Nick Knowles suffers Strictly Come Dancing blow after debut dance

Keep smiling: ick Knowles and Luba Mushtu
-Credit: (Image: PA)


JLS singer JB Gill is the clear favourite to win Strictly this year after the couples were revealed during the launch show. However, it's not looking promising for Gloucestershire's Nick Knowles as the DIY SOS host saw the odds of him winning tumble.

Knowles, 61, considered an underdog, hasn't seen his odds for Strictly success improve despite being paired with Luba Mushtak. He was already at the bottom before the launch show and his odds have now further slipped to 100/1.

However, he now shares the 100/1 odds with ex-footballer and pundit Paul Merson and his partner Karen Hauer, both having only a slim chance of clinching the series win.

READ MORE:Russell Watson's heartbreaking moment on BBC's The One Show following his brain tumour fight

READ MORE:West Country dad stunned after mistaking forest trend for grim 'double murder'

Former boy band member JB was already the bookie's choice to win the coveted Glitterball this year even before the celebrities were matched up with their professional partners. But after he was paired with returning Amy Dowden - who was awarded an MBE this year for her services to fundraising and raising awareness of Crohn's disease - JB's odds of victory were shortened still further.

Amy, who sat out last year's series while she was receiving treatment for breast cancer, was welcomed back to wild applause during the opening show. At the end of one opening routine, she was at the centre of a huge group hug with the other Strictly professionals who were clearly delighted by her return.

Amy and her celebrity partner JB - who finished third on ITV's short-lived Strictly rival Dance Dance Dance - are now 7/2 favourites to be crowned champions this year.

Love Island's Tasha Ghouri, who has been paired with Aljaz Skorjanec - also making a comeback to the show after a two-year hiatus - is second favourite with the bookies at 11/2. Former X Factor champion Shayne Ward, set to dance with Nancy Xu, is third in line at 6/1.

You can check the latest Strictly betting using our online odds tracker throughout the series.


All 15 celebrities met their professional partners for the first time on Saturday during a typical glitzy and glamorous launch of the nation’s favourite dance show. Strictly’s dynamic hosts, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, were joined by judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Anton Du Beke, Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse as they celebrated two decades of dance.

The launch show featured five epic performances in addition to the big couples reveal. The celebrities and their professional partners are now busy training for their first performances next weekend. The show will span over 14 weeks, with one celebrity being shown the door each week, leading up to a live final on December 14.

But it comes as Strictly Come Dancing has suffered a significant setback as the latest viewing figures for its launch show have come to light.

The BBC 's flagship dance competition, which celebrated its 20th anniversary with a grand opening over the weekend, experienced a notable decline in viewership, with one million fewer people tuning in compared to last year. The programme, which returned amidst the controversy surrounding Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington, attracted an average of 5.5 million viewers.

These initial figures are based on overnight TV ratings and do not account for those who may watch later via BBC iPlayer or other catch-up services. In comparison, the previous year's opener drew 6.2 million viewers, while 2022 saw 5.4 million, and the year before that boasted a 7 million strong audience eager to discover the celebrity and professional dancer pairings.