Strictly 2023, Celebrity Jungle and Hits From Christmas Past
Only seven marks separated first place from last in Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing. As fans bade farewell to the eliminated Angela Scanlon, bookmakers reopened their markets on the hugely popular TV show. Ellie Leach remains the favorite for the sought-after Glitterball Trophy. Priced 1/4, her odds are shorter than ever.
Coronation Street veteran Ellie Leach is the overwhelming Strictly Come Dancing 2023 favorite. ©Getty
Leach, a twelve-year Coronation Street veteran, has been the top points scorer four times in the past five weeks. At 22, she is bidding to become the youngest-ever Strictly Come Dancing winner. The record currently belongs to the 2025 winner, Jay McGuiness, who was 25 when taking the prize in 2015.
16/1 at the outset of the competition, Leach’s price has contracted every week. Novelty betting sites made her odds on after week seven – a night when she scored 39 points, and most rivals received 30 or fewer marks.
What Does Williams Need to Do?
Overall, it is Layton Williams who has topped the scores the most. The stage performer has received the most judges points five times in ten weeks. Nevertheless, the 28-year-old is 14/1 to take the prize during the December 16 finals show.
Our 14/1 pre-event betting selection, the former tennis star Annabel Croft, is amongst the final five. She now trades on 8/1. Bobby Brazier, the ante-post favorite, is also still in the competition. However, those who backed him on 7/2 would probably like to cash in their tickets, as the EastEnders actor is now available on 20/1.
Strictly Come Dancing continues this weekend with five couples seeking a place in the quarter-finals. Bobby Brazier is 6/4 to be the next eliminated celebrity. Nigel Harman on 5/2 and Layton Williams (10/3) follow in this betting market.
Josie Land the I’m a Celeb Odds
I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here has lost its first contestant. ITV announced Grace Dent had left the jungle due to “medical grounds” early on Monday. Her departure came ahead of her appointment with a Bushtucker Trial. During Sunday’s show, the restaurant critic was heard to say, “I just want to go home.”
Late arrivals Frankie Dettori and Tony Bellew have yet to make much impact with the novelty betting sites taking bets on the show. The pair can be backed on 40/1 and 18/1, respectively. Conversely, punters appear to be in love with Josie Gibson. Only a few bookmakers – including Paddy Power and Betfred – offer 11/10 about the This Morning presenter.
Sam Thompson’s odds have halved since the show first aired on November 19. The Made in Chelsea star is now trading on 5/2. First Dates’ Fred Sirex follows on 7/1. He has questioned Nigel Farage’s political achievements on more than one occasion. It has done neither any harm – Farage is trading on a surprisingly short 10/1.
At the other end of the betting, punters have no interest in Nella Rose and Nick Pickard. Paddy Power offers the industry-best prices on both. They can be backed on 225/1 and 125/1, respectively.
What’s on Your Christmas No. 1 Mind?
Completing a trio of popular Christmas-time novelty betting markets is the race for the Christmas No.1 song. Here, punters that backed LadBaby have had their fingers burned like chestnuts roasted on an open fire. Shockingly, the YouTubing family has announced they will not attempt an unprecedented sixth consecutive Christmas No. 1 this December.
Consequently, the bookmakers’ Christmas No. 1 betting is in a state of disarray. Online betting sites have no clue as to the destination of the coveted top spot. However, they are unanimous in their view that the distinction will go to an old classic.
Although never enjoying the mantle of UK Christmas No. 1 – having been kept at number two on its original release in 1987 by ‘Always on My Mind’ by the Pet Shop Boys – The Pogues’ ‘Fairytale of New York’ tops the betting. Novelty betting sites quote the Anglo-Irish band on prices between 4/6 and 2/1.
At Last, a Christmas Number One for Wham?
Wham! are second best on 5/1. Their ‘Last Christmas’ was kept from the top spot in its release year, 1984, by Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas‘, but it did spend five weeks at number two. For the past six years, it has been a top-three hit at some point over the Christmas period.
‘Last Christmas’ finally reached the No. 1 spot on the UK Singles Chart on New Year’s Day 2021, more than 36 years after its initial release. It has been in the top-40 16 times and proceeds from the song – initially destined for Ethiopian famine relief efforts – still go to charity.
Bookies’ third favorite is Mariah Carey and her ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. The track is the all-time highest-selling song by a female artist in the United Kingdom. Remarkably, it has never reached top-spot at Christmas and was kept at number two by East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’ for three weeks on its 1994 release.
The most-streamed Christmas song in the UK – with 250 million streams – and boasting 764 million YouTube views, many will like her chances at the 10/1 odds currently on offer.
In an interesting twist, R&B singer Jorja Smith has covered East 17’s Stay Another Day. Last week, the new version entered the British charts in 75th position. Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryder saw his festive original, ‘You’re Christmas To Me,’ reach No. 50 in its second week on the same list.
