roster dominated by women with history to overcome
Published:The next series of Strictly Come Dancing is only weeks away and with six of the contestants already signed-up to the BBC hit it’s about time to assess who out of the early runners could conquer on the dance floor.
The initial market leader is Countdown braniac Rachel Riley at 7/2. Carol Vorderman’s replacementhas been a popular addition to the daytime show and with youth on her side it would be no surprise to see her mental dexterity successfully transfer to various repertoires.
Next up in the betting is magazine pin-up and wife of Premier League footballer Peter Crouch, Abbey Clancy. At 5/1, the buxom model makes obvious appeal but whether she can look as good in front of the judges as she does between the pages is still to be seen. Like Riley, Clancy will be one of the younger participants and so her chances of impressing where it really matters have to be respected.
Third favourite in the fledgling list is news reader Susanna Reid. At 6/1 the BBC breakfast presenter must represent value having built a likeable profile whilst the nation eats their breakfast. However, at 42-years-old she would become the oldest to have taken glory.
Already seemingly dismissed at this early stage are the mandatory joke entries in Vanessa Feltz and Tony Jacklin. Both discarded as 33/1 shots at the grand ages of 51 and 69 respectively it’s difficult to envisage how broadcasting’s very own marmite and the double golf Major champion can have an impact on what has increasingly become more of a dance show rather than a popularity poll.
It will be interesting to see who else makes the bill when opening night swings around but anyone thinking of steaming into the early jollies should beware of the competition’s history. In its ten series only three times has a women been victorious and as mentioned, none of the previous winners have been aged over 40.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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