Strictly Come Dancing’s Pete Wicks has been dealt a new setback ahead of the semi-final, with bookmakers predicting his potential elimination from the competition this weekend.
The 37-year-old TV star, famed for his stint on ITV’s reality show The Only Way is Essex, has been wowing judges and viewers alike with his dance skills since joining the BBC’s popular show alongside professional dancer Jowita Przystal.
Last weekend saw the pair take to the dance floor once more for the quarter-final. However, it was evident that it wasn’t their best night in the ballroom, leaving Pete and Jowita disappointed.
They ended up at the bottom of the leaderboard after receiving a score of 26 out of a possible 40 for their waltz to Somewhere from West Side Story.
Despite earning the lowest score of the evening, the duo managed to dodge the dreaded dance-off and advanced to the next round. Viewers tuning into the show on Saturday night (December 7) will witness the remaining five couples give their all, performing two dances each in hopes of securing a spot in the final, reports the Express.
The pair have been diligently rehearsing for the upcoming semi-final. Strictly fans can look forward to their performances of an Argentine Tango to Bittersweet by Symphony The Verve and a Foxtrot to Beyond The Sea by Bobby Darin.
The odds aren’t looking favourable for the reality TV personality, as bookmakers have pegged the former TOWIE star as the odds-on favourite at 4-7 to be eliminated this weekend, leading the betting for this week’s departure. JB Gill is next in line at 7-4 to leave, while Tasha Ghouri stands at 16-1 to be ousted following the semi-final.
In the race for the Glitterball Trophy, Chris McCausland is the clear frontrunner with long odds-on at 1-5, Sarah Hadland is available at 7-1, and Tasha Ghouri is a longer shot at 12-1.
Caral’s John Hill commented: “Nobody wants to miss out on a place in the final, but our betting suggests Pete Wicks is the most likely to be eliminated this weekend.”
He also noted: “Chris McCausland remains on course to lift the Glitterball Trophy. The comedian is long odds-on in our outright betting, with Sarah Hadland second best behind him.”
Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer