03 September 2023 , 16:51
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He’s already one of the favourites to win Strictly Come Dancing 2023, but now Bobby Brazier has been backed by one of the contestants from last year.
EastEnders actress Molly Rainford wowed the judges and viewers at home when she twirled and skipped across the ballroom alongside Carlos Gu - making it all the way to the Strictly final and landing as a runner up behind winners Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał. Now 22-year-old Molly is sharing her thoughts on the 2023 contestants.
Among those taking part is 20-year-old Bobby - the son of later Big Brother contestant Jade Goody who died in 2009 aged 27, and Shipwrecked star Jeff Brazier, 44. Bobby is, of course, a co-star of Molly as he also features on EastEnders where he plays Freddie Slater.
Molly has backed Bobby to win and has even offered to give him some extra training away from the show. She told the Mirror: "I joked to him, ‘How about we practise together, and then you say I taught you everything you know’. So that’s what’s happening – though of course, his pro partner may say different."
Molly Rainford has backed Bobby Brazier to win Strictly Come Dancing 2023 (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Bobby is already a favourite to win the show (WireImage)She also explained that the show is more demanding than he might expect. Molly warned: “My advice to him was just to enjoy it, and take it all in, and to expect it to be tougher than you thought.
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“The work that goes in is much more than I expected… the routine you perform on Saturday definitely doesn’t look like that on Monday."
Bobby is the joint favourite to win the show alongside former Love Island contestant Zara McDermott. The two younger participants are said to have drawn the attention of the dance professionals during early rehearsals - with a backstage fight breaking out over who would be paired with the EastEnders star or 26-year-old Zara.
Molly made it to the 2022 final alongside Carlos Gu (BBC/Guy Levy)A source previously told The Sun: "All the dancers want to be paired with them because they both have serious potential on the dance floor.
“There’s a battle going on between the pros as they all try to convince bosses to get the best pairing. They know their airtime is largely dependent on how talented their celebrity pairing is, so everything is to play for at this stage.”
Reports have suggested that Giovanni Pernice may have been paired with Zara already. While some fans have speculated that Neil Jones has been partnered with the reality star after he cheekily mentioned to her boyfriend that she would be safe with him.