As the new series of Strictly Come Dancing kicks off there’s already a favourite to be first out.
The opening live show of this year’s series takes place on Saturday on BBC One.
No one will be heading home this weekend – but the scores from the judges will carry forward to next week. There, the first celebrity and their pro partner will exit the competition.
Paul Merson, the former Arsenal star and TV pundit, is the one most in danger.
He is not winning over the bookmakers or punters ahead of his Strictly Come Dancing debut, sitting at the bottom of the betting odds, a whopping 66/1 outsider, according to BoyleSports.
Despite his success on the football pitch, it seems Merson’s chances of claiming the glitterball trophy are as slim as they come.
He’s up against 14 other celebs who are also fine-tuning their first performances, but Merson has openly admitted his dance experience is limited to a few stumbles at his own weddings.
Can Merson outlast his former teammate Tony Adams, who had to pull out of Strictly due to injury during his stint?
It’s not looking promising for the Soccer Saturday pundit, with betting trends showing very little faith in his ability to dazzle on the dancefloor.
BoyleSports’ spokesperson Lawrence Lyons didn’t mince his words, saying, “Paul Merson will be like a fish up a tree on the Strictly dancefloor, and if the betting is right, he’ll be shown the red card by the judges sooner rather than later.”
But Merson isn’t alone at the back of the pack.
He’s joined by DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, who also sits as a 66/1 outsider.
However, the same can’t be said for X Factor runner-up and JLS star JB Gill, who’s the current frontrunner at 10/3, followed closely by Love Island alum Tasha Ghouri at 4/1, and former X Factor winner Shayne Ward, who’s placed at 5/1.
Strictly winner odds:
10/3 – JB Gill
4/1 – Tasha Ghouri
5/1 – Shayne Ward
8/1 – Jamie Borthwick
8/1 – Montell Douglas
8/1 – Sam Quek
10/1 – Pete Wicks
12/1 – Sarah Hadland
12/1 – Chris McCausland
25/1 – Tom Dean
25/1 – Toyah Wilcox
25/1 – Punam Krishan
33/1 – Wynee Evans
66/1 – Paul Merson
66/1 – Nick Knowles
It’s safe to say Merson has a mountain to climb if he’s to prove the odds wrong and avoid an early exit.
But with Strictly, anything can happen!
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