Strictly Come Dancing 2024's favourite to win revealed
Who is most likely to win Strictly Come Dancing 2024 from the line-up?
Strictly Come Dancing's 2024 line-up has been revealed and there is already a favourite to win, according to betting odds.
The BBC show returns in the autumn and marks its special 20th anniversary this year. However, the glittering celebrations have been overshadowed by allegations of bullying and misconduct after Amanda Abbington quit Strictly early and later accused her pro dancer Giovanni Pernice of bullying her, claims he denies. The BBC are investigating, meanwhile Pernice left the show after nine years.
Ahead of the 2024 series, the BBC sacked Graziano Di Prima after it emerged he kicked his last celeb partner Zara McDermott. In a new interview, the pro dancer said he was "not a monster" and that he "wasn’t meaning to kick her". He told The Daily Mail: "I’d never, never do that."
As the conversations are ongoing behind the scenes, Strictly bosses have unveiled the line-up for this year's show. Here we take a look at who is the favourite to win and the least likely to take home the trophy.
Read more: Strictly
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Favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing
Love Island star Tasha Ghouri - who wears a cochlear implant, a small electronic device that electrically stimulates the nerve for hearing - has been named the favourite to win before the glittering competition gets underway. While she has not learned any Ballroom or Latin dances, Ghouri is trained in commercial dance and has had a passion for dance since she was a little girl.
Betting odds William Hill has said Ghouri has the best chance of winning the Glitterball trophy on the BBC show out of the 15 contestants with odds of 7/2. EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick has been named as the second favourite with odds of 9/2.
X Factor winner Shayne Ward comes third with odds of 5/1 and JLS member JB Gill - who once won Strictly Come Dancing's Christmas special in 2012 - has odds of 7/1. TV presenter Nick Knowles and footballer commentator Paul Merson have been named the least likely with odds of 20/1 and 25/1 respectively.
A spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said: "Strictly have just announced the 15 contestants for the upcoming 2024 series, and we make Tasha Ghouri the 7/2 early market leader to win the show. She's followed by Jamie Borthwick (9/2), Shayne Ward (5/1) and JB Gill (7/1), who all have professional performance experience which is sure to help when taking to the dancefloor.
"Behind the frontrunners are ex-England hockey player Sam Quek at 7/1, with recent Paris gold medallist swimmer Tom Dean at 10/1.
"TV presenter Nick Knowles (16/1) may prove popular with the audience due to his long career in the BBC, and ex-footballer, now Sky Sports pundit, Paul Merson (25/1) is sure to pique the interest of Arsenal and football fans alike."
Strictly Come Dancing 2024 odds in full
Tasha Ghouri (7/2), Jamie Borthwick (9/2) Shayne Ward (5/1), JB Gill (7/1), Sam Quek (7/1),
Tom Dean (10/1), Pete Wicks (10/1), Montell Douglas (14/1) Chris McCausland (16/1), Sarah Hadland (16/1)
Nick Knowles (16/1), Toyah Wilcox (20/1) Paul Merson (25/1), Wynne Evans (33/1), Punam Krishan (33/1)
