Neil Jones dealt huge blow ahead of Strictly Come Dancing new series launch

01 September 2023 , 07:46

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Neil Jones dealt huge blow ahead of Strictly Come Dancing new series launch

Neil Jones is facing a huge blow ahead of his Strictly Come Dancing 2023 appearance, after insiders hinted he might not go very far in the upcoming competition.

The 41-year-old is set to resume his role as a pro dancer on the 21st series of the popular BBC One reality show, which kicks off on September 23 after a nine-month-long hiatus. Despite being a regular on Strictly since 2016, it has now emerged Neil is unlikely to bag the Glitterball Trophy on this year's season.

Bookies are convinced Dianne Buswell is the one the watch, with "a favourable partnership" being anticipated for the Australian pro dancer. Having only reached the finals in the past, she has now been given odds of 6/1 to win. Dianne is closely followed by Nadiya Bychkova, who has yet to win the show, and Giovanni Pernice, who was crowned champion in 2021 with EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis.

Disappointing news for Neil Jones ahead of Strictly Come Dancing 2023 (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Dianne Buswell has been tipped to bag the Glitterball Trophy this year (diannebuswell / Instagram)

"It's bad news for Neil Jones," the Alex Apati of Ladbrokes exclusively told Express.co.uk. According to the gambling expert, the German-born choreographer is "the rank outsider of the professionals for the Glitterball Trophy."

The disappointing update comes shortly after Neil hinted he could become a dad during the upcoming series. The award-winning dancer revealed in April he is expecting his first child with fiancée, Love Island star Chyna Mills, whom he has been dating since last year. "Excitement is an understatement," he captioned the announcement post on Instagram, much to the delight of his 245,000 followers.

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Neil Jones cosies up to girlfriend Chyna Mills (Neil Jones/Instagram)

"Chyna wants to give birth now – she's ready to go," Neil told OK! magazine. "We don't know what's going to happen but if it happens during a live show, we're ready for that. It would be nice if it happened in a moment when I had a bit of time off but I'm really excited." Chyna, 24, rose to fame after appearing on the eighth series of Love Island in 2022. She was dumped from the villa on Day 35, however, after she and partner Jay Younger received the fewest amount of public votes.

Neil was previously married to fellow Strictly pro dancer, Katya Jones, after meeting the Russian native in 2008 at a competition in Blackpool. The couple, who tied the knot in 2013, broke up in 2019 after Katya's close relationship with series partner, comedian Seann Walsh, sparked strong media interest and even rumours of infidelity. After the separation, Neil began dating Columbian dancer Luisa Eusse. The couple split in December 2020, however, after just six months together.

Emma Dooney