24 August 2023 , 15:32
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Strictly Come Dancing 2021 contestant John Whaite has revealed his top pick for this year's winner of the BBC dancing show.
Earlier this month, the BBC unveiled the star-studded line-up for the 2023 season of the beloved dance competition. The roster includes soap stars, news anchors, and even a Paralympic champion, promising an exciting season for viewers as the celebrities gear up to hit the dance floor this Autumn.
As anticipation builds for the new series, former finalist John shared his predictions with ITV's Lorraine host Christine Lampard. When asked who he thought would be lifting the coveted Glitterball trophy, he responded: "Oooh, my moneys on Angela Rippon. It's about damn time, a mature woman."
Lampard agreed, noting Rippon's dancing prowess from her younger years and expressing her excitement to see her perform. Whaite added: "You never know, she may get embroiled in a Strictly curse, you never know!"
At 79, Rippon will be the oldest competitor that the BBC show has ever seen. Despite this, she is eager to take on the challenge. She expressed her enthusiasm, saying: "Having been a fan of Strictly since day one, and as a former presenter of Come Dancing, this will be quite an adventure for me. A scary one, considering Im about to be 79. But Im really looking forward to the challenge, and perhaps being able to learn to dance the Argentinian Tango!!"
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Strictly finalist John Whaite backs Angela Rippon to scoop the Glitterball trophy (David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)
John performed on the show alongside dancer Johannes (WireImage)In a star-studded line-up for the upcoming season, Angela is set to compete against a host of celebrities including former Emmerdale actor Adam Thomas, broadcaster Krishnan Guru-Murthy, comedian Eddie Kadi, TV presenter Angela Scanlon and content creator Zara McDermott.
The series will also feature actress Amanda Abbington, radio host Nikita Kanda, Coronation Streets Ellie Leach, Paralympic Champion Jody Cundy, EastEnders Bobby Brazier and Nigel Harman, tennis player Annabel Croft and actor Les Dennis.
Betting giant Ladbrokes has revealed that Angela and Bobby are currently leading the pack with impressive odds of 7/2 to clinch this season's title.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes shared his insights, saying: "Angela Scanlon will likely head into the upcoming series of Strictly as the most popular pick with punters to go all the way. Our traders have already slashed her odds considerably, and we wouldn't be surprised to see her priced even shorter by the time she takes to the dance floor."
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