Blackpool dances put Mark in Strictly Come Dancing trouble

The Strictly Come Dancing betting suggests it’s a two-act race to be the seventh elimination from the show and based on the routines each will perform for the Blackpool special, Mark Benton has to be the clear favourite to be sent home.

Mark is 5/4 to be eliminated next, while the only other celebrity priced at odds shorter than 7/1 is Fiona Fullerton at 13/8.

These are the only two remaining acts to have never received a score above 30 previously and Mark’s best is currently only 28.

However, it is not the fact that he has the lowest best score of the nine remaining celebrities that makes him the best bet to leave, but instead the fact that he will have to dance the jive.

Mark’s two best scores so far have come when performing ballroom routines, but the jive will represent a third successive week where he will be carrying out a latin routine.

Furthermore, the jive is one of the dances that puts most pressure on knees and this is a body part where he has already required physio support and acupuncture.

Interestingly, of the remaining acts, eight of the nine have achieved their best scores so far when performing ballroom dances, with Ben Cohen the only exception to the rule.

Fiona will perform an American Smooth routine from the ballroom section in week seven and she has to be considered fairly lucky so far to have had so few quicker routines, which are regarded as being tougher for the celebrities.

Looking at who may be in the bottom two with Mark, Patrick Robinson was in the dance-off in week five, which was also the last time that he danced a latin routine.

Given he has performed ballroom in the two shows since, a return to latin is likely and so the Casualty actor appeals at 7/4 to be in the bottom two in Blackpool.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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