BBC Strictly Come Dancing's 'runaway leader' in Glitterball race named ahead of Blackpool special

A 'runaway leader' in the race for the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 title has been revealed as those heading to Blackpool for the annual special were revealed.

It was another rollercoaster night in the ballroom on Saturday night (November 9) with tears and joy being felt by the nine remaining couples in the BBC One dance contest.

Opening the show this weekend was Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec, who quickstepped to Fantasy by Mariah Carey. The pair "offered everything we needed to see in a quick step", according to Shirley Ballas, and they were awarded 37 points out of a possible 40.

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Joining them at top of the leaderboard was JLS star JB Gill and his new professional dance partner Lauren Oakley following their samba that "stunned" the judges. Commenting on their dance to Mas Que Nada by Sergio Mendes, judge Anton Du Beke said: "I am stunned, stunned. Last week. You did your couple’s choice and I said: ‘Please can you bring this moving forward? Just bring it and stick it on another dance.’ Man alive, did you bring it!"

Meanwhile, Chris McCausland was one of the talks of the evening having been praised for performing a dance featuring a "poignant" blackout moment, imitating his own experience with blindness. The comedian, 47, and his dance partner Dianne Buswell closed the latest live show, the first in two weeks without a theme, with their couple’s choice to Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon.

And it's Chris who is seemingly the favourite to life the coveted Glitterball trophy this year. After a poignant performance on Saturday night, his odds with Ladbrokes were slashed to just 1/3 from 4/7 to go all the way. Sarah Hadland is his biggest rival at odds of 7/2, while Tasha makes up the top three at 10/1.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: "Chris McCausland has been the number one pick for punters since week one and every week thereafter, his position at the head of the market only strengthened. It’s hard to see any of the other rivals beating him now."

Also confirmed to be through to the Blackpool special next Saturday (November 16) are Wynne Evans and Katya Jones, after they survived the latest dance-off, Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe, Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas, and Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal.