18 November 2023 , 18:06
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Angela Rippon and her Strictly Come Dancing partner Kai Widdrington have been delivered a devastating blow ahead of the Blackpool dancehall episode - as the bookies have marked them as the losers of the weekend.
The 79-year-old veteran broadcaster and her 28-year-old dance partner have been wowing audiences on Strictly over the past couple of months - with Angela’s incredible age-defying dance routines. But it seems luck is running out for the duo on the BBC’s long-running dance competition.
Angela and Kai have been in the dance-off for the past two weeks, and bet makers predict they will be in the bottom two again this weekend - but that the judges won’t save them again. At the other end of the table, things are looking good for soap actress Ellie Leach, 22, and her dance partner Vito Coppola, 31 - who are now tipped to win the entire show.
Sam Boswell, spokesperson of BetVictor, is putting his money where his mouth is and is calling for Angela and Kai will get the chop this week. He predicts: “In the elimination market, Angela Rippon is the favourite to be the next celebrity eliminated at 1/2.
Betting experts predict this will be the last weekend on Strictly for Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington (@theangelarippon/instagram)
Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola are now the ones to beat (PA)“Angela and her dance partner Kai are dancing American Smooth to Tea for Two by Ella Fitzgerald. She has survived both dance-offs, firstly against Adam and last weekend against Krishnan. I think she’s at risk this weekend.”
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The betting expert also explained why he thinks Ellie and Vito will win the show - and also predicts that other cast members of the 21st season could go on to surprise viewers before the series ends next month. He said: “Ellie Leach is the new favourite to lift the Glitterball trophy in the winners' market.
“She is coming in at 2/5 now – a significant improvement from when the market first went live, as she was priced at 12/1. They couldn’t top the leaderboard with their rumba to Cyndi Lauper's True Colours last weekend, and they once again formed the top two alongside Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin.”
Sam added: “Nigel Harman’s odds have drifted slightly; he was the number one favourite a few weeks ago, priced up at 7/4, but now he has the odds 9/2. Last week, they got their Couple's Choice, which they put to good use by performing a moving narrative to Bruno Mars's track Just The Way You Are, which the actor dedicated to his wife and daughter.”
This weekend, celebrities and dance professionals have descended on Blackpool - the UK capital of ballroom dancing - for the traditional special live episode broadcast from the north of England. Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsy Mabuse and Anton du Beke will also be judging live from the glamorous Blackpool Tower ballroom. While hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be on hand to oversee all the sequin-soaked action.