BBC Strictly Come Dancing star given 'significant hit' after surviving elimination - and it's not Toyah Wilcox
One Strictly Come Dancing star has been given a 'significant hit' following the first results show of the series - and it's not Toyah Wilcox. The singer was saved after the first dance-off of the series with partner Neil Jones over the weekend.
All 15 couples performed their second routines of the 2024 run so far during Saturday night's (September 28) live show with their new scores being combined with those received in week one to create a new bumper leaderboard.
It was also the first time that viewers were able to vote in support of their favourites before the first dance-off and elimination of the BBC One dance contest this year, with Toyah and Neil one of the couples falling victim.
They had to perform again against Olympic swimmer Tom Dean and professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova. Both couples performed their routines from Saturday night again, with Tom and Nadiya performing their Cha Cha to Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind and Fire then singer Toyah and Neil performed their Jive to Nutbush City Limits by Ike and Tina Turner.
After both couples danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts. Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Toyah and Neil, Motsi Mabuse chose to save Toyah and Neil and Anton Du Beke chose to save Tom and Nadiya.
With two votes for Toyah and Neil, and one vote for Tom and Nadiya, Head Judge Shirley Ballas had the deciding vote and chose to save Toyah and Neil, meaning Tom and Nadiya became the first couple to leave the competition this year.
But despite not being at risk over the weekend, it's Dr Punam Krishan who has been dealt a major blow as she prepares for Movie Week this Saturday (October 5) alongside professional dance partner Gorka Marquez.
According to Betfred, while Toyah remains the favourite for elimination at 1/2 odds, Dr Punam has also taken a significant hit ahead of week four. Betting data shows a 92% drop in bets for Punam to win this year's series since the markets opened, with no one backing her in the past week.
Though she’s just behind Toyah in the betting markets, priced at 2/1 to leave next weekend, the risk she and Gorka are taking with their routine could send them home if it doesn’t pay off.
Analysing the latest odds, Betfred's Kayley Cornelius said: “After narrowly escaping the dance-off, Toyah Willcox is once again betting market favourite to be next eliminated, priced at 1/2. While her timing saved her and means she’s allowed to dance another week, she still sits in a worrying place as she's situated at the bottom of the leaderboard and has a long way to go. It's clear she’s far behind her peers in terms of skill, so she’ll need to make a major turnaround by next Sunday if she wants to stay competitive.”
"Dr. Punam Krishan shows great potential, but she’s likely to end up in the dance-off next week, placing her in a concerning position as we approach week three of the competition. Punters seem to think her chances of winning are slim, with bets for Punam down by 92%. To overcome her 2/1 odds of elimination, she and her pro-partner Groka Márquez will need to seriously impress the judges with their Strictly first performance next week. If the risk doesn’t pay off, it could lead them to a one-way ticket home."